The semiconductor market has seen immense growth over the past year, and that momentum continues with Micron Technology (MU) blowing analyst expectations out of the water. Expect ETFs offering pure play exposure to the memory semiconductor industry to benefit in at least the near-term future.
Key Takeaways Micron beat analyst expectations on Wednesday, reporting EPS of $25.11 and revenue of $41.5 billion, while also raising Q4 revenue guidance to $49 billion to $51 billion. A multi-year agreement with Anthropic and soaring memory component demand from data center construction are cementing Micron’s role as a critical component in the AI infrastructure ecosystem. Numerous ETFs are benefiting from Micron’s earnings performance, including DRAM, RAM, and VLUE, which all include Micron as a top allocation. Micron Surpasses Q3 Earnings Expectations After the closing bell on Wednesday, Micron announced Q3 earnings, beating analyst expectations across the board. The company reported EPS of $25.11 and revenue of $41.5 billion, exceeding analyst expectations of $20.39 and $35.1 billion, respectively. Looking ahead to Q4, the company anticipates revenues of $49 billion to $51 billion, surpassing Wall Street expectations of $43.2 billion, according to Yahoo Finance.
On Monday prior to earnings, Micron announced a multi-year agreement with Anthropic to supply memory and storage chips to the AI developer. This deal links the demand of flagship AI models to how the infrastructure is designed, supplied, and deployed at scale.
The continued construction of data centers is driving demand for memory components known as DRAM. Micron announced DRAM revenue of $31.3 billion, beating analyst expectations of $27.5 billion.
Pure-Play Memory Strategies Capitalizing Since its inception in early April, the Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) has seen returns of over 150%, and inflows of $17.5 billion. The fund provides pure-play exposure to the companies driving the physical hardware of the AI sector, requiring companies to derive at least 50% of their revenues directly from the memory components industry.
DRAM maintains a highly concentrated portfolio, with three holdings — Micron (24.25%), Samsung Electronics Co (005930) (26.49%), and SK Hynix (000660) (24.26%) — accounting for approximately 75% of the fund’s assets. Micron’s recent earnings beat serves as a major driver for the fund, due to its concentrated portfolio.
For investors seeking increased exposure to the AI memory industry, Roundhill Investments recently launched the Roundhill T-REX 2X Long DRAM Daily Target ETF (RAM). With an expense ratio of 125 basis points, the fund provides leveraged exposure to DRAM, seeking to replicate 2X the daily performance of the underlying ETF, offering investors a tactical way to magnify daily returns.
Broader Funds Benefiting Among other funds with high allocations to Micron is the iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (VLUE). Following the fund’s semiannual May rebalance, Micron now accounts for a 23.4% weighting in the fund, with the next highest weight being Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 4.7%.
The fund tracks the MSCI USA Enhanced Value Index, which focuses on isolating value stocks from the MSCI USA Index, with a heavy emphasis on the tech sector. The strategy employs a sector-neutral and fundamentals-based methodology, to capture value across the broader market.
Due to strong earnings and cash flow growth, Micron’s fundamental metrics, forward and trailing P/E ratio, remain relatively low at 9.11 and 23.70, respectively. This is significantly lower and more value-oriented than the broader AI market, in which a company like Nvidia (NVDA) has forward and trailing P/E ratios of 22.68 and 30.47.
For more news, information, and analysis, visit the Equity ETF Content Hub.
Micron Technology, Inc. delivered another earnings beat and raised guidance, signaling robust AI-driven demand and a strong margin outlook across memory segments. MU and SK hynix may break historic memory cyclicality if AI and data center demand persists, with HBM chips consuming significantly more wafer capacity than traditional DRAM. I maintain a Buy on Micron, targeting a 15x P/E multiple and 30% upside, though a definitive valuation breakout may require further proof of sustained demand and capital discipline.
Seventy percent. That's the share of global memory chip production that artificial intelligence (AI) data centers are expected to absorb in 2026. Set aside what that means for the companies supplying it for a moment and consider what it means for everything else in the tech realm. Smartphones, laptops, cars, medical devices, and televisions are all competing for the remaining 30% of a supply base that used to be far closer to balanced with demand. Market research firm IDC is forecasting that smartphone unit sales will fall by as much as 5% and that PC unit sales will shrink by up to 9%, specifically because of this reallocation. This is a transfer of component manufacturing capacity that is reshaping an entire industry in real time.
Three companies manufacture most of the world's high-bandwidth memory. One of them, South Korean giant Samsung, is not traded on U.S. exchanges. For most domestic investors seeking direct exposure to the most constrained slice of the technology supply chain, that leaves two stocks: Idaho-based Micron Technology (MU +14.96%) and South Korea's SK Hynix (KOSE: A000660), which is preparing to list in the U.S. via a secondary offering on the Nasdaq next month.
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High-bandwidth memory, or HBM, is not standard random access memory. It stacks dynamic random access memory (DRAM) dies vertically and connects them via microscopic silicon channels called through-silicon vias, delivering data bandwidth that flat memory architectures cannot physically match. Every Nvidia Blackwell graphics processing unit requires HBM. Every hyperscaler building the next generation of AI training infrastructure requires it -- and building 1 gigabyte of HBM consumes 4 times the wafer capacity of standard DRAM. When memory manufacturers shift capacity toward HBM, they disproportionately tighten supply for every other memory product on the market.
That dynamic is already visible in pricing. In Micron's fiscal second quarter alone, average DRAM selling prices rose by a percentage in the mid-60s sequentially. NAND prices jumped by 70% in the same period. Memory, historically the most volatile commodity in the semiconductor sector, has transformed into a contracted infrastructure product -- Micron signed its first five-year customer supply agreement in early 2026. Contracts with terms that long have almost no precedent in this industry.
Image source: Getty Images.
Micron Technology Micron Technology's entire 2026 HBM4 production capacity is already sold out under binding multiyear contracts.
Speaking at COMPUTEX 2026, a major information technology trade show in Taipei, Micron Chief Business Officer Sumit Sadana explained the demand math: AI context lengths are growing by a factor of 30 every year, and memory content per server has doubled in the past three years. Those two numbers increase in tandem. Larger models need more context. Longer context requires more memory per inference, and that requires more HBM per server rack. And rising inference workloads demand more of those servers.
Micron is shipping HBM4 chips that can move data at bandwidths greater than 2.8 terabytes per second -- roughly 2.3 times the bandwidth of its previous generation HBM3E chips -- with 20% better power efficiency. Those are the specs that determine which chips get designed into the next generation of AI systems.
Micron is also in the midst of a $200 billion expansion of its U.S. manufacturing capacity, a number that signals where it believes demand is headed through the end of the decade.
With sales of much of its memory supply locked in under multiyear contracts, AI data center demand still growing, and HBM supply structurally constrained, Micron stock looks less like the cyclical semiconductor bet that it used to be, and more like a long-term AI infrastructure asset. That makes it a compelling candidate for investors to steadily dollar-cost average into over time.
SK Hynix SK Hynix holds an estimated 60% to 70% of HBM4 volume allocated to Nvidia's Vera Rubin platform. On June 6, Nvidia and SK Hynix formalized a multiyear co-development agreement covering not just the supply but also the actual design of next-generation AI memory. That's a distinction worth understanding: SK Hynix is not simply a vendor filling purchase orders. It is collaborating with the designer of the world's most advanced AI systems to engineer the memory architecture that those processors will run on for the next several years.
SK Hynix's leading share of the HBM market -- which estimates place between 57% and 62% -- reflects the technological lead it has held since the debut of HBM3E chips, and that it is now extending with the current top-of-the-line HBM4 standard. Bank of America named SK Hynix as its global memory "top pick" and estimated that in 2026, the HBM market would grow by 58% to $54.6 billion. The bank also described the current environment as a "supercycle similar to the 1990s semiconductor boom." SK Hynix also projects that the HBM market will grow at a 30% annualized rate through 2030.
SK Hynix trades on the Korea Stock Exchange, but it's about to become more accessible to U.S. investors. Its upcoming offering of American depositary receipts (ADRs) on the Nasdaq appears to make the stock a compelling candidate for a dollar-cost averaging strategy, given the company's leadership in HBM memory, its deepening partnership with Nvidia, and the central role it's playing in the AI semiconductor supercycle.
The Investment Committee debate Micron's rise and what it means for the rotation and how you should trade it. Jim Lebenthal, Chief Market Strategist at Cerity Partners, joins CNBC's "Halftime Report" to explain why he's buying it here.
• AMC Entertainment shares are retreating from recent levels. What’s weighing on AMC shares?
Debt Redemption PlansAccording to the company’s press release, AMC intends to use the net proceeds primarily to call and redeem all $125,471,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.125% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2027. Following this redemption, the company does not anticipate any material debt principal repayments until calendar year 2029.
CEO Commentary On CapitalBox Office MomentumAMC Stock: Key Technical Levels To WatchFrom a longer-term trend view, AMC is still trying to stabilize after a weak 12-month run (down about 40%), and Thursday’s pullback keeps it stuck in a choppy zone rather than a clean uptrend. The stock is trading 15.4% below its 20-day SMA ($2.12) and 5% below its 200-day SMA ($1.89), which suggests rallies have recently been sold and longer-term overhead supply remains active.
At the same time, AMC is trading 1.1% above its 50-day SMA ($1.78) and 21.2% above its 100-day SMA ($1.48), so the intermediate base isn’t broken yet. The crossover picture is mixed: the 20-day SMA is above the 50-day SMA (near-term bullish), but the 50-day SMA is still below the 200-day SMA (a bearish longer-term backdrop).
AMC Stock Price Activity: AMC Entertainment shares were down 11.28% at $1.77 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Photo: IgorGolovniov / Shutterstock
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2026) - Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z) and certain of its officers.
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Zillow securities between February 11, 2025 and May 7, 2026, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/Z.
Zillow Case Details
The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:
Zillow's agreement with Redfin Corporation was not a "partnership," but rather an acquisition of Redfin's business; as a result of the Redfin Agreement, Zillow faced a materially heightened risk of regulatory scrutiny and liability under federal antitrust laws; upon the filing of an antitrust lawsuit, Zillow continued to downplay its legal exposure; and as a result, defendants' statements about Zillow's business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.What's Next for Zillow Investors?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/Z, or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Zillow you have until August 10, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
No Cost to Zillow Investors
We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Zillow Securities Class Action?
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com
"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.
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Source: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
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LMT stock is up. See the chart and price action here. On Wednesday, Lockheed announced it was awarded a seven-year undefinitized contract action (UCA) for up to $35 billion to quadruple production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors.
The Pentagon’s roughly $35 billion THAAD award is not just a headline number. It is a visibility machine, locking in years of revenue and reinforcing a sector-wide re-rating story.
Backlog and Cadence Backlog is the first lever. Lockheed already operates with one of the deepest backlogs in industrials, and this deal adds another long-duration layer.
Backlog is forward revenue with a government guarantee, and multi-year procurement contracts compress uncertainty and expand confidence in earnings durability. That dynamic often supports higher multiples, especially when paired with geopolitical tailwinds.
The second lever is cadence. This is not a one-quarter spike. THAAD production stretches across years, creating a steady drumbeat of revenue recognition, margin capture and potential program expansions.
Each incremental funding tranche or upgrade cycle becomes a new catalyst. In other words, this is the kind of contract that keeps showing up in earnings beats.
Spillover to RTX, NOC Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC) adds a different angle. Its exposure to advanced radar and space-based tracking ties into the next phase of missile defense evolution.
As the Pentagon pushes toward more integrated, layered systems for the Golden Dome Northrop Grumman becomes a strategic player in what could be the next leg of spending. That creates optionality, which markets tend to reward.
The bigger picture is momentum. Defense is shifting from episodic spending to sustained investment cycles, and the shift matters for positioning. Instead of trading around news, investors are increasingly holding for duration, betting on consistent budget flows and expanding program scope.
The TakeawayA simple example: if Lockheed Martin converts this award into stable annual revenue over several years, it strengthens free cash flow visibility. That supports dividends, buybacks, and, importantly for traders, downside protection. Meanwhile, suppliers like RTX and Northrop layer in incremental growth without carrying full program execution risk.
Bottom line, this contract is a sector signal. Defense names are moving into a phase where backlog, visibility and geopolitical demand align—and that combination tends to keep capital flowing in.
LMT Stock Price Activity: Lockheed Martin stock was up 3.16% at $507.18 at the time of publication Thursday, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
Over the past month, LMT has declined about 5.4% versus a 2.1% decline in the S&P 500 and is up roughly 5% year-to-date compared to the index’s 7.1% gain. The stock is trading within its 52-week range of $410.11 to $692.00.
Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Corp.
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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Lockheed Martin (LMT +2.85%) stock jumped 2.8% through 1:15 p.m. ET Thursday on no obvious good news.
No obvious good news today, that is to say. But if you scroll back just a couple of days through the defense contract announcements posted by the U.S. Department of Defense on its website, I think you'll quickly find the reason why investors are so keen on LockMart stock today.
Image source: Getty Images.
An $8.2 billion contract -- and Lockheed stock falls On Tuesday, DOD announced an $8.2 billion contract will go to Lockheed Martin to increase the number of Precision Strike Missiles (PrSMs) it can produce per year, and also the number of PrSMs the Army buys from Lockheed Martin.
Granted, the contract is spread over six years, ending in 2032, making the annual revenue increase only about $1.4 billion. Still, it seems strange that this news sent Lockheed Martin's stock down 2.4% yesterday!
A $35.3 billion contract, and Lockheed stock barely budges Speaking of yesterday, yesterday's headline was Lockheed winning a $35.3 billion Missile Defense Command contract to produce Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Interceptor missiles -- used to shoot down exoatmospheric ballistic missiles -- also through 2032. Priced near $12.7 million per unit (about three times the cost of a Patriot missile), this contract envisions Lockheed producing an astounding 2,800 THAAD interceptors.
And over the next six years, it will add nearly $5.9 billion to Lockheed's annual revenue haul.
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What it means for Lockheed stock So two days of contracts just grew Lockheed's annual revenue haul by about $7.3 billion. Even on the defense giant's already sizable $75.1 billion revenue stream, that's close to a 10% increase. And Lockheed stock is only back to flat because of it?
Sounds like a buying opportunity to me.
Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Lockheed Martin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT | LMT Price Prediction) is a stock worth owning for decades because its revenue is effectively underwritten by the U.S. government and a global alliance system that does not negotiate down its threat environment to suit a recession. For a retirement investor who has already paid tuition chasing momentum, it fits the profile of a long-duration anchor position to research for reinvestment and patience.
Pillar 1: A Business Built Like Infrastructure Lockheed ended 2025 with a record $194 billion backlog, more than 2.5 years of sales, anchored by sole-source and duopoly franchises: the F-35, PAC-3, THAAD, Aegis, Sikorsky rotorcraft, and the Orion spacecraft. Customers are locked into these platforms for decades. CEO Jim Taiclet noted on the Q1 2026 call that factory production is already up more than 60% from just two years ago, supported by seven-year framework agreements on Patriot and PrSM that aim to lift munitions output three to four times current rates. The Pentagon’s FY 2027 budget request totals $756.8 billion for procurement and RDT&E, with $52.9 billion earmarked for critical munitions. That is the demand stream feeding the backlog.
Pillar 2: Income That Compounds Without Drama Lockheed has now raised the dividend for 23 consecutive years, with the quarterly payout climbing from $0.22 in 1999 to $3.45 in 2026 and zero cuts through the 2008 crisis, COVID, or the 2022 rate shock. The current yield sits near 2.64%, and management returned $3.0 billion in buybacks during 2025 with $9.1 billion of repurchase authorization in place. FY2025 free cash flow reached $6.908 billion, and 2026 guidance calls for $6.5 billion to $6.8 billion. That cash funds the payout, the buyback, and roughly $2.5 billion to $2.8 billion in capital expenditures without straining the balance sheet.
Pillar 3: It Survives Cycles Other Stocks Do Not Defense outlays are tied to geopolitics, not GDP. The beta of 0.106 reflects that decoupling. Allied procurement is structural: Goldman Sachs flagged the +€800 billion ReArm Europe Plan 2030 as a megatrend, and Lockheed is positioned as lead integrator for the Golden Dome missile defense initiative. The F-35 is, as Taiclet put it, “superior to every other airplane in the world today that we face”, and the Pentagon’s request includes 855 F-35 aircraft over the program horizon.
The Scenario Where It Underperforms Fixed-price classified programs can blow up. Q2 2025 was the proof: EPS came in at $1.46 against a $6.57 estimate after $1.6 billion in pre-tax program losses, including a $950 million reach-forward charge on a classified Aeronautics program. Yet revenue barely moved, the backlog still grew to a record by year-end, the dividend was raised anyway, and Q3 and Q4 returned to beats. Program charges are episodic. The Department of War demand cycle is structural, and that asymmetry is the entire point.
Lockheed Martin’s rising dividend and the structural geopolitical demand cycle frame it as a long-duration anchor position for investors prioritizing income compounding over trading.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD) will highlight its flash freezing solutions for specialty foods at the Summer Fancy Food Show 2026 at the Javits Center in New York City from June 28-30.
Attendees are invited to visit Air Products' booth 2581, to speak with an industry specialist to learn how flash freeze technology with cryogenic gases can address their specific processes and challenges, while increasing product quality and throughput.
Specialty food producers will have the opportunity to learn more about Air Products' Freshline® solutions, which use liquid nitrogen (LIN) and carbon dioxide (CO2) to improve a variety of processes. The extremely cold temperatures of these cryogenic gases enable food products to be chilled or frozen in minutes instead of the hours traditionally required with alternative systems. This rapid freeze results in smaller yield losses and helps ensure moisture and quality are preserved.
Air Products' Freshline® IQ Freezer offers continuous high throughput freezing or chilling for a broad range of food products and requires minimal floorspace. It is designed in 10-foot modular sections making it easily field expandable. Couple this advanced machine with Freshline® Smart Technology, and Air Products' engineers can work with a customer's team to easily troubleshoot from afar, minimizing downtime and the impact to the bottom line.
The Freshline® MP Tunnel Freezer has been designed to provide exceptional performance while incorporating the latest international hygiene standards. The Freshline MP freezer's ability to efficiently extract heat makes for quick freezing in a smaller, modular design.
As a leader in cryogenic technology applications, Air Products operates a state-of-the-art food and grinding lab at its global headquarters in Allentown, Pa. Customers and prospects can utilize the facility to test products on production-scale equipment to help determine the feasibility of using cryogenics in their process. Working with industry specialists, prospective customers can quantify the benefits and cost of using cryogenics in their operation without investing in any capital.
Air Products has been supplying the food industry with gases, equipment and technology for over 60 years. The company has Freshline® solutions for every type of customer, from large manufacturers with multiple production lines, to small food processors with niche products. Air Products offers industrial gases in a variety of delivery options to match each customer's requirements.
About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE: APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for over 85 years focused on serving energy, environmental, and emerging markets and generating a cleaner future. The Company supplies essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemicals, metals, electronics, manufacturing, medical and food. As the leading global supplier of hydrogen, Air Products also develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates some of the world's largest clean hydrogen projects, supporting the transition to low- and zero-carbon energy in the industrial and heavy-duty transportation sectors. Through its sale of equipment businesses, the Company also provides turbomachinery, membrane systems and cryogenic containers globally.
Air Products had fiscal 2025 sales of $12 billion from operations in approximately 50 countries. For more information, visit airproducts.com or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook or Instagram.
Key Takeaways BXP leased about 320,000 square feet at Reservoir Place to Boston Dynamics under a long-term agreement.Boston Dynamics will consolidate manufacturing, R&D, training and AI operations. Reservoir Place is part of BXP's Urban Edge portfolio across more than 5M sq. ft. and serves a mix of tenants. BXP, Inc. (BXP - Free Report) signed a long-term lease agreement with Boston Dynamics for approximately 320,000 square feet at Reservoir Place, a 530,000 square foot building located at 1601 Trapelo Road in Waltham, MA. The transaction represents one of the largest innovation-focused office leasing transactions in Greater Boston this year.
Boston Dynamics, a global leader in mobile robotics, plans to transform the leased space into a premier center for robotics and AI innovation. The company intends to consolidate manufacturing, research and development, training and artificial intelligence functions that are currently distributed across multiple locations into the new facility. Boston Dynamics expects to relocate to Reservoir Place in phases beginning in mid-2027.
Reservoir Place was selected for its scale, flexibility and connectivity to support Boston Dynamics' long-term growth while enabling the company to maintain its strong presence in Massachusetts. The project is the result of a collaborative effort among Boston Dynamics, the City of Waltham and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to retain and expand one of the state's most prominent innovation companies.
BXP has owned and operated Reservoir Place since 1998. The property is part of BXP's Urban Edge portfolio, a mixed-use destination spanning more than 5 million square feet across Waltham, Weston and Lexington. BXP’s Urban Edge portfolio is home to a diverse mix of technology, life sciences and professional services companies, offering premium workplaces alongside housing, retail and dining options, hotels, fitness and wellness amenities, and extensive open spaces.
The lease further reinforces Reservoir Place's position as a leading destination for technology and innovation companies in Massachusetts. It also underscores the continued demand for high-quality office space that supports collaboration, attracts top talent and accommodates long-term growth strategies.
ConclusionBXP is expected to benefit from stable, long-term rental income at Reservoir Place through this landmark lease with Boston Dynamics. The addition of a globally recognized mobile robotics leader strengthens BXP's tenant roster, increases occupancy at a key asset and reinforces the appeal of its high-quality office properties to innovation-focused tenants.
In the past three months, shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 20.7% compared with the industry's 11.5% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks from the broader REIT sector are Cousins Properties (CUZ - Free Report) and Prologis (PLD - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CUZ’s 2026 FFO per share is pegged at $2.94, which indicates year-over-year growth of 3.52%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PLD’s full-year FFO per share is pinned at $6.18, which calls for an increase of 6.37% from the year-ago period.
Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents FFO, a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2026) - Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX) and certain of its officers.
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Roblox securities between October 30, 2025 and April 30, 2026, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/RBLX.
Roblox Case Details
The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:
Defendants overstated Roblox's organic growth potential and the Company's ability to sustain "tremendous organic growth" following the rollout of its age verification features; Defendants downplayed and failed to adequately disclose the severity and certainty of headwinds associated with the age verification rollout, including a slowdown in user enrollment, reduced on-platform communication, and associated negative impacts on app store ratings; as a result of these undisclosed trends, Roblox's growth rates were expected to decline more sharply than represented; and as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.What's Next for Roblox Investors?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/RBLX, or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Roblox you have until August 7, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
No Cost to Roblox Investors
We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Roblox Securities Class Action?
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com
"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Source: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
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New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX) between October 30, 2025 and April 30, 2026, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important August 7, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Roblox common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Roblox class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/cases/roblox-corporation-2026/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 7, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered billions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the complaint, defendants provided overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of Roblox's organic growth potential; notably, that Roblox would see a significant slowdown in its growth rates as enrollment in the age verification rollout would quickly taper, compounding the resulting slowdown in on-platform communication, resulting in app store rating reductions and a swift reduction in organic growth. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Roblox class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/cases/roblox-corporation-2026/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
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Ambiq Micro, Inc. (âAmbiqâ) (NYSE: AMBQ), a technology leader in ultra-low-power semiconductor solutions for edge AI, today announced the closing of its up
BERLIN, GERMANY - JANUARY 21: The Logo of streeming services Amazon Music and Spotify is displayed on the screen of a smartphone. (Photo by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)
Photothek via Getty Images
It defies what most in the music biz have believed until now: Spotify pays itself more than what it pays to the record labels, according to a streaming royalty calculator launched by leading law firm Manatt Phelps & Phillips.
Most assumed Spotify and the other DSPs (digital service providers) took a 30% cut off the top of music streaming revenues before remitting the rest to the record labels and music publishers, who in turn pay artists and songwriters.
But according to Manatt’s number-crunching machine, and the lawyers and analysts who stand behind it, Spotify takes a 46% cut of gross revenue and Apple Music takes a 25% cut “off the top.” That leaves labels with 43% from Spotify and 60% from Apple, with the rest going to music publishers.
Recording artists and songwriters are, in turn, typically paid by their music distributors and music publishers, unless they own their own companies.
The numbers coming out of Manatt’s calculator are surprising when it comes to just how much streamers are paying into the music eco-system.
And there’s one most-surprising revelation: Amazon Music doesn’t pay itself anything before remitting streaming revenue to the labels and publishers.
According to the Manatt calculator, Spotify is taking more for itself than was thought and Amazon Music is taking nothing for itself.
MORE FOR YOU
Does Amazon Provide Streaming Music For Free?According to Trent Smith and Jordan Bromley, who developed Manatt’s calculator using data they’ve collected from the streamers, it indeed appears Amazon Music pays itself nothing “off the top."
“This is newsworthy,” says Bromley, who leads Manatt’s highly-regarded entertainment group. Smith, who engineered the calculator, is an analyst hired by Manatt from Music Reports, Inc., considered the largest registry of music rights and related business information in the world.
"The labels negotiated rates directly with Spotify, and if there’s a 43% split for labels, like what we’re seeing, well, that’s a big dip from 55%,” which is what most have assumed the labels were receiving from Spotify.
“We’re using comprehensive rate sheets that are provided by the DSPs,” says Bromley. “So anyone with a publisher account has access to this data, but we found a way to crack it open and gain insights from the data that others maybe weren’t looking at fully."
But is Amazon Music simply not paying itself any money from use of music on its platform by an estimated 100 million music subscribers worldwide? Especially when Spotify takes 47% and Apple Music takes 25% of gross streaming revenue “off the top” before sharing any revenue with the content owners?
From reports Smith is seeing, “Amazon reports zero revenue," he says. But it gets complicated, because "They have a mixed service bundle" that includes music along with other things in an Amazon Prime account. “Their royalty calculation is based on the number of subscribers to the service. I believe it’s $0.25 per subscriber per month," Smith says. But that’s not reported as streaming revenue at least for Manatt’s calculations, he says.
But twenty-five cents per subscriber per month adds up. Other sources hint at what Amazon’s gross streaming revenue may equal. In 2025, the total “wholesale” revenue paid by the DSPs to music companies was $22 billion, according to the respected IFPI Global Music Report 2026. The IFPI report does not specify the gross amount collected by the streamers from subscription fees and ad revenues pegged to music, but reports Polaris Market Research, it reaches $52 billion. If these numbers correspond, then streamers pay music companies about 42 percent of their gross global income from music streaming.
Music streaming income is small potatoes for Amazon, the world’s second biggest company after JP Morgan Chase according to a just-released Forbes report, showing that Bezos’ behemoth registered $742.8 billion in sales in 2025 and a market value of $2.8 trillion.
Unlike Spotify, which makes its living largely off of music streaming revenue, Amazon Music and Apple Music can view their music streaming businesses as mainly marketing tools.
And Spotify is clearly winning the battle for users against its much bigger rivals that don’t spotlight their music biz. Of the almost one 1 billion subscribers to music streaming services, Spotify holds a commanding lead with a 31.4% market share, according to Midia Research.
If Manatt’s streaming calculator results are accurate, music companies and creators should note how much more they’re paid by Amazon Music than Spotify, Apple, and others.
Manatt’s Bromley and Smith joined the author on his podcast Shmoozic Biz podcast to run the numbers and draw conclusions from their music streaming royalty calculator.
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Strategy stock is testing lower boundaries. Why is MSTR stock at lows? Bitcoin Continues To StruggleThursday’s decline follows a rough session on Wednesday, when Bitcoin fell under $60,000 and most crypto‑related stocks dropped sharply. K33 Research reported that Bitcoin investment vehicles have posted their first negative one-year flow reading since November 2023.
Grayscale Says Bitcoin Looks Undervalued, But Risks RemainMSTR Stock: Key Levels And Trends To WatchMomentum is also stretched to the downside. RSI is at 25.41, which places the stock in oversold territory and shows that selling pressure has reached extreme levels. Readings this low often precede sharp countertrend rebounds, although oversold conditions alone do not confirm that a durable bottom has formed. Price also remains far below the 20-day simple moving average at $122.67, a level that often acts like a magnet during strong trends.
Key Resistance: $122.67 — This level matches the 20-day simple moving average and is typically the first area tested during mean reversion attempts after a steep decline. Key Support: $92.28 — This zone corresponds to the previous 52-week low, which has now been broken. Reclaiming this level would be an important signal that buyers are attempting to regain control. MSTR Shares Are FallingMSTR Price Action: Strategy shares were down 8.10% at $86.51 at the time of publication on Thursday. The stock is trading at a new 52-week low, according to Benzinga Pro.
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June 25, 2026 15:00 ET | Source: Canadian National Railway Company
CALGARY, Alberta, June 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PlasCred Circular Innovations Inc. (CSE: PLAS) (FSE: XV2) today announced it has entered into a conditional long-term lease agreement with Canadian National Railway Company (CN) for the site of the proposed Plascred Neos project, an advanced recycling facility at CN’s Scotford Yard in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.
The term of the lease agreement is subject to certain conditions being met before the current effective date of August 1, 2026. Once in effect, the agreement will provide PlasCred with an initial 15-year lease term, with options for renewal securing up to 30 years of site control within Alberta’s Industrial Heartland.
The leased property comprises approximately 7.34 acres and includes a 35,000-square-foot industrial building and an existing 200-car rail siding. The site will support receipt and storage of mixed plastic waste bales, advanced recycling operations, condensate storage, and direct rail access for shipment of finished products.
Once operational, PlasCred Neos will be able to process up to 100 tonnes of mixed hard-to-recycle plastics per day and convert that material into approximately 500 barrels per day of refined hydrocarbon condensate used in the manufacture of new plastics as well as other industrial applications.
The facility is being developed within Alberta’s Industrial Heartland, one of North America’s largest hydrocarbon processing regions. PlasCred Neos will have direct access to CN’s rail network allowing for great transportation efficiency for both inbound plastic bales and outbound products while reducing new infrastructure requirements.
“Securing the Scotford Yard site is a foundational milestone for Neos,” said Troy Lupul, President and CEO of PlasCred. “This agreement gives us long-term access to strategically located industrial infrastructure and strengthens the logistics platform required to support future growth.”
"CN worked closely with PlasCred to develop the right supply chain and rail logistics strategy for the Neos project," said Buck Rogers, Vice-President, Petroleum and Chemicals at CN. "Our team helped evaluate infrastructure requirements, rail capacity, and market access considerations to create a solution that supports both current operations and future expansion. The initial Scotford Yard site provides PlasCred with access to CN's North American network allowing for a strong foundation ensuring the project's long-term success."
The lease supports PlasCred’s broader commercialization strategy and future expansion plans. The company is currently advancing detailed engineering activities and regulatory processes required to support a final investment decision and construction readiness.
About PlasCred Circular Innovations Inc.
PlasCred is an Alberta-based company developing an advanced plastic recycling facility. The Company’s engineered, modular platform converts mixed plastic waste into refined hydrocarbon condensate for use in virgin plastic production, petrochemical feedstock, and upstream energy applications. For further information on PlasCred, visit our website at www.PlasCred.com.
Forward-looking statements in this release include but are not limited to: the commencement and timing of the lease; satisfaction of the lease conditions; the timing, scope, and cost of constructing the Neos facility; offtake performance; the availability and timing of financing; regulatory approvals; and the Company's phased expansion plans, including the proposed Maximus facility. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current assumptions and expectations, which are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: construction, commissioning, and start-up risks; cost overruns; delays or disruptions in the supply chain; ability to achieve and maintain nameplate capacity at scale; changes in feedstock availability, composition, or pricing; fluctuations in commodity prices and foreign exchange rates; failure of counterparties to perform under offtake, financing, or strategic agreements; changes in applicable laws, regulations, or EPR requirements; inability to secure or maintain permits; adverse changes in market demand for advanced recycling products; evolving ESG reporting standards; technology performance or reliability issues; and general economic, political, and capital market conditions. A discussion of these and other factors that may affect future results is contained in the Company’s continuous disclosure filings available under its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and readers should not place undue reliance on them. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect new events, circumstances, or otherwise.
The Canadian Securities Exchange (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release.
Key Takeaways Affirm adds Backcountry, expanding its footprint in the outdoor recreation market.More merchant partnerships can boost GMV, transactions and user engagement.Flexible payment options may increase conversion rates and average order values. Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM - Free Report) recently announced a partnership with outdoor gear retailer Backcountry, giving shoppers a new way to pay for purchases over time at checkout. Customers buying outdoor equipment, apparel, footwear and adventure gear can select Affirm and split purchases into multiple installments, depending on eligibility.
The offering includes transparent payment schedules, with no late fees or hidden charges. The move expands Affirm’s presence in the outdoor recreation category and adds another merchant to its growing network. AFRM’s active merchant count jumped 44% year over year in the third quarter of fiscal 2026 to 515,000. For Backcountry, the partnership provides customers with added payment flexibility, especially for higher-ticket purchases that can make outdoor activities more accessible.
Outdoor gear purchases can be expensive, particularly for premium equipment and seasonal adventures. By adding Affirm, Backcountry lowers the upfront cost barrier for customers while maintaining pricing transparency. The partnership can improve conversion rates, encourage larger purchases and attract shoppers who want flexibility without relying on traditional credit cards.
The partnership could support higher gross merchandise volume (GMV) for Affirm by generating additional transaction activity. The company’s GMV rose 35% year over year to $11.6 billion in the third quarter of fiscal 2026. It expects to generate GMV of $49.265-$49.565 billion for fiscal 2026.
More merchant integrations also strengthen Affirm’s network effect, helping the company acquire users and increase engagement across categories. For Backcountry, offering AFRM’s BNPL options may lift average order values.
AFRM’s YTD Price PerformanceOver the year-to-date period, shares of Affirm have gained 5.2% against the 16.7% fall of the industry it belongs to.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Zacks Rank & Key PicksAffirm currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks from the broader payments space are Klarna Group plc (KLAR - Free Report) , Paymentus Holdings, Inc. (PAY - Free Report) and Remitly Global, Inc. (RELY - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Klarna’s current-year earnings indicates a 105.1% year-over-year improvement. KLAR has witnessed four upward estimate revisions over the past 60 days against no movement in the opposite direction. The consensus estimate for current-year revenues is pegged at $4.44 billion, indicating 26.5% year-over-year growth.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Paymentus’ current-year earnings indicates a 19.7% year-over-year jump. PAY beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 12%. The consensus estimate for current-year revenues implies 19.9% year-over-year growth.
The consensus estimate for Remitly Global’s current-year earnings indicates a 331.3% year-over-year surge to $1.38 per share. It has witnessed one upward estimate revision and no downward movement over the past 60 days. The consensus estimate for RELY’s current-year revenues is pegged at $1.97 billion, implying 20.4% year-over-year growth.
Key Takeaways BF.B is benefiting from strong growth in emerging markets and Travel Retail, led by Jack Daniel's and New Mix.BF.B's innovation pipeline, including Tennessee Blackberry and New Mix, continues to support portfolio.BF.B expects flat organic sales and a 3%-5% decline in organic operating income in fiscal 2027. Brown-Forman Corporation (BF.B - Free Report) enters fiscal 2027 with a cautious setup. Premium spirits, emerging-market demand and innovation continue to support the portfolio, while weak developed-market consumption limits the recovery.
Brown-Forman’s fiscal 2026 net sales declined 1% on a reported basis to $3.9 billion and were flat organically. Fourth-quarter net sales rose 2% to $912 million and increased 2% organically, but earnings per share fell 62% year over year to 12 cents.
The geographic split explains the flat outlook. Emerging markets increased 14% on a reported basis and 12% organically in fiscal 2026, driven by the Jack Daniel’s family of brands in Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil, along with double-digit growth for New Mix in Mexico. Travel Retail net sales rose 6% on a reported basis and 5% organically, helped by higher volumes of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. These gains show demand resilience. New Mix is benefiting from consumer interest in flavor, convenience and value in Mexico, while Brazil is supporting the Jack Daniel’s portfolio through broader distribution and revenue-growth management.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Developed markets remain weak. In the United States, reported net sales declined 7% in fiscal 2026 and were flat organically. The decline reflected the end of the Korbel relationship, the absence of the Sonoma-Cutrer prior-year transition services agreement, lower volumes of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and unfavorable portfolio mix.
Developed International net sales were flat on a reported basis but declined 3% organically. The shortfall was tied to the absence of American-made beverage alcohol from retail shelves in most Canadian provinces, plus declines in Germany and the United Kingdom. Canada declined nearly 60% in fiscal 2026, and management continues to assume American spirits will remain off shelves across most of Canada in fiscal 2027.
Innovation is helping, but it does not remove earnings risk. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Blackberry reached almost 300,000 nine-liter depletions in the United States by fiscal year-end and almost 150,000 nine-liter depletions across six European launch markets. New Mix net sales increased 41% on a reported basis and 33% organically, reflecting share gains in Mexico and its launch in the United States.
The premiumization strategy also remains relevant. Whiskey products’ net sales increased 3% on a reported basis and 1% organically in fiscal 2026, supported by Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Blackberry, favorable foreign exchange and Woodford Reserve growth in the United States. Diageo plc (DEO - Free Report) is a relevant peer for investors watching premium spirits demand, as global beverage-alcohol portfolios face similar shifts in consumer spending. Constellation Brands, Inc. (STZ - Free Report) , a beer, wine and spirits company, offers another comparison point for investors assessing category balance.
Still, fiscal 2027 points to limited near-term upside. Brown-Forman expects organic net sales to be approximately flat and organic operating income to decline 3-5%. The operating-income outlook reflects higher input costs, product-mix pressure from faster ready-to-drink growth and the cost cycle tied to barreled whiskey inventory. Used-barrel sales also remain a drag after non-branded and bulk net sales declined 68% in fiscal 2026.
Financial flexibility provides a counterweight. Brown-Forman generated $1 billion in cash flows from operations in fiscal 2026, up from $598 million in the prior year. Free cash flow increased $462 million to $893 million, and the company returned $827 million to stockholders through regular dividends and share repurchases.
The bottom line is that BF.B’s flat sales outlook looks defensible, but not especially dynamic. Emerging markets, Travel Retail, innovation and premium brands are helping stabilize the business, while developed-market demand, Canada disruption, used-barrel weakness and cost inflation keep earnings visibility constrained.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It has a VGM Score of C, Value Score of C, Growth Score of C and Momentum Score of B. The Rank points to a neutral near-term earnings-revision profile, while the Style Scores suggest mixed factor support, with momentum stronger than value or growth.
For investors, that combination supports a watchful stance rather than a forceful bullish view. BF.B has durable brand equity and stronger cash flow, but fiscal 2027 still depends on whether emerging-market momentum and innovation can offset macro strain in developed markets.
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.
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2026) - Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: LCID) and certain of its officers.
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Lucid securities between February 25, 2026 and April 13, 2026, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/LCID.
Lucid Case Details
The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants failed to disclose that:
a supplier quality issue had significantly disrupted deliveries of the Lucid Gravity; the foregoing was likely to, and did, have a material negative impact on the Company's business and financial results; accordingly, the defendants had overstated the purported enhancements to Lucid's manufacturing and delivery capabilities and overall operations; and as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.What's Next for Lucid Investors?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/LCID, or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Lucid you have until July 28, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
No Cost to Lucid Investors
We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Lucid Securities Class Action?
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com
"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.
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Source: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
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Should you invest in a legacy powerhouse or a high-tech newcomer? Comparing General Motors (GM 0.48%) and Lucid Group (LCID 0.68%) reveals two very different strategies for navigating the future of transportation.
General Motors focuses on mass-market scale and expanding into software services to complement its traditional manufacturing. In contrast, Lucid targets the luxury electric vehicle segment with proprietary technology and a direct-to-consumer sales model. These companies represent opposing ends of the broad vehicle market, offering investors a choice between established stability and speculative growth potential.
The case for General MotorsGeneral Motors designs, builds, and sells a wide range of trucks, crossovers, and cars while expanding its software-enabled services and subscriptions. Its business relies heavily on a global network of about 11,000 independent dealers and significant fleet sales to commercial entities. A recent lawsuit from a New York GMC dealer regarding unfair allocation practices highlights the potential for friction within this dealer-dependent model. The company also maintains a large presence in China through joint ventures, which remains a key part of its international strategy.
In FY 2025, revenue reached approximately $185.0 billion, representing a 1.3% decrease from the nearly $187.4 billion generated in 2024. The company reported a net income of close to $2.7 billion for the year, which is a decline from the $6.0 billion earned in the prior fiscal period. This performance resulted in a net margin of about 1.5%, which represents the portion of total revenue that remains as profit after all costs are paid.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio stands at roughly 2.1x, indicating that total debt is about twice the value of shareholder equity. The current ratio, which compares short-term assets to short-term liabilities, is approximately 1.2x. Free cash flow, calculated as cash from operations minus capital expenditures, was nearly $11.1 billion for the fiscal year. This cash generation provides the company with significant capital to fund its operations and future development.
The case for LucidLucid Group operates among consumer discretionary stocks as a luxury electric vehicle manufacturer, selling the Lucid Air and the new Lucid Gravity SUV. Its business model avoids traditional dealerships in favor of a direct-to-consumer approach. The company's growth strategy includes a massive commitment from the Government of Saudi Arabia to purchase up to 100,000 vehicles over a ten-year period. It is also expanding into the autonomous vehicle space by partnering with Uber Technologies (UBER 1.57%) and autonomous vehicle and robotics company Nuro to deploy vehicles for robotaxi programs.
During FY 2025, revenue climbed to nearly $1.4 billion, which is a significant 67.6% increase over the approximately $807.8 million reported in 2024. However, the business is still scaling and reported a net loss of roughly $2.7 billion for the fiscal year. This resulted in a net margin of about -199.3%, indicating that the company is currently spending significantly more than it earns in revenue to grow its production.
The December 2025 balance sheet shows a debt-to-equity ratio of approximately 1.2x, meaning total debt is 1.2 times the size of shareholder equity. The current ratio is roughly 1.3x, which suggests the company maintains a reasonable level of liquidity to meet its short-term obligations. Free cash flow remained negative at close to $3.8 billion for the year, as the company continues to spend heavily on production facilities and new vehicle development.
Risk profile comparisonGeneral Motors faces significant data privacy risks, particularly following a $12.75 million settlement over the unauthorized sale of driver data. The company is also facing multiple class-action lawsuits over issues with the Cadillac Lyriq and alleged defects in certain V8 engines. Furthermore, the company is restructuring its IT workforce with a 10% reduction to focus on artificial intelligence, which introduces execution risks. Competition from legacy rivals like Ford Motor Company (F +1.88%) adds further pressure to its market share.
Lucid is currently facing shareholder lawsuits alleging that the company hid delivery problems and supplier quality issues. The organization is also undergoing a major transition, including an 18% workforce reduction and a change in leadership to a new CEO, Silvio Napoli. Financially, the company remains dependent on external capital to fund its operations since it continues to post substantial net losses. It also faces stiff competition in the luxury electric vehicle space from established players such as Tesla (TSLA 0.67%) and Rivian Automotive (RIVN 0.96%).
Valuation comparisonGeneral Motors appears to be the more conservative choice based on its low Forward P/E, while Lucid's valuation depends more on its P/S ratio given its lack of positive future earnings estimates.
MetricGeneral MotorsLucidSector BenchmarkForward P/E6.2xn/a28.6xP/S ratio0.4x1.2xSector benchmark uses the SPDR XLY sector ETF.
Valuation metrics sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers.
Many investors would quickly put each of these stocks into very different baskets. General Motors (GM) could be the stodgy old industrial name that has significant cash flow to help it continue to compete and return to shareholders. Lucid could be cast as a speculative bet that might either go to zero or to the moon.
While that is a pretty accurate approach to Lucid, the truth is that GM isn’t just the stodgy old industrial stock. Shares have soared by 60% year to date. And its p/e remains low relative to the market. GM has also doubled its dividend over the past three years.
While I personally hold a small allocation as a bet on Lucid shares, I know there’s a real chance the company might not survive. It has relied heavily on Saudi government funding, and needs its world-class EV technology to be licensed by others for the company to thrive in the long run.
GM is a safer pick yet still has capital appreciation upside. That would be the pick to make between these two very different automakers.
Lucid (NASDAQ:LCID | LCID Price Prediction) at $5.19 faces a deteriorating risk/reward setup. The stock sits within striking distance of its 52-week low of $4.47, and the latest filings show a capital structure deteriorating faster than deliveries can compensate.
Lucid builds the luxury Air sedan and Gravity SUV from its Arizona plant, with a Saudi Arabia facility scheduled to add midsize production in 2027. Full-year 2025 revenue reached $1.35B on 17,840 vehicles produced, while the net loss came in at $2.70B and free cash flow at negative $3.83B. Shares are down 75.97% over one year and 97.91% over five.
Why The Bull Case Still Exists At $5 Bulls point to operational acceleration. Q4 2025 revenue jumped 122.9% year over year to $522.73M, beating consensus, and deliveries grew 72%. Management guides 25,000 to 27,000 vehicles in 2026, with Gravity ramping and a midsize platform on deck.
The partnership stack is real. Uber (NYSE:UBER) expanded its robotaxi commitment to a minimum of 35,000 vehicles and raised its equity stake to $500 million. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) powers the Level 4 autonomy stack, Aston Martin licenses Lucid technology, and PIF continues to backstop the balance sheet. Pro forma liquidity stands at $4.7 billion, with runway into the second half of 2027.
The Balance Sheet Metric Bulls Cannot Explain Away Shareholders’ equity collapsed from $3.87B at year-end 2024 to $717M at year-end 2025, an erosion of more than 81% in twelve months. Retained earnings now sit at negative $16.64B. Q1 2026 was worse, with gross margin clocking negative 110.4% and the net loss rising to $1.0 billion versus $366 million a year earlier.
On a single day in early June, the interim CEO, CFO, and SVP of Finance disposed of shares at $5.68. Share count has roughly doubled since 2021, and every capital raise extends that dilution.
The Patience Argument A Hold case rests on the incoming CEO. Silvio Napoli took the role with the stated goal of building “a more self-sufficient company, one that progresses towards funding its own growth.” Guidance has been suspended pending his review. If unit costs compress as promised and Gravity deliveries convert the 2,407-vehicle inventory buildup into revenue, the burn rate could moderate. The cost of waiting, however, is more dilution.
What The Numbers Say Lucid currently trades at $5.19 with a market cap of roughly $2.09 billion. The consensus analyst target sits at $8.40, implying meaningful upside. The ratings split across 12 covering analysts tilts cautious:
Buy: 1 Hold: 8 Sell: 1 Strong Sell: 2 Year to date, LCID has fallen 50.9% against an S&P 500 that is roughly flat to modestly positive. Trailing EPS sits at -$13.14, book value per share is negative $1.064, and Polymarket traders price the odds of a 2026 bankruptcy announcement at 4.05%.
Why The Sell Call Wins At This Price At $5.19, Lucid is a Sell. Q1 2026 free cash flow was negative $1.44 billion. Cash on hand fell to $700 million before the latest raise. The $4.7 billion pro forma cushion only exists because PIF added $550 million in convertible preferred, Uber added $200 million in common, and Lucid sold another $300 million through a registered offering. Every quarter that gross margin stays at negative 110.4% consumes that cushion.
Watch three triggers in 2026: another capital raise that prints more shares, M2 construction delays in Saudi Arabia, and any miss on the 25,000 to 27,000 vehicle production target. The thesis flips only if gross margin turns convincingly positive and the company demonstrates a quarter of materially reduced burn without fresh equity issuance.
At current levels, Lucid’s survival plan and its dilution plan are effectively the same plan, which is a structural challenge for equity holders.
Draftkings Inc (NASDAQ:DKNG) shares have been volatile over the past month as investors continue to weigh the potential impact of prediction markets on the company’s growth outlook, according to Bank of America.
The analysts wrote that DraftKings shares have swung between an intraday low of $23.50 and a high of $30 since May, before easing back to around $25, or roughly 17% below recent highs. Shares were down another 4% at about $23.50 on Thursday.
They wrote that the move reflects a growing debate among investors around prediction market volumes, core sports betting trends, and valuation, particularly ahead of major sporting events.
The bank wrote that it has broken down the current “bull-bear” debate across prediction markets, DraftKings’ core business, and earnings outlook, while also raising its long-term prediction market total addressable market (TAM) estimate to $1.9 trillion in annual volume, up from a prior $1.3 trillion. Despite the higher TAM assumption, the firm made no changes to its earnings estimates and maintained a Neutral rating on the stock.
On prediction markets, Bank of America wrote that volumes have been accelerating, with DraftKings reporting annualized activity of about $3 billion in May, and projections suggesting that could rise to roughly $9 billion in June.
The analysts wrote that DraftKings’ market share has increased from around 1.3% in April to over 2% on certain days in June, and could potentially reach 5% to 10% by 2027 if product and marketing initiatives continue to scale. Under that scenario, the firm wrote that prediction markets could generate $500 million to $1 billion in revenue by 2027, with high incremental margins, though market-making activity could introduce additional upside volatility.
However, Bank of America also wrote that higher volumes may come with increased customer acquisition and promotional costs. The analysts estimate potential losses of $300 million to $550 million this year, above DraftKings’ current guidance of $200 million to $300 million.
They wrote that aggressive promotional activity, including offers such as “trade $5 get $200,” alongside lower fee economics and evolving market structure, could pressure near-term profitability until market-making scales further.
On the core business, Bank of America wrote that DraftKings continues to gain share in sports betting, supported by ongoing product improvements and marketing efficiency, with sports net gaming revenue now approaching parity with FanDuel.
At the same time, the analysts wrote that concerns remain around potential cannibalization from prediction markets, structural hold volatility following recent unfavorable sports outcomes, and softness in iGaming trends. They noted that iGaming has seen roughly 400 basis points of market share loss over the past 18 months, while gross gaming revenue growth slowed to low-single digits in the second quarter.
Snail Inc (NASDAQ:SNAL) on Thursday announced a slate of portfolio updates, including the debut of its first paid PixARK expansion, participation in the 2026 Steam Summer Sale, and continued traction for Bellwright following its console launch.
The company unveiled PixARK: Terracrypt, the first paid DLC for its sandbox survival title PixARK, which has surpassed one million downloads.
The expansion is planned to introduce more than 200 hours of gameplay, 80 new creatures, and a new open environment aimed at extending player progression. The PixARK base game is currently discounted 57% on Steam ahead of the DLC's release.
Snail also highlighted its participation in the 2026 Steam Summer Sale, noting that seasonal promotions have historically driven player acquisition, unit sales, and revenue across its catalog. ARK: Survival Ascended is available at 75% off during the event, ahead of the July 2 launch of Genesis Ascended Part I and Tides of Fortune content.
Bellwright, available at 34% off during the sale, is maintaining a Mostly Positive rating on Steam and has earned 3.7 and 3.8 stars on PlayStation and Xbox, respectively. The title reached the Top 5 Paid Games list on Xbox following its console launch.
Snail said it plans to continue supporting its portfolio through content updates, platform expansions, and new releases for the remainder of the year.
Draftkings Inc (NASDAQ:DKNG) shares have been volatile over the past month as investors continue to weigh the potential impact of prediction markets on the company’s growth outlook, according to Bank of America.
The analysts wrote that DraftKings shares have swung between an intraday low of $23.50 and a high of $30 since May, before easing back to around $25, or roughly 17% below recent highs. Shares were down another 4% at about $23.50 on Thursday.
They wrote that the move reflects a growing debate among investors around prediction market volumes, core sports betting trends, and valuation, particularly ahead of major sporting events.
The bank wrote that it has broken down the current “bull-bear” debate across prediction markets, DraftKings’ core business, and earnings outlook, while also raising its long-term prediction market total addressable market (TAM) estimate to $1.9 trillion in annual volume, up from a prior $1.3 trillion. Despite the higher TAM assumption, the firm made no changes to its earnings estimates and maintained a Neutral rating on the stock.
On prediction markets, Bank of America wrote that volumes have been accelerating, with DraftKings reporting annualized activity of about $3 billion in May, and projections suggesting that could rise to roughly $9 billion in June.
The analysts wrote that DraftKings’ market share has increased from around 1.3% in April to over 2% on certain days in June, and could potentially reach 5% to 10% by 2027 if product and marketing initiatives continue to scale. Under that scenario, the firm wrote that prediction markets could generate $500 million to $1 billion in revenue by 2027, with high incremental margins, though market-making activity could introduce additional upside volatility.
However, Bank of America also wrote that higher volumes may come with increased customer acquisition and promotional costs. The analysts estimate potential losses of $300 million to $550 million this year, above DraftKings’ current guidance of $200 million to $300 million.
They wrote that aggressive promotional activity, including offers such as “trade $5 get $200,” alongside lower fee economics and evolving market structure, could pressure near-term profitability until market-making scales further.
On the core business, Bank of America wrote that DraftKings continues to gain share in sports betting, supported by ongoing product improvements and marketing efficiency, with sports net gaming revenue now approaching parity with FanDuel.
At the same time, the analysts wrote that concerns remain around potential cannibalization from prediction markets, structural hold volatility following recent unfavorable sports outcomes, and softness in iGaming trends. They noted that iGaming has seen roughly 400 basis points of market share loss over the past 18 months, while gross gaming revenue growth slowed to low-single digits in the second quarter.
• DraftKings stock is taking a hit today. What’s behind DKNG decline?
Analyst Price Forecast UpgradesMeta Explores “Arena” Prediction AppHawkish Federal Reserve Shift Pressures Growth ValuationSector Volume Records and Market PositionDespite the equity price pressure, the prediction and gaming sector continues to experience expansion, booking $28.4 billion in May volume to mark a fourth consecutive monthly high. Bernstein estimates the market could reach $1 trillion in annual volume by the end of the decade.
DraftKings, which launched its predictive market product in 2025, maintains the number-two or -three revenue share position across its operational states, with 2025 sports revenue accounting for 63% of total sales.
DKNG Stock Price Activity: DraftKings shares were down 4.40% at $23.45 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Photo: Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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Did you buy ZTS securities between January 14, 2025, and May 6, 2026?
Affected ZTS Investor Summary
Who: Zoetis Inc. (NYSE: ZTS) What: Securities fraud class action lawsuit filed Class Period: January 14, 2025 through May 6, 2026 Deadline to Seek Lead Plaintiff Status: Juy 27, 2026 Key Lawsuit Allegations: Material misstatements and/or omissions concerning the company's product adoption. Investor Action: Contact Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) for recovery options , /PRNewswire/ -- Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com), a nationally recognized securities litigation law firm, informs investors that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has been filed against Zoetis Inc. (Zoetis) (NYSE: ZTS) on behalf of those who purchased or otherwise acquired Zoetis securities between January 14, 2025 and May 6, 2026, inclusive (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit is filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and is captioned City of Ann Arbor Retiree Health Care Benefit Plan & Trust v. Zoetis Inc., No. 26-cv-04401 (S.D.N.Y.). Investors have until July 27, 2026, to file for lead plaintiff status.
CONTACT KTMC TO DISCUSS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS:
If you purchased or acquired Zoetis securities and have lost money on your investment, please provide your information here:
You can also contact attorney Jonathan Naji, Esq. by calling (484) 270-1453 or by email at [email protected]. There is no cost or obligation to speak with an attorney.
ZOETIS INC. CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT - COMPLAINT ALLEGATION SUMMARY:
Zoetis is an animal health company that develops, manufactures, and sells vaccines, medications, diagnostics, and more for companion and livestock animals.
The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material facts about the company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants misrepresented and/or failed to disclose that: (1) prescription growth and use of Librela, a pain treatment for dogs, was weakening following FDA safety warnings of serious neurological complications; (2) Simparica Trio, a preventative for fleas, ticks, and heartworm, was losing significant market share to a lower priced competitor; (3) the company's dermatological products, specifically Apoquel and Cytopoint, were also losing market share to competition; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' statements about the company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
Why did Zoetis's Stock Drop?
On May 7, 2026, Zoetis reported its 2026 first quarter financial results which showed significant decline across its Companion Animal business. On this news, Zoetis's stock price fell 21.5%.
WHAT ZTS INVESTORS CAN DO NOW:
File to be lead plaintiff by July 27, 2026. Contact KTMC for a free case evaluation. All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Retain counsel of choice or take no action. THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS FOR ZOETIS INC. INVESTORS:
Zoetis investors may, no later than July 27, 2026, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Zoetis investors to contact the firm for more information.
ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP (KTMC):
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (KTMC) is a leading U.S. plaintiff-side law firm focused on securities-fraud class actions and global investor protection. The firm represents individual investors as well as institutions, such as major pension funds, asset managers, and international investors. KTMC has led some of the largest recoveries in securities litigation and has been recognized by peers and the legal media with numerous accolades, including The National Law Journal's Plaintiff's Hot List and Trailblazers in Plaintiffs' Law, BTI Consulting Group's Honor Roll of Most Feared Law Firms, The Legal Intelligencer's Class Action Firm of the Year, Lawdragon's Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers, and Law360's Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar. The firm operates globally with offices in Pennsylvania and California. KTMC has recovered over $25 billion for our clients and the classes they represent. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP, please visit www.ktmc.com. The complaint in this matter was not filed by KTMC.
CONTACT:
Jonathan Naji, Esq.
(484) 270-1453
280 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087
[email protected]
May be considered attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Shares of Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL | DELL Price Prediction) are down 6% in midday trading Thursday, last changing hands near $407 after closing at $434.06 on Wednesday. The slide stands out because it’s happening on a day when memory and storage names are ripping higher.
At the same time, Western Digital (NASDAQ:WDC) stock is up 5%, trading near $678. The split between a server and PC builder falling while a storage maker rallies tells the story of today’s market action in AI hardware stocks.
Both names have been monster performers in 2026. Dell stock is up 224% year to date through Wednesday’s close, while Western Digital stock has climbed 296% year to date. Today’s divergence isn’t subtle.
Two Sides of the Memory Boom The catalyst behind Western Digital’s move is straightforward. Memory and storage stocks rallied after Micron Technology‘s (NASDAQ:MU) blowout quarterly results “justify elevated valuations” and reinforced the view that AI capital spending keeps accelerating. Memory has been a bottleneck in the AI buildout, and that scarcity is now showing up as pricing power for the suppliers.
Western Digital is a pure-play HDD beneficiary of that dynamic. The company’s most recent quarter showed non-GAAP gross margin of 51% and revenue of $3.34 billion, up 46% year over year. CEO Irving Tan summed up the demand backdrop, stating, “Virtually every AI workload, from training, inference, agentic AI to physical AI, creates data that is stored persistently and cost-efficiently on HDDs.”
Dell’s drop today doesn’t have a single confirmed catalyst, but it likely reflects the flip side of that same memory squeeze. Dell builds servers and PCs that buy memory, so the rising prices lifting Western Digital and peers translate into input-cost pressure for Dell’s box-maker business. It’s the same dynamic behind hardware-cost worries hitting other consumer device names this week.
Margin Pressure Was Already Visible Dell’s most recent earnings made the margin issue concrete. In Q1 FY2027, the company posted revenue of $43.84 billion, up 88% year over year, alongside AI-optimized server revenue of $16.13 billion, up 757% year over year. The top-line growth here is undeniable.
Yet, the same report showed gross margin compressed to 18% from 21% year over year, with management attributing the pressure to a mix shift toward lower-margin AI servers. With memory costs climbing on top of that mix shift, the bear read on Dell today is that the margin math gets harder before it gets easier.
There’s also a simpler explanation worth flagging. After a 224% run this year, some profit-taking in Dell stock is hardly surprising. One red day after that kind of rally isn’t a thesis change.
Peers Follow the Split The divergence is showing up across the complex. SanDisk (NASDAQ:SNDK) and Micron are riding the memory bid alongside Western Digital, while assemblers and hardware makers that purchase those components are mixed at best. Capital appears to be rotating, at least for the session, toward the picks-and-shovels suppliers feeding the AI buildout rather than the box makers stitching the systems together.
Western Digital isn’t a cheap stock here. Sentiment in the WallStreetBets community spiked to a very bullish reading of 82 last week before cooling. That mix of retail enthusiasm and the scale of this year’s run means expectations are elevated.
What to Watch Western Digital reports its Q4 FY2026 results in late July, with the company guiding to revenue of $3.65 billion plus or minus $100 million and non-GAAP EPS of $3.25 plus or minus $0.15. Dell follows with Q2 FY2027 numbers in late August, with management guiding to revenue of $44 billion to $45 billion.
Investors can watch whether today’s split widens into a broader rotation between memory suppliers and hardware assemblers, or fades as the market digests Micron’s results. The next earnings cycle should clarify how much of the memory boom flows to margins, and how much gets absorbed by buyers like Dell.
Key Takeaways PATH is expanding from robotic process automation into broader AI orchestration and workflow automation.UiPath's AI-focused customers are spending more, supporting deeper enterprise adoption and expansion.PATH looks more attractive as NU faces near-term credit risks tied to Brazil's high-rate environment. Both Nu Holdings (NU - Free Report) and UiPath Inc. (PATH - Free Report) are technology-driven disruptors transforming large industries through software.
UiPath is leveraging AI-powered automation and agentic workflows to streamline enterprise operations, while Nu Holdings is disrupting traditional banking across Latin America with its digital-first financial platform.
PATH’s Case: AI Orchestration, Strong ExpectationsUiPath appears to be evolving beyond its traditional roots in robotic process automation toward a more comprehensive enterprise AI orchestration platform. A major trend emerging across enterprise software is the growing importance of combining AI agents, deterministic automation, governance frameworks, and workflow orchestration into a unified operating layer. UiPath’s positioning within this space could become increasingly valuable as enterprises move from experimental AI initiatives toward full-scale production deployments.
The company’s ability to integrate AI agents, structured automation, and human oversight within a centralized control framework may provide meaningful advantages, particularly in highly regulated industries where reliability, compliance and auditability remain essential. As AI-powered software development accelerates across enterprises, demand for scalable orchestration infrastructure could rise substantially, potentially strengthening UiPath’s long-term strategic relevance in enterprise automation ecosystems.
Momentum surrounding AI product adoption across UiPath’s installed customer base remains encouraging. Customers using AI-focused offerings appear to generate significantly higher spending levels compared with enterprises relying solely on traditional automation products. This suggests AI capabilities are expanding overall platform engagement rather than cannibalizing existing services.
Strong adoption trends among larger enterprise clients also indicate that AI-powered workflows are increasingly becoming embedded within broader operating models. Products such as Maestro, Agent Builder and intelligent document processing solutions highlight how enterprises are gradually shifting from isolated task automation toward full workflow orchestration.
This transition may create stronger expansion opportunities within UiPath’s existing customer base over time. Deep enterprise relationships combined with increasing AI attachment rates could further strengthen recurring revenue durability while supporting larger multi-product deployments.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s second-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings currently stands at 15 cents per share, flat with the year-ago actual number. Revenues for the same quarter are expected to reach $397.6 million, indicating 9.9% year-over-year growth.
For the full fiscal year 2027, earnings are projected to increase 11.1%, followed by expected earnings growth of 12.7% in fiscal 2028. Revenues are also forecast to rise 10.4% during fiscal 2027 and 8.2% in fiscal 2028.
While these estimates suggest continued expansion, they also indicate that investors may be looking for stronger acceleration before turning significantly more bullish on the stock.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NU’s Case: Strong Outlook, ROCE, Brazil’s High Interest RatesOne of the strongest positives surrounding NU is the company’s rare balance between rapid growth and reasonable valuation. Thanks to the recent correction, the stock is trading at roughly 12.63X forward earnings compared to the industry’s 10.92X, which still appears relatively inexpensive considering analysts expect revenue growth of 39% and EPS growth of 34% this year. Those growth rates are unusually high for a fintech company that has already achieved substantial scale across Latin America. The stock previously rallied nearly 50% during the second half of 2025 before returning to around the original $12 entry level, creating renewed investor interest. Market sentiment toward NU also remains broadly constructive, with many bullish analysts continuing to view the recent weakness as a temporary valuation reset rather than evidence of a broken long-term business model.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Another major positive surrounding NU is its strong capital efficiency, which continues to stand out within the global banking and fintech industry. The company is currently generating a 13.4% return on invested capital and a 30.9% return on equity, reflecting management’s ability to deploy capital efficiently while continuing to scale operations rapidly across Latin America. These figures remain stronger than those produced by many traditional banking institutions, particularly in a high-interest-rate environment. The metrics also suggest that NU is successfully balancing growth and operational discipline as it expands its customer base and product ecosystem. Strong returns on capital often indicate a durable business model capable of generating meaningful shareholder value over the long term, especially when paired with sustained revenue and earnings growth.
The biggest near-term concern facing NU involves the risk of worsening consumer credit conditions in Brazil. The country’s central bank aggressively raised benchmark interest rates from 10.5% in June 2024 to 14.25% in June this year, then only slightly reduced them to 14.5%. That 375-basis-point tightening cycle has significantly heightened fears of an economic slowdown and consumer financial stress. Investors worry that higher borrowing costs, weaker spending conditions, and rising energy-price uncertainty could eventually trigger a broader deterioration in Brazilian loan books. Although reported delinquency metrics have not yet shown severe damage, analysts remain increasingly cautious because loan stress often appears with a delay after major monetary tightening cycles. Since lending profitability remains central to NU, any meaningful increase in defaults or charge-offs could pressure earnings growth and investor sentiment over the next several quarters.
PATH Looks Like the Better BuyOverall, UiPath appears to be a buy right now. Its expanding role in AI orchestration, growing enterprise adoption of newer AI products and potential to become a more deeply embedded workflow automation platform give it a stronger strategic setup. Nu Holdings remains an attractive long-term fintech story, but its exposure to Brazil’s high-rate credit environment introduces added near-term uncertainty. With a more compelling AI-driven growth narrative, PATH looks like the stock investors may want to buy today.
While PATH carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and NU carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) will host a conference call webcast on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss second-quarter 2026 financial a
SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX) is the only ticker financial media wants to discuss this week after its blockbuster public debut at an implied trillion-dollar valuation. But here’s what you should actually be watching.
The ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF (NYSEARCA:ARKX) trading near $34 a share offers diversified exposure to the space economy. Rocket launches and massive satellite arrays require billions in unceasing capital expenditure, and a single-name bet on a freshly listed giant is the worst way to underwrite that bill.
The SPCX Hype Cycle Is Already Cracking SPCX went public on June 12, 2026 and the wheels have started to wobble inside a week. Shares opened to euphoria, briefly cleared $220 in overnight trading, and settled at $185 by June 18. Reddit sentiment collapsed from a bullish score of 76 on June 13 to a very bearish 12 by June 18, with the dominant retail post warning “SPCX, Beware, institutional money is NOT buying this trash on the open market” drawing over 1,000 upvotes in a single day. A separate top thread, “The math isn’t mathing on the SpaceX IPO,” drew over 1,000 comments.
That is textbook hype-cycle anatomy. Insider lockup expirations are still ahead. There is no public earnings history to underwrite. The implied market capitalization already prices in roughly a decade of flawless execution on Starlink, Starship, and Mars before SPCX has filed a single quarterly report as a public entity.
Why ARKX Offers Diversified Aerospace Exposure 1. You own the entire aerospace value chain. ARKX spreads capital intensity across launchers, satellite operators, propulsion suppliers, and ground-segment vendors. One Starship anomaly or one FAA delay does not blow up the position the way it would with a single ticker carrying a trillion-dollar valuation.
2. You capture public players printing real numbers. Consider Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB | RKLB Price Prediction), the pure-play space stock that institutional aerospace funds anchor around. Rocket Lab posted Q1 2026 revenue of $200.35 million, up 63.5% year over year, with a $2.20 billion backlog and Q2 guidance of $225 million to $240 million. It joins the Nasdaq-100 Index on June 22, 2026 and was selected for the Department of War’s Space Based Interceptor program under Golden Dome for America. Audited, contracted revenue with a Pentagon stamp on it.
3. No lockup cliff, no dilution roulette. Fresh listings carry insider lockup expirations, secondary offerings, and price discovery that has wrecked plenty of trillion-dollar narratives in the first twelve months. A diversified basket sidesteps that mechanical headwind. You also get exposure to the whole sector for a fraction of one SPCX share, which matters when SPCX trades at $185 after a 14.94% one-week move.
The Risks, Stated Plainly The space sector is volatile. Rocket Lab is down 15.76% over the past month, continues to post GAAP losses (a $45.02 million net loss in Q1), and is funding Neutron through ATM equity dilution. A diversified ETF softens those single-name shocks. It does not eliminate them.
The math is uncomplicated. SPCX wants you to underwrite a trillion-dollar valuation with zero public financials, days into a listing whose retail sentiment has already cratered. ARKX hands you the same launch-and-satellite tailwind through a basket stacked with operators like Rocket Lab, a company compounding revenue at 63.5% year over year and backlog at 20.2% sequentially.
The headline trade is crowded. The basket offers diversified exposure.
As federal reclassification efforts advance and major U.S. exchanges open to compliant operators, cbdMD points to its position as an established, NYSE American–listed company in a maturing cannabinoid category
, /PRNewswire/ -- cbdMD, Inc. (NYSE American: YCBD), one of the nation's most recognized and trusted hemp-derived wellness companies, today welcomed the Administration's call urging Congress to ensure the fair treatment of hemp-derived products under federal law and requesting immediate action to revise federal hemp regulation to ensure fair treatment of hemp products under federal law.
In a letter to congressional leadership this week, the White House Office of Management and Budget identified hemp reform as a priority the Administration strongly supports. The request calls on Congress to ensure fair treatment of hemp-derived products by preserving access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products, while preserving Congress's intent to restrict products that pose health risks. The Administration also urged Congress to adopt a responsible federal framework or, at minimum, extend the current implementation timeline so that lawmakers have time to get the policy right. The request builds on the President's earlier public statements urging lawmakers to protect access to the full-spectrum CBD products that millions of Americans rely on.
"We are encouraged to see the Administration advocating so clearly for responsible, science-backed hemp products that consumers depend on every day," said Ronan Kennedy, Chief Executive Officer of cbdMD. "cbdMD has always believed the future of this category is built on quality, transparency, and clear rules that distinguish responsible operators from bad actors. A federal framework that protects consumer access, promotes safety, and provides certainty for compliant companies is exactly what this industry and the people it serves deserve. We commend the policymakers who are working toward that outcome."
Separately, broader federal cannabis policy developments continue to draw investment, research, and institutional attention to the cannabinoid category. Notably, major U.S. exchanges have begun permitting the listing of the plan-touching operators that comply with federal, state and local medical cannabis framework. Although cannabis reclassification is distinct from the federal treatment of hemp-derived products, recent exchange-listing developments for compliant cannabis operators reflect a market that is moving toward greater legitimacy, transparency, and regulatory maturity. As an established hemp-derived wellness company with recognized brands, national distribution, and a listing on a national securities exchange, cbdMD believes it is well-positioned as the cannabinoid category moves toward greater maturity, transparency, and regulatory clarity.
"We believe cbdMD is purpose built for this next phase of the market," Kennedy added. "Our focus remains on serving our customers with trusted, efficacious products, supporting responsible regulation, and building long-term value for our shareholders as the category continues to evolve. Along the way, we will continue to evaluate the opportunities this evolving environment may present."
About cbdMD, Inc.
cbdMD, Inc. (NYSE American: YCBD) is a leading wellness company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, with a portfolio of trusted hemp-derived and wellness brands, including cbdMD, Bluebird Botanicals, Paw CBD, ATRx Labs, and the Oasis line of hemp-derived THC beverages. The Company is committed to quality, science, and transparency across its product lines. For more information, visit cbdmd.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding potential changes to the federal regulatory framework for hemp-derived products; the timing or outcome of legislative, administrative, or agency action; the evolution of U.S. capital markets and securities exchange listing practices for the cannabinoid category; and the Company's competitive position and potential opportunities. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties.
Such risks include, without limitation: that Congress or the Administration may not act, may act on a different timeline, or may adopt adverse regulation or regulation different from what is currently proposed; the potential impact of the statutory changes to the federal definition of hemp scheduled to take effect November 12, 2026; the fact that the ongoing federal cannabis reclassification proceedings concern marijuana, are separate from and do not directly govern the regulation of hemp-derived products, and may not conclude on the timeline or with the outcome the Company anticipates; that securities exchange practices regarding the listing of cannabis-related companies may change or may not develop as expected; and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement except as required by law.
Contacts
cbdMD, Inc.
Ronan Kennedy
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
[email protected]
(704) 445-3064
New Customer Identified Resource programs expand how commercial and industrial customers can support their sustainability efforts; Company has procured more than 2,200 megawatts of new solar in last two years through CARES program
, /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power has opened enrollment for the new Clean and Renewable Energy Subscription Customer Identified Resource (CARES CIR) program, which the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) approved in the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) stipulated agreement. As part of Georgia Power's commitment to clean energy, Georgia Power routinely seeks utility-scale and distributed solar generation resources through competitive request for proposals (RFP) processes, in which renewable energy project developers bid in a project. Commercial and industrial customers can then subscribe to the CARES program where they receive renewable benefits associated with those projects. CARES CIR is a customer-driven expansion on this procurement and subscription concept that allows commercial and industrial customers to identify and submit additional renewable energy projects to Georgia Power at prices that will create value for all Georgia Power customers.
Interest in CARES subscriptions continues to grow as more customers look for ways to support renewable energy. By allowing customers to bring forward their preferred renewable energy projects, the CARES CIR program expands access to renewables while preserving benefits and maintaining protections for all Georgia Power customers. Once projects are approved, Georgia Power establishes long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with qualified developers and works with participating customers to execute subscription agreements.
"The CARES CIR program represents the next step in giving our customers more choice and flexibility in how they meet their sustainability goals," said Wilson Mallard, director of renewable development for Georgia Power. "By enabling customers to identify and subscribe to renewable energy projects that align with their priorities, we're expanding access to clean energy while maintaining reliability and value for all of our customers across Georgia."
CARES CIR, which is approved for up to 3,000 additional megawatts (MW) of renewable energy projects, divides projects into two distinct programs:
CARES CIR Utility-Scale allows eligible metered customers with annual energy demands above 3 MW to subscribe to renewable projects larger than 6 MW. CARES CIR Distributed Generation allows eligible metered commercial and industrial customers with smaller annual energy demands between 1 MW and 3 MW to subscribe to locally sourced solar projects in Georgia ranging from 250 kilowatts to 6 MW in size. The program will be filed through the traditional Distributed Generation RFP process, with a Notice of Intent period and application window expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2026. Georgia Power Expands CARES Utility-Scale Programs
Last year, Georgia Power announced PSC approval of 1,068 MW of new solar PPAs and 91 MW Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) under the CARES 2023 RFP. Recently, two additional CARES 2023 RFP solar PPAs totaling 385 MW were filed for approval with the PSC, bringing the CARES 2023 RFP total to more than 1.4 gigawatts, pending final PSC approval.
Through the CARES 2025 RFP, approved in the 2022 IRP, Georgia Power has signed five contracts for 752 MW. The PPAs were selected by Georgia Power following a competitive solicitation overseen by an independent evaluator and PSC staff. The facilities will be located throughout Georgia and include:
Appling County: 20-year PPA providing 78 MW of solar capacity Decatur County: 30-year PPA providing 130 MW of solar capacity Jefferson County: 25-year PPA providing 194 MW of solar capacity Sumter County: 30-year PPA providing 200 MW of solar capacity Warren County: 25-year PPA providing 150 MW of solar capacity To learn more about the CARES program, including the new CARES CIR process, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com/CARES.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power offers rates below the national average, focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
Investors might want to bet on Novanta (NOVT - Free Report) , as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). This upgrade primarily reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates, which is one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.
A company's changing earnings picture is at the core of the Zacks rating. The system tracks the Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus measure of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years.
Since a changing earnings picture is a powerful factor influencing near-term stock price movements, the Zacks rating system is very useful for individual investors. They may find it difficult to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, as these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time.
As such, the Zacks rating upgrade for Novanta is essentially a positive comment on its earnings outlook that could have a favorable impact on its stock price.
Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, has proven to be strongly correlated with the near-term price movement of its stock. That's partly because of the influence of institutional investors that use earnings and earnings estimates for calculating the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their transaction of large amounts of shares then leads to price movement for the stock.
Fundamentally speaking, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade for Novanta imply an improvement in the company's underlying business. Investors should show their appreciation for this improving business trend by pushing the stock higher.
Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsAs empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, tracking such revisions for making an investment decision could be truly rewarding. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.
The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Earnings Estimate Revisions for NovantaThis photonic and motion control components maker is expected to earn $3.59 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2026, which represents no year-over-year change.
Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Novanta. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 1.3%.
Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.
You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>
The upgrade of Novanta to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.
Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. However, when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.
Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and, of course, dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.
First BanCorp (FBP - Free Report) is headquartered in San Juan, and is in the Finance sector. The stock has seen a price change of 27.45% since the start of the year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.20 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 3.03%. In comparison, the Banks - Foreign industry's yield is 2.73%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.42%.
Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $0.80 is up 11.1% from last year. Over the last 5 years, First BanCorp has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 29.65%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. First BanCorp's current payout ratio is 38%, meaning it paid out 38% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
FBP is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $2.25 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 10.84%.
From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons. However, not all companies offer a quarterly payout.
High-growth firms or tech start-ups, for example, rarely provide their shareholders a dividend, while larger, more established companies that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. That said, they can take comfort from the fact that FBP is not only an attractive dividend play, but is also a compelling investment opportunity with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Key Takeaways American Financial raised its dividend 10% in 2025, marking 20 consecutive years of increases. AFG declared a $1.50 per share special dividend in February 2026, totaling about $125 million. AFG returned nearly $260 million via dividends and buybacks in first-quarter 2026. American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG - Free Report) has one of the most shareholder-friendly capital allocation policies in the U.S. insurance sector. AFG regularly generates capital that is needed to support underwriting operations. Returning excess capital to shareholders in the form of regular and special cash dividends and through opportunistic share repurchases is an important and effective component of American Financial’s capital management strategy.
AFG's shareholder return profile is a major investment attraction. The combination of growing regular dividends, frequent special dividends, opportunistic buybacks and strong underwriting profitability has enabled the company to deliver substantial cash returns to investors over time.
In August 2025, AFG increased its annual dividend by 10% to $3.52 per share, marking its 20th consecutive year of dividend increases. The company's 10-year dividend CAGR is approximately 12.3%. This increase in AFG’s annual dividend reflects its confidence in the company’s financial condition, liquidity and prospects for long-term growth.
AFG, the specialty property & casualty insurer, supplements its regular dividend with large special dividends when excess capital accumulates. In February 2026, the board declared a special cash dividend of $1.50 per share. The aggregate amount of this special dividend will be approximately $125 million. This special-dividend policy has become a major component of the company's total shareholder return strategy and distinguishes it from many peers that rely primarily on regular dividends and buybacks.
Management opportunistically buys back stock when valuations are attractive. During the first quarter of 2026, AFG repurchased approximately $60 million of shares, reducing share count and enhancing per-share earnings growth. AFG returned nearly $260 million to the shareholders through a combination of regular dividends, special dividends and share repurchases in the first quarter of 2026. AFG’s entrepreneurial, opportunistic culture and disciplined operating philosophy continue to position it well for long-term success.
What About Its Peers?RLI Corp. (RLI - Free Report) has one of the most shareholder-friendly capital return programs in the property & casualty insurance industry. The company combines a steadily growing regular dividend, frequent special dividends and opportunistic share repurchases to return excess capital to shareholders while maintaining underwriting discipline. The company has increased its regular dividend for 51 consecutive years, placing it among the longest dividend-growth records in the insurance sector.
First American Financial Corporation (FAF - Free Report) follows a balanced capital-return strategy that combines a steadily growing dividend with opportunistic share repurchases. FAF generally uses a combination of regular dividend increases and selective share repurchases to distribute excess capital. FAF has increased its dividend for more than 15 consecutive years, reflecting management's commitment to returning capital through various housing market environments.
AFG’s Price PerformanceShares of AFG have gained 11.1% in the past year, outperforming the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
AFG’s Expensive ValuationThe stock is overvalued compared with its industry. It is currently trading at a price-to-book ratio of 2.46, above the industry average of 1.41.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Estimate Movement for AFGThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for AFG’s second-quarter 2026 has moved down 1.6%, and the third-quarter 2026 EPS has moved up 13.5% in the past 60 days. The same for full-year 2026 and 2027 EPS has moved up 3.5% and 2%, respectively, in the past 60 days.
The consensus estimate for AFG’s 2026 and 2027 EPS and revenues indicates a year-over-year increase.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
AFG stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com), a nationally recognized securities litigation law firm, is investigating potential violations of the federal securities laws by The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENSG) on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired The Ensign Group, Inc. securities and experienced significant financial losses.
ENSG Accused of Nursing Home Deficiencies
On June 8, 2026, Hunterbrook Media published a report entitled "Ensign: The Nursing Home Empire Built On Fatal Neglect." Specifically, the report alleged that The Ensign Group, Inc.'s growth and profitability were driven by chronic understaffing at its nursing facilities, resulting in inadequate patient care, violations of staffing requirements, misleading quality metrics, and substantial related-party payments. The report further alleged that former employees described document falsification, improper billing practices, and efforts to manipulate performance data while The Ensign Group, Inc. touted industry-leading clinical outcomes and quality ratings.
ENSG's Stock Drops Over 8%
Following the publication of the Hunterbrook Media report, The Ensign Group, Inc.'s stock price fell over 8%.
Investors who purchased The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENSG) securities and experienced losses may have legal rights under the federal securities laws.
CONTACT KTMC TO DISCUSS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS
If you are an investor in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENSG), you are encouraged to contact KTMC at: https://www.ktmc.com/ensg-the-ensign-group-inc-investigation?utm_source=PR_Newswire&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=ensg&mktm=PR
You can also contact attorney Jonathan Naji, Esq. by calling (484) 270-1453 or by email at [email protected]. There is no cost or obligation to speak with an attorney.
ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP (KTMC):
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (KTMC) is a leading U.S. plaintiff-side law firm focused on securities-fraud class actions and global investor protection. The firm represents individual investors as well as institutions, such as major pension funds, asset managers, and international investors. KTMC has led some of the largest recoveries in securities litigation and has been recognized by peers and the legal media with numerous accolades, including The National Law Journal's Plaintiff's Hot List and Trailblazers in Plaintiffs' Law, BTI Consulting Group's Honor Roll of Most Feared Law Firms, The Legal Intelligencer's Class Action Firm of the Year, Lawdragon's Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers, and Law360's Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar. The firm operates globally with offices in Pennsylvania and California. KTMC has recovered over $25 billion for our clients and the classes they represent. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP, please visit www.ktmc.com.
CONTACT:
Jonathan Naji, Esq.
280 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087
(484) 270-1453
[email protected]
May be considered attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Shares of FuelCell Energy (NASDAQ:FCEL) are down 10% in Thursday afternoon trading, leading a profit-taking reversal across some fuel cell names. The slide unwinds a chunk of yesterday’s 14% pop tied to FuelCell Energy’s strategic agreement with Fit Energy.
Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE) stock is off 7%, last seen near $303 after closing Wednesday at $326.19. Bloom Energy shares had climbed alongside FuelCell Energy on the data-center power demand theme before today’s reversal.
Plug Power (NASDAQ:PLUG) stock is bucking the trend, edging up 1% to $2.64. Plug Power is the lone gainer in the trio, supported by a fresh operational milestone announced this morning.
Profit-Taking Reversal After Yesterday’s Fit Energy Pop Today’s drop in FuelCell Energy stock looks like mean reversion after a sharp one-day spike. FuelCell Energy surged on the Fit Energy strategic agreement, with the broader fuel cell complex catching a bid on data-center power demand chatter. No fresh negative catalyst is driving today’s giveback.
Bloom Energy stock is participating in the same unwind. The bull case on Bloom Energy rests on AI hyperscaler demand, including a $5 billion Brookfield AI infrastructure partnership and an Oracle (NYSE:ORCL | ORCL Price Prediction) collaboration referenced in its Q1 FY2026 results. The bear case is straightforward: after a parabolic run, even great stories pause to digest gains.
FuelCell Energy’s Q2 FY2026 results, reported June 8, showed revenue of $35.59 million and an adjusted loss per share of $0.53, alongside a $42.57 million non-cash impairment on the Groton Project. Management also disclosed a pipeline expansion to 4 GW, 90% tied to data centers. That data-center pipeline is the core thesis fueling the rally that’s now partly unwinding.
Plug Power Diverges on Denmark Electrolyzer Milestone Plug Power stock is the standout. Plug Power announced commissioning of a 5 MW GenEco PEM electrolyzer system at European Energy’s Måde Power-to-X facility in Esbjerg, Denmark, bringing one of Denmark’s earliest operational PtX sites into active green hydrogen production. The facility is expected to produce roughly 550 metric tons of green hydrogen annually at full capacity.
CEO José Luis Crespo framed the milestone as a shift “from one-off deployments to repeatable execution.” Plug Power notes more than 70 GenEco electrolyzer systems operating across six continents. That operational proof point appears to be supporting Plug Power shares while peers unwind yesterday’s pop.
Plug Power’s Q1 FY2026 report showed revenue of $163.51 million, with GAAP gross margin improving meaningfully off prior-year lows. The company is targeting positive EBITDAS in Q4 2026 and full profitability by the end of 2028, which gives Plug Power a turnaround framing that’s distinct from its more extended peers.
Volatile Names With Enormous Runs The context here matters. Bloom Energy stock has run 24975% year to date (YTD), while Plug Power stock is up 34% YTD. FuelCell Energy stock, which is up 167% YTD, has likewise posted a powerful multi-month rally as the company’s data-center pipeline has ballooned.
With moves of that magnitude, a single-session pullback of 7% to 9% in FuelCell Energy or Bloom Energy isn’t unusual. It also doesn’t, on its own, change the longer-term data-center power thesis these names have been riding. A pullback after a sharp one-day pop is the rule, not the exception, in this corner of the market.
Crowd sentiment reads mixed across the trio. Composite sentiment is neutral on FuelCell Energy at 58.54 and Plug Power at 54.41, while Bloom Energy registers bearish at 36.05, a drop of nearly 25 points over 30 days.
What to Watch Now Investors can watch for whether FuelCell Energy and Bloom Energy stocks find support in the coming sessions or extend the slide. Follow-through tomorrow would tell more about whether today is a one-day wobble in FuelCell Energy and Bloom Energy or the start of a broader sector cooldown.
Analyst commentary on valuation after the run could also shape the next move, particularly for Bloom Energy stock given the size of its rally. Investors might consider watching Plug Power for any follow-on commercial wins tied to the GenEco electrolyzer platform after today’s Denmark milestone.
Given the volatility on display in FuelCell Energy, Bloom Energy, and Plug Power, investors should consider keeping their position sizes modest in all three names. These stocks have delivered enormous gains but can swing hard in both directions on any given session, as today’s reversal in FCEL stock and BE stock demonstrates.
Kondigt een preview aan van de Finance Control Console, die gecentraliseerd AI-beheer met menselijke inbreng en geïntegreerde waarneembaarheid biedt June 25, 2026 12:30 ET | Source: BlackLine, Inc.
LOS ANGELES, June 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlackLine, Inc. (Nasdaq: BL) heeft vandaag nieuwe functies op het gebied van governance en waarneembaarheid aangekondigd voor Agentic Financial Operations Platform™, waarmee het de vertrouwensinfrastructuur die financiële bedrijven nodig hebben om AI binnen de CFO-afdeling te implementeren, te beheren en op te schalen, verder versterkt.
Naarmate financiële teams de overstap maken van het gebruik van enkele AI-agents naar het beheer van mogelijk honderdduizenden agents binnen door BlackLine, partners, klanten of externe partijen ontwikkelde applicaties, verschuift de uitdaging van automatisering naar governance en controle. De Finance Control Console™ biedt een gecentraliseerde laag en een commandocentrum dat is ontworpen voor het beveiligen en monitoren van AI-agentprocessen op grote schaal, het handhaven van beleid, het beheren van risico’s en het waarborgen van de verantwoordingsplicht binnen dit steeds complexer wordende ecosysteem. Om te voldoen aan de verplichte compliance- en rapportage-eisen van de CFO-afdeling, biedt de Console de diepgaande transparantie en controleerbaarheid die financiële teams nodig hebben.
Het mandaat voor AI-integriteit
Nu het gebruik van AI snel toeneemt, staan leidinggevenden van financiële afdelingen voor een duidelijk mandaat: de productiviteit van AI benutten zonder de financiële integriteit in gevaar te brengen. Elke AI-gestuurde handeling die van invloed is op de financiële administratie moet traceerbaar en verklaarbaar zijn en voldoen aan vastgelegde controles. Om AI veilig in de kernprocessen van een bedrijf te integreren, moeten CFO’s werken aan een diepgaand inzicht in de operationele context, continue governance en vertrouwen bij auditors.
Door te zorgen voor de governance, verantwoordingsplicht en transparantie die nodig zijn om AI veilig in te zetten, stelt het uitgebreide Agentic Financial Operations Platform van BlackLine bedrijven in staat om de betrouwbare invoering van AI te versnellen en tegelijkertijd de controle te behouden over elke actie en elk resultaat.
"Wij zijn ervan overtuigd dat het volgende tijdperk van de financiële sector aangedreven zal worden door AI, maar beheerd blijft door de financiële sector", aldus Owen Ryan, Chief Executive Officer van BlackLine. "CFO’s kunnen en zullen hun financiële verantwoordelijkheid niet delegeren aan ongereguleerde, niet-transparante AI-modellen. De bedrijven die AI met succes opschalen, zijn de bedrijven die intelligente automatisering combineren met compromisloze verantwoordingsplicht en controle. Door deze vertrouwensinfrastructuur op te zetten, biedt BlackLine de onafhankelijke controlelaag waarmee financiële teams AI veilig kunnen inzetten, elke actie kunnen sturen en het vertrouwen in elk resultaat kunnen behouden."
De basis voor betrouwbare, financiële AI-agentprocessen
Het BlackLine Agentic Financial Operations Platform™, dat aangedreven wordt door Studio360 en Verity™ AI, biedt de operationele basis die nodig is om AI veilig in te zetten en te beheren binnen de CFO-afdeling. Het platform bevat wee fundamentele lagen:
Systeemonafhankelijke gegevenslaag: deze laag koppelt gestructureerde en ongestructureerde financiële gegevens, workflows, beleidsregels, beheer en operationele context binnen alle bedrijfssystemen aan elkaar. Door financiële intelligentie te combineren met de bedrijfscontext biedt het platform de basis die AI nodig heeft om nauwkeurig te functioneren binnen complexe financiële omgevingen.Financieel besturingssysteem: deze laag coördineert financiële workflows, AI-agents en samenstelbare diensten binnen het door de financiële afdeling gedefinieerde beheer, de beleidsregels en governancekaders. Hierdoor kunnen bedrijven steeds complexere financiële processen automatiseren, terwijl zij blijven werken binnen de kaders die door het financiële management zijn vastgesteld. Samen bieden deze mogelijkheden de operationele basis die nodig is om AI veilig in te zetten binnen de CFO-afdeling.
Finance Control Console: het commandocentrum voor door de financiële afdeling beheerd AI
De Finance Control Console vormt de kern van het uitgebreide platform van BlackLine , die leidinggevenden van financiële afdelingen het inzicht, beheer en toezicht biedt dat nodig is om door AI-gestuurde financiële processen op grote schaal te beheren.
Om te voldoen aan strenge compliance-, audit- en governance-eisen biedt de oplossing:
Realtime inzicht in door AI-gestuurde financiële processenGecentraliseerde governance en beleidsbeheerVolledige audittrajecten van geautomatiseerde actiesVerslagen van verklaarbare bedrijfsbeslissingen die voldoen aan compliance- en auditvereistenRisicomonitoring en uitzonderingsbeheer met menselijke tussenkomstToezicht op AI-agents die ontwikkeld zijn door BlackLine zelf of zijn partners, klanten of externe partijen De op open standaarden gebaseerde, interoperabele Finance Control Console stelt bedrijven in staat om AI-processen consistent te beheren binnen hun gehele financiële technologie-ecosysteem. Voor CFO’s fungeert de Finance Control Console als een gecentraliseerd commandocentrum voor het beheer van door AI aangestuurde financiële activiteiten. Door beleid af te dwingen en auditklare gegevens bij te houden, versnelt de oplossing de invoering van AI, terwijl de verantwoordingsplicht, die nodig is om de integriteit van de financiële administratie te waarborgen, behouden blijft.
"De uitdaging waar CFO’s voor staan, is niet meer om te bepalen of AI financieel werk kan verrichten. De uitdaging is om te bepalen of AI kan worden vertrouwd om financieel werk uit te voeren die aan de governancestandaarden voldoet die de financiële afdeling vereist", aldus Jeremy Ung, Chief Technology Officer bij BlackLine. "Met 25 jaar expertise in financiële processen en het vertrouwen van meer dan 4.300 klanten wereldwijd, combineert BlackLine AI, automatisering, ingebouwde controles en governance in een speciaal ontwikkeld platform voor de CFO-afdeling. Hierdoor kunnen financiële bedrijven sneller handelen zonder in te boeten aan vertrouwen, compliance of verantwoordingsplicht."
Lancering van het Finance Control Console Preview Program
BlackLine heeft vandaag zijn Finance Control Console Preview Program aangekondigd, waarmee zakelijke klanten en strategische partners de kans krijgen om de toekomst van AI-governance in de financiële sector mede vorm te geven.
Deelnemers krijgen vroege toegang tot de mogelijkheden van de Finance Control Console, werken mee aan governancekaders en helpen bij het vaststellen van opkomende best practices voor Agentic Financial Operations.
Ga voor meer informatie over het Agentic Financial Operations Platform™ van BlackLine naar BlackLine.com.
Over BlackLine
BlackLine (Nasdaq: BL) biedt een betrouwbare infrastructuur voor de financiële sector in het AI-tijdperk: een toekomst waarin de financiële sector het tijdperk van AI-agents aanstuurt, waarbij intelligentie, integriteit en vertrouwen hand in hand gaan. Het BlackLine Agentic Financial Operations Platform™, aangedreven door Studio360 en Verity™ AI, biedt CFO-afdelingen de mogelijkheid AI op te schalen in de processen van opname tot rapportage (Record-to-Report), van factuur tot betaling (Invoice-to-Cash) en elk ander proces waarbij de financiële afdeling de controle heeft en de integriteit ervan bij elke stap waarborgt.
Door gegevens te bundelen, AI te integreren en betrouwbaarheid in te bouwen in elk proces, tilt BlackLine financiën en boekhouding van louter rapporteren over het bedrijf naar het in realtime aansturen ervan.
Gesteund door investeringen in toonaangevend onderzoek en ontwikkeling, en beveiligingspraktijken van wereldklasse, werken meer dan 4.300 klanten in diverse sectoren samen met BlackLine om hun bedrijven de toekomst in te leiden. Financiële afdelingen nemen het voortouw. Ga voor meer informatie naar blackline.com.
Vorschau auf die Finance Control Console angekündigt – für zentralisierte KI-Governance mit Human-in-the-Loop-Ansatz und einheitlicher Observability June 25, 2026 12:30 ET | Source: BlackLine, Inc.
LOS ANGELES, June 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlackLine, Inc. (Nasdaq: BL) hat heute neue Governance- und Observability-Funktionen für seine Agentic Financial Operations Platform™ vorgestellt. Damit baut das Unternehmen die Vertrauensinfrastruktur weiter aus, die Finanzorganisationen benötigen, um KI-Lösungen im gesamten CFO-Bereich sicher einzusetzen, effektiv zu steuern und erfolgreich zu skalieren.
Während Finanzteams den Schritt von wenigen KI-Agenten hin zur Verwaltung von potenziell Hunderttausenden Agenten vollziehen – über BlackLine-Anwendungen sowie Partner-, kundeneigene und Drittanbieter-Lösungen hinweg –, verlagert sich die zentrale Herausforderung von der reinen Automatisierung hin zu Governance und Kontrolle. Die Finance Control Console™ schafft hierfür eine zentrale Steuerungs- und Kontrollinstanz. Sie wurde entwickelt, um agentische Aktivitäten in großem Maßstab zu überwachen und abzusichern, Richtlinien durchzusetzen, Risiken zu steuern und die Rechenschaftspflicht in einem zunehmend komplexen Ökosystem zu gewährleisten. Um den hohen Anforderungen des CFO-Bereichs an Compliance und Berichterstattung gerecht zu werden, bietet die Konsole die umfassende Transparenz und Auditierbarkeit, die Finanzteams benötigen.
Das Gebot der KI-Integrität
Mit der zunehmenden Verbreitung von KI stehen Finanzverantwortliche vor einer zentralen Herausforderung: Sie müssen die Produktivitätsgewinne durch KI nutzen, ohne dabei die finanzielle Integrität zu gefährden. Jede KI-gestützte Maßnahme mit Auswirkungen auf Finanzdaten muss nachvollziehbar, erklärbar und mit den bestehenden Kontrollmechanismen vereinbar sein. Um KI sicher in geschäftskritische Finanzprozesse zu integrieren, benötigen CFOs Lösungen, die einen umfassenden operativen Kontext schaffen, eine kontinuierliche Governance gewährleisten und zugleich das Vertrauen von Wirtschaftsprüfern sichern.
Durch die Bereitstellung der für einen sicheren KI-Einsatz erforderlichen Governance-, Rechenschafts- und Transparenzmechanismen ermöglicht die erweiterte Agentic Financial Operations Platform von BlackLine Unternehmen, KI mit Vertrauen einzuführen und zu skalieren – ohne dabei die Kontrolle über Maßnahmen und Ergebnisse zu verlieren.
„Wir sind überzeugt, dass die nächste Ära des Finanzwesens von KI geprägt, aber vom Finanzbereich gesteuert wird“, so Owen Ryan, Chief Executive Officer von BlackLine. „CFOs können und werden ihre finanzielle Verantwortung nicht an unkontrollierte Black-Box-KI-Modelle abgeben. Die Unternehmen, die KI erfolgreich im großen Maßstab einsetzen, werden diejenigen sein, die intelligente Automatisierung mit konsequenter Rechenschaftspflicht und wirksamen Kontrollmechanismen verbinden. Mit dieser Vertrauensinfrastruktur schafft BlackLine eine unabhängige Kontrollebene, die Finanzteams dabei unterstützt, KI sicher einzusetzen, jede Maßnahme nachvollziehbar zu steuern und das Vertrauen in jedes Ergebnis zu gewährleisten.“
Die Grundlage für vertrauenswürdige agentenbasierte Finanzprozesse
Die BlackLine Agentic Financial Operations Platform™, basierend auf Studio360 und Verity™ AI, schafft die operative Grundlage für den sicheren Einsatz und die effektive Steuerung von KI im gesamten CFO-Bereich. Die Plattform stützt sich auf zwei zentrale Ebenen:
Systemübergreifende Datenschicht – Sie verknüpft strukturierte und unstrukturierte Finanzdaten, Workflows, Richtlinien, Kontrollmechanismen und operative Kontextinformationen über verschiedene Unternehmenssysteme hinweg. Durch die Verbindung von Finanzintelligenz mit geschäftlichem Kontext schafft die Plattform die Voraussetzungen dafür, dass KI auch in komplexen Finanzumgebungen präzise agieren kann.Finanzbetriebssystem – Es orchestriert Finanzworkflows, KI-Agenten und flexibel kombinierbare Services innerhalb eines von der Finanzorganisation definierten Rahmens aus Kontrollen, Richtlinien und Governance-Vorgaben. Dies ermöglicht es Unternehmen, auch hochkomplexe Finanzprozesse zu automatisieren und dabei konsequent innerhalb der von der Finanzorganisation festgelegten Leitplanken zu agieren. Gemeinsam bilden diese beiden Ebenen die operative Basis für einen sicheren Einsatz von KI im gesamten CFO-Bereich.
Finance Control Console: Die Kommandozentrale für KI im Finanzwesen
Im Zentrum der erweiterten Plattform von BlackLine steht die Finance Control Console. Sie bietet Finanzverantwortlichen die Transparenz, Governance-Funktionen und Kontrollmechanismen, die erforderlich sind, um KI-gestützte Finanzprozesse in großem Maßstab zu steuern.
Um den hohen Anforderungen an Compliance, Auditierbarkeit und Governance gerecht zu werden, umfasst die Lösung unter anderem:
Echtzeit-Transparenz über KI-gestützte FinanzprozesseZentralisierte Governance- und RichtlinienverwaltungLückenlose Audit-Trails für automatisierte MaßnamenNachvollziehbare Entscheidungsprotokolle, die Compliance- und Auditanforderungen unterstützenHuman-in-the-Loop-Überwachung für Risikomanagement und AusnahmefälleZentrale Aufsicht über KI-Agenten von BlackLine, Partnern, Kunden sowie Drittanbietern Die auf offenen Standards basierende und interoperable Finance Control Console ermöglicht Unternehmen eine einheitliche Steuerung von KI-Aktivitäten über ihr gesamtes Finanztechnologie-Ökosystem hinweg. Für CFOs fungiert sie als zentrale Schaltstelle für die Überwachung und Steuerung KI-gestützter Finanzprozesse. Durch die konsequente Durchsetzung von Richtlinien sowie die Erstellung lückenloser, auditierbarer Nachweise unterstützt die Lösung eine schnellere Einführung von KI. Gleichzeitig gewährleistet sie die notwendige Rechenschaftspflicht, um die Integrität von Finanzberichten zu schützen.
„Für CFOs stellt sich heute nicht mehr die Frage, ob KI Finanzaufgaben übernehmen kann. Entscheidend ist vielmehr, ob sichergestellt werden kann, dass sie diese Aufgaben im Einklang mit den für den Finanzbereich erforderlichen Governance-Standards ausführt“, so Jeremy Ung, Chief Technology Officer bei BlackLine. „Aufbauend auf 25 Jahren Erfahrung im Finanz- und Rechnungswesen sowie dem Vertrauen von mehr als 4.300 Kunden weltweit vereint BlackLine KI, Automatisierung, integrierte Kontrollmechanismen und Governance-Funktionen in einer speziell für den gesamten CFO-Bereich entwickelten Plattform. So können Finanzteams ihre Prozesse beschleunigen, ohne Kompromisse bei Vertrauen, Compliance oder Rechenschaftspflicht eingehen zu müssen.“
Start des Vorschauprogramms für die Finance Control Console
BlackLine hat heute den Start seines Vorschauprogramms für die Finance Control Console angekündigt. Das Programm bietet Unternehmenskunden und strategischen Partnern die Möglichkeit, die zukünftige Governance von KI im Finanzwesen aktiv mitzugestalten.
Teilnehmende erhalten frühzeitigen Zugang zu den Funktionen der Finance Control Console, wirken an der Entwicklung von Governance-Rahmenwerken mit und unterstützen die Etablierung neuer Best Practices für Agentic Financial Operations.
Weitere Informationen zur Agentic Financial Operations Platform™ von BlackLine finden Sie auf der Website von BlackLine unter BlackLine.com.
Über BlackLine
BlackLine (Nasdaq: BL) bietet die Vertrauensinfrastruktur für das KI-Zeitalter im Finanzwesen – eine Zukunft, in der Intelligenz, Integrität und Vertrauen Hand in Hand wachsen und die Finanzfunktion die agentenbasierte Ära aktiv gestaltet. Die BlackLine Agentic Financial Operations Platform™, basierend auf Studio360 und Verity™ AI, ermöglicht es dem CFO-Bereich, KI über den gesamten Finanzprozess hinweg zu skalieren – von Record-to-Report über Invoice-to-Cash bis hin zu weiteren geschäftskritischen Abläufen, bei denen die Finanzabteilung die Kontrolle behält und die Integrität jeder Transaktion sicherstellt.
Durch die Vereinheitlichung von Daten, die Einbettung von KI in Finanzprozesse und die Schaffung von Vertrauen bei jeder Maßnahme entwickelt BlackLine das Finanz- und Rechnungswesen weiter – von der bloßen Berichterstattung hin zur Koordination des Geschäftsbereichs in Echtzeit.
Gestützt auf branchenführende Investitionen in Forschung und Entwicklung sowie höchste Sicherheitsstandards vertrauen mehr als 4.300 Kunden aus unterschiedlichsten Branchen weltweit auf BlackLine, um ihre Finanzorganisationen zukunftssicher aufzustellen. Jetzt wird die Zukunft von der Finanzabteilung gestaltet. Weitere Informationen finden Sie unter blackline.com.
Annonce du lancement d’un programme-test de la console Finance Control visant à instaurer un pilotage centralisé de l’IA avec une validation humaine et une supervision unifiée June 25, 2026 12:30 ET | Source: BlackLine, Inc.
LOS ANGELES, 25 juin 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlackLine, Inc. (Nasdaq : BL) a annoncé aujourd’hui le lancement de nouvelles fonctionnalités de gouvernance et de supervision au sein de sa plateforme Agentic Financial Operations™, renforçant ainsi l’infrastructure de confiance dont les établissements financiers ont besoin pour déployer, gouverner et faire évoluer l’IA au sein de leur directions financières.
Pour que les équipes financières puissent passer d’une poignée d’agents IA à la gestion de centaines de milliers d’entre eux au sein des applications de BlackLine, des partenaires, des clients et des tiers, l’enjeu ne consiste plus seulement à maitriser la phase d’automatisation, mais plutôt celle de la gouvernance et du contrôle. La console Finance Control™ offre une interface centralisée et un centre de commande conçus pour sécuriser et surveiller les activités des agents à grande échelle, mettre en œuvre les politiques, gérer les risques et garantir la traçabilité au sein de cet écosystème de plus en plus complexe. La console permet de répondre aux exigences strictes des directions financières en matière de conformité et de déclaration en garantissant la transparence et la traçabilité demandées par les équipes.
Intégrer l’IA : un défi majeur
Alors que l’adoption de l’IA s’accélère, les responsables financiers sont confrontés à un défi clair : exploiter pleinement son potentiel sans compromettre l’intégrité financière. Toute action pilotée par l’IA impliquant des données financières doit être traçable, justifiable et conforme aux contrôles établis. Pour intégrer l’IA en toute sécurité dans leurs activités stratégiques, les responsables des directions financières doivent garantir une compréhension totale de l’environnement opérationnel et une gouvernance continue tout en s’assurant de la confiance des auditeurs.
En garantissant une utilisation sûre de l’IA fondée sur la gouvernance, la responsabilité et la transparence, la nouvelle plateforme Agentic Financial Operations étendue de BlackLine permet aux organisations d’accélérer leur adoption de l’IA en toute confiance, tout en conservant le contrôle sur chaque action et chaque résultat.
« Nous sommes convaincus que l’avenir de la finance sera porté par l’IA, mais sous le contrôle des équipes financières », a déclaré Owen Ryan, directeur général de BlackLine. « Les responsables des directions financières n’ont ni la capacité ni la volonté de déléguer leur responsabilité financière à des modèles d’IA non supervisés fonctionnant comme des boîtes noires. » Les organisations qui parviendront à déployer l’IA à grande échelle seront celles qui auront réussi à combiner l’automatisation intelligente avec un rôle de responsabilité et de contrôle rigoureux. « Avec la mise en œuvre de cette infrastructure fiable, BlackLine offre une interface de contrôle autonome permettant aux directions financières d’exploiter l’IA en toute sécurité, de superviser chaque action et de préserver la confiance dans chacun des résultats. »
Les bases d’une exploitation fiable du système Agentic Financial Operations
La plateforme Agentic Financial Operations™ de BlackLine, optimisée par Studio360 et Verity™ AI, fournit les bases opérationnelles nécessaires pour déployer et superviser l’IA de manière sécurisée au sein des directions financières. La plateforme repose sur deux couches fondamentales :
une couche de données indépendante du système qui fait le lien entre les données financières structurées et non structurées, les flux de travail, les politiques, les contrôles et l’environnement opérationnel au sein des différents systèmes de l’entreprise. En associant l’intelligence financière au contexte opérationnel, la plateforme fournit à l’IA les bases nécessaires pour opérer avec précision dans des environnements financiers complexes.un système d’exploitation financier qui supervise les flux de travail financiers, les agents IA et les services modulaires dans le respect des contrôles, des politiques et des cadres de gouvernance définis par les équipes des directions financières. Les organisations peuvent ainsi automatiser des processus financiers de plus en plus complexes tout en respectant les limites déterministes fixées par la direction financière. Ces deux fonctionnalités constituent la base opérationnelle nécessaire au déploiement fiable de l’IA au sein du service financier.
Console Finance Control : l’interface de commande pour une IA au service de la finance
La console Finance Control, élément central de la plateforme étendue de BlackLine, offre aux responsables financiers la visibilité, la gouvernance et le contrôle nécessaires pour gérer des opérations financières d’envergure basées sur l’IA.
En adéquation avec les exigences rigoureuses de conformité, d’audit et de gouvernance, cette solution offre :
une visibilité en temps réel sur les opérations financières pilotées par IA,une gouvernance et une gestion des politiques centralisées,des pistes d’audit de bout en bout pour les actions automatisées,des registres de décisions étayées qui répondent aux exigences de conformité et d’audit.Implication humaine dans la surveillance des risques et la gestion des exceptionsSupervision des agents IA développés par BlackLine, des partenaires, des clients ou des tiers Conçue sur un modèle ouvert et interopérable, la console Finance Control permet aux organisations de superviser de manière cohérente les activités pilotées par IA au sein de leur écosystème technologique financier. Elle offre une interface de commande centralisée aux responsables des directions financières, leur permettant de superviser les opérations financières pilotées par IA. En garantissant le respect des politiques en place avec la tenue de registres auditables, cette solution accélère l’adoption de l’IA tout en préservant le contrôle nécessaire pour garantir l’intégrité des registres financiers.
« Aujourd’hui, l’enjeu pour les responsables des directions financières n’est plus de savoir si l’IA est capable d’effectuer des tâches financières, mais plutôt de déterminer si l’on peut lui faire confiance pour accomplir ces tâches dans le respect des normes de gouvernance requises par la fonction financière », a déclaré Jeremy Ung, directeur des technologies chez BlackLine. « Fort de 25 ans d’expérience dans les processus financiers, avec plus de 4 300 clients à travers le monde, BlackLine réunit intelligence artificielle, automatisation, contrôles intégrés et gouvernance au sein d’une plateforme spécialement conçue pour les services financiers. Ces derniers peuvent ainsi évoluer plus rapidement sans rien sacrifier en termes de confiance, conformité ou responsabilité. »
Lancement du programme-test de prévisualisation de la console Finance Control
BlackLine a annoncé aujourd’hui le lancement de son programme-test de la console Finance Control, offrant ainsi à ses clients professionnels et à ses partenaires stratégiques l’opportunité de contribuer à façonner l’avenir de la gouvernance de l’IA dans le domaine financier.
Les participants bénéficieront d’un accès anticipé aux fonctionnalités de la console Finance Control, avec la possibilité de contribuer à l’élaboration des cadres de gouvernance et à la définition des meilleures pratiques émergentes pour l’utilisation d’Agentic Financial Operations.
Pour en savoir plus sur la plateforme Agentic Financial Operations de BlackLine, consultez le site BlackLine.com.
À propos de BlackLine
BlackLine (Nasdaq : BL) fournit l’infrastructure de confiance pour la finance pilotée par IA et permet aux directions financières d’entrer dans l’ère agentique en s’appuyant sur l’intelligence, l’intégrité et la confiance. Optimisée par Studio360™ et Verity™ AI, la plateforme Agentic Financial Operations™ de BlackLine permet aux directions financières de déployer l’IA à grande échelle dans les processus « Record-to-Report », « Invoice-to-Cash », en assurent la gouvernance à chaque étape et en garantissent l’intégrité dans l’ensemble des opérations financières.
En unifiant les données et en intégrant l’IA dans un processus fiable à chaque étape, BlackLine fait évoluer la finance et la comptabilité en les faisant passer d’une simple fonction de reporting de l’activité à son orchestration en temps réel.
Grâce à des investissements en recherche et développement à la pointe du secteur et des pratiques de sécurité haut de gamme, plus de 4 300 clients issus de multiples secteurs s’associent à BlackLine pour mener leurs organisations vers l’avenir. La finance prend le contrôle. Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site blackline.com.
Boston Scientific has suffered a 50% share price decline amid decelerating growth and competitive threats, but fundamentals-based valuation now appears attractive. Growth in key segments like electrophysiology and Watchman has slowed due to increased competition, reimbursement cuts, and less impressive clinical trial data. Management now guides to sub-10% revenue growth (6.5%-8% for the year), but I still expect 7.5% annualized growth over five years and improving margins.
Five tips to help claimants get a fast offer through the Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program.
ROSEMEAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Southern California Edison today announced that more than $700 million has been offered to over 5,000 community members through its Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program, marking continued progress in extending relief to those directly impacted by the Eaton Fire. The voluntary program is designed to offer compensation in line with settlement values for similar claims in past wildfire lawsuits, with a more streamlined and faster approach than litigation.
"Recovery looks different for every family and business. Our focus is on helping people move forward with dedicated support, clear information and a streamlined process that delivers timely, fair outcomes," said Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, SCE's parent company.
Submitting a claim takes less than two hours on average. Once SCE receives a substantially complete claim, offers are delivered within 90 days — with most offers provided in about a third of that time. One-on-one assistance in multiple languages is available to provide ongoing support along the way.
Five Tips to Help Claimants Receive a Fair Offer – Fast
These five tips can help streamline submissions, support timely reviews and connect claimants with personalized assistance when needed.
Monitor Email for Updates. The program supports uploads from most browsers and many file formats. A follow-up email is sent once the submission is reviewed and confirmed. Participants should monitor their inbox, spam and junk folders for updates. Get One-on-One Assistance. Individuals experiencing difficulties uploading documents online can schedule an in-person appointment by calling 888-912-8528. Reply or Call for an Update. Claim status information is available at the top of email correspondence. Individuals with questions about their claim can reply directly to an email or call 888-912-8528. Confirm Insurance Information. The insurance amount displayed in an offer reflects information used during the evaluation process and may not represent the amount received from the insurance provider. Individuals who believe insurance information is incomplete should contact their insurer. Check Requirements for Minors. For claims including a child under the age of 18, court approval — commonly referred to as a “court-approved minor’s settlement” or “minor’s compromise” — is required. If a child was under 18 when the claim was filed but is now 18 years old, a minor's compromise is no longer required. Get Started
Filing a claim does not waive a claimant’s rights. Receiving an offer does not waive rights either. The program is voluntary and available through Nov. 30, 2026. To submit a claim and access detailed guidance in English and Spanish, visit the Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program web page.
Upcoming Community Meeting
To learn more about the program, join company leaders and program participants at the community meeting on June 30 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, beginning at 6 p.m. In addition to a panel featuring program participants, SCE experts will be available to answer questions about rebuilding and recovery.
About Southern California Edison
An Edison International (NYSE: EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of approximately 15 million via 5 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.
New Solution Combines AI-Powered Creative Optimization In-Flight with Contextual Signals to Deliver More Relevant Advertising Experiences Across Streaming Environments
Announcement Wraps Omnicom Media's Cannes News Blitz Revealing First-Mover Partnerships That Connect Brand Content to Platform Programming, Viewing Experiences and Consumer Expectations
, /PRNewswire/ -- Omnicom Media, an Omnicom (NYSE: OMC) connected capability, and NBCUniversal have co-developed a new solution to bring greater contextual intelligence and creative relevance to CTV advertising. The initiative combines audience and performance data from Omnicom's Acxiom identity solution with NBCUniversal's contextual signals to power Dynamic Contextual Content (DCC), a new approach to CTV advertising that aligns tailored creative messaging with specific episodes and environments in-flight.
The initiative is designed to help brands develop adaptive creative experiences tailored to how consumers engage with streaming content in real time. By pairing contextual signals with AI-powered creative production and optimization, the companies are creating a more intelligent, self-optimizing CTV system that enables brands to rethink how creative performance is measured and delivered.
For example, a travel brand could run a connected TV campaign across NBCUniversal programming tied to summer travel planning. Based on contextual signals combined with real-time engagement data, the travel brand could adapt its creative mid-flight based on the more optimally performing content environment.
The DCC solution grew out of Omnicom Media's Connected Content study, which examined consumer sentiment around the current state of advertising and explored the factors that drive engagement across content and delivery experiences. The research found that while streaming environments have evolved rapidly, creative formats and delivery systems have not kept pace with how audiences actually experience CTV content today.
"Consumers expect advertising to feel more connected to the experience they are having in the moment," said Megan Pagliuca, Chief Product Officer at Omnicom Media. "Today, even premium CTV advertising is often delivered without consideration for the context surrounding it. Through this collaboration with NBCUniversal, we are bringing together data, content intelligence, and AI-powered creative capabilities to help brands move from simply reaching audiences to delivering relevance within the moments that matter most."
How It Works
Acxiom audience data is paired with NBCUniversal content metadata to identify priority shows, episodes, environments, and moments. Advertisers can then map tailored creative variants - enabled by the Omnicom Production AI-driven content and production engine - to the content moments where they are expected to resonate most strongly with their specific audiences, moving from fixed creative assets to in-flight creative optimization. Creative versioning is informed by performance measurement and integrated into Omni's Video Content. With this integration, brands understand which combination of contextual tags and creative versions are driving business objectives.
"Marketers are navigating a fragmented, highly competitive ecosystem while being held to performance metrics," said Ryan McConville, Chief Product Officer and EVP, Ad Products & Solutions, NBCUniversal. "By pairing NBCUniversal's content metadata with Omnicom's audience and performance data, we can make creative optimization actionable and open up more relevant, effective ways for brands to engage their customers."
The collaboration reflects a broader shift in the streaming marketplace, where marketers are increasingly focused not only on reaching audiences at scale, but also on improving the quality and contextual relevance of each advertising exposure.
The Dynamic Contextual Content solution is currently in beta and is expected to be live in the US by end of year.
CONTACT: [email protected]
About Omnicom Media
Omnicom Media, an Omnicom (NYSE: OMC) Connected Capability, is the world's largest global media management network. Powered by the Omni Intelligence Platform, Omnicom Media agencies leverage $75.6 billion in billings, 40,000+ specialists across 70+ markets, and the industry's most powerful portfolio identity, commerce, and intelligence assets to design dynamic Growth Ecosystems that enable the world's most ambitious businesses to grow faster and smarter. The Omnicom Media portfolio includes global media agency brands OMD, Initiative, PHD, UM, Hearts & Science, and Mediahub; core Omnicom Integrated Media offerings Acxiom, the world's premier identity solution, and the Flywheel digital commerce practice; and specialty services across the cloud consulting, creator, financial, healthcare, and sports & entertainment categories. For more information visit omnicommedia.com
