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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2026) - National plaintiffs' law firm Berger Montague PC announces a class action lawsuit against Futu Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: FUTU) ("Futu" or the "Company") on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired Futu securities during the period from May 24, 2023 through May 27, 2026 (the "Class Period").

Investor Deadline: Investors who purchased or acquired Futu securities during the Class Period may, no later than August 25, 2026, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class. To learn your rights, CLICK HERE.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, Futu is an online brokerage and wealth management company that provides securities trading, investment, and financial services to retail investors.

According to the complaint, throughout the Class Period, Defendants failed to disclose that certain Futu entities allegedly conducted securities business, public fund sales business, and futures business in mainland China without obtaining the required regulatory approvals. The complaint further alleges that, on December 30, 2022, the China Securities Regulatory Commission ("CSRC") stated that Futu had conducted cross-border securities business with domestic investors in mainland China without regulatory consent, resulting in restrictions on opening new accounts for mainland Chinese investors and soliciting new business from mainland investors.

The truth allegedly began to emerge on May 22, 2026, when Reuters reported that the CSRC, together with seven other Chinese government agencies, had launched a regulatory crackdown targeting brokers allegedly operating without approval. That same day, Futu disclosed that it had received a Notification Letter from the CSRC imposing approximately RMB1.85 billion (approximately US$271 million) in confiscation of alleged illegal gains and fines, as well as a proposed personal fine against the Company's founder and Chief Executive Officer, Li Hua. Following these disclosures, Futu's stock price fell $34.10 per share, or 27.5%, to close at $89.76 on May 22, 2026.

The truth allegedly continued to emerge on May 28, 2026, when Futu reported first-quarter 2026 financial results reflecting the proposed regulatory penalties, including approximately RMB470 million in confiscated alleged illegal gains and approximately RMB1.38 billion in fines. Following this disclosure, the Company's stock price fell an additional $5.31 per share, or 4.8%, to close at $104.91.

If you are a Futu investor and would like to learn more about this action, CLICK HERE or please contact Berger Montague: Andrew Abramowitz at [email protected] or (215) 875-3015, or Caitlin Adorni at [email protected] or (267) 764-4865.

About Berger Montague

Berger Montague is one of the nation's preeminent law firms focusing on complex civil litigation, class actions, and mass torts in federal and state courts throughout the United States. With more than $2.4 billion in 2025 post-trial judgments alone, the Firm is a leader in the fields of complex litigation, antitrust, consumer protection, defective products, environmental law, employment law, securities, and whistleblower cases, among many other practice areas. For over 55 years, Berger Montague has played leading roles in precedent-setting cases and has recovered over $50 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Berger Montague is headquartered in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago; Malvern, PA; Minneapolis; San Diego; San Francisco; Toronto, Canada; Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, DE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/310583

Source: Berger Montague

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Borer Denton & Associates Inc. increased its position in CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO – Free Report) by 221.3% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 15,716 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 10,824 shares during the quarter. Borer Denton & Associates Inc.’s holdings in CocaCola were worth $1,277,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of KO. Werba Rubin Papier Wealth Management increased its stake in shares of CocaCola by 4.3% in the second quarter. Werba Rubin Papier Wealth Management now owns 9,382 shares of the company’s stock worth $763,000 after purchasing an additional 384 shares during the period. Whittier Trust Co. boosted its stake in CocaCola by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 204,720 shares of the company’s stock valued at $16,984,000 after purchasing an additional 948 shares during the period. Clear Creek Financial Management LLC grew its holdings in CocaCola by 1.6% in the 2nd quarter. Clear Creek Financial Management LLC now owns 11,848 shares of the company’s stock valued at $963,000 after buying an additional 187 shares during the last quarter. Petros Family Wealth LLC grew its holdings in CocaCola by 3.1% in the 2nd quarter. Petros Family Wealth LLC now owns 13,276 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,079,000 after buying an additional 399 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Florida Trust Wealth Management Co increased its position in CocaCola by 11.3% in the 2nd quarter. Florida Trust Wealth Management Co now owns 129,040 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,487,000 after buying an additional 13,139 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.26% of the company’s stock.

CocaCola Price Performance Shares of KO stock opened at $90.38 on Thursday. CocaCola Company has a 12 month low of $65.35 and a 12 month high of $90.92. The company has a market capitalization of $388.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.14, a P/E/G ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 0.33. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $83.95 and a two-hundred day moving average of $80.19. The company has a current ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97.

CocaCola (NYSE:KO – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported $0.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.93 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $13.37 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $13.17 billion. CocaCola had a return on equity of 39.38% and a net margin of 28.56%.CocaCola’s quarterly revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.87 earnings per share. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.270-3.300 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that CocaCola Company will post 3.29 EPS for the current year. CocaCola Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be issued a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. CocaCola’s payout ratio is 63.66%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a “market perform” rating and set a $93.00 price target on shares of CocaCola in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Seaport Research Partners set a $95.00 target price on shares of CocaCola in a research report on Friday, August 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $86.00 target price (up from $82.00) on shares of CocaCola in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $100.00 price target (up from $89.00) on shares of CocaCola in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, UBS Group set a $104.00 price target on shares of CocaCola and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $95.76.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on KO

Insider Transactions at CocaCola In other news, CFO John Murphy sold 152,483 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, July 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.31, for a total value of $13,313,290.73. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 279,917 shares in the company, valued at approximately $24,439,553.27. This represents a 35.26% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, insider Bruno Pietracci sold 75,727 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $89.65, for a total transaction of $6,788,925.55. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 35,393 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,172,982.45. The trade was a 68.15% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 1,433,535 shares of company stock worth $121,922,698. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About CocaCola (Free Report)

The Coca‑Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a global beverage manufacturer, marketer and distributor best known for its flagship Coca‑Cola soda. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company develops and sells concentrates, syrups and finished beverages across a broad portfolio of brands. Its product range spans sparkling soft drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, juices, ready‑to‑drink teas and coffees, and other still beverages, marketed under both global and regional brand names.

Coca‑Cola’s brand portfolio includes widely recognized names such as Coca‑Cola, Diet Coke, Coca‑Cola Zero Sugar, Sprite, Fanta, Minute Maid, Powerade and Dasani, and in recent years the company has expanded into the coffee and premium beverage categories through acquisitions such as Costa Coffee.

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Key Takeaways Alibaba is using quick commerce to deepen engagement across Taobao, Tmall and Freshippo.Broader categories are expanding quick commerce beyond food into fresh produce, healthcare and supermarkets.Better fulfillment efficiency and order mix are improving unit economics as Alibaba continues investing. Alibaba Group (BABA - Free Report) is positioning quick commerce as an important growth lever for its China e-commerce business. The model is expanding beyond food delivery into categories such as fresh produce, healthcare and supermarket products. This is broadening the use cases for Alibaba's e-commerce ecosystem, spanning Taobao, Tmall and Freshippo, and is helping drive stronger consumer engagement.

Quick commerce is creating tighter links with Alibaba's core e-commerce platforms. Faster fulfillment is allowing consumers to purchase a wider range of products for immediate needs, increasing transaction opportunities across Taobao and Tmall. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, quick commerce revenues grew 57% to RMB 20 billion, underscoring the pace at which the format is scaling. Over the same period, China E-commerce Group revenues rose 6% to RMB 122 billion, with customer management revenue up 8% on a like-for-like basis, pointing to the broader engagement benefits management is citing from quick commerce, including accelerated growth at Freshippo and Tmall Supermarket.

The economics of quick commerce are also improving. Order mix optimization and better fulfillment efficiency are helping raise unit economics, with average order value increasing sequentially as the business scales. This matters because Alibaba is still investing heavily in the segment. Improving unit economics should gradually reduce the drag on China e-commerce profitability.

Scale is becoming another growth driver. Quick commerce order volume reached 2.7 times the level of the same quarter last year, with non-food orders expanding three times, allowing Alibaba to deepen its presence in higher-frequency purchases while generating additional traffic across Taobao, Tmall and Freshippo. As quick commerce continues scaling and its unit economics keep improving, the business is becoming better positioned to support Alibaba's e-commerce growth going forward.

How BABA is Placed Against PeersAlibaba's quick commerce push is unfolding alongside JD.com (JD - Free Report) and Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) , both of which are expanding fast delivery to capture higher-frequency demand. JD.com is scaling instant delivery through its owned logistics network across China, while Amazon is investing in same-day delivery infrastructure to strengthen its quick commerce reach globally. Compared with JD.com and Amazon, Alibaba is differentiating itself through deeper integration with Taobao, Tmall, and Freshippo, aiming to convert quick-commerce traffic into broader marketplace engagement. As JD.com, Amazon and Alibaba all pursue unit economics improvement in quick commerce, execution speed and category expansion are likely to determine relative positioning in this space.

BABA’s Share Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesBABA shares have plunged 12% in the year-to-date period, underperforming the Zacks Internet – Commerce industry and the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector’s appreciation of 6.1% and 3.9%, respectively.

BABA’s YTD Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, BABA is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 16.28X, below the sector’s average of 22.48X. The company carries a Value Score of C.

BABA’s Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2027 earnings is pegged at $6.87 per share, implying 76.61% year-over-year growth.

Alibaba currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Walmart raised its full-year financial forecasts after beating Wall Street expectations for revenue and adjusted earnings in the latest quarter, but the stock WMT fell over 7% during premarket trading as US comparable sales came in well below expectations.

Investors also focused on slowing traffic and weaker spending per transaction.

Walmart reported quarterly revenue of $187.9 billion, up nearly 6% year over year and ahead of the roughly $186 billion expected by analysts, according to Bloomberg consensus data.

Adjusted earnings per share came in at 81 cents, compared with Wall Street expectations of 74 cents.

Despite the beat, Walmart's US comparable sales rose 2.6%, significantly below the 3.8% increase expected by analysts, according to LSEG data.

The slowdown was also visible in customer activity.

Average ticket increased 1.1%, matching the previous quarter but falling sharply from 3.1% growth in the second quarter of 2026.

Transactions increased 1.5%, compared with 3% growth in the first quarter.

The figures suggest that while Walmart continues to attract customers, shoppers are becoming more cautious about how much they spend during each visit.

Part of the weakness came from Walmart's health and wellness business, where comparable sales declined in the low single digits.

The company said the category was affected by a roughly 900-basis-point impact from the implementation of maximum fair price provisions under the Inflation Reduction Act, which allows Medicare to negotiate prices for certain prescription drugs.

Excluding health and wellness, Walmart's core merchandise comparable sales increased 3.4%.

The pharmacy impact has been a growing concern for investors.

Earlier this month, Oppenheimer downgraded Walmart to Perform from Outperform and removed its $140 price target, citing potential pharmacy-related pressure on US comparable sales.

The firm also described Walmart's valuation as "peakish", warning that a slowdown in comparable sales could leave the shares vulnerable to a lower valuation multiple.

"Although investors in our conversations lately expect a potential Walmart US comp shortfall vs. Street forecasts, we still believe shares could move lower on the print given a still peakish valuation and the potential for pharmacy headwinds to persist at least through Q426," the analysts wrote.

Also, Globalt Investments’ portfolio manager, Keith Buchanan, in an interview with CNBC, said he viewed WMT shares as a “valuation concern” heading into the earnings event.

Despite the weaker US sales performance, Walmart increased its full-year guidance.

The company now expects fiscal 2027 net sales to rise between 4% and 5%, compared with its previous forecast of 3.5% to 4.5%.

It also raised its full-year adjusted earnings-per-share forecast to between $2.80 and $2.87 from $2.75 to $2.85 previously.

However, Walmart's third-quarter outlook was more cautious.

The company expects adjusted EPS of 62 cents to 64 cents, below analysts' estimate of 68 cents.

Third-quarter net sales are expected to increase between 3% and 3.75%, also below Wall Street's forecast of 4.9%.

E-commerce and advertising remain bright spotsWalmart continues to benefit from businesses outside its traditional store operations.

E-commerce sales increased 24%, while Walmart Connect, its US advertising business, grew 43%.

The company has also lowered prices on more than 7,000 items this year, using higher-margin businesses such as advertising and its third-party marketplace to help protect profitability.

Operating income increased roughly 21% year over year, while gross profit grew 158 basis points.

Walmart said the improvement was driven partly by tariff refunds, although price investments and higher fuel costs offset some of the benefit.

The company said it would continue using tariff refunds to lower prices for customers. Adjusted operating income included a 750-basis-point benefit from the refunds.

Grocery remained Walmart's strongest merchandising category, recording mid-single-digit growth, while general merchandise, including toys and apparel, grew in the low-single digits.

But the weaker traffic and ticket figures are likely to keep investors focused on whether Walmart can maintain its momentum if consumers become more cautious.

The retailer's decision to raise its annual outlook indicates confidence in the broader business, but the weaker third-quarter guidance suggests the company is preparing for a more challenging near-term environment.

For investors, the immediate question is whether Walmart's growing e-commerce, advertising, and marketplace businesses can offset slower store-based spending and rising costs.

With the stock swinging sharply on the mixed results, many investors are likely to keep a close eye on WMT in the sessions ahead using investment platforms.

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:AUPH) shares are up during Thursday’s premarket session as the company has entered into a settlement agreement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE:TEVA).

This news comes amidst a mixed market backdrop, with S&P 500 futures showing a slight loss of 0.03%.

Aurinia (AUPH) Settles Patent Litigation With TevaUnder the terms of the settlement, Teva has stipulated that Aurinia’s U.S. Patent Nos. 10,286,036 and 11,622,991 (which expire in December 2037) are enforceable, valid, and would be infringed by commercial sales within the ‎U.S. of its generic voclosporin product.

The settlement further provides that Teva may launch its generic voclosporin product no earlier than Dec. 7, 2036, unless certain defined contingencies occur earlier.

In January 2021, Aurinia introduced Lupkynis (voclosporin), the first FDA-approved oral therapy for adult patients with active lupus nephritis.

The company is also developing aritinercept, a dual inhibitor of B cell-activating factor and a proliferation-inducing ligand for autoimmune diseases.

Read Next

AUPH Technical Outlook: Trend, Momentum And Key LevelsThe stock has shown a solid performance over the past year, gaining approximately 34.64%.

Currently, it is trading above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) of $15.31, which indicates a bullish short-term trend. The 50-day SMA is at $15.89, suggesting that while the stock is performing well, it still has some resistance to overcome in the medium term.

The moving average convergence divergence (MACD) is above its signal line, indicating that downside pressure is easing and momentum is improving. This suggests a potential for further upward movement if the current trend continues.

Key Resistance: $19.25 — This level is significant as it marks the 52-week high, which could act as a barrier to further price increases. Key Support: $15.31 — This level aligns with the 20-day SMA, providing a cushion for the stock in case of a pullback. How Aurinia (AUPH) Ranks On Value And MomentumBelow is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market:

Value: 63.91 — Indicates a relatively favorable valuation compared to peers. Momentum: 71.77 — Suggests that the stock is currently outperforming the broader market. The Verdict: Aurinia Pharmaceuticals’s Benzinga Edge signal reveals a balanced profile with strong momentum and favorable value indicators. This positioning may attract investors looking for growth opportunities in the biopharmaceutical sector.

AUPH Stock Price Activity: Aurinia Pharmaceuticals shares were up 2.66% at $16.60 during premarket trading on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Image via Shutterstock

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© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Deere (DE - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $5.1 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.79 per share. This compares to earnings of $4.75 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +6.47%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this agricultural equipment manufacturer would post earnings of $5.81 per share when it actually produced earnings of $6.55, delivering a surprise of +12.74%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.

Deere, which belongs to the Zacks Manufacturing - Farm Equipment industry, posted revenues of $11 billion for the quarter ended July 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.77%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $10.36 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Deere shares have added about 24.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 12.6%.

What's Next for Deere?While Deere has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Deere was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $4.47 on $10.84 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $18.21 on $41.43 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Manufacturing - Farm Equipment is currently in the top 22% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Another stock from the broader Zacks Industrial Products sector, Core & Main (CNM - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended July 2026.

This distributor of water and fire protection products is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.93 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +6.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.1% higher over the last 30 days to the current level.

Core & Main's revenues are expected to be $2.14 billion, up 2.3% from the year-ago quarter.

Key Takeaways Albemarle generated $638 million in free cash flow and $710 million in operating cash flow in Q2.ALB delivered $100 million in productivity gains and expects to reach the top of its 2026 target.Albemarle has raised its quarterly dividend for 30 straight years, with a 1.2% yield. Albemarle Corporation (ALB - Free Report) remains committed to driving shareholder value by leveraging solid liquidity and healthy cash flows. At the end of the second quarter of 2026, it had liquidity of around $3.2 billion, including cash and cash equivalents of around $1.6 billion. ALB generated an operating cash flow of $710 million and free cash flow of $638 million in the second quarter. Operating cash flow for the first half nearly doubled year over year to roughly $1.1 billion.

Free cash flow in 2026 is expected to be supported by strong cash conversion and productivity measures. ALB delivered $100 million in cost and productivity improvements in the first half of 2026 and expects to attain the top end of its $100-$150 million target for 2026. It achieved an operating cash flow conversion of 83% in the second quarter. First-half 2026 conversion was at the high end of its long-term target range of 60-70%.

Albemarle’s ability to convert improving operating performance into free cash is likely to result in incremental returns to shareholders. The company remains focused on maintaining its dividend payout. It has raised its quarterly dividend for the 30th straight year. ALB offers a dividend yield of 1.2% at the current stock price. Backed by healthy cash flows and sound financial health, the company's dividend is perceived to be safe and reliable.

Among its peers, Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM - Free Report) exited the second quarter with strong liquidity, with cash and cash equivalents being around $3.4 billion. Sociedad Quimica’s solid cash position supports its capital investment in growth projects and shareholder-friendly actions. Sociedad Quimica projects total capital expenditure of roughly $3 billion for the 2026-2028 period, which includes investment in the Salar Futuro project in Chile.

ICL Group Ltd. (ICL - Free Report) ended the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents, and short-term investments and deposits of $662 million. Including unutilized revolving credit facility and securitization, ICL Group had cash resources of roughly $2.2 billion at the end of the quarter. ICL generated an operating cash flow of $290 million in the second quarter.

ALB’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesAlbemarle has gained 70.1% in over a year compared with the Zacks Chemical - Diversified industry’s rise of 4.2%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ALB is currently trading at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 2.44, above the industry. It carries a Value Score of B.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ALB’s 2026 earnings implies a year-over-year rise of 1,607.6%. The EPS estimates for 2026 have been trending lower over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ALB stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). 

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM | TSM Price Prediction) trades at $413.41 as of the August 18 close. Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for TSMC is $539.60, implying 30.52% upside over the next 12 months. Our recommendation is a buy with a confidence level of 90%, reflecting visibility on demand through 2029.

24/7 Wall St. Price Target Summary Metric Value Current Price $413.41 24/7 Wall St. Price Target $539.60 Upside 30.52% Recommendation BUY Confidence Level 90% A Blowout Quarter and a Fresh $100 Billion Arizona Commitment TSMC is up 36.72% year to date and 73.1% over the trailing year, though shares slipped 2.05% in the past week and sit roughly 14% below the $479 52-week high.

Q2 2026 revenue reached $40.2 billion at the high end of guidance, EPS of $4.31 beat consensus of $3.89, and gross margin expanded to 67.7%. HPC now drives 66% of revenue, up 20% sequentially. Management guided Q3 revenue to $44.6 to $45.8 billion and announced an additional $100 billion Arizona investment for 2nm and below capacity on the July 16 call.

The Case for $620 and Higher Our bull case targets $620.11 over 12 months, a 50% return. CEO Cici Wei told analysts “Our conviction in the multi-year AI megatrend remains very high,” and raised full-year 2026 revenue growth guidance to slightly above 40% in USD terms.

Capex was hiked to $60 to $64 billion. Agentic AI is pulling CPUs back into data center demand alongside accelerators. If N2 yields ramp cleanly and hyperscaler orders extend into 2029, the upper analyst target of $547 looks like a floor rather than a ceiling.

What Could Go Wrong The bear scenario lands at $437.57, just 5.84% above spot. Beta of 1.258 and Taiwan Strait geopolitical risk can compress the multiple quickly. Inventory days rose to 87 days on the N2 ramp, and overseas fab dilution could widen to 3 to 4 percentage points.

Insider activity has skewed to net selling across 122 recent transactions. Bulls counter that inventory build reflects genuine 2nm pull-through and that Arizona capacity materially reduces geopolitical discount over time.

How TSMC Stacks Up Against NVIDIA and Broadcom The cleanest comparison is TSMC’s two largest AI customers, since their capex flows directly to wafer volumes.

NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) trades at a trailing P/E of 44 after Q1 FY2027 revenue of $81.6 billion, up 85% YoY. Its $119 billion in supply commitments pre-books TSMC capacity. At roughly 25x forward earnings on TSM, our target looks conservative next to NVIDIA’s multiple.

Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) guided Q3 AI semiconductor revenue to $16 billion, up over 200% YoY, all fabricated at TSMC. AVGO’s custom accelerator momentum reinforces the HPC mix shift driving TSMC’s 67.7% gross margin. On a forward P/E basis, TSM is materially cheaper than either customer, making our $539.60 target reasonable rather than aggressive.

TSMC Price Prediction 2026-2030 The 24/7 Wall St. price target of $539.60 and buy rating carry 90% confidence. Capacity is effectively sold out through 2029. The setup remains constructive if the N2 ramp holds yield targets through Q4.

The thesis weakens if hyperscaler capex growth stalls or Taiwan Strait risk materially reprices. The AI wave remains the dominant signal, and the traits that showed up years before the last generational tech run are the ones we cataloged in a free playbook here: The Next Nvidia Playbook.

Year 24/7 Wall St. Price Target 2026 $465 2027 $539.60 2028 $650 2029 $770 2030 $887.33 These projections assume TSMC executes on its 25% revenue CAGR target through 2029 and preserves 56%+ gross margins. Significant upside could come from a faster N1.4 ramp; downside would emerge from a sustained AI capex pullback.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

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MSTR

Buy MSTR. Bitcoin is breaking out and Spot BTC ETFs added $500M+ in one day, which directly lifts MSTR’s mark-to-market on its 840k BTC holdings. Greed sentiment (Crypto Fear & Greed at 61) plus a weaker DXY supports continued BTC upside, and MSTR typically amplifies BTC moves. Thesis: BTC momentum persists long enough for MSTR to clear the $115 resistance and push toward/through the 200-day EMA.

Key Risk: Bitcoin reverses and falls back below the key support levels, crushing MSTR’s BTC-linked value and momentum.

MSTY

Buy MSTY. It’s the leveraged option-income wrapper on MSTR; when MSTR rallies sharply, MSTY tends to re-rate faster than the underlying option premium decay can offset. With MSTR already rebounding ~40% off its YTD low and BTC ETF inflows accelerating, MSTY should benefit from both the upside move and improved option pricing.

Key Risk: MSTR’s rally fades quickly and the stock chops down, causing option-income products to lose value through premium decay and unfavorable resets.

MSTR stock staged a strong comeback as Bitcoin rallied. Strategy jumped to a high of $115.65 in the premarket session, its highest level since June 22nd and 40% above its lowest level this year. Similarly, the YieldMax MSTR Option Income Strategy ETF (MSTY) jumped to $13.95, much higher than the year-to-date low of $11.5.

Strategy stock jumped as Bitcoin continued its strong comeback and the Crypto Fear and Greed Index moved to the greed zone for the first time in months. It jumped to 61, up sharply from the extreme fear zone of 25 a few months ago. Bitcoin and most altcoins normally do well when there is greed in the market.

After months of consolidation, Bitcoin made a strong bullish breakout, reaching a high of $72,396, its highest level since  June 1. It has soared by over 25% from its lowest level this year, and this trend may continue as it is now attempting to cross the 200-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA).

Bitcoin is rising as institutions go to a buying spree. Spot Bitcoin ETFs added over $500 million in assets on Wednesday, bringing its monthly inflows to over $1.4 billion. These funds now hold over $84 billion in assets under management.

Bitcoin is also holding steady as the US dollar index (DXY) slumps. After rising to $101.80 in June, the DXY Index has dropped by over 3% to $98.57, its lowest level since May 14 this year. BTC tends to do well when the US dollar is slumping. 

A strong Bitcoin recovery would be bullish for MSTR stock because it is the biggest holder. It holds 840,447 coins currently worth over $60.5 billion. 

Despite the ongoing rebound, MSTR stock faces some major risks ahead. One of them is that it has slowly formed a bearish flag pattern, which is made up of a vertical line and a horizontal channel. This pattern often leads to a strong bearish breakout over time.

Bitcoin has remained below the important support level of $115, its lowest level in June this year. For a strong bullish breakout to be confirmed, it needs to move above that resistance. It also needs to move above the 200-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA). 

MSTR technical chart | Source: TradingView

Strategy also faces the risk of the ongoing dilution, which has escalated in the past few months. On Monday, the company revealed that it increased its USD reserves by $150 million, bringing its US dollar reserves to $4.8 billion. The company is doing that by issuing new MSTR shares. It has boosted its outstanding shares from 93 million in 2022 to 351 million today.

The company will likely need to raise more money to repurchase the STRC stock and also to boost its cash reserves. It needs the cash to pay dividends to its STRC shareholders.

Also, there is a risk that Bitcoin will resume the downward trend, which will affect the value of its holdings.

Fourth straight year of near double-digit increases for U.S. employers Employers now absorb more than 80% of health plan costs as rising expenses increasingly impact workforce and business planning decisions The average employee is expected to spend nearly $5,300 on health care in 2026, reflecting continued pressure on household budgets , /PRNewswire/ -- Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, revealed today that U.S. employer health care costs are projected to rise 9.5%* in 2027, pushing average costs above $19,000 per employee.

This projection marks the fourth consecutive year of elevated health care cost trends approaching double digits, extending one of the most sustained periods of health care inflation employers have faced in decades.

* Total Employee Costs reflects Premiums from Paycheck and Out-of-Pocket Costs. Medical spending continues to rise as utilization of health care services increases, chronic conditions become more prevalent and the numbers of high-cost claims grow. Prescription drug spending also remains a significant contributor, driven by growing use of specialty medications and continued adoption of GLP-1 therapies. As these treatments expand into new clinical areas such as cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea and chronic kidney disease as emerging oral formulations broaden access and treatment options, employers are facing increasing pressure to balance access, affordability and long-term sustainability.

Additional cost pressure is emerging as providers adopt technologies, including AI, that support more detailed clinical documentation and coding, contributing to higher billed charges in some instances.

"Employers have now experienced several consecutive years of health care cost increases that are approaching double digits," said Mike Pasterick, North America Health Solutions Leader for Aon. "At this level, rising health care costs become much more than a budgeting challenge and influence organizational decisions from benefits strategy and employee affordability to broader workforce and financial planning priorities. Leaders are undergoing pressure to maintain affordable benefits while continuing to invest in attracting, supporting and retaining talent."

The Growing Cost Burden on Employers and Employees

Although health care costs are projected to increase 9.5% in 2027 before mitigation efforts, employers routinely implement plan design changes and cost-management strategies to help offset a portion of those increases.  

The chart detailing Annual Changes to Total Cost of Care reflects actual employer and employee health care costs in 2026 after those actions were taken, providing a view of how rising costs are ultimately shared between employers and employees.

Even after implementing measures to manage costs, employers continue to absorb most of the increase. Employer health care cost increases have more than doubled since 2022, rising from 3.7% to 8.8% in 2026. On average, employers are responsible for about 82% of the plan cost, reflecting ongoing efforts to limit the financial impact on employees.

Plan Cost

2025

2026

Change from
2025 to 2026

Employer Cost

$13,269

$14,432

8.8 %

Employee Premiums from Paycheck  

$2,943

$3,130

6.4 %

Total Plan Cost**

$16,212

$17,562

8.3 %

Employer Subsidy

81.8 %

82.2 %

0.4 %

While average plan costs increased 8.3%, the average tells only part of the story. The middle 50% of employers experienced increases ranging from 5.5% to 11.5%, demonstrating the wide variation in cost pressures organizations are facing.

Employee Costs***

2025

2026

Change from
2025 to 2026

Employee Premiums from Paycheck      

$2,943

$3,130

6.4 %

Employee Out-of-Pocket Costs

$1,966

$2,167

10.2 %

Total Employee Costs

$4,909

$5,297

7.9 %

Employees are also facing growing affordability pressures. In 2026, employees are expected to pay an average of $5,297 for health care coverage, including both payroll contributions ($3,130) and out-of-pocket expenses ($2,167). The increase in out-of-pocket costs can be attributed to the increased utilization of health care services, as well as the enrolment in leaner plan options.

Health Care Inflation Remains a Cross-Industry Challenge

Cost pressures are affecting employers across every sector; all industries experienced significant growth in plan costs from 2025 to 2026. Average employer cost increases ranged from 6.5% to 9.8% across the industries, while total plan cost increases exceed 6% across the board.

Additionally, across all industries, employee contribution increases remained below overall employer and total plan cost increases, indicating that many organizations continue to absorb a significant share of rising health care expense.  

Projected 2025 to 2026 Increase
by Industry

Employer
Cost

Employee
Contributions
from Paycheck

Total

Plan Cost

Manufacturing

7.5 %

5.3 %

7.1 %

Professional Services

8.7 %

3.5 %

7.5 %

Finance and Insurance

9.8 %

4.7 %

8.8 %

Health Care

6.5 %

5.3 %

6.3 %

Retail and Wholesale Trade

7.7 %

6.6 %

7.5 %

Public Sector

8.8 %

7.7 %

8.6 %

Technology and Communications

9.1 %

6.4 %

8.6 %

Looking Ahead: Navigating a New Era of Health Care Costs  

Employers are expected to face continued pressure from rising medical utilization, chronic disease prevalence and growth in drug spending. As these cost drivers evolve, organizations are increasingly focused on strategies that improve health outcomes, enhance the employee experience and address the underlying drivers of spending to manage long-term affordability for both employers and employees.

"The organizations best positioned for the future will be those that can proactively identify emerging risks and take targeted action before costs escalate," said Debbie Ashford, North America Chief Actuary, Health Solutions for Aon. "Health care costs are becoming increasingly difficult to manage through traditional approaches alone. Employers will need better data and deeper insights to understand where costs are rising and how they can make more informed decisions about their health care investments."

To support these efforts, employers are increasingly turning to data and analytics tools that provide greater visibility into network performance, utilization patterns and cost drivers. Solutions such as Aon's Network Analyzer help organizations evaluate potential strategies, improve value and make more informed decisions about long-term health care affordability.

Aon's Health Value Initiative

The historical information and projections shown above were developed using Aon's Health Value Initiative database, which captures health care costs and benefit designs for more than 1,100 U.S. employers representing 7.9 million employees and $135 billion in 2026 health care spend. The projections above are developed after taking plan design changes as well as demographic and geographic population adjustments into account.

To learn more about Aon's Health Solutions, visit https://www.aon.com/home/solutions/health.

* The projection is applicable in a status quo environment when employers do not make changes or implement care management programs. Aon consultants expect many employers to implement cost-saving changes or programs to help mitigate this increase.
** Total plan costs represent the employer's and employee's combined premiums for medical and prescription drug costs but exclude employee out-of-pocket payments such as deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance.
*** Based on the weighted average cost of employers in Aon's analysis in both 2025 and 2026.

About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that help protect and grow their businesses.

Follow Aon on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting Aon's newsroom and sign up for news alerts here.

Media Contact
Haley Robinson
+1 312 381 0159
[email protected] 

Disclaimer
The information contained in this document is solely for information purposes, for general guidance only and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although Aon endeavors to provide accurate and timely information and uses sources that it considers reliable, the firm does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of any content of this document and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way by any person who may rely on it. There can be no guarantee that the information contained in this document will remain accurate as on the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No individual or entity should make decisions or act based solely on the information contained herein without appropriate professional advice and targeted research.

SOURCE Aon plc

, /PRNewswire/ -- The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) today announced estimated catastrophe losses for the month of July of $682 million or $539 million, after-tax. Catastrophe losses for July include 23 events with approximately 75% of the losses related to two wind and hail events.

Financial information, including material announcements about The Allstate Corporation, is routinely posted on www.allstateinvestors.com. 

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that anticipate results based on our estimates, assumptions and plans that are subject to uncertainty. These statements are made subject to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and may be identified by their use of words like "plans," "seeks," "expects," "will," "should," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "believes," "likely," "targets" and other words with similar meanings. We believe these statements are based on reasonable estimates, assumptions and plans. However, if the estimates, assumptions or plans underlying the forward-looking statements prove inaccurate or if other risks or uncertainties arise, actual results could differ materially from those communicated in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements may be found in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the "Risk Factors" section in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K. Forward-looking statements are as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) protects people from life's uncertainties with affordable, simple and connected protection for autos, homes, electronic devices, and identities. Products are available through a broad distribution network including Allstate agents, independent agents, major retailers, online, and at the workplace. Allstate has 216 million policies in force and is widely known for the slogan "You're in Good Hands with Allstate." For more information, visit www.allstate.com. 

SOURCE The Allstate Corporation

Franklin Templeton, a global investment leader, today announced the successful closing of Franklin Templeton Structured Solutions 2026, L.P., its first Collateralized Fund Obligation (CFO), raising $1.5 billion from global investors.

The CFO is designed to provide investors with diversified and efficient exposure to Franklin Templeton’s flagship private markets strategies spanning private equity secondaries and continuation vehicles managed by Lexington Partners,a pioneer in secondary private equity and co-investments, and U.S. middle-market direct lending managed by Benefit Street Partners (BSP), Franklin Templeton’s alternative credit specialist, across multiple investment vintages and a broad range of underlying portfolio companies.

“We are seeing growing demand from clients for access to differentiated private markets strategies in structures that are efficient and scalable,” said George Stephan, Global Chief Operating Officer, Wealth Management Private Markets at Franklin Templeton. “This inaugural CFO is a direct response to that demand - combining the specialized expertise of our private markets managers into an offering that reflects the full breadth of what Franklin Templeton can deliver.”

“This transaction demonstrates how structured solutions can bring together different private markets capabilities to address the evolving needs of institutional portfolios,” said Jake Williams, Co-Head, Private Markets Product at Franklin Templeton. “It draws on the breadth of Franklin Templeton's private markets platform and our continued focus on developing innovative solutions that help clients achieve their outcomes.”

Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions (FTIS), the firm’s solutions platform, will serve as collateral manager for the transaction, bringing its experience in portfolio construction, liquidity and risk management across public and private markets.

The successful close marks an important milestone for Franklin Templeton, establishing a new capital formation channel for its private markets platform and positioning the firm to capture growing demand for structured private markets solutions as adoption expands across a broader range of investors, including RIAs, family offices, insurance companies and wealth distributors.

Franklin Templeton has $295 billion in alternative assets under management as of July 31, 2026 and offers a diversified private markets platform that includes Lexington Partners, focused on private equity secondaries and co-investments; Clarion Partners, specializing in private real estate; Benefit Street Partners, a leader in private credit, Franklin Ventures, hedged strategies, and digital asset capabilities, providing investors with broad access across alternative asset classes.

Evercore served as structuring advisor and placement agent for the transaction. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP served as issuer counsel.

Note: The information provided herein concerns a closed offering that is no longer open to new investment. This material is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered individualized investment advice, a recommendation or a solicitation to adopt any investment strategy. It does not constitute legal or tax advice.

About Franklin Templeton

Franklin Templeton is a trusted investment partner, delivering tailored solutions that align with clients’ strategic goals. With deep portfolio management expertise across public and private markets, we combine investment excellence with cutting-edge technology. Since our founding in 1947, we have empowered clients through strategic partnership, forward-looking insights, and continuous innovation – providing the tools and resources to navigate change and capture opportunity.

With $1.80 trillion in assets under management as of July 31, 2026, Franklin Templeton operates globally in more than 35 countries.

To learn more, visit franklintempleton.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Franklin Templeton, Inc. [NYSE: BEN]

About Benefit Street Partners

Benefit Street Partners is an alternative credit pioneer with $94 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2026 (including Apera). It seeks to deliver attractive, risk-adjusted returns through its deep specialism, long-term relationships and global reach. A wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton, BSP is focused on credit. Through its disciplined, solutions-oriented approach, BSP unlocks opportunities across market cycles and geographies. The firm manages strategies spanning private debt, real estate debt, structured credit, and liquid loans. For more information, visit bspcredit.com.

About Lexington Partners

Lexington Partners is one of the world’s largest and most successful managers of secondary private equity and co-investment funds, with over $84 billion of total capitalization. The firm helped pioneer the development of the institutional secondary market over 36 years ago and created one of the first independent, discretionary co-investment programs 28 years ago. Lexington provides strategic, customized liquidity solutions to global investors and private equity sponsors alike, supported by its dedicated and well-capitalized secondary, continuation vehicle, and co-investment platforms. Lexington’s experienced professionals are strategically located in major centers for private equity and alternative asset investing across North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Latin America. Lexington is the global secondary private equity and co-investments specialist investment manager of Franklin Templeton. Additional information can be found at lexingtonpartners.com.

Copyright © 2026. Franklin Templeton. All rights reserved.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260820538395/en/

Organigram Global Inc. (NASDAQ: OGI) (TSX: OGI) (“Organigram” or the “Company”) today announced an important milestone in its global growth strategy through the accelerated integration of Sanity Group GmbH (“Sanity”) and the alignment of leadership, operations and market development activities across the combined organization.

To support the combined organization, Organigram has appointed Finn Age Hänsel as President, Rest of World & Chief Strategy Officer, and Adrian Frenzel as Global Chief Operating Officer. To enable the integration, the Company has amended the share purchase agreement governing the Sanity acquisition, which required that Sanity be operated on a standalone basis during a 12-month earnout period. The amendment replaces the original performance-based earnout with a fixed earnout while retaining the original construct that the earnout be payable after the end of the earnout period.

“Since completing the acquisition, our teams have worked exceptionally well together and we have seen firsthand the strength of Sanity’s business and the opportunities across our combined platform,” said James Yamanaka, Chief Executive Officer of Organigram. “That progress, together with our confidence in Sanity’s continued growth trajectory, makes this the right time to take the next step in our integration. Fixing the earnout provides greater clarity and certainty while further strengthening strategic alignment and execution across the organization. With a more integrated global platform, we can build on the momentum already underway, coordinate our capabilities and allocate resources more effectively, to pursue opportunities to drive growth and margin expansion across Canada, Europe and other international markets.”

Building an Integrated International Platform

Sanity is one of the leading players in Germany and provides Organigram with an established commercial platform and regulatory expertise in one of Europe’s largest and fastest-growing medical cannabis markets. The German medical cannabis market was valued at more than €2 billion in 2025, serving approximately 800,000 patients, and is forecasted to exceed €4 billion by 2028.1 With deep European regulatory expertise, Sanity has also established a presence in Switzerland and is strategically expanding into Poland, the U.K. and Czechia.

Organigram has built a strong foundation across cultivation, product innovation, manufacturing, brands and international supply. The Company currently supplies bulk cannabis shipments to Germany, Australia and the U.K. and recently introduced 10 product SKUs in the Australian medical cannabis market.

Bringing these capabilities together under one operating model will allow the Company to better leverage its Canadian production and product capabilities along with Sanity’s European commercial, regulatory and distribution infrastructure. This is expected to provide a stronger foundation to coordinate supply, accelerate product and brand commercialization, and pursue growth opportunities across Germany and other international markets.

Leadership Appointments

Finn Age Hänsel has been appointed President, Rest of World & Chief Strategy Officer of Organigram. In this role, Finn will lead Organigram’s global corporate strategy, international market development and strategic partnerships. He will also support the continued integration of Organigram’s Canadian and European capabilities and evaluate opportunities to introduce the Company’s brands, products and intellectual property into additional markets.

Finn brings more than 15 years of entrepreneurial and executive experience building and scaling consumer and healthcare businesses. He began his career as a consultant at Boston Consulting Group and later co-founded Sanity in 2018, driving its development into one of Germany´s leading medical cannabis companies, with a portfolio spanning medical cannabis, wellness offerings and adult-use cannabis pilot projects. Previously, he co-founded The Iconic, one of Australia's foremost online fashion retailers, and led the turnaround of relocation platform Movinga as CEO.

Adrian Frenzel has been appointed Global Chief Operating Officer of Organigram. In this role, Adrian will lead operational excellence across the Company’s global operations and supply chain, with an initial focus on optimizing performance, driving greater operational alignment, establishing scalable operating practices and supporting gross margin expansion across the consolidated business.

Adrian brings more than a decade of executive leadership and operating experience, serving as Managing Director and COO of Sanity Group. Previously, he held an operations consulting position at McKinsey & Company, and served as COO of Gorillas Technologies and Co-CEO of HelloFresh USA.

“Organigram has built a strong foundation and, through Sanity, established a meaningful platform in Europe. With a unified leadership team and operating structure, we are now positioned to bring these capabilities together, pursue growth with greater focus and move more quickly on opportunities across our markets,” added James Yamanaka. “I am confident in the team we have assembled and in our ability to translate this next phase of our strategy into sustainable growth and long-term value for shareholders.”

Amended Earnout Agreement

Under the amended earnout arrangement, the parties have agreed to fix the value of the Sanity Group earnout at 85% of the maximum earnout value contemplated under the original acquisition agreement, providing greater certainty regarding the remaining consideration payable in connection with the acquisition.

The earnout consideration will consist of €20 million in cash, with the remaining consideration, net of Organigram’s pre-acquisition interests and certain other deductions, of approximately €76 million payable in shares of Organigram. The number of common shares to be issued will be determined based on the 20-day volume-weighted average trading price (“VWAP”) of Organigram’s common shares on the TSX as of three days prior to the payment date, subject to a floor price of C$3.00 per share and a cap price of C$4.00 per share.

The earnout consideration will become payable as of April 1, 2027, with the actual payment date of the cash consideration and issuance of the applicable common shares to occur no later than May 1, 2027, subject to the terms and conditions of the amended agreement.

“Sanity has performed strongly since the acquisition, and its continued momentum reinforces our confidence in the growth trajectory of the business,” said Peter Amirault, Chairman of the Board of Organigram. “Taking into account performance to date, our expectations for continued revenue and Adjusted EBITDA growth through the remaining earnout period, and the benefits of full integration, we believe fixing the earnout at 85% represents a fair and well-supported outcome. It also provides greater clarity as we move forward and creates an opportunity to further strengthen strategic alignment and execution across our global organization. With Finn focused on accelerating international growth, Adrian driving operational excellence and margin expansion across our global platform, and Tim continuing to drive our market leading commercial operation in Canada, we believe we are well positioned to build on the strengths of both organizations and drive profitable growth across Canada and international markets.”

The amended earnout agreement constitutes a “related party transaction” within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”). However, the amended earnout agreement is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, respectively, as neither the fair market value of the subject matter of, nor the consideration for, the amended earnout and any connected transaction, insofar as it involves interested parties (as defined in MI 61-101), exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization for the purposes of MI 61-101.

ABOUT ORGANIGRAM

Organigram Global Inc. is a NASDAQ Global Select Market and TSX listed company whose wholly owned subsidiaries include Organigram Inc., a licensed cultivator and processor. Through its acquisition of Sanity Group, Organigram participates in the German medical cannabis market and other emerging markets within Europe.

Organigram is focused on producing high-quality cannabis for adult consumers, as well as extending the Company's global footprint. Organigram has also developed and acquired a portfolio of cannabis brands, including Edison, Big Bag O' Buds, SHRED, Monjour, Tremblant, Collective Project, Trailblazer, BOXHOT and DEBUNK. Through its acquisition of Sanity Group, Organigram's European brands include Vayamed, avaay, ZOIKS, Endosane Pharmaceuticals, VAAY, and Grashaus Projects. Organigram operates facilities in Moncton, New Brunswick and Lac Supérieur, Quebec, with a dedicated edibles manufacturing facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Company also operates two additional cannabis processing facilities in Southwestern Ontario; one in Aylmer and the other in London. The facility in Aylmer houses best-in-class extraction capabilities, and is optimized for formulation refinement, post-processing of minor cannabinoids, and infused pre-roll production. The facility in London will be optimized for labelling, packaging, and national fulfillment. The Company is regulated by Health Canada under the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains forward-looking information. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “believes” or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events, or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information including expectations regarding market performance, involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events, performance or achievements of Organigram Global to differ materially from current expectations or future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained in this news release. Specifically, statements regarding the expected benefits of the integration, the appointments and the future business prospects of Organigram are forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information include the risk that some or all the expected benefits of the integration of Sanity fail to materialize or do not occur within the time periods anticipated by the Company, that all legal requirements in connection with the appointments are fulfilled, and the factors and risks disclosed in the Company’s most recent annual information form, management’s discussion and analysis, and other Company documents filed from time to time on SEDAR+ (see www.sedarplus.ca) and filed or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR (see www.sec.gov). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260819112033/en/

, /PRNewswire/ -- Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) announced today that Vylor Inc., a Delaware corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary ("Vylor"), has received the early tender results of its previously announced (i) private offers to exchange (with respect to each series, an "Exchange Offer" and together, the "Exchange Offers") any and all of the outstanding senior notes of the series listed in the table below issued by EIDP, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Corteva ("EIDP" and such notes, collectively, the "EIDP Notes"), to the extent held by eligible holders, for a corresponding series of notes to be newly issued by Vylor (collectively, the "Vylor Notes") and (ii) related consent solicitations (with respect to the EIDP Base Indenture (as defined below) and the applicable EIDP Supplemental Indenture (as defined below) governing a series of EIDP Notes, a "Consent Solicitation" and together, the "Consent Solicitations") from eligible holders of EIDP Notes. The Consent Solicitations seek approval to adopt (a) certain proposed amendments to the base indenture governing the EIDP Notes (the "EIDP Base Indenture"), which would eliminate substantially all of the restrictive covenants and events of default (other than payment-related and bankruptcy-related events of default) from the EIDP Base Indenture (such proposed amendments, the "Proposed EIDP Base Indenture Amendments"), and (b) certain proposed amendments to the supplemental indentures to the EIDP Base Indenture (each, an "EIDP Supplemental Indenture"), which would eliminate the offer to repurchase upon change of control provisions from the applicable EIDP Supplemental Indenture (such proposed amendments, the "Proposed EIDP Supplemental Indenture Amendments" and, together with the Proposed EIDP Base Indenture Amendments, the "Proposed Amendments"). Approval of the Proposed EIDP Base Indenture Amendments requires consents from the holders of at least a majority of the aggregate principal amount of all the EIDP Notes, voting as a single class (the "Requisite Consents"). Approval of the Proposed EIDP Supplemental Indenture Amendments requires consents from the holders of at least a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the applicable series of EIDP Notes (the "Majority Consents").

The table below sets forth, for each series of EIDP Notes, the principal amount validly tendered and not validly withdrawn (and the consents thereby validly delivered and not validly revoked) as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on August 19, 2026 (the "Early Tender Deadline"). As of the Early Tender Deadline, Vylor has received, on behalf of EIDP, (i) the Requisite Consents to adopt the Proposed EIDP Base Indenture Amendments with respect to all EIDP Notes and (ii) the Majority Consents to adopt the Proposed EIDP Supplemental Indenture Amendments with respect to each series of EIDP Notes. Accordingly, the condition to each Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation that the Requisite Consents be received on or prior to the Early Tender Deadline has been satisfied. The Exchange Offers are not conditioned upon the receipt of the Majority Consents with respect to any EIDP Supplemental Indenture. EIDP Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn by the Early Tender Deadline may no longer be withdrawn, and related consents validly delivered and not validly revoked may no longer be revoked.

EIDP Notes Validly
Tendered and Not
Validly Withdrawn by the

Early Tender

Deadline

Title of
Series of
EIDP
Notes

CUSIP No.
and ISIN of
EIDP Notes

Aggregate
Principal
Amount of
EIDP Notes
Outstanding

Vylor Notes
to be
Issued in
Exchange
for EIDP
Notes

Principal
Amount

Percentage

2.300% Senior  Notes due 2030

263534CP2 US263534CP24

$

500,000,000

2.300% Senior Notes due 2030

$431,634,000

86.33 %

5.125% Senior Notes due 2032

263534CS6 US263534CS62

$

500,000,000

5.125% Senior Notes due 2032

$468,434,000

93.69 %

4.800% Senior Notes due 2033

263534CR8 US263534CR89

$

600,000,000

4.800% Senior Notes due 2033

$524,868,000

87.48 %

EIDP and the trustee under the EIDP Base Indenture intend to execute and deliver a supplemental indenture to amend the EIDP Base Indenture, giving effect to the Proposed EIDP Base Indenture Amendments, and to amend the EIDP Supplemental Indentures governing each series of EIDP Notes, giving effect to the applicable Proposed EIDP Supplemental Indenture Amendments. The applicable Proposed Amendments will become operative only upon the settlement of the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations on the Settlement Date (as defined below).

The Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations are being made upon the terms and conditions set forth in an exchange offer memorandum and consent solicitation statement, dated August 6, 2026 (as amended or supplemented, the "Offering Memorandum"), copies of which have been made available to holders of the EIDP Notes eligible to participate in the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations.

Corteva further announced today that it has extended the expiration date of each Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation. Corteva hereby extends such expiration date from 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 3, 2026, to, unless extended or earlier terminated, 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 29, 2026 (such date and time, as they may be further extended, the "Expiration Date"). Vylor reserves the right to terminate, withdraw, amend or extend an Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation in its sole discretion, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Offering Memorandum. Except as described in this press release, all other terms of the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations remain unchanged.

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Offering Memorandum, each eligible holder of EIDP Notes will receive, for each $1,000 principal amount of the applicable series of EIDP Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn by the Early Tender Deadline and accepted for exchange in the applicable Exchange Offer, (i) an equal principal amount of Vylor Notes of the corresponding series and (ii) a cash payment (with respect to each series, the "Cash Consideration" and, together with such amount of Vylor Notes, the "Total Exchange Consideration"). The Cash Consideration is approximately $2.90 per $1,000 principal amount for the 2.300% Senior Notes due 2030, approximately $2.67 per $1,000 principal amount for the 5.125% Senior Notes due 2032 and approximately $2.86 per $1,000 principal amount for the 4.800% Senior Notes due 2033. The Vylor Notes will have the same interest payment dates, maturity date and interest rate as the EIDP Notes of the corresponding series.

Eligible holders who validly tender their EIDP Notes after the Early Tender Deadline but on or prior to the Expiration Date will be eligible to receive $970 principal amount of the applicable series of Vylor Notes per $1,000 principal amount of the corresponding series of EIDP Notes validly tendered (the "Exchange Consideration") but no Cash Consideration.

In addition, all eligible holders whose EIDP Notes are validly tendered and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations will receive a cash payment equal to the accrued and unpaid interest on their EIDP Notes accepted for exchange from the last interest payment date of the applicable EIDP Notes preceding the Settlement Date up to, but excluding, the Settlement Date.

Vylor's obligation to accept and exchange any EIDP Notes validly tendered pursuant to the applicable Exchange Offer is subject to, and conditioned upon, the satisfaction or (to the extent permitted) waiver of certain conditions as set forth in the Offering Memorandum, including the condition that Corteva's planned separation into two independent, publicly traded companies, one comprising its current crop protection business and the other comprising its current seed business to be owned and conducted, directly or indirectly, by Vylor (the "Separation"), be consummated. The Separation is currently expected to be consummated on or about October 1, 2026, subject to satisfaction or waiver of the conditions thereto. Other than the Separation (without the consummation of which the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations will not be consummated, neither the applicable Exchange Consideration nor the applicable Total Exchange Consideration will be delivered, and the Proposed Amendments contemplated by the Consent Solicitations will not become operative), Vylor may generally waive any condition with respect to the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations, in its sole discretion, at any time prior to the Expiration Date.

Assuming the remaining conditions to the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations are satisfied or (to the extent permitted) waived, settlement of the Exchange Offers is expected to occur on or about the second business day following the Expiration Date and substantially simultaneously with the consummation of the Separation, unless Vylor extends or terminates the Exchange Offers (such date and time, as the same may be extended, the "Settlement Date"). Accordingly, Vylor may, in its discretion, extend each of the Expiration Date and the Settlement Date as necessary to maintain such sequencing. Interest on the applicable series of Vylor Notes issued in the related Exchange Offer will accrue from (and including) the Issue Date (the date on which such Vylor Notes are issued in exchange for the corresponding series of EIDP Notes).

The Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations are being made only to holders of EIDP Notes who satisfy the eligibility conditions described under "Disclaimer" below. Holders of EIDP Notes who desire a copy of the eligibility letter should contact D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information agent and exchange agent for the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations, by phone at (800) 283-9185 or by email at [email protected]. Banks and brokers should call (646) 461-2610. The eligibility letter may also be found here: www.dfking.com/vylor. D.F. King & Co., Inc. will also provide copies of the Offering Memorandum to eligible holders of EIDP Notes.

Holders of EIDP Notes are advised to check with any bank, securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold EIDP Notes as to when such intermediary needs to receive instructions from a holder in order for that holder to be able to participate in, or (in the circumstances in which revocation is permitted) revoke their instruction to participate in, the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations before the deadlines specified herein and in the Offering Memorandum. The deadlines set by each clearing system for the submission and withdrawal of exchange instructions will also be earlier than the relevant deadlines specified herein and in the Offering Memorandum.

Disclaimer

This press release is issued pursuant to Rule 135c under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). This press release is neither an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an offer to buy the Vylor Notes or any other securities and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to whom, such an offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful. The Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act, or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and, accordingly, the Vylor Notes will be subject to transfer restrictions unless and until the Vylor Notes are registered or exchanged for registered notes. The Vylor Notes will be issued in reliance upon exemptions from, or in transactions not subject to, registration under the Securities Act. The Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations are being made only to, and the Vylor Notes will be offered for exchange only to, holders of EIDP Notes who are (i) reasonably believed to be "qualified institutional buyers" (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act) in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, and (ii) outside the United States, persons who are not, and who are not acting for the account or benefit of, "U.S. persons" (as defined in Rule 902 under the Securities Act) in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Vylor Notes will not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. persons (as defined in Rule 902 under the Securities Act) unless the transaction is registered under the Securities Act, an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act is available or the transaction is not subject to registration under the Securities Act.

The Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations are being made only pursuant to the Offering Memorandum. The Offering Memorandum and other documents relating to the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations will be distributed only to holders of EIDP Notes who confirm that they are within the categories of eligible participants in the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations. None of Vylor, its directors or officers, the dealer managers and solicitation agents, the exchange agent, the information agent, the trustees for the Vylor Notes or the EIDP Notes, their respective affiliates, or any other person is making any recommendation as to whether holders should tender their EIDP Notes in the Exchange Offers or deliver related consents to the Proposed Amendments in the Consent Solicitations.

The complete terms and conditions of the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations are set forth in the Offering Memorandum. The Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations are only being made pursuant to the Offering Memorandum. The Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations are not being made to holders of EIDP Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY OTHER REGULATORY BODY HAS REGISTERED, RECOMMENDED OR APPROVED OF THE VYLOR NOTES OR PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THE OFFERING MEMORANDUM. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

About Corteva

Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) is a global pure-play agriculture company that combines industry-leading innovation, high-touch customer engagement and operational execution to profitably deliver solutions for the world's most pressing agriculture challenges. Corteva generates advantaged market preference through its unique distribution strategy, together with its balanced and globally diverse mix of seed, crop protection, and digital products and services. With some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and a technology pipeline well positioned to drive growth, the company is committed to maximizing productivity for farmers, while working with stakeholders throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come. More information can be found at www.corteva.com.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws about Corteva, Vylor, EIDP, the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations and the Separation, including but not limited to all statements about the timing and consummation of the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations and the Separation, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on current assumptions regarding future business and financial performance and, by their nature, address matters that are uncertain to different degrees. You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "plans," "expects," "will," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "projects," "estimates," "outlook" or other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from those set forth in such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, the risk: (i) that general economic and capital markets conditions may adversely affect the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations or the Separation; (ii) that the conditions to the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations or the Separation may not be satisfied or waived; (iii) that any event, change or other circumstance could give rise to the termination of the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations and/or the Separation; (iv) of the effects that any termination of the Separation may have on Corteva or its subsidiaries; (v) that legal proceedings may be instituted related to the Separation or otherwise; (vi) of unexpected costs, charges or expenses; and (vii) of other risks and uncertainties described in Corteva's and EIDP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including under the heading "Risk Factors" (Item 1A) in Corteva's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and in Corteva's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in other documents that Corteva or EIDP files or furnishes with the SEC. Neither Corteva nor EIDP undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Corteva Agriscience

Key Takeaways ConocoPhillips' 2026 earnings estimate increased 9.2% over four weeks, supporting its fundamental outlook.LNG offtake has expanded to 12 MTPA, with projects expected to begin contributing to cash flow in 2027.COP trades above key sales benchmarks as weak gas pricing and major-project risks temper its growth case. ConocoPhillips (COP - Free Report) combines improving earnings expectations with a deep Lower 48 inventory, expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) exposure and the multi-year Willow project in Alaska. Those drivers support a longer growth runway, but the stock is not uniformly cheap.

The investment debate therefore centers on price versus execution. A premium sales valuation raises the bar just as commodity sensitivity, weak regional gas pricing and major-project risks remain part of the outlook.

COP's Valuation Sits Above Key BenchmarksCOP's forward price-to-sales ratio of 2.31 is above the Zacks sub-industry's 1.84, the Zacks Oils-Energy sector's 1.41 and its own five-year median of 2.02. Its forward price-to-earnings ratio of 13.83 is closer to the sub-industry's 14.20, while the PEG ratio of 0.81 is below the industry's 1.83.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Chevron Corporation (CVX - Free Report) is included in COP's industry peer set and offers investors another large-cap energy benchmark when comparing valuation and operating momentum. ExxonMobil Holdings Corporation (XOM - Free Report) is also in that peer group, providing another reference point for judging whether COP's project pipeline merits a richer sales multiple.

ConocoPhillips Still Has Strong Earnings SupportThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has moved 9.2% higher over the past four weeks. That revision trend gives the stock fundamental support as investors assess how much future improvement is already reflected in the share price.

Second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $3.24 per share beat the consensus mark of $2.96 by 9.5%. Revenues of $19.52 billion also topped the $17.54 billion consensus mark by 11.3%, helped by a 36% increase in the average realized price to $62.33 per barrel of oil equivalent.

COP Earnings Estimates Point to Strong 2026 GrowthFor ConocoPhillips, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter ending September 2026 is $2.33 per share, indicating 44.7% year-over-year growth from $1.61. The consensus estimate for the quarter ending December 2026 stands at $2.27 per share, representing 122.6% growth from the year-ago figure of $1.02.

For full-year 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $10.05 per share, up 63.2% from $6.16 a year earlier. The estimate for 2027 stands at $8.99 per share, implying a 10.6% decline from the 2026 estimate. Current-quarter estimates range from $1.76 to $2.74 per share, while next-quarter projections range from $1.91 to $2.76. The estimates point to substantial earnings growth through 2026, followed by an expected moderation in 2027.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ConocoPhillips' LNG and Willow Projects Extend the RunwayConocoPhillips has expanded commercial LNG offtake to 12 million metric tons per year (MTPA). Management expects its LNG projects to begin contributing in 2027, adding another source of cash-flow growth beyond the company's Lower 48 operations.

Willow remains on schedule for first oil in early 2029, with peak project capital now behind the company. Management also expects lower capital spending and reinvestment needs as major projects come online, underpinning its targeted $7 billion free-cash-flow inflection by 2029.

COP Must Navigate Pricing and Execution RiskThe Lower 48 realized natural gas price was negative $1.44 per thousand cubic feet in the second quarter, compared with positive $1.60 a year earlier. That weakness shows how regional gas pricing can offset some of the benefit from production scale and efficiency.

Execution risk is also material. Second-quarter production fell 143 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day as Lower 48 growth was more than offset by the Qatar conflict and higher Surmont royalties. The pace of the Qatar ramp remains uncertain, while Willow, LNG projects and newer Middle East opportunities require disciplined delivery. Accrued environmental costs for U.S. and Canadian remediation also rose to $306 million from $220 million at year-end 2025.

ConocoPhillips' Style Strength Tempers a Hold-Level SignalCOP currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which supports a measured stance rather than an aggressive buy call. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.

The stock also has a Value Score of A, Growth Score of A, Momentum Score of A and VGM Score of A.Those A grades indicate favorable characteristics across several investment styles, and the Value Score considers multiple criteria rather than a single valuation measure.

Still, Zacks Style Scores are designed to complement the Zacks Rank. With COP carrying Zacks Rank #3, the combination favors patience while investors monitor whether earnings growth and project execution can keep pace with the valuation.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Yum China Holdings, Inc. (the "Company" or "Yum China") (NYSE: YUMC and HKEX: 9987) today announced the opening of the 300th Pizza Hut Burger Bar in China. Since launching its first Burger Bar in late 2025, Pizza Hut China has been rapidly scaling this new side-by-side module, opening more than one location per day on average.

Pizza Hut Burger Bar opened its 300th location in China Jeff Kuai, General Manager of Pizza Hut China, said, "We entered the burger category two years ago with Pizza Dough Burgers, which have been well received by consumers. We are now taking the business to the next level through Pizza Hut Burger Bar, while continuously refining the module to meet the diverse needs of our consumers."

Pizza Hut Burger Bar offers great-tasting burgers at compelling value. Its Parmesan-and-parsley buns, made with pizza dough, are freshly baked in-store daily, while patties are seared on a hot griddle in an open kitchen. The focused menu centers on beef burgers, including the signature Pineapple and Beef Burger, while also extending the teppan-style cooking method to other protein options. New offerings include Teppan-Style Black Pork Burger and Sizzling Grilled Chicken Burger with Egg.

The quick-service model has resonated with young consumers and solo diners. Placed side-by-side with Pizza Hut stores, the module requires light investment and shares resources with the parent store. In the second quarter of 2026, Pizza Hut Burger Bars contributed double-digit incremental sales and meaningful profit to their parent Pizza Hut stores.

At its 300th location in Wuhan, Hubei Province, Pizza Hut Burger Bar introduced a limited-edition burger inspired by local flavors: the Crayfish Crispy Lotus Root Cheeseburger. The burger combines crayfish and crispy lotus root for a savory, crunchy contrast designed to reflect local tastes.

The brand is targeting 500 to 600 Burger Bar locations by the end of 2026, representing around 10% of Pizza Hut's nearly 5,000-store portfolio in China. Pizza Hut's burger category, including sales from Pizza Hut stores and Burger Bar locations, is expected to exceed RMB 1 billion in 2026, accounting for around 5% to 6% of Pizza Hut China's sales.

In addition to the rapid rollout of Pizza Hut Burger Bar, Pizza Hut is also accelerating its new store openings in China, following Yum China's acquisition of the Pizza Hut brand ownership in Mainland China on August 7. Pizza Hut now targets more than 800 net new openings in each of 2027 and 2028, up from the previous target of over 600.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements relating to future strategies, growth, business plans, restaurant expansion plans and operating profit targets, the expected benefits and impact of the acquisition of ownership of the Pizza Hut brand in Mainland China from Yum! Brands, Inc. (the "Transaction") and related financing (including plans for long-term financing), including expected license-fee savings, expected margin benefits, expected EPS accretion, and potential long-term value creation. We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as "expect," "expectation," "believe," "anticipate," "may," "could," "intend," "belief," "plan," "estimate," "target," "predict," "project," "likely," "will," "continue," "should," "forecast," "outlook," "commit" or similar terminology. These statements are based on current estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, but there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's future strategies, growth, business plans, restaurant expansion plans, operating profit targets, the expected benefits and impact of the Transaction and related financing (including plans for long-term financing), including expected license-fee savings, expected margin benefits, expected EPS accretion, and potential long-term value creation. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. We cannot assure you that any of our expectations, estimates or assumptions will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Numerous factors could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, risks related to the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the Transaction, including the risk that the transition of brand ownership disrupts operations; risks related to the availability, terms and cost of long-term debt financing to refinance the bridge loan, including interest rate and currency exchange fluctuations; transaction costs, tax and accounting treatment, changes in consumer demand or competitive conditions, failure to achieve anticipated license-fee savings, margin benefits, or EPS accretion; risks related to the ability to open new restaurants at the anticipated pace and achieve targeted payback periods; and risks that the Transaction may not result in the anticipated long-term value creation. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results.

About Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Yum China is the largest restaurant company in China with a mission to make every life taste beautiful. The Company operates over 19,000 restaurants under six brands across over 2,700 cities in China. KFC and Pizza Hut are the leading brands in the quick-service and casual dining restaurant spaces in China, respectively. The Pizza Hut brand in Mainland China is now owned by Yum China. In addition, Yum China has partnered with Lavazza to develop the Lavazza coffee concept in China. Little Sheep and Huang Ji Huang specialize in Chinese cuisine. Taco Bell offers innovative Mexican-inspired food. Yum China has a world-class, digitalized supply chain, which includes an extensive network of logistics centers nationwide and an in-house supply chain management system. Its strong digital capabilities and loyalty program enable the Company to reach customers faster and serve them better. Yum China is a Fortune 500 company with the vision to be the world's most innovative pioneer in the restaurant industry. For more information, please visit https://ir.yumchina.com/.

Contacts

Investor Relations Contact:
Tel: +86 21 2407 7556
[email protected] 

Media Contact:
Tel: +86 21 2407 3824
[email protected]

SOURCE Yum China Holdings, Inc.

New Westlaw Brief Builder helps litigators move from legal research and issue analysis to first-draft briefs within a single AI-powered workflow 

, /PRNewswire/ -- Thomson Reuters (Nasdaq/TSX: TRI), a global content and technology company, today announced the general availability of the next generation of CoCounsel Legal, a fully agentic AI experience designed to help legal professionals move from research and issue analysis to trusted work product within a single workflow.

Purpose-built for legal work and grounded in the trusted authority of Westlaw and Practical Law, CoCounsel Legal is engineered to reason, plan, and execute at the level of a senior associate. The enhanced experience brings together legal research, drafting, legal intelligence, verification, and matter-centric workflows in one connected environment, helping law firms and legal departments move seamlessly from question to strategy to execution.

As legal organizations shift from AI experimentation to enterprise-wide adoption, they are increasingly evaluating technology based not on whether it can generate answers, but on whether it can be trusted to support legal work. CoCounsel Legal addresses that need by combining transparent reasoning, citation-backed results, and trusted legal content with agentic capabilities that can orchestrate complex, multi-step tasks.

"The legal industry is moving beyond AI that simply generates answers," said Raghu Ramanathan, President, Legal Professionals, Thomson Reuters. "Whether you're at an Am Law 100 firm, a midsize or small practice, or a corporate legal department, the challenge is the same: turning insight into action. The next generation of CoCounsel Legal helps professionals complete legal work with confidence by combining trusted legal content, agentic intelligence, and workflow execution in a single experience. That's a fundamentally different approach to legal AI and a major step forward for the profession."

Built on Anthropic's Claude Agent SDK, CoCounsel Legal can plan, reason, and execute across complex legal workflows rather than respond to isolated prompts. Every output remains grounded in verified, traceable legal authority and adheres to Thomson Reuters Fiduciary-Grade AI™ principles, providing the transparency, accountability, and confidence professionals demand.

"What sets the new CoCounsel Legal apart is that it doesn't just answer questions; it builds toward real work product," said Jennifer Eng, Shareholder, Commercial Litigation, Polsinelli. "Its grounding in Westlaw gives me confidence that the research is authoritative, while the agentic workflow carries that analysis through reasoning, drafting, and verification. As a litigator, I need speed without sacrificing precision, and this is the first tool that gets me from a complex legal question to a defensible draft, faster and with real confidence, which is not a small shift."

Since introducing early access to customers, Thomson Reuters has worked closely with legal professionals to refine the experience and develop new capabilities that address the most critical moments in the legal workflow.

Through the evolution of CoCounsel Legal, Thomson Reuters committed to building partnerships with customers, inviting them to join the beta and early access programs to gather feedback. As the product developed, Thomson Reuters introduced several new agentic capabilities designed to help legal professionals accelerate high-value work.

New Capabilities for Legal Work

Westlaw Brief Builder

The newest addition to CoCounsel Legal, Westlaw Brief Builder helps litigators move from research and issue analysis to first-draft brief creation while validating authority along the way. Powered by Westlaw Deep Research, KeyCite, and Practical Law, it proposes relevant facts, arguments, and supports authority while keeping lawyers firmly in control of strategy, legal theory, and final decisions.

Workspaces

Workspaces provide a dedicated environment for every matter, combining firm and legal department documents, precedents, and institutional knowledge to inform analysis from the outset. Context is preserved across matters and teams, helping legal professionals build on prior work instead of starting from scratch.

Drafting

The Drafting Agent in CoCounsel for Word enables legal professionals to draft, edit, and review agreements using natural language instructions directly within Microsoft Word, leveraging Practical Law content alongside an organization's own documents and playbooks.

Tabular Analysis

Designed for high-volume document review, Tabular Analysis allows attorneys to review up to 10,000 documents and ask up to 100 questions, with results returned in a dynamic, filterable table. Powered by Thomson, Thomson Reuters proprietary legal-focused large language model, it is optimized for complex legal analysis where domain-specific AI can outperform general-purpose models.

Deep Research Verify

Deep Research Verify checks whether cited Westlaw and Practical Law authority supports specific legal assertions, helping legal professionals strengthen confidence in AI-assisted work product.

"A brief is only as strong as the thinking behind it," said Emily Colbert, SVP, CoCounsel Litigation at Thomson Reuters. "Westlaw Brief Builder was built to support that thinking, not replace it, by transforming how litigators research, test, and refine their arguments at every stage, from spotting the right issues to backing them with authoritative law. The goal is not to simply generate a document faster; it's to help lawyers build a stronger, more defensible case they're confident standing behind in court."

Partnerships

Thomson Reuters is continuing its work with Anthropic, including the launch of an expanded CoCounsel Legal MCP with Claude in August. The integration enables legal professionals to access CoCounsel Legal directly from Claude and receive cited, traceable work product grounded in Westlaw, Practical Law, and their organization's own knowledge.

Thomson Reuters and AWS are also expanding their collaboration, with a forthcoming MCP connection designed to extend CoCounsel Legal's trusted, verifiable legal AI into Amazon Quick, AWS's AI companion built for work, as well as other AWS offerings.

Beginning in October, an integration with Reveal will allow litigation teams to bring reviewed evidence directly from Reveal into CoCounsel Legal for research, analysis, and drafting, eliminating the need to manually export and re-upload documents.

Availability

One million professionals across 107 countries and territories now rely on CoCounsel, reflecting the industry's shift from AI experimentation to AI embedded directly into professional workflows where trust, sourcing, and accountability matter most.

The new CoCounsel Legal experience is available now in the United States. Availability in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia is expected later this year.

With the next generation of CoCounsel Legal, Thomson Reuters is helping define the future of legal work, combining trusted authority, agentic intelligence, and professional expertise to enable legal teams to work with greater confidence, efficiency, and impact. As the industry moves beyond AI experimentation, CoCounsel Legal delivers a trusted path from legal question to defensible work product.

For more information, visit thomsonreuters.com/cocounsel.

Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters (Nasdaq/TSX: TRI) informs the way forward by bringing together the trusted content and technology that people and organizations need to make the right decisions. The company serves professionals across legal, tax, audit, accounting, compliance, government, and media. Its products combine highly specialized software and insights to empower professionals with the data, intelligence, and solutions needed to make informed decisions, and to help institutions in their pursuit of justice, truth, and transparency. Reuters, part of Thomson Reuters, is a world leading provider of trusted journalism and news. For more information, visit thomsonreuters.com.

Media Contact
Ali Hughes
Director, AI and Innovation Communications
[email protected] 

SOURCE Thomson Reuters

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2026) - National plaintiffs' law firm Berger Montague PC announces a class action lawsuit against Hub Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HUBG) ("Hub Group" or the "Company") on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired Hub Group securities during the period from April 28, 2023 through May 11, 2026 (the "Class Period").

Investor Deadline: Investors who purchased or acquired Hub Group securities during the Class Period may, no later than August 28, 2026, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class. To learn your rights, CLICK HERE.

Based in Oak Brook, Ill., Hub Group is a transportation and logistics company providing trucking and supply chain management services throughout North America.

The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements concerning the premature and incorrect revenue recognition of certain transactions, the understatement of purchased transportation costs and accounts payable, the effectiveness of the Company's internal controls, and the drivers of the Company's financial results and growth.

The alleged misstatements first came to light on February 5, 2026, when Hub Group announced that its financial statements for the first three quarters of 2025 should not be relied upon and would be restated due to an error that resulted in the understatement of purchased transportation costs and accounts payable during the first nine months of 2025. The Company estimated that the total reduction related to the issue was $77 million. Following these disclosures, Hub Group's stock price declined approximately 18%, from $51.33 per share on February 5, 2026, to $41.96 per share on February 6, 2026.

The alleged risks further materialized on May 12, 2026, when Hub Group announced that certain transactions had been prematurely or incorrectly recognized or not adequately supported, causing its 2023 and 2024 annual reports to be materially misstated and should no longer be relied upon. Following this disclosure, Hub Group's stock price declined an additional 13%, from $41.86 per share on May 11, 2026, to $36.62 per share on May 12, 2026.

If you are a Hub Group investor and would like to learn more about this action, CLICK HERE or please contact Berger Montague: Andrew Abramowitz at [email protected] or (215) 875-3015, or Caitlin Adorni at [email protected] or (267) 764-4865.

About Berger Montague

Berger Montague is one of the nation's preeminent law firms focusing on complex civil litigation, class actions, and mass torts in federal and state courts throughout the United States. With more than $2.4 billion in 2025 post-trial judgments alone, the Firm is a leader in the fields of complex litigation, antitrust, consumer protection, defective products, environmental law, employment law, securities, and whistleblower cases, among many other practice areas. For over 55 years, Berger Montague has played leading roles in precedent-setting cases and has recovered over $50 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Berger Montague is headquartered in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago; Malvern, PA; Minneapolis; San Diego; San Francisco; Toronto, Canada; Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, DE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/310584

Source: Berger Montague

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ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. (NYSE:HGV) (“HGV” or “the Company”) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a two-year share repurchase plan authorizing the Company to repurchase up to an aggregate of $600 million of its outstanding shares of common stock.

The new repurchase plan will commence once the existing two-year repurchase plan, which was approved by the Board of Directors in July 2025 for an aggregate amount of up to $600 million, is fully completed. As of Aug. 17, 2026, the Company had approximately $61 million remaining under the 2025 repurchase plan.

“As we near the completion of our existing repurchase plan, we’re pleased to have the support of our Board in authorizing an additional $600 million of share repurchases over the next two years,” said Dan Mathewes, president and CFO of Hilton Grand Vacations. “We’ve repurchased more than 60 million shares since the inception of our program in 2018, returning over $2.5 billion to shareholders during that period. With this new authorization, we’re reinforcing our commitment to delivering long-term shareholder value through the disciplined execution of our strategic priorities and continued capital returns.”

HGV may repurchase shares in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions or in such other manners as determined by the Company, including through repurchase plans complying with the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The amount and timing of any repurchases made under the share repurchase plans will depend on a variety of factors, including available liquidity, cash flow and market conditions. The share repurchase plans do not obligate HGV to repurchase any dollar amount or number of shares of common stock and may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements convey management's expectations as to the future of HGV and are based on management's beliefs, expectations, assumptions and such plans, estimates, projections and other information available to management at the time HGV makes such statements. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts, and may be identified by terminology such as the words “outlook,” “believe,” “expect,” “potential,” “goal,” “continues,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “projects,” “predicts,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “future,” “guidance,” “target,” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words, although not all forward-looking statements may contain such words. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release include statements related to HGV’s expectations regarding the use of its share repurchase plans and other anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. HGV cautions you that our forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those that are beyond HGV's control, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the future results. Any one or more of these risks or uncertainties could adversely impact HGV's operations, revenue, operating profits and margins, key business operational metrics, financial condition or credit rating. For a more detailed discussion of these factors, see the information under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in HGV's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which may be supplemented and updated by the risk factors in HGV's quarterly reports, current reports and other filings HGV makes with the SEC, including HGV's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. HGV's forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication or as of the date they are made. HGV disclaims any intent or obligation to update any “forward-looking statement” made in this communication to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time.

About Hilton Grand Vacations Inc.

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. (NYSE:HGV) is recognized as a leading global timeshare company and is the exclusive vacation ownership partner of Hilton. With headquarters in Orlando, Florida, Hilton Grand Vacations develops, markets, and operates a system of brand-name, high-quality vacation ownership resorts in select vacation destinations. Hilton Grand Vacations has a reputation for delivering a consistently exceptional standard of service, and unforgettable vacation experiences for guests and more than 720,000 Club Members. Membership with the Company provides best-in-class programs, exclusive services and maximum flexibility for our Members around the world.

For more information, visit www.corporate.hgv.com. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Pinterest and YouTube.

More News From Hilton Grand Vacations Inc.

Asahi Life Asset Management CO. LTD. bought a new position in Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE:BSX – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 10,155 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock, valued at approximately $433,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in BSX. Kelleher Financial Advisors purchased a new position in shares of Boston Scientific during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. FWL Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Boston Scientific during the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Swiss RE Ltd. bought a new position in Boston Scientific in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Garton & Associates Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Boston Scientific in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Finally, Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Boston Scientific in the 1st quarter worth about $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.07% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Boston Scientific
In other news, CEO Michael F. Mahoney acquired 186,240 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $48.33 per share, with a total value of $9,000,979.20. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,590,024 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $76,845,859.92. The trade was a 13.27% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director David C. Habiger bought 2,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $47.59 per share, with a total value of $99,939.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 17,160 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $816,644.40. This represents a 13.94% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders bought 194,522 shares of company stock valued at $9,385,210. Insiders own 0.34% of the company’s stock.

Boston Scientific Stock Up 3.1%
Shares of BSX stock opened at $52.02 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a current ratio of 1.24 and a quick ratio of 0.74. Boston Scientific Corporation has a one year low of $42.20 and a one year high of $109.50. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $46.22 and its 200-day moving average price is $58.22. The company has a market capitalization of $75.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.06, a PEG ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.56.
Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The medical equipment provider reported $0.86 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.83 by $0.03. Boston Scientific had a net margin of 17.50% and a return on equity of 19.28%. The company had revenue of $5.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.38 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.75 EPS. Boston Scientific’s quarterly revenue was up 7.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Boston Scientific has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.800-0.820 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 3.280-3.320 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Boston Scientific Corporation will post 3.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Boston Scientific announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock buyback program on Monday, May 18th that authorizes the company to buyback $5.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the medical equipment provider to purchase up to 6.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are typically a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
BSX has been the subject of a number of research reports. TD Cowen decreased their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $61.00 to $56.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Mizuho lowered their price target on Boston Scientific from $90.00 to $70.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $60.00 price target on shares of Boston Scientific in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Truist Financial cut their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $62.00 to $57.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Boston Scientific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, August 2nd. Twenty-four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $71.62.

Read Our Latest Report on BSX

Boston Scientific Company Profile
(Free Report)

Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) is a global medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of products used in less-invasive medical procedures. Founded in 1979 by John Abele and Peter Nicholas, the company is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and focuses on technologies that enable physicians to treat a wide range of cardiovascular, digestive, urologic, pulmonary and chronic pain conditions without open surgery.

Boston Scientific’s activities span product development, clinical research, regulatory affairs and commercial sales.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BSX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE:BSX – Free Report).

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Advance Auto Parts (AAP - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.03 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.81 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.69 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +27.16%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this auto parts retailer would post earnings of $0.39 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.77, delivering a surprise of +97.44%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.

Advance Auto Parts, which belongs to the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Wholesale - Parts industry, posted revenues of $2 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.66%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $2.01 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Advance Auto Parts shares have added about 43% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 12.6%.

What's Next for Advance Auto Parts?While Advance Auto Parts has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Advance Auto Parts was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.88 on $2.05 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $2.94 on $8.58 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Automotive - Retail and Wholesale - Parts is currently in the top 22% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

One other stock from the broader Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector, Casey's General Stores (CASY - Free Report) , is yet to report results for the quarter ended July 2026. The results are expected to be released on September 8.

This convenience store chain is expected to post quarterly earnings of $6.59 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +14.2%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

Casey's General Stores' revenues are expected to be $5.65 billion, up 23.8% from the year-ago quarter.

Latest release helps development teams transition from AI-assisted coding to production-ready, agent-driven applications

BURLINGTON, Mass., Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Progress Software (Nasdaq: PRGS), an AI infrastructure software leader, today announced the latest Progress® Telerik® and Progress® Kendo UI® release, helping to accelerate UI development with context-aware AI while advancing a new generation of applications designed for both human and AI agent interaction. By embedding AI deeply into UI generation, application modernization and development workflows, the release enables teams to move beyond traditional software development cycles to AI-assisted coding, delivering production-ready, agent-driven software.

This release introduces a comprehensive set of AI-driven capabilities – from embedding accessibility and intelligent UI generation into the design process to enabling smarter debugging with proactive insights, agent-based document processing and seamless AI interaction with application interfaces. It also supports legacy modernization and RAG-powered data interaction, while helping teams build and ship intuitive, AI-ready user experiences faster through new components, automation and integrated tooling.

"Engineering leaders need to both enable their teams to use AI to scale their productivity and to increase their production of agentic applications,” said Loren Jarrett, EVP and GM, Digital Experience, Progress Software. “This release enables engineering teams to meet those needs by extending developer productivity and providing pioneering UI tools to build AI-embedded applications compatible with both human and agent interactions."

New capabilities include:

Comply with Accessibility Standards without Tedious Manual Work: Leverage the Progress® Agentic UI Generator to embed component-level accessibility directly into UI creation, delivering contextual guidance that reduces compliance risk and advances inclusive experiences.
Pinpoint Problems Faster with In-IDE Debugging and Automated Problem Alerts: Enable smarter debugging with Progress® Fiddler® Agent Skills by giving coding assistants direct visibility into network traffic, including the ability to proactively alert developers of problems and their suggested solutions.
Enable Agents to Interact with Documents: Extract structured data, analyze Excel files, convert formats and generate documents within existing applications without external AI services, using agent tools in Telerik® Document Processing Libraries (DPL).
Pioneer Agent-Ready UI with WebMCP: Enable AI agents to interact directly with application interfaces through WebMCP, eliminating fragile screen-scraping techniques and creating more reliable agent-driven experiences.
Modernize WinForms Apps with New UI: Accelerate legacy app transformation with automated conversion to Progress® Telerik® UI for WinForms using intelligent control mapping, code parsing and MCP-based automation.
Easily Add Agentic RAG Capabilities into Your .NET Apps: Connect to Progress® RAG-as-a-Service product to use LLMs to analyze and converse with your unstructured enterprise data, documents and other information.
Build UI for AI at Market Speed: Build intuitive experiences with Smart Paste, PromptBox and SmartBox, while benefiting from new components, broader framework support, faster CLI onboarding and integrated AI chat in documentation. To learn more about the latest release of Telerik and Kendo UI development tools, visit https://www.telerik.com.

About Progress Software 
Progress Software (Nasdaq: PRGS) provides the context and control organizations need to reliably extract value from AI—context drawn from an organization's data, content and workflows, and control over the security, governance and cost of their AI initiatives. Learn how hundreds of thousands of businesses, powering the work of tens of millions of professionals worldwide, realize value from trusted, enterprise-ready AI at www.progress.com.

Progress, Telerik, Kendo UI, Fiddler, and certain product names used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress Software Corporation and/or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates in the U.S. and/or other countries. See Trademarks for appropriate markings. All rights in any other trademarks contained herein are reserved by their respective owners and their inclusion does not imply an endorsement, affiliation or sponsorship as between Progress and the respective owners.

Press Contact:           
Kim Baker
Progress Software        
+1-800-477-6473    
[email protected]

Pharmacokinetic and dosimetry findings of Reyobiq from RESPECT-LM single dose study shows broad CSF compartmental distribution and on target drug activity. Update on ongoing multidose leptomeningeal metastases trial shows strong safety signal   

CNSide® cost-of-care analysis shows up to 47% reduction in monthly LM-related treatment costs

HOUSTON, Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cerenome, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNSY) (“Cerenome” or the “Company”) today highlights data from two scientific posters presented at the 2026 Society for Neuro-Oncology/American Society of Clinical Oncology (SNO/ASCO) CNS Metastases Conference, held August 13–15 in Boston. One presentation featured updated pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamic (PD), dosimetry, safety and activity data for REYOBIQ™ (rhenium-186 obisbemeda) in patients with leptomeningeal metastases (LM), including emerging safety data from the ongoing repeated-dosing program. The second was an update of a previously reported health economics analysis evaluating the impact of CNSide®-enabled earlier LM detection and therapeutic management.

“The data presented at SNO/ASCO underscore the rationale behind Cerenome’s integrated approach to leptomeningeal metastases – from earlier and more definitive detection and quantitative disease monitoring with CNSide, to targeted local therapy with REYOBIQ,” said Marc H. Hedrick, M.D., Cerenome President and Chief Executive Officer. “The REYOBIQ findings provide additional support for broad CSF distribution, limited systemic exposure in most patients, and the continued evaluation of repeat dosing. The CNSide analysis reinforces the potential economic value of earlier, information-rich disease management. Together, these data demonstrate the potential of connecting diagnostics, therapeutics and longitudinal data to improve the management of CNS cancers.”

As previously announced, both posters will be available on the Publications page of Cerenome’s website following the conclusion of the conference.

REYOBIQ ReSPECT-LM and ReSPECT-LMM Data

A poster titled, “ReSPECT-LM: Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Assessment of Rhenium Obisbemeda in Leptomeningeal Metastases with Emerging Data from Repeated Dosing (ReSPECT-LMM)” was presented by Andrew Brenner, M.D., Ph.D., of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The analysis included updated safety, activity, PK and dosimetry findings from the single-administration study, along with emerging data from the ongoing repeated-dosing program.

Key findings included:

In the ongoing repeated-dosing ReSPECT-LMM study, Cohort 1a cleared with no dose-limiting toxicities, with enrollment ongoing in additional cohorts.PK showed rapid ( ̴24 hours) redistribution of drug within the CSF with clearance of the REYOBIQ from the lateral ventricle at a half-life of 1.7 hours. By clearing the ventricles quickly, drug remains available at high doses in the cerebral spinal fluid.Bulk RNA-Seq demonstrated rapid ( ̴5 hours) induction of cell-death (apoptosis) genes, with peak activity occurring at 24 hours. Data promoting cell-death supports REYOBIQ’s established radiopharmaceutical mechanism of action and highlights its rapid onset target activity.
CNSide Cost-of-Care Analysis

The second poster, titled, “Economic Impact of Earlier Detection and Therapeutic Management of Leptomeningeal Metastases Using CNSide®: A Cost-of-Care Analysis,” was presented by Kelly Kreitzburg Ondrasek, Ph.D., Medical Science Liaison at CNSide Diagnostics. The analysis evaluated the potential economic and clinical impact of a CNSide-enabled care pathway incorporating earlier definitive LM diagnosis, targeted treatment, and quantitative disease monitoring. 

The model estimated average LM-related treatment costs of approximately $119,550 per month, or approximately $717,300 over six months. Under modeled scenarios incorporating earlier LM confirmation and optimized management, a CNSide-enabled pathway was estimated to reduce monthly LM-related costs by approximately 33-47%. 

About Cerenome

Cerenome (Nasdaq: CNSY) is a CNS oncology company advancing an integrated platform that combines precision diagnostics, targeted therapeutics, and artificial intelligence to improve outcomes for patients with central nervous system cancers. The Company’s CNSide® Diagnostics platform supports the detection, molecular characterization, and longitudinal monitoring of CNS cancers through cerebrospinal fluid-based testing. Its lead therapeutic platform, REYOBIQ™ (rhenium Re186 obisbemeda), is being evaluated in clinical trials for leptomeningeal metastases, recurrent glioblastoma, and pediatric brain cancers. The data & artificial intelligence platform is designed to integrate diagnostic, molecular, imaging, and clinical data into actionable insights that support precision oncology and therapeutic innovation. By integrating commercial diagnostics, targeted therapeutics, proprietary longitudinal data, and artificial intelligence within a single organization, Cerenome is building a differentiated CNS oncology platform designed to improve patient care while creating long-term shareholder value, visit https://www.cerenome.com. 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of U.S. securities laws, including statements regarding clinical trials, expected operations and upcoming developments. All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may be identified by future verbs, as well as terms such as “expect,” “potential,” “anticipating,” “planning” and similar expressions or the negatives thereof. Such statements are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. These statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the timing and implementation of the Company’s revenue cycle management and clearinghouse services through XiFin, the timing of the commencement of billing and submission of the Company’s test backlog, the potential market for the CNSide CSF Assay, the timing in which the CNSide CSF Assay is commercially launched and commercialization is expanded, revenue and corporate profitability expectations including support reimbursements and payments for the CNSide CSF Assay, the development and utility of the CNSide CSF Assay and expectations as to the Company’s future performance, including the next steps in developing the Company’s product candidates.

Investor Contact
CORE IR
[email protected]

Aurora Investment Counsel bought a new stake in Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FANG – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 7,478 shares of the oil and natural gas company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,314,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Diamondback Energy during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Diamondback Energy during the first quarter worth approximately $26,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Diamondback Energy during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Wellington Shields & Co. LLC raised its holdings in Diamondback Energy by 264.7% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Shields & Co. LLC now owns 186 shares of the oil and natural gas company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Diamondback Energy in the second quarter worth approximately $28,000. Institutional investors own 90.01% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Diamondback Energy In related news, Director Charles Alvin Meloy sold 33,333 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $198.41, for a total value of $6,613,600.53. Following the transaction, the director owned 818,197 shares in the company, valued at approximately $162,338,466.77. This represents a 3.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Matt Zmigrosky sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.54, for a total transaction of $1,002,700.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 46,392 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,303,451.68. The trade was a 9.73% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 129,167 shares of company stock valued at $24,714,309 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.64% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Mizuho increased their price target on Diamondback Energy from $220.00 to $240.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Raymond James Financial restated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $248.00 price objective on shares of Diamondback Energy in a report on Friday, July 31st. Susquehanna raised their target price on Diamondback Energy from $245.00 to $255.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. Weiss Ratings raised Diamondback Energy from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Roth Capital set a $212.00 target price on Diamondback Energy and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $222.21. View Our Latest Research Report on Diamondback Energy

Key Stories Impacting Diamondback Energy Here are the key news stories impacting Diamondback Energy this week:

Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley reaffirmed its Equal Weight rating but raised or maintained a $216 price target, implying modest upside from the referenced price. The target provides some support, though the neutral rating limits the bullish signal. Morgan Stanley rating report Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research increased its FY2028 EPS forecast to $15.37 from $14.83, suggesting potential longer-term earnings improvement. Diamondback Energy valuation and pipeline venture article Neutral Sentiment: Analysts continue to rate FANG Hold or Equal Weight, indicating neither a strong bullish nor bearish consensus. Diamondback’s Permian-to-Katy gas pipeline strategy and participation in the Solitude Pipeline venture could broaden its midstream exposure, but the investment benefits remain dependent on execution and future cash flows. Diamondback Permian-to-Katy gas pipeline article Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research cut several near- and medium-term forecasts: Q3 2026 EPS to $2.70 from $4.32, Q4 2026 to $3.11 from $4.19, FY2026 to $16.52 from $18.11, FY2027 to $14.95 from $16.42, Q4 2027 to $3.08 from $3.87, and Q1 2028 to $3.12 from $3.57. Additional reductions affected Q2 and Q3 2027 estimates. These revisions outweigh the isolated FY2028 increase and are likely pressuring the stock. Diamondback Energy Stock Down 0.7% FANG stock opened at $208.55 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $191.03 and a two-hundred day moving average of $188.74. The company has a market cap of $58.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.65 and a beta of 0.43. Diamondback Energy, Inc. has a 12-month low of $134.30 and a 12-month high of $214.51. The company has a quick ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 0.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25.

Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ:FANG – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The oil and natural gas company reported $6.48 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.08 by $0.40. Diamondback Energy had a net margin of 8.58% and a return on equity of 10.10%. The business had revenue of $5.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.89 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.38 EPS. Diamondback Energy’s revenue was up 51.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Diamondback Energy, Inc. will post 19.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Diamondback Energy Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 20th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 13th will be given a $1.10 dividend. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 13th. Diamondback Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 85.77%.

(Free Report)

Diamondback Energy, Inc (NASDAQ: FANG) is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on the development, exploration and production of unconventional resources in the Permian Basin. Headquartered in Midland, Texas, the company concentrates its operations in the core Midland and Delaware sub‑basins of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico, where it pursues contiguous acreage positions to support repeatable drilling programs.

Diamondback’s activities span the upstream value chain, including leasehold acquisition, well planning, drilling, completion and production optimization.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Diamondback Energy Bloom Energy’s AI Surge Meets a Valuation Reality Check Target Is Winning Shoppers Back—Can the Rally Reach $180? IonQ’s Space Contract Points to a New Frontier for Quantum Investors Is Apple’s AI Strategy Smarter Than Skeptics Think? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FANG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FANG – Free Report).

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Dutch Bros (BROS +3.78%) has been remarkably consistent in a tough consumer spending environment, but its premium price tag creates volatility.

On Aug. 5, the Oregon-based coffee chain reported strong second-quarter results, including 8.3% same-store sales growth for company-owned stores. Loyal Dutch Rewards customers continue to drive results, with the rewards program now accounting for 74% of transactions.

Yet Dutch Bros stock fell 18% the next day and recently was down about 22%, despite beating expectations and raising guidance for the year. A reaction like that typically says more about the stock's valuation than the health of the business.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Loyal customers drive consistent results The company was lapping a challenging comparison after increasing same-store sales by 7.8% in Q2 2025. Building on those results, company-owned stores grew roughly 16% on a two-year stacked basis.

This was the company's 13th consecutive quarter of positive same-store sales and its eighth straight quarter of transaction growth. That traffic, up 3.4% this quarter, makes Dutch Bros stand out in a restaurant industry where many chains are struggling with declining visits.

The drive-thru specialist continues to benefit from rising demand for convenient, customized caffeinated beverages. Starbucks launched its blended energy refreshers last month to compete for that same afternoon crowd.

Is the valuation still stretched? Before earnings, the stock traded at around 66 times forward earnings estimates. After the drop, the multiple compressed to a more reasonable, but still premium, 46 times. Conservative guidance for third-quarter same-store sales of 4% to 5%, a step down from recent results, may have contributed to the sell-off.

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Higher costs continued this quarter, as expected, weighing on profit margins. Food costs rose to 26.1% of company-operated revenue, up 80 basis points year over year, driven by higher coffee costs and the rollout of its new food offerings. Occupancy costs also climbed 50 basis points as the company shifted toward build-to-suit leases.

Despite rising costs, earnings are still expected to grow by 70% in fiscal 2026 to $0.92 per share.

The simplicity of the drive-thru model is part of the appeal, but the addressable market is what makes the investment case compelling. The cold beverage chain has 1,225 shops today and management says it could reach 3,500 locations just by expanding in its current markets.

Management's aspirational goal is to reach up to 7,000 domestic shops, offering investors a rare long-term growth story in the restaurant industry. The recent pullback provides an opportunity to add shares, though the stock's still not cheap, warranting a disciplined approach.