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SummaryMicron Technology, Inc. delivered an extraordinary quarter, with 74% QoQ and 346% YoY revenue growth, signaling robust AI-driven demand and market leadership.MU's multi-year Strategic Customer Agreements now cover 20% of DRAM and 33% of NAND output, securing $22B+ in cash commitments and reducing cyclicality risk.Despite rising manufacturing costs and an upcoming CapEx drag, MU trades at a 30–50% forward discount to peers, supporting a bullish long-term thesis.I remain cautious on MU's short-term volatility, especially with SK Hynix's U.S. listing, but see pullbacks as opportunities to build positions in MU. JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Introduction Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) has absolutely crushed this quarter, which, on the one hand, was expected after its direct competitor in memory, Samsung (SSNLF), surprised not only the market a

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of MU either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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ABBOTT PARK, Ill., June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) will announce its second-quarter 2026 financial results on Thursday, July 16, before the market opens.

The announcement will be followed by a live webcast of the earnings conference call at 8 a.m. Central time (9 a.m. Eastern) and will be accessible through Abbott's Investor Relations website at www.abbottinvestor.com. An archived edition of the call will be available later that day.

About Abbott:

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. 

SOURCE Abbott

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While many Baby Boomers have enjoyed a long bull market over the past 35 years, there comes a point when income becomes more critical than stock appreciation. The reason is simple: those who leave their careers to enjoy a well-deserved retirement lose the benefits of a regular salary and their jobs, such as 401(k) matching and company-paid healthcare. In addition, many Boomers use their retirement years to travel and enjoy the rewards they have worked hard to achieve throughout their lives. Choosing investments wisely is imperative, and at 24/7 Wall St., we continually seek the best ideas for Baby Boomers and retirees.

Companies that have raised dividends for shareholders for 50 years or more are the kinds of investments passive income investors need to own. Dependability is crucial for individuals seeking to increase their annual income through dividend stock investments. The Dividend Kings are the 56 companies that have raised their dividends for at least 50 years, a testament to their dependability and reliability. Those are two “must-have” items for investors who rely on passive income to boost their overall income. Unlike the Dividend Aristocrats, the Dividend Kings do not have to be members of the S&P 500.

With the stock market trading at elevated levels and a massive rotation out of technology into safer areas seemingly underway, we decided to look for Dividend Kings that investors seeking dependable income and some growth could buy today and safely hold forever. We screened for high yields, stocks with wide moats, and, importantly, those that have products or services that will always have a degree of consumer demand. Five checked all the boxes, and all are among the highest-yielding in the group.

Why we recommend the Dividend Kings Companies that have paid and raised dividends for 50 years or more are the kinds of stocks growth and income investors want to buy and hold in stock portfolios forever. These stocks are mostly conservative, and should we see a dramatic market correction, they will likely hold their ground much better than volatile technology names.

Altria Altria (NYSE: MO | MO Price Prediction) is one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of cigarettes and other tobacco-related products. This tobacco stock offers value investors a solid entry point and a 6.09% dividend. Altria manufactures and sells smokable and oral tobacco products in the United States primarily to wholesalers, including distributors and large retail organizations, such as chain stores.

The company primarily sells cigarettes under the Marlboro brand, as well as:

Cigars and pipe tobacco, principally under the Black & Mild and Middleton brands Moist smokeless tobacco and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands on! Oral nicotine pouches e-vapor products under the NJOY ACE brand Altria used to own over 10% of Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD), the world’s largest brewer. In March of 2024, the company sold 35 million of its 197 million shares through a global secondary offering. That represents 18% of its holdings but still leaves 8% of the outstanding shares in its back pocket. Altria also announced a $2.4 billion stock repurchase plan partially funded by the sale.

Altria increased its quarterly dividend in the fall of 2025 by 3.9%, from $1.02 to $1.06 per share, marking its 57th consecutive dividend increase.

Hormel Foods Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) is an American food processing company founded in 1891 in Austin, Minnesota. Hormel offers dual pricing power through both branded products and private-label manufacturing, and it has a reliable 4.79% dividend. It develops, processes, and distributes a range of meat, nuts, and other food products to retail, foodservice, deli, and commercial customers in the United States and internationally. Shares are down 12% already in 2026.

The company operates through three segments: Retail, Food Service, and International. It provides various perishable products, including fresh meats, frozen items, refrigerated meal solutions, sausages, hams, guacamole, and bacon, and shelf-stable products, including canned luncheon meats, nut butter, snack nuts, chili, shelf-stable microwaveable meals, hash, stews, tortillas, salsas, tortilla chips, nutritional food supplements, and others. It sells its products under these brands:

Hormel Always Tender Applegate Austin Blues Bacon 1 Black Label Bread Ready Burke Café H Ceratti Chi-Chi’s Columbus Compleats Corn Nuts Cure 81 Dan’s Prize Di Lusso Dinty Moore Don Miguel Doña Maria Embasa Fast N Easy Fire Braised Fontanini Happy Little Plants Herdez Hormel Gatherings Hormel Square Table Hormel Vital Cuisine House of Tsang Jennie-O Justin’s La Victoria Layout Lloyd’s Mary Kitchen Mr. Peanut Natural Choice Nut-rition Old Smokehouse Oven Ready Pillow Pack Planters Rosa Grande Sadler’s Smokehouse Skippy Spam Special Recipe Thick & Easy Valley Fresh Wholly Hormel is a Dividend King with over 50 years of dividend increases and is a consumer staples company focused on protein-based packaged foods. Its yield is historically high, and the Hormel Foundation’s oversight ensures dividend reliability. Reports indicate that it is restructuring its portfolio and cutting costs to improve performance.

Kimberly-Clark This American multinational personal care company primarily produces paper-based consumer products. Kimberly-Clark (NASDAQ: KMB) stock declined 23% in 2025, pushing it close to a 12-year low, and its dividend has increased for 53 consecutive years. The current yield is a rich 4.87%. The company manufactures and markets personal care and consumer tissue products worldwide.

It operates through three segments. The Personal Care segment offers a diverse range of products, including:

Disposable diapers Swim pants, training and youth pants, baby wipes Feminine and incontinence care products, as well as related products under the Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, DryNites, Sweety, Kotex, U by Kotex, Intimus, Depends, Plenitud, Softex, Poise, and other brand names The Consumer Tissue segment provides facial and bathroom tissues, paper towels, napkins, and related products under the brand names:

Kleenex Scott Cottonelle Viva Andrex Scottex Neve The K-C Professional segment offers wipers, tissues, towels, apparel, soaps, and sanitizers under the Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech, and KleenGuard brands.

In 2025, Kimberly-Clark announced it would acquire Kenvue (NYSE: KVUE) in a $48.7 billion deal, with the transaction expected to close in the second half of 2026. The acquisition will create a combined consumer health and wellness company, with Kenvue shareholders receiving $3.50 in cash plus 0.14625 shares of Kimberly-Clark.

Piper Sandler has an Overweight rating with a $114 target price.

Sonoco Products While very off the radar of most investors, this company makes products that are constantly in demand, and it pays a solid 4.17% dividend. Sonoco Products (NYSE: SON) is a global designer, developer, and manufacturer of a variety of highly engineered and sustainable packaging serving multiple end markets.

Products in its Consumer Packaging segment consist of rigid packaging (paper, metal, and plastic) and primarily serve the consumer staples market, focusing on food, beverage, household, personal, and pharmaceutical products. The company’s rigid paper containers are manufactured from 100% recycled paperboard provided primarily from Sonoco’s global paper operations.

Products within the Industrial Paper Packaging segment consist primarily of goods produced from recycled fiber, including:

Paperboard tubes Cores Cones and cans Partitions Paper-based protective materials Uncoated recycled paperboard for high-end applications, such as folding cartons, can board, and laminated structures Genuine Parts Investors seeking a solid investment should consider purchasing Genuine Parts (NYSE: GPC) shares, as its products remain in high demand, and it has raised the dividend for 69 consecutive years. This global provider of automotive and industrial replacement parts and value-added solutions trades at a very cheap 11.77 times forward earnings estimates and has a 3.90% dividend yield. Founded in 1928, Genuine Parts sells automotive and industrial parts across more than 3,000 locations in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Its Automotive segment distributes replacement parts (other than collision parts) for all makes and models of automobiles, trucks, and other vehicles in North America, Europe, and Australasia. Its main automotive customers are repair and maintenance shops, and its main industrial customers are businesses operating distribution, manufacturing, and production equipment.

The Industrial segment distributes a wide variety of industrial bearings, mechanical and fluid power transmission equipment, including:

Hydraulic and pneumatic products Material handling components Related parts and supplies Its industrial business offers replacement parts and solutions to customers in the maintenance, repair, and operation sector, as well as to original equipment manufacturers.

Raymond James has a Strong Buy rating on the shares with a $145 price target.

Key Takeaways All 32 large banks passed the Fed's 2026 stress test despite a severe hypothetical recession.JPM plans to raise its dividend to $1.65 per share and announced a new $50 billion share repurchase program.Stress capital buffers stay frozen until 2027 as the Fed revises its testing framework. The Federal Reserve's 2026 annual stress test reaffirmed the resilience of the U.S. banking system, with all 32 large banks comfortably clearing the regulator's hypothetical recession scenario. The results not only highlighted the sector's strong capital position but also paved the way for several banking giants, including JPMorgan (JPM - Free Report) , Goldman Sachs (GS - Free Report) , Morgan Stanley (MS - Free Report) and Wells Fargo (WFC - Free Report) , to announce plans for higher dividends and fresh share repurchase programs.

Unlike previous years, this year's stress test carries a unique regulatory significance. While the exercise demonstrated the industry's ability to withstand severe economic shocks, the results will not alter banks' stress capital buffer (SCB) requirements until 2027 as the Fed continues to overhaul its stress-testing framework and incorporate public feedback.

Fed's Stress Scenario Tests Banks Against Severe RecessionThe annual stress test, mandated under the Dodd-Frank Act following the 2008 financial crisis, evaluates whether large U.S. banks can continue lending during an extreme economic downturn while maintaining adequate capital levels.

The Fed's 2026 "severely adverse" scenario envisioned a sharp global recession triggered by a sudden collapse in investor risk appetite. Under this hypothetical scenario, U.S. unemployment rises to 10% from 5.5%, while real GDP contracts 4.6%. Residential home prices decline 30%, and commercial real estate prices plunge 39%. At the same time, equity markets tumble nearly 58%.

Despite these severe assumptions, the 32 participating banks, including the above-mentioned banks and Bank of America (BAC - Free Report) , were projected to absorb approximately $708 billion in total loan losses, including roughly $203 billion in credit card losses, $158-$160 billion in commercial and industrial loans, and about $75-$77 billion in commercial real estate losses. Even after these projected losses, aggregate Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital fell only 1.6 percentage points, from 12.8% to 11.2%, remaining comfortably above regulatory minimums.

Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said the results underscore the strength of the U.S. banking system while emphasizing the central bank's ongoing efforts to improve transparency and accountability in future stress tests.

Regulatory Overhaul Makes 2026 Stress Test DifferentThis year's exercise differs from prior stress tests because the Fed has frozen SCB requirements through 2027 while it revises the testing methodology.

The decision follows years of criticism from major banks, which argued that the annual exercise lacked transparency and produced volatile capital requirements. The Fed has since proposed publishing more information about its models and scenarios while seeking public comments before implementing revised methodologies.

As a result, banks were not required to wait for revised capital requirements before announcing their capital return plans, allowing many institutions to quickly unveil dividend increases and share repurchase authorizations following the release of the results.

Banks’ Dividend Hikes and Buybacks Take Center StageFollowing the stress test results, major U.S. banks moved quickly to enhance shareholder returns, reflecting confidence in their capital strength. JPMorgan led the pack by announcing a plan to raise its quarterly dividend to $1.65 per share from $1.50 and authorized a massive $50 billion share repurchase program, one of the largest in the industry. CEO Jamie Dimon emphasized the bank’s preparedness for a wide range of economic scenarios, underscoring its robust capital position and earnings power.

Wells Fargo also signaled higher payouts, planning to increase its quarterly dividend by about 11% to 50 cents per share, subject to board approval in July. However, unlike some peers, the bank did not introduce a new buyback program, opting instead to continue repurchases under its existing framework. Similarly, Goldman also announced plans to hike its dividend to $5.00 per share from $4.50. This reflects a strong financial health and a commitment to returning excess capital, though it did not announce a new buyback authorization.

Morgan Stanley combined both strategies and will boost its dividend by 15% to $1.15 per share and reauthorized a $20 billion share repurchase program. This highlights confidence in its capital generation capabilities. In contrast, Bank of America held off on immediate announcements, stating it will finalize its dividend decision after its July board meeting. While it did not update its buyback plans, investors expect continued capital returns supported by its solid capital ratios.

Positive Signal for Bank InvestorsAlthough this year's stress test carries fewer regulatory implications because SCBs remain frozen until 2027, the results reinforce the strong financial position of the U.S. banking industry.

The ability of large banks to absorb more than $708 billion in projected losses while maintaining capital comfortably above regulatory minimums demonstrates the sector's resilience nearly two decades after the global financial crisis prompted the introduction of annual supervisory stress testing.

For investors, the immediate takeaway is clear. Robust capital positions continue to support attractive shareholder distributions. Now, investor attention is likely to shift toward the Fed's ongoing overhaul of the stress-testing framework and the anticipated Basel III Endgame proposals, both of which could further shape capital requirements and shareholder return strategies across the U.S. banking sector in the coming years.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Intuit, Inc. ("Intuit" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: INTU). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether Intuit and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. 

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On May 20, 2026, Intuit released its fiscal Q3 2026 financial results, which included its 2026 tax season revenue.  Intuit stated that it "did not have the overall tax season we expected" and that it "faced pressure among the most price-sensitive DIY filers."  Intuit said that "[w]e [lost] on price," and revealed that the Company needed to evolve its business model by delivering the right lineup and price points to meet simple filers' needs at the low end.  Intuit also announced that TurboTax online paying units were expected to grow by only 2% as total IRS filers were expected to decline by approximately 30 basis points, representing the "most significant industry-wide contraction since the post-COVID tax season." 

On this news, Intuit's stock price fell $76.86 per share, or 20.02%, to close at $307.07 per share on May 21, 2026.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.   

CONTACT:
Danielle Peyton
Pomerantz LLP
[email protected]
646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

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SummaryTencent Music (TME) is rated Buy, with upside driven by premium memberships, concerts, and deeper Tencent ecosystem integration.TME’s SVIP membership and concert strategy create a high-value flywheel, supporting margin expansion and resilience against Bytedance competition.The Ximalaya acquisition enhances TME’s audio ecosystem and premium value proposition, though immediate competitive advantages versus Bytedance may be limited.Valuation analysis suggests TME is undervalued, with potential worth of $24B versus the current $14B market cap, even under conservative scenarios. LewisTsePuiLung/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

When Tencent Music (TME) was last covered (Hold rating), the stock had dropped 30% and was trading close to fair valuation however scepticism over competitive pressures and TME’s competitive positioning did not make TME

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, but may initiate a beneficial Long position through a purchase of the stock, or the purchase of call options or similar derivatives in TME over the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Not investment advice.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Broadcom (AVGO) shares are in focus on Thursday after Wedbush commented on a media report that MediaTek may take over Google (GOOG) tensor processing unit work,

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Navan (NASDAQ: NAVN), the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform, today announced that Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI), a global power leader and American manufacturing icon, has selected Navan following a comprehensive review of the business travel landscape. Through the partnership, Navan will be supporting the travel needs of Cummins' more than 60,000 employees, who span locations in more than 60 countries across three global regions. “At Cummins,.

Key Takeaways Online grocery sales rose 19% in Q1 2026 after a 20% increase in Q4 2025.Faster pickup, delivery and fulfillment upgrades are helping drive grocery sales growth.TSN, CHEF, DAR and MAMA are highlighted as grocery-related stocks with upside potential. Inflation has been rising over the past three months, as higher commodity prices are making consumers spend cautiously. Consumers have been cutting down on discretionary purchases. However, spending on groceries, which are considered a necessity, has seen a surge.

Online grocery sales rose at an impressive pace in the first quarter amid inflationary pressure. Grocery sales are poised to grow at a steady pace, as this is an area that will attract spending.

Given this situation, it would be ideal to invest in grocery stocks with a strong online arm, such as Tyson Foods (TSN - Free Report) , The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) , Darling Ingredients Inc. (DAR - Free Report) and Mama's Creations, Inc. (MAMA - Free Report) .

Online Grocery Sales Continue to Grow

Online grocery sales jumped 19% in the first quarter of 2026 after increasing 20% in the final quarter of 2025, according to Brick Meets Click. Widespread improvement, including faster pick-up and delivery, is helping boost online grocery sales.

Upgrades at fulfillment centers, and ultra-fast deliveries are helping retailers meet consumers’ demand better. While online grocery pickup continues to witness robust growth, delivery and ship-to-home services are also improving at a faster pace. Delivery and ship-to-home services have grown nearly six times higher than pickup, according to the report.

Higher prices have been a challenge for buyers as oil prices surged after the Iran war broke out. Although energy costs have eased over the past couple of weeks, after the United States and Iran reached a peace deal, the impact of the war remains.

However, that hasn’t stopped consumers from spending on grocery items. The Bricks Meet Click report also showed that grocery spending share has climbed every quarter. Over the last six quarters, total grocery share spending rose more than 19%, reaching its highest level by the end of the first quarter of 2025. Excluding ship-to-home orders, overall grocery spending jumped an impressive 16% during the same period.

4 Grocery Stocks With UpsideTyson FoodsTyson Foods is the biggest U.S. chicken company that produces, distributes and markets chicken, beef, pork, and prepared foods. TSN’s products are marketed and sold primarily by sales staff to grocery retailers, grocery wholesalers, meat distributors, military commissaries, industrial food processing companies, chain restaurants, international export companies and domestic distributors.

Tyson Foods’ expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 1%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current-year earnings has improved 5.3% over the past 60 days. Tyson Foods has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Chefs' WarehouseThe Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. is a distributor of specialty food products in the United States. CHEF is focused on serving the specific needs of chefs who own and operate restaurants, fine dining establishments, country clubs, hotels, caterers, culinary schools and specialty food stores. 

CHEF’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 2.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current-year earnings has improved 8.7% over the past 60 days. CHEF has a Zacks Rank #1.

Darling IngredientsDarling Ingredients Inc. is a provider of rendering, cooking oil and bakery waste recycling and recovery solutions. DAR collects and transforms all aspects of animal by-product streams into broadly used and specialty ingredients, such as gelatin, edible fats, feed-grade fats, animal proteins and meals, plasma, pet food ingredients, organic fertilizers, yellow grease, fuel feedstock, green energy, natural casings and hides. 

Darling Ingredients’ expected earnings growth rate for the current year is more than 100%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current-year earnings has improved 25.4% over the past 60 days. DAR has a Zacks Rank #1.

Mama's CreationsMama's Creations, Inc. manufactures and distributes fresh deli-prepared foods sold through more than 12,000 grocery, mass, club, and convenience stores across the United States. MAMA has expanded into a broader refrigerated prepared-food platform offering all-natural meatballs, meat loaf, sausage, chicken entrées, salads, olives, paninis, sandwiches, and ready-to-heat meals. 

Mama's Creations’ expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 73.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current-year earnings has improved 4% over the past 60 days. MAMA has a Zacks Rank #1.

Local organizations receive Hometown Fund support to expand access to health care, food, housing and essential services

, /PRNewswire/ -- The CVS Health Foundation is investing $1 million in grants through its Hometown Fund to 20 organizations that are making a difference for Rhode Islanders every day. This year, Hometown Fund grants will support local nonprofits working to increase access to health care, address food insecurity, expand availability of stable housing and improve community health across the state.

"We're investing in Rhode Island nonprofits that are meeting people where they are – helping individuals and families access health care, food, stable housing and the support they need to stay healthy," said Jenny McColloch, president of the CVS Health Foundation. "Through our Hometown Fund, we focus on communities our colleagues call home, supporting organizations that are addressing the everyday factors that shape wellbeing and make a real difference across the state."

Aldersbridge Communities, a 2026 CVS Health Foundation Hometown Fund grant recipient, is making a meaningful impact for older adults across Rhode Island by connecting affordable housing with essential health care services. Offering a continuum of care, from independent, assisted living and memory care assisted living, Aldersbridge Communities helps residents maintain their independence while receiving the support they need to stay healthy. This grant will help strengthen those services, ensuring more older adults can age with dignity, stability, and a strong sense of community.

"The support of the CVS Health Foundation allows us to expand our work to make compassionate, innovative, inclusive and affordable elder care services available to all Rhode Islanders," said Elise Strom, chief development officer of Aldersbridge Communities. "This grant will strengthen our strategic planning efforts, helping us develop new communities, advance environmental sustainability initiatives and build a strong foundation for the future."

From helping older adults live independently and increasing access to affordable care, to ensuring families don't have to worry about their next meal, this year's grantees reflect the strength and resilience of communities across Rhode Island. Alongside Aldersbridge Communities, additional recipients of the Hometown Fund in Rhode Island include Better Lives Rhode Island, Blackstone Health, Children and Youth Cabinet, Clinica Esperanza/Hope Clinic, Community Blessings Foundation, Federal Hill House Association, Good Neighbors, Inspiring Minds, Lucy's Hearth, Mae Organization, Meals On Wheels RI, Northern RI Food Pantry, OpenDoors, Rhode Island Public Health Institute, Shri Service Corps, Southside Community Land Trust, The Jonnycake Center, Westerly-Area-Rest-Meals (WARM), and Youth Pride.

The Hometown Fund supports local nonprofits across Rhode Island and in the Hartford, Connecticut area — two key communities where CVS Health colleagues live and work. Through this annual grant program, the Foundation provides general operating support to organizations that are making a difference by expanding access to health care and addressing the everyday factors that shape people's wellbeing, like nutritious food and housing.

The CVS Health Foundation is announcing this year's Hometown Fund grantees as part of its ongoing commitment to making a meaningful impact in Rhode Island, where the company is headquartered. In 2025, CVS Health and the CVS Health Foundation provided more than $2.64 million in charitable giving across the state, along with significant investments in affordable housing and workforce development initiatives that help create pathways to long-term stability. Through programs like Project Health, CVS Health delivered free health screenings to nearly 1,200 Rhode Islanders last year, while colleague volunteers contributed thousands of hours to support local communities. Together, these efforts reflect a comprehensive approach to improving community health across the Ocean State.

About CVS Health Foundation
The CVS Health Foundation has a proud history of supporting local communities across various regions throughout the United States. The Foundation is dedicated to uniting communities to address health challenges in collaboration with a wide range of nonprofit grantees. The Foundation collaborates on programs that enhance health outcomes, with focus areas including mental well-being, healthy aging, maternal health, health impacts from extreme weather and chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It also helps lay the groundwork for a healthier future by assisting organizations that address food security and promote educational opportunities. Additionally, the CVS Health Foundation supports CVS Health colleagues by backing the causes that are most meaningful to them through its Matching Gifts, Volunteer Challenge Grants and Children of Colleague Scholarship programs.

Media contact
Courtney Tavener
401-712-3698
[email protected]

SOURCE CVS Health

Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP) witnessed a jump in share price last session on above-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions for the stock suggests that there could be more strength down the road.

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

Shares of this consulting company have returned -26.8% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. The Zacks Computers - IT Services industry, to which Accenture belongs, has lost 9.7% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

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

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

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

Accenture is expected to post earnings of $3.21 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +5.9%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -3.5%.

The consensus earnings estimate of $13.84 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +7%. This estimate has changed -0.3% over the last 30 days.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $14.66 indicates a change of +6% from what Accenture is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -2%.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Accenture.

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

12 Month EPS

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

For Accenture, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $18.01 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +2.4%. For the current and next fiscal years, $73.68 billion and $77.05 billion estimates indicate +5.8% and +4.6% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryAccenture reported revenues of $18.72 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +5.6%. EPS of $3.8 for the same period compares with $3.49 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $18.79 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -0.37%. The EPS surprise was +2.7%.

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

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

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

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

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

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

, /PRNewswire/ -- Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX) faces a securities class action lawsuit after its April 30, 2026 Q1 2026 report indicating a surprisingly large sequential decline in daily active users ("DAUs") tempered by its age-check rollout. The news drove the price of Roblox shares down $10.13 (-18%) the next trading day and erased over $6.7 billion from the company's market capitalization.

The lawsuit seeks to represent investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Roblox common stock between October 30, 2025 and April 30, 2026.

National shareholder rights firm Hagens Berman is investigating the legal claims that Roblox and its co-defendants violated the federal securities laws. The firm encourages Roblox investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.

Class Period: Oct. 30, 2025 – Apr. 30, 2026
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Aug. 7, 2026
Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/rblx
Contact the Firm Now: [email protected]
                                        844-916-0895

Roblox Corporation (RBLX) Securities Class Action:

The primary focus of the litigation is on the propriety of Roblox's disclosures about the impact on its business and prospects of the age-check verification rollout aimed at increasing safety within certain social features on its platform. The rollout began in November 2025.

Throughout the Class Period, Roblox has characterized its rollout as the "gold standard" intended to be implemented with "no friction." The company has also touted its high year-over-year DAU growth and related revenue and bookings growth.

As recently as February 5, 2026, during Roblox's Q4 2025 earnings call, CEO David Baszucki responded to an analyst's question about additional detail about the age-check rollout, assuring investors that "[w]e're very excited and proud of the way our age verification rollout has gone" and "we found so many other opportunities for optimization that I'm very pleased and happy about the way the rollout has gone."

The complaint alleges that Roblox made false and misleading statements while failing to disclose important information to investors about the true state of the company's growth potential. More specifically, the complaint alleges that Roblox would see significant growth slowdown as enrollments in its age-check rollout would quickly taper, compounding the resulting slowdown in on-line platform communication and resulting in app store rating reductions and a swift reduction in organic growth.

The truth entered the market on April 30, 2026. That day, Roblox reported its Q1 2026 financial results, revealed a steep deceleration in year-over-year and sequential DAU growth, slashed its 2026 revenue guidance (reflecting ongoing shrinkage in DAU growth), and severely cut its 2026 bookings growth midpoint from 24% to just 10%.

The company blamed its adverse situation on just 51% of Roblox global DAUs having age checked and further revealed that "as a result of age check […] we have seen a reduction in app store ratings, and we believe this may be contributing to a reduction in organic sign-ups that typically flow from app stores." Roblox also said its lowered prospects are the result of "continued friction" resulting from the age-check rollout.

"We're focused on when Roblox and its management knew of the adverse consequences of the age-check rollout and whether they intentionally misled investors it," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm's investigation.

If you invested in Roblox and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that will assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now.

If you'd like more information and answers to other frequently asked questions about the Roblox case and the firm's investigation, read more.

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Roblox should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected] .

About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw. 

SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE: SPOT) will post its second quarter 2026 results and deck to shareholders on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 before market open. The company will hold a question and answer session to discuss second quarter 2026 results at 8:00 am Eastern Time. Management will answer questions submitted via Slido. Questions may be submitted on the day of the call at www.slido.com using the event code #SpotifyEarningsQ226. A live webcast of the earnings call will.

© Zakharchuk / Shutterstock.com

The VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF (NYSEARCA:MORT) exists for one reason: to deliver a fat, double-digit distribution sourced from the dividends of mortgage REITs like AGNC Investment (NASDAQ:AGNC | AGNC Price Prediction) and Annaly Capital (NYSE:NLY). With MORT shares trading around $10 and recent quarterly payouts in the $0.26 to $0.38 range, the trailing yield clears 12%. The question every MORT holder needs to answer is whether that payout reflects durable cash flow from the underlying mREITs, or a yield that exists only because the curve has been kind. Right now, the picture is mixed.

How MORT actually earns its check MORT is a pass-through. It owns a basket of mortgage REITs, collects their quarterly dividends, and distributes the net amount to shareholders. Those underlying mREITs make money on a spread: they borrow short at rates anchored to the 3.75% federal funds upper bound and invest in agency or commercial mortgage securities yielding closer to the 4.50% 10-year Treasury. Then they lever that spread five to eight times. Translation: a small move in either rate, or in the relationship between them, swings book value and dividend capacity hard.

The spread that pays the dividend is shrinking This is the most important number in the article. The 10Y-2Y Treasury spread sits at 0.30%, down from a February peak of 0.74%. The curve has flattened materially in four months. For levered mREITs, a compressing curve is a direct hit to net interest margin, because new investments roll on at narrower spreads than the legacy book. The current spread sits in the 1st percentile of its 12-month range. That is not a backdrop that supports dividend growth at the holdings level.

The two names that drive the payout AGNC and Annaly typically anchor MORT’s portfolio, and their tape tells the bullish side of the story. AGNC is up 30% over the past year, and Annaly has gained 32%. Total returns including their high single-digit dividends are stronger still. That rally reflects the Fed’s 75 basis points of cuts since last fall, which lowered borrowing costs faster than mortgage yields fell. Both AGNC and Annaly have held their dividends flat through this cycle rather than raising them, which suggests management teams view the spread environment as adequate, not abundant.

Why the quarterly check swings MORT’s payout is not fixed. Recent quarterly distributions have ranged from $0.26 in July 2025 to $0.38 in April 2025, with the latest at $0.36 in April 2026. Step back further and the trend is clearly down: 2013 produced a single Q4 payment of $1.45, and quarterly checks routinely cleared $0.45 through 2017. The structural reset to lower payouts reflects what mortgage REITs have actually been able to earn since spreads normalized, and holders should expect that volatility to continue.

Total return reality check The income has shown up, but the price action has gone the other way. MORT is down 11% over five years on price alone, and basically flat year to date. Holders earned their yield, but principal eroded. The roughly 10% one-year price gain is a rate-cut reflex, not a fundamental re-rating.

The verdict MORT’s distribution is sustainable in the sense that no cut is imminent: AGNC and Annaly are covering their dividends, and lower funding costs have eased pressure. It is not safe in the way a dividend-growth ETF is safe. Expect the quarterly payment to flex with the curve, and expect another step-down if the 10Y-2Y spread keeps compressing toward zero. Investors who need stable income should pair MORT with a lower-yield, equity-REIT or dividend-growth vehicle. Those who can tolerate variability and watch the curve get paid handsomely to do so.

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

Shares of this miner have returned -8.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. The Zacks Mining - Non Ferrous industry, to which Southern Copper belongs, has lost 3.6% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

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

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

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

Southern Copper is expected to post earnings of $1.90 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +55.7%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +2.4%.

The consensus earnings estimate of $7.62 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +45.4%. This estimate has changed +10% over the last 30 days.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $6.96 indicates a change of -8.6% from what Southern Copper is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +6.8%.

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

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

12 Month EPS

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

For Southern Copper, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $4.26 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +39.6%. For the current and next fiscal years, $16.69 billion and $14.59 billion estimates indicate +24.4% and -12.6% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistorySouthern Copper reported revenues of $4.25 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +36.2%. EPS of $1.92 for the same period compares with $1.19 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.26 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -0.11%. The EPS surprise was +8.47%.

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

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

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

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

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

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

, /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co.'s (NYSE: KR) Board of Directors approved a dividend increase from $1.40 to $1.56 per year. The next quarterly dividend of 39 cents per share will be paid on September 1, 2026, to shareholders of record as of close of business on August 15, 2026.

The company's quarterly dividend has grown at a 13% compounded annual growth rate since it was reinstated in 2006. This marks the 20th consecutive year of dividend increases. The company continues to expect, subject to board approval, an increasing dividend over time.

"This dividend increase reflects the Board of Directors' confidence in Kroger's operating performance, durable free cash flow generation, and commitment to deliver long-term value for shareholders," said Ron Sargent, Chairman of Kroger's Board of Directors.

Kroger remains committed to balanced capital allocation by investing in the business to drive sustainable growth, maintaining its current investment grade debt rating and returning capital to shareholders.

About Kroger
The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) is one of America's largest retailers, serving more than 11 million customers daily through a digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names. With more than 400,000 associates across our family of companies, Kroger is committed to providing America with affordable, great-tasting food and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

This press release contains certain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" about Kroger's financial position and the future performance of the company. These statements are based on management's assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it. Such statements are indicated by words or phrases such as "committed," "continue," "expect," and variations of such words and similar phrases. Various uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These include the specific risk factors identified in "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 10-K for our last fiscal year and any subsequent filings, as well as the following:

Kroger's ability to achieve sales, earnings, incremental FIFO operating profit, and adjusted free cash flow goals may be affected by: labor negotiations; potential work stoppages; changes in the unemployment rate; pressures in the labor market; changes in government-funded benefit programs; changes in the types and numbers of businesses that compete with Kroger; pricing and promotional activities of existing and new competitors, and the aggressiveness of that competition; Kroger's response to these actions; the state of the economy, including interest rates, the inflationary, disinflationary and/or deflationary trends and such trends in certain commodities, products and/or operating costs; the geopolitical environment including wars and conflicts; unstable political situations and social unrest; changes in tariffs; the effect that fuel costs have on consumer spending; volatility of fuel margins; manufacturing commodity costs; supply constraints; diesel fuel costs related to Kroger's logistics operations; trends in consumer spending; the extent to which Kroger's customers exercise caution in their purchasing in response to economic conditions; the uncertainty of economic growth or recession; stock repurchases; changes in the regulatory environment in which Kroger operates, along with changes in federal policy and at state and federal regulatory agencies; Kroger's ability to retain pharmacy sales from third party payors; consolidation in the healthcare industry, including pharmacy benefit managers; Kroger's ability to negotiate modifications to multi-employer pension plans; our ability to attract and retain qualified individuals; natural disasters or adverse weather conditions; the effect of public health crises or other significant catastrophic events; the potential costs and risks associated with potential cyber-attacks or data security breaches; the potential costs and risks associated with new technologies, including artificial intelligence; the success of Kroger's future growth plans; the ability to execute our growth strategy and value creation model, including continued cost savings, growth of our alternative profit businesses, and our ability to better serve our customers and to generate customer loyalty and sustainable growth through Fresh, Our Brands, Personalization, and eCommerce; the outcome of litigation matters, including those relating to the terminated transaction with Albertsons Companies, Inc.; and the risks relating to or arising from our opioid litigation settlements, including the risk of litigation relating to persons, entities, or jurisdictions that do not participate in those settlements. Our ability to achieve these goals may also be affected by our ability to manage the factors identified above. Our ability to execute our financial strategy may be affected by our ability to generate cash flow.

Kroger assumes no obligation to update the information contained herein unless required by applicable law. Please refer to Kroger's reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a further discussion of these risks and uncertainties.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.

Absolute Batman

Warner Bros. Animation, 2026

Three new DC universe animated series were announced during a joint DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation presentation at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

The presentation featured Peter Safran (Co‑Chairman and Co‑CEO, DC Studios) and Sam Register (President, Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna‑Barbera Studios Europe), alongside Warner Bros. Animation artists who shared first looks and creative insights into the next era of DC animation.

Absolute Batman, based on the award-winning and best-selling DC comic book series of the same name, will see Scott Snyder serve as executive producer and showrunner. Snyder wrote the comic book series. Nick Dragotta provided art for the book series and will take a producer role on the TV series.

In the comic book series, Bruce Wayne was a blue collar worker from the projects who had lost one parent, not two. And he was a jacked man who also fought crime, but more resembled an MMA fighter than the traditionally proportioned Caped Crusader.

The series is described by the company as “still in development” and no network home has been announced. But it did provide this brief logline:

Absolute Batman boldly reinvents the Batman mythos for a new generation of fans, reimagining the Dark Knight as a working-class hero up against impossible odds (and the most terrifying foes ever), on a mission to prove that even in an era of wealth, power and corruption, one good person can change the world.    No manor, no money... all Batman. When you take away the manor, the money, the advantages, what you’re left with is something absolute.

Also in development is the kids series Krypto, which stars everyone’s favorite Super Dog.

Krypto

Warner Bros. Animation, 2026

The series is being produced by C.H. Greenblatt, and it is also described as “being in development.”

And even the official logline is a bit scant on details:

When he’s not hanging out with Superman or Supergirl, Krypto tags along with a gang of misfit criminal wannabes who live down the block, and they soon discover he’s a ball of destructive, lovable energy worse than any of them! As he follows them into misadventures and poorly laid plans, Krypto’s pure nature slowly ends up redeeming them, whether they want it or not.

Of the three just-announced shows, the one closest to a premiere date is Joker: Laugh Riot, which has been given a greenlight and is currently in production.

Joker: Laugh Riot

Warner Bros. Animation, 2026

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Produced by Jim Krieg and Yasuhuro Aoki, the series is described as the story of what happens to the Joker when he loses his biggest foe:

When Batman is murdered, the Joker launches a ruthless crusade through Gotham’s underworld to find the killer who took away his greatest adversary. But as his violent quest for answers pushes him closer towards vigilante than villain, Joker is forced to confront the truth that without Batman, he doesn’t know who he is.

Most of the large animation houses are doing presentations at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this week, among them Netflix, who announced an impressive slate of original animated films and TV shows.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of JD.com, Inc. ("JD" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: JD). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether JD and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. 

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On June 11, 2026, Bloomberg News reported that the Beijing branch of China's State Administration for Market Regulation summoned JD representatives "over what officials said was false advertising during the annual '618' midyear online shopping festival." 

On this news, JD's American Depositary Receipt ("ADR") price fell $0.39 per ADR, or 1.37%, to close at $28.06 per ADR on June 11, 2026.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. 

CONTACT:
Danielle Peyton
Pomerantz LLP
[email protected]
646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

McCormick (MKC - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.8 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.69 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 +15.29%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this spices and seasonings company would post earnings of $0.61 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.66, delivering a surprise of +8.2%.

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

McCormick, which belongs to the Zacks Food - Miscellaneous industry, posted revenues of $1.94 billion for the quarter ended May 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.99%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.66 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.

McCormick shares have lost about 30.1% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 7.5%.

What's Next for McCormick?While McCormick has underperformed 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 McCormick was unfavorable. 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 #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform 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 $0.84 on $1.98 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.09 on $7.82 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, Food - Miscellaneous is currently in the bottom 20% 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 same industry, Lamb Weston (LW - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended May 2026. The results are expected to be released on July 24.

This frozen foods supplier is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.61 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -29.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

Lamb Weston's revenues are expected to be $1.69 billion, up 1% from the year-ago quarter.

Shares of Cardinal Health (CAH - Free Report) have been strong performers lately, with the stock up 16.6% over the past month. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $235.71 in the previous session. Cardinal has gained 13.4% since the start of the year compared to the -2.7% move for the Zacks Medical sector and the -3.6% return for the Zacks Medical - Dental Supplies industry.

What's Driving the Outperformance?The stock has a great record of positive earnings surprises, as it hasn't missed our earnings consensus estimate in any of the last four quarters. In its last earnings report on April 30, 2026, Cardinal reported EPS of $3.17 versus consensus estimate of $2.8 while it missed the consensus revenue estimate by 2.27%.

For the current fiscal year, Cardinal is expected to post earnings of $10.76 per share on $256.24 in revenues. This represents a 30.58% change in EPS on a 15.12% change in revenues. For the next fiscal year, the company is expected to earn $11.98 per share on $278.75 in revenues. This represents a year-over-year change of 11.29% and 8.79%, respectively.

Valuation MetricsCardinal may be at a 52-week high right now, but what might the future hold for the stock? A key aspect of this question is taking a look at valuation metrics in order to determine if the company has run ahead of itself.

On this front, we can look at the Zacks Style Scores, as these give investors a variety of ways to comb through stocks (beyond looking at the Zacks Rank of a security). These styles are represented by grades running from A to F in the categories of Value, Growth, and Momentum, while there is a combined VGM Score as well. Investors should consider the style scores a valuable tool that can help you to pick the most appropriate Zacks Rank stocks based on their individual investment style.

Cardinal has a Value Score of A. The stock's Growth and Momentum Scores are A and C, respectively, giving the company a VGM Score of A.

In terms of its value breakdown, the stock currently trades at 21.7X current fiscal year EPS estimates, which is a premium to the peer industry average of 16X. On a trailing cash flow basis, the stock currently trades at 20X versus its peer group's average of 11.6X. Additionally, the stock has a PEG ratio of 1.27. This is good enough to put the company in the top echelon of all stocks we cover from a value perspective, making Cardinal an interesting choice for value investors.

Zacks RankWe also need to consider the stock's Zacks Rank, as this supersedes any trend on the style score front. Fortunately, Cardinal currently has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) thanks to rising earnings estimates.

Since we recommend that investors select stocks carrying Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and Style Scores of A or B, it looks as if Cardinal passes the test. Thus, it seems as though Cardinal shares could have a bit more room to run in the near term.

How Does CAH Stack Up to the Competition?Shares of CAH have been soaring, and the company still appears to be a decent choice, but what about the rest of the industry? One industry peer that looks good is Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN - Free Report) . ALGN has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value Score of B, a Growth Score of B, and a Momentum Score of B.

Earnings were strong last quarter. Align Technology, Inc. beat our consensus estimate by 14.16%, and for the current fiscal year, ALGN is expected to post earnings of $11.36 per share on revenue of $4.19 billion.

Shares of Align Technology, Inc. have gained 4.9% over the past month, and currently trade at a forward P/E of 15.04X and a P/CF of 14.4X.

The Medical - Dental Supplies industry is in the top 35% of all the industries we have in our universe, so it looks like there are some nice tailwinds for CAH and ALGN, even beyond their own solid fundamental situation.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Lucid Group, Inc. ("Lucid" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: LCID) and certain officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and docketed under 26-cv-05128, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired Lucid securities between February 25, 2026 and April 13, 2026, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials.

If you are an investor who purchased or otherwise acquired Lucid securities during the Class Period, you have until July 28, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

Lucid is a technology company that designs, develops, manufactures, and sells electric vehicles, EV powertrains, and battery systems. The Company's products include, inter alia, the "Lucid Air" sedan and "Lucid Gravity" sport utility vehicle.

At all relevant times, Defendants touted purported enhancements to Lucid's manufacturing and delivery capabilities and overall operations. In particular, beginning in late-February 2026, Defendants represented that, in fiscal year ("FY") 2025, they had implemented sustainable improvements in these areas, including with respect to the production and ramp-up of deliveries of the Lucid Gravity. Defendants likewise asserted that these improvements would lead to profitable growth and performance efficiencies in FY 2026. Unbeknownst to investors, however, Lucid's performance was materially hampered by significant supplier and delivery issues in February 2026, putting the Company on track for dismal, rather than improved, performance in its first quarter ("Q1") of 2026.

The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) a supplier quality issue had significantly disrupted deliveries of the Lucid Gravity; (ii) the foregoing was likely to, and did, have a material negative impact on the Company's business and financial results; (iii) accordingly, the Defendants had overstated the purported enhancements to Lucid's manufacturing and delivery capabilities and overall operations; and (iv) as a result, Defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

The truth began to emerge on April 3, 2026, when Lucid issued a press release "announc[ing its Q1 2026] production and delivery totals[.]" Lucid revealed that it had "produced 5,500 vehicles" during Q1 2026, while only "deliver[ing] 3,093 vehicles." The press release further disclosed that, "[d]uring the quarter, deliveries of the Lucid Gravity were disrupted for 29 days due to a supplier quality issue with the second-row seats" and, "[a]s a result of this, the company's ability to meet customer demand was impacted."

The same day, Reuters published an article entitled "Lucid misses first-quarter vehicle delivery estimates on supplier disruptions". The article provided additional color and comments from Defendant Marc Winterhoff ("Winterhoff"), the Company's Interim Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"), regarding Lucid's disappointing Q1 2026 delivery results—most notably that deliveries were particularly impacted over a month earlier in February 2026, when Lucid paused to reverse an unauthorized supplier change and inspect vehicles already produced.

The next trading day, April 6, 2026, 24/7 Wall St. published an article entitled "Lucid Faces Biggest Disaster Ever", which described the number of vehicles that Lucid delivered in Q1 2026 as "remarkably small", stating that Lucid "cannot sell fewer than 4,000 vehicles and even pretend this is sustainable." 

Following the foregoing news and disclosures, Lucid's stock price fell $1.13 per share, or 11.35%, over the following two trading sessions, to close at $8.83 per share on April 7, 2026.

On April 14, 2026, Lucid filed a current report on Form 8-K with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("U.S."), reporting, inter alia, its preliminary Q1 2026 financial results, including revenue in the range of $280 million to $284 million—well below the consensus estimate of $433.8 million—and losses from operations in the range of $985 million to $1.005 billion.

The same day, Lucid issued a press release revealing its plans for a $1.05 billion capital raise, including a $300 million public stock offering.

Following these disclosures, Lucid's stock price fell $0.44 per share, or 4.76%, to close at $8.80 per share on April 14, 2026.

Then, on May 5, 2026, Lucid issued a press release reporting its Q1 2026 financial results, including GAAP earnings per share of -$3.46, missing consensus estimates by $0.83, a net loss of over $1 billion, and revenue of $282.47 million, missing consensus estimates by $76.04 million. Defendant Winterhoff, as quoted in the press release, acknowledged that the previously disclosed "supplier issue . . . during the quarter had an impact," and the need to "align[] production and delivery with customer demand." Lucid's Chief Financial Officer, Defendant Taoufiq Boussaid, as quoted in the same press release, likewise acknowledged that "[w]e ended the quarter with elevated inventory that we expect to convert to revenue and cash as deliveries normalize[.]"

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. 

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Key Takeaways FCEL is drawing attention as AI and data-center power demand lifts its commercial pipeline.Data centers made up more than 80% of FCEL's pipeline and 89% of second-quarter proposals.FCEL's margin case depends on lifting production from the low-30-MW range toward 100 MW. FuelCell Energy (FCEL - Free Report) is drawing investor attention as power demand from artificial intelligence and high-density data centers rises.

The central question is whether that commercial momentum can translate into signed orders, higher production and narrower losses. FCEL’s pipeline has expanded, but profitability and backlog trends still keep the stock story balanced.

FCEL Pushes Deeper Into AI PowerData centers have become FCEL’s clearest growth target. By early 2026, more than 80% of its commercial pipeline was tied to data centers, and about 89% of second-quarter proposals were linked to that market.

Image Source: FuelCell Energy

The appeal rests on behind-the-meter baseload power. FCEL’s standardized 12.5-megawatt FuelCell Energy Block is designed to reduce repeat engineering and permitting work while helping projects move faster in grid-constrained markets.

Bloom Energy (BE - Free Report) is relevant to the same theme, as its fuel cell systems also address on-site power needs for data centers. Enphase Energy (ENPH - Free Report) fits the broader distributed-energy backdrop through solar, battery storage and energy-management offerings.

FuelCell Energy Has Near-Term Revenue HooksKorea module deliveries give FCEL a nearer-term revenue bridge while larger data-center opportunities remain in negotiation. Scheduled shipments to Gyeonggi Green Energy helped lift second-quarter product revenues to $18 million.

Additional Korea-related deployments are expected through the rest of fiscal 2026. These shipments should support second-half product revenues, while related long-term service agreements could extend recurring revenue opportunities into fiscal 2027 and beyond.

FCEL Sees Scale as the Margin UnlockFCEL’s margin case depends heavily on manufacturing scale. The company has begun expanding its Torrington, CT, facility and is targeting annualized production capacity of up to 500 megawatts.

Management has linked adjusted EBITDA positivity to consistent annualized production at or above 100 megawatts. Current production is roughly in the low-30-megawatt range, which leaves cost absorption well below the level needed for sustained improvement.

Automation and process efficiency remain central to the plan. The company has started work on a high-volume tape caster and other capacity additions, with expansion spending expected to total $200-$275 million over about 24 months.

FuelCell Energy Still Faces Real ObstaclesThe growth narrative is not yet matched by contracted visibility. Backlog declined 9.9% year over year to $1.14 billion as of April 30, 2026, reflecting revenue burn-off that was only partly offset by new contract backlog.

The 4-gigawatt pipeline signals demand, but it is not the same as signed business. FCEL defines pipeline as commercial discussions ranging from solutions discussions to contract negotiation, and there is no assurance these opportunities become contracts or sales.

Losses also remain a major issue. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, FCEL posted a gross loss of $12.9 million, a loss from operations of $77.9 million and adjusted EBITDA of negative $17.1 million.

Image Source: FuelCell Energy

FCEL Signals a Mixed Stock SetupThe bottom line is that FCEL offers a cleaner growth setup than it did when data-center demand was a smaller part of the story, but execution still matters more than pipeline size. Investors need to see proposals convert into backlog and production rise enough to improve margins.

FCEL currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which points to favorable near-term earnings estimate trends. Its Style Scores are less convincing, with a Growth Score of B offset by a Value Score of F, Momentum Score of D and VGM Score of D.

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

That combination supports a nuanced view. The Zacks Rank reflects improving expectations, while the weak Value, Momentum and VGM scores suggest the stock does not offer a clean across-the-board profile despite the Growth Score of B.

Key Takeaways DELL trades at a lower forward valuation than SNDK despite its broader enterprise reach.DELL's record AI backlog and expanding AI ecosystem support continued infrastructure growth. SNDK's multiyear customer agreements improve revenue visibility and reduce NAND market volatility. SanDisk Corporation (SNDK - Free Report) and Dell Technologies (DELL - Free Report) are both prominent participants in the AI infrastructure buildout. SanDisk supplies flash memory and storage that increasingly underpins AI data center capacity, while Dell integrates compute, storage and networking into AI-ready systems deployed across those same data centers. Both companies are exposed to the storage side of this buildout, even as they sit at different layers of the stack.

As enterprises continue committing capital toward AI infrastructure, both companies are well-positioned to benefit from rising demand. Let's delve deep to determine which stock is a better buy.

The Case for SNDKSandisk makes NAND flash memory, built on its BiCS8 technology platform. As AI systems grow bigger, they need to hold more information while working, and NAND flash has become the cheapest way to give them that storage at scale.

SNDK’s revenues for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 jumped to $5.95 billion, up 251% from a year earlier, while gross margin expanded to 78.4% from 51.1% in the prior quarter as the AI data center segment grew at 233% sequentially. The quarter also brought a push to secure future supply, with Sandisk extending its Kioxia manufacturing joint venture through December 2034 and investing $1 billion in Nanya Technology for DRAM access, pointing to demand that extends well beyond the current upcycle.

Under its New Business Model framework, Sandisk has signed five multiyear deals, some running as long as five years, guaranteeing $42 billion in future revenues and backed by $11 billion in financial guarantees. These contracts mix fixed and variable pricing and already cover more than a third of expected bit shipments in fiscal 2027, reducing exposure to the boom and bust cycles that have long defined the NAND industry.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 revenues is pegged at $19.42 billion, implying growth of 163.99%, while the consensus mark for EPS is pegged at $65.68 compared with $2.99 in fiscal 2025, revised up by 1.32% over the past 30 days.

The Case for DELLDell integrates AI-optimized servers with enterprise storage systems such as PowerStore, PowerScale, PowerMax and ObjectScale into deployable AI factory solutions, capturing both compute and storage dollars in an AI deployment, reinforced by an expanding partner ecosystem that includes NVIDIA, Google Cloud and OpenAI.

DELL's revenues for the first quarter of fiscal 2027 jumped to $43.84 billion, up 88% from a year earlier, driven by the Infrastructure Solutions Group, which grew 181% to $29.01 billion as AI server revenues reached $16.1 billion on $24.4 billion of new orders. The gap between orders and revenue points to demand running ahead of what Dell can ship, a sign of pricing power.

Dell's AI backlog sits at a record $51.3 billion, reflecting memory chips as the binding constraint, pushing customers to lock in capacity well ahead of need. Fiscal 2027 revenues are expected to be between $165 billion and $169 billion, with AI-optimized server revenues near $60 billion, indicating that growth from here depends less on winning new orders and more on working through demand already locked in, while a forward pipeline that still runs ahead of the backlog points to more orders to come.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2027 revenues is pegged at $167.29 billion, implying growth of 47.35%, while the consensus mark for EPS is pegged at $18.66 versus $10.30 in fiscal 2026, revised up 42.2% over the past 30 days.

SNDK vs. DELL: Price Performance and ValuationYear to date, shares of DELL have jumped 244.8%, trailing SNDK's 706.5% return. Both stocks have benefited from strong AI infrastructure demand, with Sandisk's gain led by a tight NAND supply environment and a string of new multiyear pricing contracts and Dell's supported by its broader AI server, storage and PC portfolio.

SNDK vs. DELL: YTD Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

SNDK currently trades at a forward 12-month price to sales (P/S) multiple of 6.25X, well above DELL's 1.63X. Sandisk's premium to Dell appears difficult to justify given Dell's larger AI backlog, broader enterprise reach and a growing AI factory partner ecosystem spanning compute, storage and PCs.

SNDK vs. DELL: Forward 12-Month P/S Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ConclusionBoth Dell and Sandisk are well-positioned to capitalize on the broader AI infrastructure buildout. While Sandisk continues to deliver explosive growth tied to tight NAND pricing and data center demand, Dell has significantly strengthened its position through a record AI backlog and an expanding AI factory ecosystem spanning servers, storage and PCs. Given its larger and more diversified revenue base, lower valuation and broader enterprise reach, DELL appears to offer a more compelling investment opportunity than SNDK.

DELL and SNDK sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

June 25, 2026 09:00 ET  | Source: Applied Materials, Inc.

Innovations spanning DRAM and advanced packaging enable the 3D architectures behind cutting-edge AI chipsA new epitaxy system optimized for DRAM fabs adds a critical logic-class step—boosting memory speed and efficiency while maximizing output within tight fab footprint and supply constraints New CMP and deposition systems target the most critical advanced packaging steps, delivering higher-yield chip stacking for HBM and logicNew eBeam systems bring wafer-fab-grade metrology and defect review to advanced packaging, optimized to handle the unique challenges these packages present SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Materials, Inc., the leader in materials engineering for the semiconductor industry, today introduced a suite of new chipmaking systems for building the advanced 3D chip architectures that power next-generation AI.

AI compute is increasingly constrained by memory, as model scale and data movement demands outpace gains in bandwidth, capacity and energy efficiency. This growing “memory wall” is accelerating adoption of advanced packaging architectures, including high bandwidth memory (HBM) and 3D stacking. These technologies deliver step-change improvements in bandwidth and efficiency but introduce new challenges in process complexity. Applied is enabling this transition with a materials engineering portfolio spanning DRAM, advanced packaging and process control, extending its leadership across each domain to help customers bring a new generation of AI chips to production faster and at higher yield.

Enhanced Epitaxy Brings Logic-Class Technology to Next-Generation DRAM

Epitaxy has been used for years in leading-edge logic, where precision growth of a crystalline material in the transistor channel has boosted performance well beyond what geometric scaling alone can deliver. Those same techniques are now becoming critical in DRAM peripheral transistors. Applied pioneered silicon germanium epitaxy in transistor channels more than a decade ago with its Centura™ Prime™ Epi system.

Enhanced Centura™ Prime™ Epi
Applied is now introducing an enhanced Centura™ Prime™ Epi system that selectively grows doped silicon germanium and silicon phosphorous in source/drain regions, combining advanced strain engineering with precise doping control. The result is higher drive current and transistor efficiency, enabling faster, more power-efficient DRAM operation—essential for the bandwidth demands of HBM and next-generation DDR. The new system also features a 20% smaller footprint, enabling higher tool density and faster capacity scaling in DRAM fabs.

“The transistor and materials technologies that drove performance gains in leading-edge logic are now becoming essential in DRAM,” said Dr. Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials. “As DRAM scales to meet the bandwidth demands of HBM and AI workloads, the distinction between logic and memory process technology is converging. By leveraging our epitaxy leadership in leading-edge logic, Applied is uniquely positioned to drive this transition in DRAM.”

New CMP and Deposition Systems Target the Most Critical Advanced Packaging Steps

In recent years, advanced packaging has become as strategically important to the computing industry as on-chip transistor scaling. Modern AI server chips pack trillions of transistors by integrating multiple dies into a single package. HBM is a leading example of this approach, stacking DRAM chips on top of one another and connecting them with through-silicon vias (TSVs). Applied is the leader in process equipment for advanced packaging, including systems covering the majority of materials engineering steps required to create the TSVs, copper pillars and microbumps that connect stacked dies. Today, Applied is introducing three new systems targeting the most critical advanced packaging process steps.

Opta™ Quad CMP
Leveraging Applied’s leadership position in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), the Opta™ Quad platform is engineered specifically for advanced packaging, where thicker films, longer polish times and tighter tolerances raise the risk of non-uniformity and yield loss. Opta Quad continuously monitors wafer conditions during polish and dynamically adjusts in real time, improving within-wafer uniformity and total thickness variation control. This is particularly critical for hybrid bonding—an emerging 3D stacking technology in which copper wiring and surrounding dielectrics from two chips are fused together in a single step, requiring near-perfect surface planarity for high-yield results.

Nokota™ VMax™ 2 ECD
As 3D stacks scale, uneven interconnects can leave gaps that prevent reliable contact between layers. Ensuring the TSVs and microbumps are leveled across the entire wafer becomes critical to stacking yield. Nokota™ VMax™ 2 is an electrochemical deposition (ECD) system engineered for high-precision copper plating across a broad range of applications for next-generation packaging, from TSV fill for 3D stacking to fine-pitch interconnects such as microbump formation. Nokota VMax 2 introduces Adaptive Pattern Tuning (APT), which dynamically shapes the electric field to correct for layout-driven variation and improve plating uniformity across the wafer.

Producer™ Avila™ 2 PECVD
To fit more layers into a stack, HBM dies are thinned to roughly 1/25th the thickness of a standard wafer, making them prone to warpage and deformation. These effects compound as layers are added, increasing the risk of bonding failure and yield loss. Producer™ Avila™ 2 is a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system that improves the mechanical stability of ultra-thin DRAM dies by depositing stress-balanced dielectric films around TSVs, enabling reliable stacking of 12, 16, and future high-layer-count HBM designs. In addition to HBM, the system supports a range of advanced memory and logic integration schemes.

“Advanced packaging has become a primary driver of system-level performance, and the complexity of next-generation 3D architectures demands new levels of precision across every process step,” Raja said. “Applied’s leadership in dielectric CVD, ECD and CMP—combined with deep process integration expertise—gives customers the tools they need to scale 3D stacks reliably and at yield.”

New eBeam Systems Bring Wafer-Fab Process Control to Advanced Packaging

Advanced packaging fabs are encountering defect and metrology challenges once exclusively found in wafer fabs. Feature dimensions have shrunk below the resolution limit of optical inspection tools, and particles that were tolerable with larger bumps now impact yield. A single defect can require scrapping an entire HBM stack, elevating process control to a strategic priority. Applied is extending its eBeam leadership with two new systems specifically designed for advanced packaging—both engineered to handle a wide range of substrate geometries and materials.

VeritySEM™ 7AP CD Metrology
The latest in Applied’s VeritySEM™ portfolio for critical dimension (CD) metrology, VeritySEM™ 7AP enables precise measurement of features on thick, heterogeneous, and highly warped substrates common in HBM and chiplet architectures. VeritySEM AP systems automatically reconfigure to support a range of sizes and materials, while delivering sub-10nm sensitivity—orders of magnitude better than optical tools.

SEMVision™ G7AP Defect Analysis
SEMVision™ is the industry’s leading eBeam defect analysis platform. SEMVision™ G7AP extends Applied’s leadership into advanced packaging, enabling high-resolution defect review and automated classification across silicon, organic, and glass substrates. The system can accelerate yield learning by helping customers quickly distinguish critical defects from nuisance signals. SEMVision G7AP is already in production at leading memory and logic manufacturers supporting high-volume advanced packaging.

“Applied has been at the forefront of eBeam technology for decades,” said Keith Wells, Group Vice President and General Manager of the Imaging and Process Control Group at Applied Materials. “As advanced packaging geometries scale below the resolution limit of optical tools, packaging fabs need eBeam-grade precision to both redetect and classify the defects. In developing the VeritySEM 7AP and SEMVision G7AP tools, Applied is transferring proven wafer fab expertise into packaging—purpose-built for the substrates and defect challenges of 3D architectures.”

A media kit with additional information on the new systems is available on the Applied Materials website. Further details about Applied’s advanced technologies will be provided at the company’s DRAM and Advanced Packaging Master Class being held later today.

About Applied Materials
Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT) is the leader in materials engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor and advanced display in the world. The technology we create is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation chips. At Applied, we push the boundaries of science and engineering to deliver material innovation that changes the world. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.

Contact:
Ricky Gradwohl (Media) 408.235.4676
Mike Sullivan (Financial Community) 408.986.7977