Daily Point
_ Dow Jones 52,552.97 (+0.12%)
_ S&P 500 7,533.77 (-0.13%)
_ Nasdaq 25,881.95 (-1.24%)
_ Bitcoin 62,949.99 (+1.14%)
Topline Signals
- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company: Capital expenditure guidance for 2026 was raised to a range of $60 billion to $64 billion, alongside an additional $100 billion commitment to expand Arizona fabrication facilities.
- Amazon: Projected capital expenditure for artificial intelligence infrastructure between 2026 and 2027 is $389 billion, supported by a $364 billion commercial backlog carried into 2026.
- BlackRock: Assets under management reached a record $15.34 trillion in the second quarter of 2026, driven by $192 billion in quarterly net inflows and a 31% year-over-year revenue increase to $7.08 billion.
Good day.
The recent divergence in the markets—where the Nasdaq slid over one percent and semiconductor giants faced a sharp sell-off despite Taiwan Semiconductor's record-breaking seventy-seven percent profit jump—is a classic manifestation of short-term market anxiety. While retail investors panic over rising capital expenditures and temporary margin dilution from next-generation node transitions, seasoned practitioners recognize this as a prime wealth-building window. The structural reality of 2026 is defined by an unprecedented, multi-year capital cycle. Amazon’s projected three-hundred and eighty-nine billion dollar infrastructure spend through 2027 and TSMC’s elevated sixty to sixty-four billion dollar capex guidance prove that the physical buildout of artificial intelligence is not a speculative bubble, but an accelerating global migration.
As we approach next week's critical earnings slate, featuring highly anticipated updates from Alphabet, Tesla, and Intel, the market's short-sighted focus on immediate margins will likely generate further volatility. This noise is your greatest ally. True financial independence is built by aggressively capitalizing on these asymmetric entry points, accumulating dominant infrastructure assets while the crowd hesitates. Whether it is the physical real estate of data centers, the energy grids powering them, or sovereign-grade digital assets like Bitcoin—which continues to absorb supply and consolidate its strength—the objective is to align your capital with terminal structural trends. Ignore the daily terminal screens, look past the quarterly noise, and focus on owning the foundational rails of the future economy.
Weekly Schedule
17 Jul (Friday)
CPI
Export Price Index
Import Price Index
Housing Starts
Building Permits
Housing Starts
Industrial Production
Industrial Production
Michigan Consumer Sentiment
Michigan 1-Year Inflation Expectations
Michigan 5-Year Inflation Expectations
Michigan Consumer Expectations
Atlanta Fed GDPNow
U.S. Baker Hughes Oil Rig Count
U.S. Baker Hughes Total Rig Count
CFTC S&P 500 speculative net positions
CFTC Nasdaq 100 speculative net positions
CFTC Gold speculative net positions
CFTC Crude Oil speculative net positions
18 Jul (Saturday)
19 Jul (Sunday)
20 Jul (Monday)
US Leading Index
Starbucks Earnings Call
21 Jul (Tuesday)
ADP Employment Change Weekly
API Weekly Crude Oil Stock
Danaher Earnings Call
Charles Schwab Earnings Call
22 Jul (Wednesday)
CPI
20-Year Bond Auction
Alphabet Earnings Call
ServiceNow Earnings Call
Philip Morris International Earnings Call
AT&T Earnings Call
Tesla Earnings Call
Texas Instruments Earnings Call
23 Jul (Thursday)
Crude Oil Inventories
Cushing Crude Oil Inventories
20-Year Bond Auction
ECB Interest Rate Decision (Jul)
Deposit Facility Rate (Jul)
Initial Jobless Claims
Continuing Jobless Claims
ECB Press Conference
Blackstone Earnings Call
Comcast Earnings Call
Freeport-McMoRan Earnings Call
Honeywell Earnings Call
Intel Earnings Call
Lockheed Martin Earnings Call
RTX Corporation Earnings Call
Union Pacific Earnings Call
General
US markets steady as TSMC delivers record profit and investors await key economic data: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Wall Street Futures
The latest inflation data strengthened expectations that the Federal Reserve will leave interest rates unchanged in the near term. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE:TSM) reported record quarterly earnings, highlighting continued strength in global demand for artificial intelligence chips. The company posted a 77% increase in second-quarter net profit to T$706.6 billion (US$22 billion), comfortably exceeding analysts’ expectations. Stronger-than-expected earnings and economic data would reinforce confidence in the resilience of the US economy, while weaker figures could revive concerns over slowing growth following this year’s strong stock market gains. Investors are also preparing for another busy session of corporate earnings and economic releases. June retail sales figures and the latest weekly jobless claims data are expected to provide fresh insight into the health of US consumer spending and labour market conditions.
Mortgage and refinance interest rates today, Thursday, July 16, 2026: Rates on the rise
According to Freddie Mac, the lowest-ever 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 2.65%. This was the national average in January 2021. It is extremely unlikely that rates will dip below 3% again anytime soon. Some experts say it's worth refinancing when you can lock in a rate that's 2% less than your current mortgage rate. Others say 1% is the magic number.
The Safest Retirement Portfolio Isn’t the One Most Financial Advisors Recommend
Core PCE inflation sat at an index level of 130.082 in May 2026, up 3.4% from a year earlier. Southern’s dividend grew about 5.6% from $0.72 in 2024 to $0.76 in 2026. Realty Income’s annualized dividend grew from $3.186 in early 2025 to $3.252 in June 2026, a gain of about 2.1%.
Insteel Industries Q3 Earnings Call Highlights
$9 million, or $0.46 per share, from $15.2 million a year ago as higher raw material, freight and manufacturing costs outweighed modest shipment growth and higher selling prices. Demand remains mixed: infrastructure activity stayed reasonably strong, while private non-residential construction was weak and some data center-related shipments were delayed by weather and customer scheduling issues rather than cancelled. The company remains financially solid with $22.9 million in cash, no borrowings on its credit facility, and continued share buybacks, while management is also pushing through another price increase to help offset persistent inflationary pressure. Insteel Industries (NYSE:IIIN) reported lower fiscal third-quarter earnings as higher selling prices and modestly improved shipments were outweighed by rising raw material, freight and manufacturing costs, executives said on the company's earnings call. Scot Jafroodi, vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer, said net earnings fell to $9 million, or $0.46 per share, from $15.2 million, or $0.78 per share, in the prior-year quarter. He said third-quarter shipments increased 1.7% year over year, supported by infrastructure activity, while broader private non-residential construction remained soft. "Despite the decline in earnings, underlying demand trends remain generally favorable," Jafroodi said. He added that wet weather in certain regions and scheduling and delivery delays on several customer projects, including data center-related projects, slowed shipments during the quarter. The company views those delays as timing-related rather than evidence of weaker demand. Margins pressured by higher costs Average selling prices rose 8.1% from the prior-year quarter and 2.3% sequentially, reflecting pricing actions taken over the past year to offset higher steel wire rod, freight and operating costs. However, Jafroodi said gross profit declined to $20.1 million from $30.8 million a year earlier, while gross margin narrowed to 10.2% from 17.1%. The year-over-year margin decline was driven primarily by narrower spreads between selling prices and raw material costs, higher freight and manufacturing costs, and lower production volumes that increased unit conversion costs. Sequentially, gross profit improved by $3.6 million from the second quarter, and gross margin rose 60 basis points, reflecting higher shipment volumes and improved spreads. For the fourth quarter, Jafroodi said Insteel expects gross margins to remain near current levels, with the potential for modest improvement. He said that outlook depends on steady demand, improved manufacturing efficiency from higher production volumes and additional pricing increases sufficient to offset ongoing inflationary pressure. President and Chief Executive Officer H. Woltz said the company has "struggled to get in front of costs that are rising substantially in every aspect of the business." He said Insteel recently announced another price increase, effective July 13, to recover rising costs. "You either absorb these costs or you pass them along, and our choice is to pass them along and not absorb them," Woltz said during the question-and-answer session. Woltz characterized infrastructure markets as "reasonably strong" and private non-residential construction, excluding data centers, as "quite weak." He said data center project delays discussed on the prior quarter's call continued into the third quarter, but the company has not seen cancellations. "We expect shipments to private non-res markets, including our data center projects, to accelerate during the current quarter and to remain strong through the end of the calendar year," Woltz said. In response to a question from Julio Romero of Sidoti, Woltz said the company is involved in multiple data center projects, not just one, and that shipments are expected to occur regularly once contractors are ready for the material. He said Insteel is focused on projects that are permitted and funded. Woltz also said the company sees broader long-term opportunities for its engineered structural mesh products beyond data centers, particularly in larger buildings where faster construction is important to owners and contractors. He said the company expects markets it did not participate in two years ago to become a meaningful part of revenue over time. Balance sheet remains debt-free Jafroodi said operating activities generated $13.7 million of cash during the quarter, driven primarily by net earnings. Working capital had a minimal impact, providing about $500,000 of cash. Inventories increased by $7.9 million due to continued wire rod purchasing and higher average raw material costs, mostly offset by a $7.8 million increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses. Inventory at quarter-end represented approximately 3.5 months of forecast fourth-quarter shipments, up slightly from 3.4 months at the end of the second quarter. Jafroodi said inventories have remained elevated in fiscal 2026 as the company supplemented domestic wire rod purchases with offshore material to support customer demand and reduce supply risk. He said inventories are expected to decline monthly during the fourth quarter as seasonal shipment activity progresses. The company ended the quarter with $22.9 million of cash and no borrowings outstanding on its $100 million revolving credit facility. Insteel repurchased 75,000 shares for $1.9 million during the quarter. Jafroodi said the company's capital allocation priorities remain investing in the business, maintaining a strong balance sheet and returning excess capital to shareholders through dividends and disciplined buybacks. Capital expenditures totaled $3.2 million in the quarter. Jafroodi said Insteel now expects full-year capital spending of approximately $15 million, down from a previous estimate of $20 million, due to project timing rather than changes in investment plans. Woltz said the investments will support growth in engineered structural mesh, reduce cash production costs and strengthen information systems. Tariffs and raw material costs remain key issues Woltz said the steel industry has been heavily affected by the administration's tariff policy. He said the Section 232 tariff of 50% on steel imports has pushed U.S. hot-rolled wire rod prices, Insteel's primary raw material, to levels 50% to 100% above global market prices. He said the extension of Section 232 tariffs to downstream products derived from hot-rolled steel has reduced imports of prestressed concrete strand, or PC strand. For the first four months of calendar 2026, Woltz said PC strand imports fell 30% from the prior year, based on the most recent data available. Still, Woltz said foreign competitors can acquire hot-rolled steel at world market prices and pay the tariff, meaning "their economics still work" despite higher uncertainty and costs. He also said Insteel will continue importing the portion of its wire rod requirements it cannot source domestically because domestic production remains below domestic demand. Jafroodi cited mixed construction indicators, including a May Architecture Billings Index reading of 44.5, a June decline in the Dodge Momentum Index and May construction spending data showing strength in highway and street construction but weaker total non-residential construction spending year over year. He said the indicators support the company's view that the near-term environment remains mixed while underlying demand drivers in key end markets remain supportive. "Despite our relatively weak financial performance in Q3, I'm glad to report that we believe market conditions are holding up reasonably well and certainly well enough to support better financial performance from our company," Woltz said.
Visa: A Smart Way to Invest in the Cashless Economy (NYSE:V)
During its fiscal 2026 second quarter (ended March 31), the business processed $4.4 trillion in total payment volume (TPV). That figure increased by 142% in the past decade. For comparison, on an annualized basis, this represents about 15% of the entire world's gross domestic product (GDP). There are 5 billion Visa cards in use around the world, and 175 million merchant locations accept them as a form of payment. In the past decade, revenue rose at a compound annual rate of 211%.
Mortgage rates rose again amid renewed tensions with Iran
The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.55% this week through Wednesday, up from 6.49% a week earlier, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage applications dropped last week through Friday, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Dallas Fed's Lorie Logan calls for higher interest rates
Dallas Federal Reserve President Lorie Logan called Thursday for modestly higher interest rates, arguing that inflation remains too far above the Fed's 2% target and that current policy is not doing enough to bring it back down. "I currently believe modestly higher interest rates would better balance the outlook and risks for the FOMC's dual mandate goals," Logan said in prepared remarks for a Houston speech. "Every month of above-target inflation has compounded the strain on Americans' budgets." Logan, a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee this year, said her best judgment is that inflation is heading toward the "mid 2's" — not all the way back to 2%. She pointed to several measures to support that view: core PCE inflation stands at 3.4% and has risen since December, the New York Fed's multivariate core trend model also puts the persistent component of inflation at 3.4%, and market-based non-housing core services inflation has made no progress on a 12-month basis since mid-2024. Logan acknowledged that June's Consumer Price Index data showed a monthly decline, driven in part by falling energy prices and softening housing costs. But she said one positive month was not sufficient. "One month of relief is not enough. It is time to finish the job of restoring price stability," she said. She described the labor market as solid, with the unemployment rate averaging 4.3% in the first half of the year and employers adding an average of 92,000 jobs per month. That stability, she argued, removes a key obstacle to tightening policy. "If inflation is not heading all the way to 2 percent on its own, then at least some policy restriction is needed to help get it there," Logan said. "Better modest restriction now than severe restriction later."
The Latest Inflation Data Is Good News for the Stock Market. Here's Why.
The Consumer Price Index rose 3.5% year over year in June, and 2.6% excluding volatile food and fuel prices (so-called "core" inflation). Both are down from May. And the CPI actually decreased 0.4% in June from the previous month, while core inflation was unchanged. That monthly decline in June was the largest one-month decrease since April 2020. The average price of gasoline in the U.S., including all formulations of gas, fell from $4.48 a gallon on May 25 to $3.81 on June 29, according to Federal Reserve data.
Realty Income Is the Dividend Stock I'd Buy as Cooling Inflation Turns Into a Tailwind
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.5% year over year in June, down sharply from 4.2% in May and below economists' expectations, as gasoline prices posted their biggest monthly drop in years. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, cooled to 2.6% from 2.9%. Market pricing now points to an 86% chance the central bank holds steady at its July 29 meeting, according to CME FedWatch data. At about $63 per share, the stock's annualized dividend of about $3.25 works out to a yield just over 5.1%.
Lucid Just Soared 29% After Calling Bankruptcy Rumors "Completely False." Here's What Its Balance Sheet Actually Shows.
Lucid's first-quarter update in May showed the company ended the quarter with about $700 million in cash and cash equivalents, and about $3.2 billion in total liquidity, a figure that includes its undrawn credit capacity. NASDAQ: LCID Key Data Points But that snapshot misses the capital Lucid raised in April. The company announced a raise of about $1.05 billion, made up of $550 million in convertible preferred stock issued to an affiliate of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), $300 million from a common stock offering, and a $200 million equity investment from Uber Technologies. Uber's investment came alongside a partnership that is expected to put Lucid vehicles into a planned robotaxi service. Additionally, Lucid drew $500 million from a delayed-draw term loan provided by the PIF, leaving about $2 billion of that facility undrawn. Adding it all up, management put the company's pro forma total liquidity at about $4.7 billion. That is a lot of capital. And it explains the confidence behind the company's denial. The problem, however, is how quickly the money is going out. Lucid's net loss in the first quarter was about $1 billion, and even its non-GAAP (adjusted) EBITDA, which strips out many non-cash costs, was a loss of about $781 million. Operations consumed about $1.2 billion in cash during the period, and capital expenditures added another $253 million. In other words, the company burned through more than $1.4 billion in a single quarter. The same burn shows up in the liquidity trend, which fell from about $4.6 billion at the end of 2025 to $3.2 billion just one quarter later. Run the math on that burn rate, and $4.7 billion covers a bit more than three quarters, carrying Lucid into early 2027. So the company's claim that it can operate "well into next year" checks out. However, the claim doesn't promise anything beyond that. Lucid's first-quarter revenue of $282.5 million, though up 20% year over year, doesn't come close to covering the cost of running the business. Neither does a full year of sales: The company's revenue for all of 2025 was about $1.35 billion, less than it burned through in this year's first quarter alone. Of course, the PIF, Lucid's majority shareholder through its affiliate, has repeatedly stepped up with fresh capital. In early July, Lucid drew another $800 million from that PIF-backed term loan, fresh evidence the backstop is still intact.
Bitcoin
Tether invests $20 million in Argentine neobank Ualá as it expands Latin America push
$184 billion in circulation. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.
Bitcoin pulls back to $64,000 after hitting monthly high as bears take control
Bitcoin retreated to $64,000 after hitting a monthly high of $65,500 on Wednesday as profit-taking and Iranian strikes on U.S. military bases in the Gulf triggered declines. Bears are leading price action across most altcoins, with negative cumulative volume deltas pointing to market-order selling. Open interest in XRP futures climbed to a 10-day high alongside a price decline, a combination that typically signals growing bearish exposure. Derivatives positioning Ether's price has dropped by 1.7% since midnight UTC, slightly more than the decline in bitcoin. ETH's underperformance seems driven by bullish plays unwinding rather than aggressive new short selling. That’s evident from the decline in open interest (OI) to 14.35 million ETH from the five-week high of 14.45 million ETH hit Wednesday. Futures tied to BTC show similar dynamics. Meanwhile, OI in XRP rose to a 10-day high of 2.21 billion XRP alongside a 0.6% drop in the spot price. This combination is taken to represent a growing bias for bearish exposure, although XRP’s positive funding rates contradict that interpretation. That said, the 24-hour cumulative volume delta (CVD) for XRP is negative, meaning short plays are being executed at market orders rather than passive limit orders. Another notable open interest gainer is SUI, the native token of the Sui blockchain. Positions have increased by 15%, although the total OI of 654 million tokens remains in line with levels seen earlier this week. The SUI token has dropped almost 2% over 24 hours. Broadly speaking, most coins, except BTC, ETH and XMR, have a negative 24 hour OI-adjusted cumulative volume delta (CVD), a sign of bears leading the price action. Bitcoin’s 30-day implied or expected volatility index is up 2% at 38%. Volatility tends to be mean-reverting, and, historically, sub-40% readings have consistently presaged renewed market turbulence. In Deribit-listed options, there has been a notable rise in both trading volume and open interest in BTC calls at $70,000 and $72,000 strikes. This likely reflects a large bull call spread that crossed the tape recently. The strategy bets that prices will rally to $72,000 by the end of July. In ETH’s case, the end-July expiry call at the $2,300 strike is the most traded bet of the past 24 hours. A call represents a bullish bet on the market. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.
Galaxy targets institutional stablecoin yield with new DeFi vaults
Galaxy Digital (GLXY) has launched an institutional vault curation business on decentralized lending protocol Morpho, expanding its push into onchain finance with a product designed to help clients earn yield on idle stablecoin balances without managing decentralized finance (DeFi) infrastructure themselves. The offering, called Galaxy Curator, is available through Fireblocks Earn, giving the custody platform's more than 2,400 institutional clients access to curated onchain lending strategies from within their existing treasury and custody workflows, the company said in a press release Thursday. Galaxy said its vaults apply the same collateral standards, exposure limits and market monitoring used across its institutional lending and trading businesses while allowing clients to retain control of assets at the protocol level. Transactions continue to flow through Fireblocks' existing approval, signing and policy controls. The product launches with two strategies built on Morpho's lending infrastructure. A Quality Vault allocates capital exclusively to markets backed by blue-chip collateral with an emphasis on capital preservation, while an Enhanced Vault expands into higher-yielding assets, including liquid restaking tokens, Pendle principal tokens and Ethena products, in pursuit of higher returns with greater risk. Galaxy said the business draws on its broader institutional platform, which includes an average loan book of $1.4 billion, more than $3 billion in staked assets across five custodians and a distribution network of more than 1,600 institutional counterparties. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.
Morning Minute: Base Hands Its App Over to Cobie
The Bitcoin ETFs saw $107M in net inflows on Wednesday; the ETH ETFs saw $54M in inflows.
Is the RWA Boom an Illusion? Experts React to Tokenization’s Liquidity Gap
The tokenized real-world asset market has reached more than $60 billion, but most of that value remains concentrated, restricted, or inactive on-chain. BeInCrypto Intelligence's Real State of Tokenization in 2026 report, built with market data from RWA.xyz, tracked more than 7,000 products across 12 asset classes. It found that just 62 assets hold 88% of the market value, while five products account for roughly half. Of 1,289 tokenized assets worth more than $100,000, only 910 assets representing $32.9 billion recorded zero weekly transfers. Around $27 billion of the dormant value came from Represented assets. Many were designed for recordkeeping and institutional settlement rather than public trading. The report distinguishes between Distributed assets, which can move across public blockchain rails, and Represented assets, which mainly use blockchain as a digital record.
Tokenized stocks market cap gains to record $2.3B
The cumulative trading volume of xStocks exceeded $25 billion within about eight months of launch. About $15 billion in tokenized US Treasury debt represents the largest segment, or 44%, of the RWA market, followed by $4.5 billion in tokenized commodities, accounting for 13%, according to data provider RWA.xyz.
Gambling on random Pokémon cards: Onchain gagcha hits record high as crypto sinks
$2.5 billion in sales, up 87% from a year earlier. Collector Crypt has tokenized roughly $40 million worth of cards and comic books, according to Campbell. About $23 million of that inventory belongs to the platform itself, while the rest sits in user wallets or has already been redeemed.
Crypto brokerage firm Alpaca raises $135 million for tokenized stock infrastructure
The company at one pointed cleared or custodied roughly 94% of tokenized U.S. equities, now holding over $1.5 billion in underlying stocks for its partners. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.
The Clarity Act is the most important consumer protection effort in years
The collapse of FTX nearly four years ago made it clear that the U.S. lacked a workable regulatory regime that properly protected digital asset investors and consumers. Consumers were hurt after the collapse of FTX because basic protections either arrived too late or were missing altogether. Many did not know where their assets were held, whether their property was held separate from the platform’s funds, or what would happen if the company failed. The Clarity Act would establish strong consumer protections in markets before crises occur. The Act would establish clear federal rules for the centralized platforms, brokers, dealers, and custodians that consumers use to buy, sell, and hold digital assets. Those rules would cover registration, supervision, disclosure, custody, segregation, market integrity, conflicts of interest, fraud prevention, and bankruptcy. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.
Crypto for Advisors: Strengthening defenses against AI fraud
$20.9 billion in cybercrime losses in 2025, with cryptocurrency the most common payment channel (FBI). Chainalysis estimates that as much as $17 billion flowed to crypto scams over the same period, and found that operations linked to AI tools were roughly 4.5 times more profitable than those without. The average scam payment more than tripled year over year, to $2,764. Chainalysis recorded a roughly 1,400% increase in impersonation scams. Real-time face-swap tools, voice cloning and large language models let a bad actor appear as a client’s advisor, a fund principal or a support agent — including on live video. Verifying identity by “hopping on a call” is no longer sufficient. “Pig butchering” investment scams, built on weeks of relationship-building, cost victims $7.2 billion in 2025. AI systems now sustain those conversations continuously and across many targets at once. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.
Keyrock acquires BlockFills trading assets to expand institutional crypto business
Keyrock acquired the trading and brokerage assets of BlockFills' institutional digital asset business. The transaction expands Keyrock's derivatives capabilities, client base and regulatory footprint in the Cayman Islands and, pending approval, the U.K. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.
Investors’ Skepticism Over Rapid Transitions Weighed on IREN Limited (IREN) in Q2
IREN Limited (NASDAQ:IREN) is Australia-based vertically integrated data center infrastructure company. IREN Limited (NASDAQ:IREN) posted a one-month return of -41.14%, while its shares gained 95.51% over the past 52 weeks. Shares detracted from performance during the quarter as investors weighed the company's rapid transition toward AI infrastructure against declining Bitcoin mining revenue, elevated capital needs, and execution risk tied to large data center and GPU deployments. According to our database, 53 hedge fund portfolios held IREN Limited (NASDAQ:IREN) at the end of the first quarter, up from 46 in the previous quarter.
Bitcoin hashrate falls 6.3% as mining capital shifts toward AI
Hashrate Index reported Thursday that Bitcoin's 30-day average network hashrate fell 6.3% quarter over quarter to about 940 EH/s, roughly 12% below the December 2025 peak of 1,066 EH/s. The United States retained the largest national share of hashrate at 36.7%, or approximately 345 EH/s, according to Hashrate Index.
Visa backs Open USD with new stablecoin platform as Circle faces fresh competition
Visa introduced the Visa Stablecoin Platform on Thursday, giving financial institutions tools to issue, store and transfer Open USD stablecoins. The platform combines wallet infrastructure, stablecoin issuance and Visa's payment network to simplify blockchain-based payments and settlement. Circle shares fell about 5% as competition in the stablecoin market intensified following Visa's support for Open Standard's Open USD. Visa introduced a new platform aimed at making it easier for banks, fintech companies and crypto firms to build products using stablecoins, expanding its push into blockchain-based payments as competition in the sector intensifies. The company announced on Thursday that it was launching the Visa Stablecoin Platform (VSP), an enterprise service that allows institutions to issue, store, transfer and redeem stablecoins through a single Visa-managed system. The platform launched with support for Open USD (OpenUSD), a recently introduced stablecoin from Open Standard, and includes tools for minting and redeeming the token along with wallet infrastructure for managing onchain assets. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.
Tradable’s $1B Stellar deal adds to institutional tokenization boom
$500 million in notional value is expected to be available when the initiative launches, and it will increase the amount to $1 billion over time. Private credit has emerged as the largest segment of the tokenized RWA market, accounting for roughly 44% of the sector’s value, according to Bernstein analysts.
Citadel Securities invests $400 million in Crypto.com, valuing exchange at $20 billion
Citadel Securities invests $400 million in Crypto.com, valuing exchange at $20 billion The exchange's first institutional funding round values it at $20 billion and will fund expansion into tokenized securities and derivatives. - Citadel Securities invested $400 million in Crypto.com, valuing the company at $20 billion. - The deal marks Crypto.com's first institutional fundraising round since its founding in 2016. Crypto.com secured a $400 million strategic investment from market maker Citadel Securities in a deal that values the crypto exchange at $20 billion, marking the firm’s first institutional funding round since it was founded a decade ago, the company said in a press release Thursday. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.
Here’s what happened in crypto today
The US Senate has adopted a resolution opposing executive clemency for former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, the convicted crypto executive behind one of the industry’s largest collapses. Morgan Stanley said it plans to migrate custody services to its Morgan Stanley Digital Trust once operational.
Bitcoin outlook improves amid 6% weekly gain: Can BTC bulls push higher?
Funding rates spent most of the past week between 0.10% and 0.22%, then cooled sharply to 0.048%. Paired with open interest down 3.4% from Tuesday’s peak, this suggests leverage unwinding without a corresponding price decline, as Bitcoin was down only about 1.5% over the same stretch. Despite the traction in spot, futures, and ETF markets, market sentiment has yet to catch up. The Fear & Greed Index sits near 26, still in “Fear” territory, despite Bitcoin’s roughly 4.4% bounce off its recent $62,100 low. Currently, funding is cooling toward neutral, spot ETF flows remain negative for the year, and a cluster of long liquidations sits roughly 1.5% below the current price ($63,200).
Bitcoin liquidity clusters determine BTC’s price direction as futures flow fuels price
Increased activity across Bitcoin’s (BTC) futures markets is playing the dominant role in its short-term price action, which keeps tracing back to where leveraged positions are stacked. Combined, long-side liquidity across the tracked window outweighs short-side liquidity by nearly two to one, potentially signaling that the bulk of a leverage built up over the past month hasn’t fully closed out. The last few weeks of price action suggest that Bitcoin may remain rangebound between $60,000 and $67,000, and BTC’s aggregate open interest and funding rate back this view.
Bitcoin under $64,000 after new U.S. strike on Iran. Trump's China comment adds to uncertainty
BTC, the leading cryptocurrency by market value, slipped to $63,600, extending Thursday’s nearly 1.4% slide from $65,000, according to CoinDesk data. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.
Strategy (MSTR) Stock Could Be 43% Undervalued As Bitcoin Sales Fund Dividends
Strategy stock has had a punishing year but still sits on a 113.3% gain over three years. The recent launch of the BTC Monetization Program, including the $216 million Bitcoin sale to fund preferred dividends, helps explain why the market still prices Strategy below what the cash flow model suggests. Strategy currently trades at a P/B of about 0.9x, compared with roughly 2.8x for the broader Software industry and around 7.3x across its peer group. That places the stock at a large discount to both the sector and similar companies, indicating that the market is pricing Strategy's equity below the value of its reported net assets. This gap may reflect concern about the quality and volatility of those assets, especially the large Bitcoin position and the recent shift to a BTC Monetization Program. Even so, the figures point to a comparatively low book-based valuation for common shareholders. One of the top community narratives on Strategy: 87% undervalued "The scaling of Strategy's digital credit factory, including STRC, STRK, STRD and STRF, is creating a differentiated, tax-deferred income platform that can capture flows out of traditional money markets and private credit..." Strategy screens as undervalued on both the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) intrinsic value estimate and book based multiples, which is a rare alignment for this stock. The catch is that these signals sit alongside a mixed overall check score and a balance sheet increasingly tied to Bitcoin monetization decisions.
Bitcoin ETFs add $368M in three-day buying streak
The inflows came as Bitcoin briefly climbed above $65,000 on Wednesday for the first time since late June, according to CoinGecko. The latest inflows pushed July’s spot Bitcoin ETF flows back into positive territory after the market recorded net outflows of $4.51 billion in June and $2.4 billion in May. If the trend continues, July would become the first month of positive net flows since April, when US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $1.97 billion in inflows. As of Friday, US spot Bitcoin ETFs were down around $5.4 billion in net flows for 2026.
Ether falls twice as hard as bitcoin and HYPE drops 10% as the chip trade unwinds
Ether fell about 4 percent to $1,850, underperforming bitcoin despite strong inflows of nearly $97 million into U.S. spot ether ETFs this week, most of it into BlackRock’s funds. CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.
The Latest Inflation Print Was Cooler. Does That Make Crypocurrencies a Buy?
At the same time, corporate treasuries and Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) continue absorbing the asset's supply even during the plunge that started last October.
Semiconductor
Wall Street Breakfast Podcast: TSMC Chips In $100B More
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) plans to invest an additional $100B to expand its U.S. chipmaking capacity. This expands the company’s total investment plan to $265B. The additional investment will fund the construction of four new chip fabrication plants to produce logic chips with 2-nanometer process technology. Uber Technologies (UBER) launched a public takeover offer for Germany's Delivery Hero (DLVHF), valuing the food delivery company at about $14.8B in equity value. The acquisition is conditional on securing acceptances representing at least 50% plus one share of Delivery Hero's (DLVHF) outstanding stock. Uber (UBER) currently holds an economic interest of about 37% in Delivery Hero (DLVHF), including equity derivatives, while Prosus, which owns about 17% of the company, has agreed to tender its shares into the offer.
3 Hypergrowth Tech Stocks to Load Up On Now
Micron told investors that it expects the shortage in the memory chip market to persist beyond 2027. For fiscal year (FY) 2027 (which ended in June), Wall Street expects Sandisk's revenue to rise 143%. Micron's FY 2026 ends next month, so using FY 2027's projections is valid. Next year, Wall Street expects 81% growth, easily meeting hypergrowth levels. There is a huge demand for Nvidia's GPUs (graphic processing units) and other products. During its last quarter, Nvidia reported 85% revenue growth, and next quarter, Wall Street expects nearly 100% growth.
TSMC raises capex and revenue forecast, highlighting growing AI chip demand
TSMC, which is the primary chip supplier for Nvidia (NVDA), now expects capital expenditures of $60 billion to $64 billion in 2026, at least $4 billion above its previous forecast. The company also raised its revenue growth projection to slightly more than 40%, well above the 30%-plus increase it had previously anticipated.
TSMC Q2 2026 earnings: record profit, $100 billion Arizona investment
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. reported second-quarter net income of NT$706.56 billion, a 77.4% increase from the same period a year earlier and a record for the fifth consecutive quarter, the company said Thursday. Second-quarter revenue came in at NT$1.27 trillion ($40.20 billion), up 36% year-over-year. For 2026, TSMC lifted its capital expenditure outlook to a range of $60 billion to $64 billion, compared with previous guidance of $52 billion to $56 billion, the company said. TSMC also indicated that aggregate capital spending across the coming three years would outpace what it spent in the three years prior, according to Reuters.
Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures mixed as chip stocks slide after TSMC earnings
TSMC reported record second quarter revenue and lifted its capex spending outlook for the year, but the stock fell in premarket trading after the company warned of higher prices.
TSMC Profit Jumps 77% but Shares Still Slip Premarket
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM), the world's largest contract chipmaker, reported second-quarter net income of NT$706.56 billion ($22.36 billion), up 77.4% from a year earlier, on revenue of NT$1,270.38 billion ($40.20 billion), up 36.0%.
TSMC Stock Falls After Earnings. Why Strong Guidance Wasn't Enough
Taiwan Semiconductor projected third-quarter revenue of $44.6 billion to $45.8 billion, with a midpoint of $45.2 billion, above analysts' expectations. The company said continued demand for its advanced 2-nanometer chip technology is expected to support growth during the quarter. The proposed expansion would add four fabrication plants, raising Taiwan Semiconductor's U.S. manufacturing network to 10 fabs and two advanced packaging facilities. The investment underscores the company's effort to increase production capacity outside Taiwan as demand for advanced semiconductors continues to grow.
The AI Supply Chain Just Confirmed Nvidia's Future
TSMC and ASML both raised guidance, confirming AI infrastructure remains supply constrained, while Rubin's N3 node is fully booked and CoWoS capacity expands nearly 50%. Qualification of Samsung, SK hynix and Micron for HBM4 reduces supply-chain risk as the industry shifts toward higher-capacity 16-Hi HBM4 memory.
TSMC Q2 Earnings Review: There's No Stopping The Juggernaut
Taiwan Semiconductor delivered stellar Q2 2026 results, with revenues up 34% y/y to $40.2B and robust margin expansion driven by AI demand. TSM's HPC segment grew 47.4% y/y, now 66% of revenues, while advanced 2nm node ramp and aggressive capex underpin its technology leadership. Despite near-term margin dilution from 2nm and elevated capex, I see TSM trading at a 30% discount to fair value ($526/share) and view current weakness as a buying opportunity.
Billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller's Top Holding Isn't Nvidia. Instead, It's This Under-the-Radar Stock That Wall Street Loves.
According to Grand View Research, the global genetic testing market was valued at only $11.7 billion in 2024, but is expected to reach $39.3 billion by 2030. Natera generated $2.3 billion, which was a 35.9% increase from 2024. In the first quarter of 2026, it also saw a 50%+ increase in processed oncology tests. It exceeded one million processed tests in a quarter for the first time. It also reported revenue of $697 million, a 39% increase, and Natera also boosted the midpoint of its full-year sales guidance by $120 million.
Nvidia Might Be a Massive Winner as SpaceX’s Orbital Data Centers Take Off
Jensen Huang confirmed Vera Rubin faces no production delays, positioning Nvidia to deliver massive chip volumes. SpaceX's orbital data center buildout gives Nvidia a surprise revenue catalyst through space-ready Vera Rubin chips and CUDA software that analysts probably haven't fully priced in. With the Vera Rubin boom still up ahead, with Nvidia's top boss Jensen Huang shooting down recent reports that there were delays in production, it feels like the one big catalyst is ready to finally deliver for the $5.2 trillion titan. Nvidia's path going into the second half As it stands, Vera Rubin hasn't been delayed; it's actually poised to deliver "giant amounts" of chips, and that may very well set the stage for blowout quarters to come.
The Biggest Reason I’m Buying Nvidia Over and Over Right Now
Q1 fiscal 2027 revenue landed at $81.615 billion, up 85.2% year over year, with non-GAAP EPS of $1.87 topping the $1.7738 consensus. Data Center revenue hit $75.246 billion, up 92%, with networking alone up 199%. Net income grew 210.63%, outrunning revenue growth. That is operating leverage I can measure. Non-GAAP gross margin expanded to 75.0% from 60.8% a year earlier. Return on equity sits at 101.5%, ROIC at 92.2%, and debt/equity at 0.073. Free cash flow in the quarter reached $48.554 billion. Management responded by raising the dividend from $0.01 to $0.25 per share and authorizing an additional $80.0 billion in buybacks with no expiration. In Q1 alone, roughly $20.0 billion was returned to shareholders. Total supply-related commitments stand at $119.0 billion, backed by multi-year deals with Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) for millions of Blackwell and Rubin GPUs, OpenAI’s 10-gigawatt deployment commitment, and CoreWeave’s 5-plus gigawatt buildout through 2030. Guidance for Q2 calls for $91.0 billion in revenue at the same 75% gross margin, and that guide excludes China entirely.
At $905 Here Are 3 Reasons Not to Buy Micron Today
Q3 revenue landed at $41.456 billion, beating consensus by 17.60%, and non-GAAP EPS of $25.11 beat by 23.79%. Q4 guidance calls for $50 billion in revenue and $31 in EPS at the midpoint, with gross margin near 86%. Management has signed 16 Strategic Customer Agreements carrying roughly $100 billion in floor-priced revenue over five years, backed by $22 billion in customer cash deposits and letters of credit. CEO Sanjay Mehrotra says HBM4 12-high is ramping twice as fast as HBM3E, and Wall Street’s consensus target of $1,486 implies substantial upside. HBM execution: HBM4 is generating over $1 billion in quarterly revenue with a single lead customer, and HBM4E volume production is not slated until calendar 2027. Any yield stumble, qualification delay, or lost socket resets the entire margin narrative. Full-year FY2026 capex is guided to roughly $27 billion, with fiscal 2027 quarterly spending running above the Q4 pace. The 10-year Treasury sits at 4.58%, in the 98th percentile of the past year, as Micron writes checks for Idaho, New York, Taiwan, and Singapore fabs. Micron will almost certainly print the guided Q4, order books stretch into 2027, and the SCAs make a 2016-style price crash unlikely. But management just admitted “we are at margin levels where incremental price yields less gross margin expansion” and flagged a $1 billion opex increase for FY2027. Existing holders face a different calculus than new buyers at $905, who would be underwriting a second leg the company itself is guiding to moderate. MU is off 4.69% on the week, 16.87% on the month, and fell 8.02% in the most recent session. The 50-day moving average of $907.42 is now essentially the price. Concentration risk is acute. HBM4 revenue depends on one lead customer. Any AI capex hiccup at a single hyperscaler reprices 33% of Micron’s mix overnight. Layer on $27 billion in fiscal 2026 capex, a $325 million debt prepayment loss last quarter, and a 10-year yield in the 98th percentile, and the financing backdrop for that spend is the worst it has been in a year. What would invalidate the Sell? A clean HBM4E ramp with a second named lead customer, or SCA revenue crossing 50% of the mix with floor prices materially above prior peak margins. Neither is visible yet.
Micron signs deals with Qualcomm, others for AI-powered automobile chip components
Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said in June the company signed 16 strategic customer agreements, as he expects data center-driven growth will be increasingly complemented by AI-enabled features in smartphones, high-end PCs, automotive applications and robotics.
SK Hynix and SanDisk Sink 7%, Micron Falls 5% as China’s CXMT Readies an $8.6B Memory IPO
Micron just reported Q3 FY2026 revenue of $41.5 billion, up 346% year over year (YoY), with GAAP gross margin of 85%, and guided Q4 FY2026 revenue to $50 billion at the midpoint. CXMT’s $8.6 Billion IPO Rattles the Memory Trade
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited’s (TSM) Improved Long-Term Gross Margin Guidance Signals Confidence
TSMC is a beneficiary of both AI chip investment and the data centre expansion cycle. In response to strong AI chip demand, TSMC raised its 5-year revenue growth CAGR by 5 points to 25% pa. While the growth will be supported by a large step up in FY26 capex (benefiting semi cap vendors like ASML), TSMC also raised its long-term gross margin guidance, signalling confidence in its ability to drive productivity, cost efficiencies and pricing power.
These 3 AI ETFs Are the Best Ways to Play the Memory Boom
The fund only started to trade on April 2, but it has already amassed roughly $23 billion in total assets under management. The iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ: SOXX) has been around for much longer, with an inception date of July 10, 2001. It offers broader exposure to the entire chip sector, which includes the silicon that goes into everything from smartphones to automobiles to data centers. Naturally, it has been a major beneficiary of the AI trade, and it also has exposure to memory chip stocks. Nvidia posted 85% year-over-year revenue growth in its fiscal 2027 first quarter and offered optimistic guidance.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSM) Continued Its Rally as a Key Foundry for AI Semiconductors
One-month return of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) was 9.23%, and its shares gained 70.80% over the past 52 weeks. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) has a market capitalization of $2.18 trillion. "The largest positive contributors included Seagate, Micron and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM). Shares in TSMC continued to perform well as the market recognised its role in the AI chip buildout."
Price Prediction: After a Record 77% Profit Jump, Where Does TSMC Stock Go From Here?
First-half 2026 revenue reached NT$2,404.48 billion, up 35.6% YoY. Advanced nodes at 7nm and below now account for 77% of wafer revenue, with 3nm alone contributing 28%. NVIDIA reported $81.6 billion in Q1 FY2027 revenue, up 85.2% YoY and guided to $91 billion in Q2. Bank of America Securities maintained its Buy rating citing cloud AI demand into 2026 while Susquehanna raised the firm's price target on TSMC to $600 from $575 and keeps a Positive rating on the shares. If TSMC hits 30% USD revenue growth target for full-year 2026 and holds gross margin above 63%, the bull scenario points to $523.48. TSMC captures the manufacturing economics without customer concentration, at a much lower 27x forward multiple. That gap makes our $494 target look conservative given the shared demand curve. Intel carries market cap of $517.6 billion with negative trailing earnings and gross margin of 34.77%. TSMC's operating margin sits at 58.1%, nearly 60 percentage points ahead.
Strong Results Reinforce Micron Technology’s (MU) Importance in AI Infrastructure Buildout
Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) has a market capitalization of $1.02 trillion. The largest positive contributors included Seagate, Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) and TSMC. We added Micron to the portfolio towards the end of 2025. This quarter, Micron's shares returned more than 240% after results reinforced the growing strategic importance of memory to the AI infrastructure buildout. Its earnings benefited from stronger pricing, improving demand and a more constructive outlook, as demand for memory continues to outpace industry supply additions. Growth is being driven by high-bandwidth memory for AI accelerators, agentic workloads and data caching. Micron's latest energy-efficient memory products also allow AI workloads to run with higher performance and lower power consumption, while long-term customer agreements may improve earnings visibility and reduce cyclicality.
Nvidia: The TSMC Earnings Release Was A Warning Shot
TSMC's Q2 earnings outperformance and significant capex raise reinforces the durability of robust AI and HPC demand critical to Nvidia's outlook. The accelerating N3 ramp and higher HPC mix provide tangible support for timely Vera Rubin deployments later this year, while also improving Nvidia's supply availability.
Price Prediction: ASML Could Hit $2,000+ in 12 Months With AI Demand Fueling Lithography Growth
ASML reported Q2 2026 revenue of $10.65B, up 21.3% YoY and above the high end of guidance, with EPS of $8.67 marking the fourth straight beat. Management raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $49.11B to $51.40B. ASML plans to add 30% to 2026 low NA EUV capacity for 2027, with another 30% under review for 2028.
Why Is Micron Stock Still Falling?
Shares of the manufacturer of computer memory chips slipped 3.2% through 10:15 a.m. ET after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM) blew past analyst estimates in its Q2 earnings report, growing profits 77% year over year -- but warned investors will spend upwards of $60 billion on capital investment this year, versus prior forecasts of about $54 billion. Many of the chips TSMC is producing are CPUs and GPUs for artificial intelligence customers, and these chips will need to be paired with Micron's HBM memory chips to perform their functions.
TSMC Q2 profit beats estimates, ups spending as AI boom continues
Net profit came in at $22.36 billion for the quarter, well above analyst estimates of $19.74 billion, on revenue of $40.2 billion, up 33.7% from a year earlier. The company lifted its 2026 capital expenditure guidance to a range of $60 billion to $64 billion, up from a prior forecast of $52 billion to $56 billion. TSMC said capex over the next three years would be "even more significantly higher" than in the previous three-year period. For the third quarter, TSMC guided revenue of $44.6 billion to $45.8 billion, above the $43.11 billion analyst estimate and representing 37% annual growth. TSMC also expanded its US investment plans, announcing an additional $100 billion commitment in Arizona that brings its total US investment to $265 billion.
SK Hynix: The Memory Supercycle Still Has Legs
Approximately 78% of its revenue came from DRAM last quarter, with most of the rest from NAND (flash) memory. The company has a multiyear HBM partnership with Nvidia and is its main partner in the space. That's a great place to be positioned. Given the strong demand it is seeing, SK Hynix plans to double its wafer capacity within the next five years. Meanwhile, the company's CEO, Kwak Noh-jung, has said that 2027 will be the worst year the industry has seen for supply shortages, and he expects the market will remain supply-constrained until at least 2030.
If the AI Boom Is So Strong, Why Are Memory Stocks Crashing?
Micron's latest earnings release showed record revenue, while management said high-bandwidth memory (HBM) remains sold out well into future production. SK hynix has likewise reported strong HBM demand fueled by Nvidia's latest AI accelerators. A memory company can sell 30% more chips and still earn less money if average selling prices decline 20%. The world's largest technology companies are on pace to spend more than $700 billion this year building AI infrastructure, according to company guidance and earnings releases.
This Is the Next Stage of the AI Revolution — And Absolutely No One Is Talking About It
TSM is a clear example. Its CoWoS packaging technology allows AI accelerators and HBM memory to be combined into a single high-performance package. Nvidia’s most advanced AI systems depend on this type of integration because traditional chip designs cannot deliver the bandwidth required by modern AI models. Intel and AMD are also pursuing different versions of this next-generation CMOS approach. Intel is developing its 18A process and advanced packaging capabilities, while AMD has used chiplet architectures in its Ryzen, EPYC, and Instinct product lines to combine multiple pieces of silicon into larger, more efficient systems. Nvidia may be the face of artificial intelligence, but the companies making CMOS faster, denser, and more efficient could help determine how far the AI boom can go.
Why Sandisk Stock Is Still Dropping
Shares of NAND semiconductor memory chip manufacturer tumbled 9.6% through 11:15 a.m. ET after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM) beat analyst estimates in its Q2 earnings report, growing profits 77% year over year. But TSMC also warned investors will spend upwards of $60 billion on capital investment this year, versus prior forecasts of about $54 billion.
Taiwan Semiconductors $40 Billion Q2 Shows It Is Only Just Getting Started
TSM posted a record $40B quarter, beating earnings estimates by 11% as AI accelerator demand drove revenue 36% higher year over year. Management raised TSM's full-year 2026 growth outlook to above 40% and guided Q3 revenue to as much as $45.8B. The 2nm node made its commercial debut at just 3% of wafer revenue, signaling that the largest node transition in the roadmap has barely begun. Capital expenditures reached $496 billion NT (up 65.57% YoY), funding the capacity to absorb that ramp.
Marvell Drops 8% as AI Capex Slowdown Fears Weigh on Chips; Broadcom, AMD, and Intel Slide
Marvell reported record Q1 FY2027 revenue of $2.418 billion, up 28% year over year (YoY), and guided Q2 FY2027 revenue to $2.7 billion at the midpoint, implying 35% YoY growth. CEO Matt Murphy cited "exceptional AI-related bookings" and raised the company's fiscal 2027 and 2028 outlooks.
Marvell Crashed Below $200: This Wall Street Firm Thinks It Doubles From Here
Marvell designs the custom silicon, high-speed optics, and Ethernet switches that hyperscalers use in AI data centers, with the data center segment producing 76% of total revenue. Fundamentally, the business held together. Q1 FY2027 revenue hit a record $2.418 billion, up 27.6% year over year, with non-GAAP EPS of $0.80 beating consensus. Management guided Q2 to $2.70 billion, roughly 35% growth. KeyBanc analyst John Vinh's bull case rests on the custom AI accelerator pipeline. He flags the imminent second-half 2026 volume ramp of Amazon's Trainium 3 processor alongside a major new design win for Google's "Merope" LPU, projected to generate up to $12 billion over its lifecycle. CEO Matt Murphy backs the thesis on the earnings call, citing "exceptional AI-related bookings" and a raised revenue outlook for both fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2028. Design win activity reached an all-time record, with 50 plus custom AI opportunities across 10 plus customers heading into the ramp. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) sits at $212.50 with a $301.62 average target, implying 41.9% upside. The stock is flat over the past month and holds a lopsided 58 Buy, 2 Hold, 1 Sell ratings mix.
1 Unstoppable Stock to Buy Before It Joins Micron and Broadcom in the $1 Trillion Club
Advanced Micro Devices delivered 38% year-over-year revenue growth in the first quarter, with data center revenue up by 57%. The data center segment makes up more than half of Advanced Micro Devices' total sales, which suggests its revenue acceleration will continue in future quarters. CEO Dr. Lisa Su said Advanced Micro Devices is "uniquely positioned to lead the next generation of high-performance and AI computing" while telling investors to expect revenues to grow at a compound annual rate of 35% or higher for the next three to five years.
TSMC's Revenue Grew 33% Last Quarter. Here's Why Investors Should Be More Excited About What's Coming Next.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM) reported second-quarter earnings on Thursday, again demonstrating the dominance of the globe's leading foundry. Revenues were up 33% from a year ago to $40.2 billion. Management's guidance forecasts revenue between $44.6 billion and $45.8 billion in the third quarter. At the midpoint of that range, that would represent 37% growth over the $31.1 billion TSMC recorded in the third quarter of 2025. And full-year revenue would increase by 40% from a year ago, management said. Management announced it will invest another $100 billion in the company's Arizona foundries to increase 2 nm production there, bringing its total commitment in the state to $265 billion.
Why Did Micron Technology Stock Fall 8%?
Its revenue over the last twelve months is up 86% year over year. The business is firing on all cylinders. But the memory market has a long and painful history of booms followed by busts, often triggered by an overbuild in capacity. Investors looked past today’s glowing results and priced in the risk of that funding being used to disrupt the market down the road. It’s a classic dilemma in this industry, and it raises the question of whether the old risks still linger for the company. The pain was clearly concentrated among memory-chip makers, suggesting investors see CXMT’s war chest as a threat to the entire sector. That discipline is what the Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio delivers. It weighs the full picture of quality across thousands of names, holds the 30 strongest, and re-balances them with rules so no one position can sink the whole.
Nvidia Stock Falls. A Big Japan AI Deal Isn't Lifting Chip Shares
Nvidia will provide 27,500 next-generation Rubin GPUs and 13,750 CPUs to Noetra, a Japanese technology consortium backed by SoftBank (SFTBY), Sony Group (SONY), and Honda Motor (HNDAF). The chips will power a large AI data center as Japan expands domestic artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company has said sovereign AI initiatives have become a growing business, generating more than $30 billion in revenue over the past year.
TSMC Adds $100 Billion to U.S. Expansion
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM, Financials), the world's largest contract chipmaker and a key supplier of advanced processors to companies such as Nvidia and Apple, said it will invest another $100 billion in the United States after strong AI demand helped drive record second-quarter profit. The new commitment adds to the $165 billion already planned for Arizona. The company said the expansion could include four more facilities for advanced chip production and packaging, although the timing will depend on market demand. TSMC also raised its 2026 capital spending forecast to between $60 billion and $64 billion, up from an earlier range of $52 billion to $56 billion. Management now expects full-year revenue in U.S. dollar terms to grow slightly more than 40%, compared with its previous forecast of more than 30%.
How Long-Term Auto Supply Deals And US Fab Build-Out At Micron (MU) Has Changed Its Investment Story
Micron Technology has recently completed Strategic Customer Agreements with major automotive suppliers such as Qualcomm, DENSO and Hyundai Mobis, and is accelerating more than US$250.00 billion of US fab and technology investments through 2035 to support long-term demand for advanced memory and storage. The most relevant update here is Micron's plan to accelerate more than US$250.0 billion of US fab and technology investments through 2035, aiming for 40% of DRAM output in the US. Micron Technology's narrative projects $261.9 billion revenue and $168.8 billion earnings by 2029.
Taiwan Semiconductor Commits To Investing Another $100 Billion In The United States
Taiwan Semiconductor Chairman C.C. Wei announced the company is putting some of its record profits to work in the U.S. by committing an additional $100 billion to its previously announced investment in Arizona. This latest investment adds another $100 billion on top of that, bringing Taiwan Semiconductor’s total investment in Arizona to $265 billion. According to Taiwan Semiconductor’s earnings report, sales of “advanced technologies” chips – 7-nanometers or smaller – now bring in 77% of the company’s revenue.
Why Marvell Technology (MRVL) Stock Is Down Today
TSMC shares fell roughly 4% in the morning session despite a record profit beat. The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth outlook to slightly above 40%, but simultaneously increased its capital expenditure guidance to $60–$64 billion, up from a prior ceiling of $56 billion.
Amkor and Himax Shares Are Falling, What You Need To Know
TSMC shares fell roughly 4% in the morning session despite a record profit beat. The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth outlook to slightly above 40%, but simultaneously increased its capital expenditure guidance to $60–$64 billion, up from a prior ceiling of $56 billion.
Stocks drop on tech sell-off, oil yo-yos on Mideast
Shares in TSMC fell in New York, even as the Taiwanese chipmaker issued positive forward guidance and announced that net profit soared more than 77 percent to a record high in the second quarter thanks to massive demand for AI hardware.
FormFactor and Kulicke and Soffa Shares Are Falling, What You Need To Know
TSMC shares fell roughly 4% in the morning session despite a record profit beat. The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth outlook to slightly above 40%, but simultaneously increased its capital expenditure guidance to $60–$64 billion, up from a prior ceiling of $56 billion.
Western Digital and Vishay Intertechnology Stocks Trade Down, What You Need To Know
TSMC shares fell roughly 4% in the morning session despite a record profit beat. The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth outlook to slightly above 40%, but simultaneously increased its capital expenditure guidance to $60–$64 billion, up from a prior ceiling of $56 billion.
Amtech and Seagate Shares Plummet, What You Need To Know
TSMC shares fell roughly 4% in the morning session despite a record profit beat. The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth outlook to slightly above 40%, but simultaneously increased its capital expenditure guidance to $60–$64 billion, up from a prior ceiling of $56 billion.
Nova and Microchip Technology Shares Are Falling, What You Need To Know
TSMC shares fell roughly 4% despite a record profit beat. The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth outlook to slightly above 40%, but simultaneously increased its capital expenditure guidance to $60–$64 billion, up from a prior ceiling of $56 billion. Management also guided third-quarter operating margins roughly 70 basis points below consensus and warned that overseas expansion and 2-nanometer ramp costs would dilute gross margins in the second half of the year.The market continued to price the semiconductor sector on top-line artificial intelligence demand, which TSMC confirmed remains "extremely robust."
TSMC Just Announced Fantastic News for Nvidia Shareholders
TSMC just reported quarterly earnings, and both revenue and profit blew past estimates. The company has been on a roll, with earnings soaring quarter after quarter amid the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Companies have rushed to TSMC to manufacture their chips to keep up with soaring demand. In the second quarter, TSMC's revenue soared 33% to more than $40 billion, and earnings per share jumped 77% to $4.31. And the company forecasts third-quarter revenue in the range of $44.6 billion to $45.8 billion. TSMC says it will increase its manufacturing investment in Arizona by $100 billion -- this brings its total investment in manufacturing there to $265 billion.
SoftBank sinks 8% as Japanese chip stocks track Wall Street AI sell-off
TSMC raised its full-year capital expenditure forecast to between $60 billion and $64 billion, up from $52 billion to $56 billion, but investors focused instead on concerns that the industry's aggressive investment cycle might be becoming increasingly difficult to justify.
Nasdaq, Dow, S&P 500 Futures Slip As Chip Selloff Overshadows Strong Earnings Season: NFLX, SNDK, SPCX, MRVL Stocks In Focus
U.S. markets bled amid rising concerns over ballooning capital expenditures from AI players after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) massively hiked its capital expenditures for 2026. The company raised its 2026 capex forecast to between $60 billion and $64 billion in its latest earnings update on Thursday, up substantially from its previous $52 billion to $56 billion range.
Chip Stock Selloff Deepens in Asia as TSMC Fails to Impress
TSMC, the key maker of Nvidia Corp. chips, now expects to spend $60 billion to $64 billion in 2026, at least $4 billion higher than previously forecast. Typically, higher capex would be seen as good news, especially for the recipients of that spending.
AI / Robotics / EV
Netflix is the king of streaming. So why is its stock down this year?
Netflix represented 7.8% of all TV viewing in the U.S. in April — the lowest percentage since May 2025. It was 7.5% a year ago, Nielsen said. Despite the investor jitters, equity analysts estimate Netflix will have a strong second quarter, with revenue increasing 14% to $12.58 billion and net income rising 8% to nearly $3.38 billion, according to FactSet.
The Strait of Hormuz Closure Sent Gas Prices Up. EV Stocks Quietly Benefited. Here's Why.
The Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly a quarter of the world's maritime oil trade, has been closed since Feb. 28. That closure drove up crude oil prices and lifted many oil stocks, but squeezed shares of companies that relied on lower fuel costs. However, several electric vehicle (EV) stocks have risen since the Strait's closure. Let's see why that happened, and which EV stocks will benefit the most from higher oil prices. Which EV stocks have performed well since Feb. 28? Higher oil prices can make it more expensive to produce and transport EVs, but they also make them more appealing to consumers who want to escape oil's cyclical swings. That's why the global EV market could grow at a 10% CAGR from 2026 to 2034, according to Fortune Business Insights, and why several top EV stocks are still promising long-term investments. One of those top performers was Rivian (RIVN +1.63%), which has risen 16% since Feb. 28. That rally was fueled by the launch of its R2 SUV, which costs significantly less than its R1T pickup and R1S SUV. The R2 also costs less to manufacture than its predecessors, so its increased sales should actually boost its gross margin rather than compress it. Rivian expects the R2's launch to boost its annual deliveries from 42,247 vehicles in 2025 to 62,000-67,000 vehicles in 2026. Analysts expect its revenue to triple from 2025 to 2028 as it narrows its net losses. That's an impressive outlook for a stock that trades at less than four times this year's sales. Therefore, it could be revalued as a growth play over the next few years. Another resilient EV stock was Nio (NIO +0.40%). The Chinese EV maker's stock has risen about 4% since Feb. 28, and it still looks like a screaming bargain at less than one times this year's sales. Nio stands out in the EV market because its vehicles use swappable batteries that can be quickly swapped out, offering a faster alternative to charging at its own battery-swapping stations. It also sells cheaper SUVs and compact cars via its ONVO and Firefly sub-brands. From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect Nio's revenue to roughly double. They also expect it to finally turn profitable in 2027 as it divests its lower-margin businesses, grows Nio's share of the higher-margin premium sedan market, and scales its cheaper ONVO and Firefly sub-brands.
Hyundai plans full ownership of US robotics firm Boston Dynamics
The transaction would bolster cooperation across its robotics operations and support execution of its long-term strategy in the sector. HMG said Atlas's role could extend to component assembly by 2030, contingent on further technology validation, operational readiness and business needs.
Could Vertiv Be the Next Pick-and-Shovel Play for the AI Infrastructure Boom?
Vertiv's power and thermal management systems ensure continuous operation with maximum efficiency and uptime at AI data centers. In the first quarter, Vertiv reported net sales of $2.65 billion, up 30% year over year. This growth was largely driven by its Americas segment, which posted 44% organic growth on the back of AI data center demand. Vertiv is seeing incredibly robust demand, as evidenced by its $15 billion backlog. The company noted that customers are increasingly placing orders in advance and seeking delivery windows of 12 to 16 months, providing it with visibility into earnings through 2028.
Moonshot’s upcoming Kimi 3 is expected to close the gap with Anthropic’s Opus 4.8
The company's upcoming release, called Kimi K3, is said to take this one step further to close the gap with closed-source models from the likes of OpenAI and Anthropic. The FT reports Kimi K3 will be the largest open-weight AI model from China, with a parameter count between 2 trillion and 3 trillion, and will be released “in the coming days.”
Tesla and Rivian Are Both Down 12%. Here's the Better Buy for the Second Half of 2026.
Tesla's biggest potential catalyst -- a widespread robotaxi-powered rideshare service -- is real, but it's much harder to pin a date on when that business might reach meaningful scale. Rivian expects the R2 to drive a big jump in deliveries, having already raised its full-year delivery target after beating its own quarterly guidance.
Hyundai buys SoftBank's Boston Dynamics stake for $325 million
The transaction follows SoftBank's decision to trigger a put option embedded in the 2021 acquisition agreement, which gave SoftBank the right to sell its stake if Boston Dynamics remained privately held through this year. Hyundai secured a matching call option in 2025. The predetermined purchase price puts Boston Dynamics' worth at approximately $3.3 billion, consistent with what Hyundai paid when it took an 80% controlling interest from SoftBank in 2021. The centerpiece of the push is Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot. Hyundai is targeting 2028 for Atlas's first factory deployment in Georgia, aiming to scale manufacturing capacity to as many as 30,000 units per year.
Increasing Demand for AI Computing Power Fuels Nebius Group (NBIS) Performance in Q2
One-month return of Nebius Group N.V. (NASDAQ:NBIS) was -30.41%, and its shares gained 271.60% over the past 52 weeks. Nebius Group N.V. (NASDAQ:NBIS) has a market capitalization of $50.65 billion. Shares contributed positively to performance after the company reported better-than-expected revenues, driven by surging demand for AI computing power.
Lucid Climbs 12% for a Big Second-Day Recovery as CEO Directly Rebuts Bankruptcy and Take-Private Rumors
Lucid cut its U.S. workforce by 18%, suspended 2026 production guidance, and faces securities class action exposure tied to a 29-day Gravity SUV delivery halt. Polymarket traders are pricing a 31% probability of a Lucid bankruptcy announcement before 2027, and the LCID options chain shows a put/call ratio of 0.87. The bull case leans on Napoli's forceful rebuttal, the Saudi Public Investment Fund backstop, and the $800 million July draw from Ayar Third Investment Company that pushed liquidity to roughly $4.7 billion.
EV adoption is slowly regaining traction — but affordability concerns are rising
Despite headwinds in the US, the percentage of consumers who expect to buy an EV as their next vehicle rose to 17%, up from 11% in 2023. Meanwhile, the number of those opposed to EVs fell to 30%, down from 34% three years ago.
FreightWaves Announces 2026 AI Excellence in Supply Chain Awards Winners
Arkestro earned recognition for its AI-enabled predictive procurement platform, which combines artificial intelligence and game theory to let procurement teams simulate sourcing events before they happen and shape outcomes before suppliers ever submit a quote. Rather than replacing human decision-making, the platform augments it, giving suppliers AI-assisted pricing guidance and real-time feedback on how their offers compare. Customers report an average 18.8% savings on spend and sourcing cycles accelerated by up to 60%. One manufacturer identified more than $55 million in savings with a two-month ROI across 40 plants and more than 400 suppliers; an LNG operator cut high-value sourcing cycles from days to minutes while achieving 29% savings; and a global medical device manufacturer compressed logistics request-for-quote timelines from four months to six weeks, saving $2.4 million. CloneOps.ai, a repeat honoree after winning in the awards' inaugural year, was recognized for building what it calls an AI operating system for logistics. The platform runs on three connected layers: an AI infrastructure layer providing data stores, connectors and governance; an orchestration layer called ORQIA that turns operational intent into workflow execution; and an agent workforce covering track-and-trace, customer service, dispatch, carrier onboarding, scheduling, collections and fraud prevention. Rather than replacing the transportation management system, CloneOps.ai extends it from a system of record into a system where work actually gets done. ROI modeling across its agent portfolio shows the potential to eliminate more than 133 human hours per 1,000 calls, with representative workflows delivering up to 550% ROI compared with U.S.-based labor. Intelligent Audit was honored for DeepDetectAI, which applies proprietary machine learning to parcel and freight shipping data to catch cost anomalies, operational errors and potential fraud before they hit the bottom line. The system analyzes a shipper's full history to learn what normal looks like for that specific business, then monitors new activity in real time for unexpected cost spikes, duplicate charges, unusual service usage and potentially fraudulent shipments, with explainable data behind every flag. Customers have seen immediate recoveries reaching six figures from a single recurring issue and total cost avoidance in the millions. Fixefy received the award for an AI platform that redefines global freight auditing through autonomous financial control. Fixefy ingests any data type from any source, structured or unstructured, including PDFs, images, emails and chats, to reconstruct what it calls the true story of a shipment, then validates every charge against the customer's contracts, rates and standard operating procedures. Its agentic AI does not stop at detection: It autonomously files disputes with carriers and tracks them until credits are issued. The platform is modality-agnostic across air, ground, ocean, rail, courier and third-party logistics spend, and it recovers 5% to 12% of total outsourced supply chain and freight expenditures with 100% audit coverage for enterprises including BASF. Augment was celebrated for Augie, an industry-native AI teammate that works across phone, email, portals and enterprise systems to automate operations from quote to cash. Augie reads, writes, calls, listens and acts, running workflows modeled on a customer's own standard operating procedures and accumulating institutional knowledge as it goes, all without requiring teams to change how they work. The results are landing with major operators: Penske Logistics is using Augie to validate the status of an estimated 600,000 loads and anticipates productivity gains of 30% to 40%; Transportation One projected seven figures in annualized cost savings; and Hirschbach is now using Augie to handle proactive outreach on more than 85% of its Logistics Solutions loads. Across activated shippers, Augie builds 90% of loads automatically and has cut time-to-proof-of-delivery collection by more than half. Eranova earned recognition for attacking logistics' most expensive blind spot: the operational data that never reaches the transportation management system. Every load generates a stream of emails, rate confirmations, bills of lading, proofs of delivery and portal updates that operators key in by hand. Eranova connects directly to shared inboxes and communication channels, captures and classifies every message and document, matches it to the correct shipment, and feeds it into a shipment knowledge graph that powers specialized agents across quote intake, carrier tendering, tracking, proof-of-delivery collection, document reconciliation, invoice audit and cash application. The platform handles more than 20 million shipment events annually across more than 50 logistics service providers, capturing 92% of offline shipment data automatically, cutting quote turnaround time 78% and accelerating load closeout to cash fourfold. Gather AI was honored for bringing physical AI to the warehouse floor, turning facilities into live, actionable data through a software-first, hardware-agnostic platform built on Carnegie Mellon robotics research led by CEO and co-founder Sankalp Arora. Its See, Think, Act model uses computer vision to read more than 10 data points from each image across drones, material-handling equipment and off-the-shelf devices, reasons over that ground truth against existing business systems, and routes the right action to the right person, all without GPS, Wi-Fi or infrastructure changes. The platform delivers 99.9% inventory accuracy and ROI in as little as six months. GEODIS cut manual counting from 4,400 hours a year to 800; NFI reports five times operational productivity; and Langham Logistics reduced pallet emergencies from 20 to 30 per day to one or two. Trimble Autonomous Procurement took home honors for automating the end-to-end process of securing spot road freight capacity. Planners publish a shipment and set guardrails such as reserve and walk-away prices, and the system continuously makes and adapts targeted offers to pre-qualified carriers using machine learning, behavioral science, historical shipment data, lane patterns and live engagement signals to decide which carrier gets which offer, at what price, and how it should adapt as the market responds. Carriers can describe the loads they want in plain language and move to AI-generated Buy-It-Now offers. The solution reduces rates 7% to 12% compared with freight auctions, enables an 80% no-touch process, secures capacity within an hour with a 90% success rate, and helped Pfeifer Group reach an 84% automation rate. Fullbay AI was recognized for applying AI across the full commercial repair and fleet maintenance lifecycle, on both the shop floor and the fleet side. Voice-activated notes and AI-powered copy refinement embed directly into the service order workflow, cutting administrative work and producing cleaner records in real time, while Fullbay subsidiary Pitstop uses AI agents and live sensor data to predict maintenance issues before they happen at 95.5% accuracy. Early customer feedback shows roughly a 20% reduction in paperwork time, and on the fleet side the City of Long Beach saves more than $800,000 annually using Pitstop's predictive AI, Food Express cut downtime by 25%, and Summit Materials saves $2,000 per vehicle per year. Samsara earned accolades for the Samsara Tracking Label and Shipment Center, a smart single-use Bluetooth label that gives shippers near-real-time visibility into mission-critical shipments across any carrier. AI models turn raw Bluetooth location signals into operational intelligence, continuously analyzing position and progress against expected routes to flag weather delays or unplanned divers
Alphabet shares fall on report its most powerful AI model Gemini 3.5 Pro is delayed
The search giant's Gemini 3.5 Pro AI model is months behind schedule due to the company's efforts to improve its performance, according to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter. The model's coding capabilities, in particular, were short of internal expectations and come at a time when rivals like OpenAI and Meta have recently debuted new AI models that outpace Google's current offerings in generating software code, the report said. An Alphabet spokesperson told CNBC in an emailed statement that the company is "shipping quickly across a wide range of models while keeping them highly cost-effective for customers."
Tesla Delivered 480,126 Vehicles Last Quarter. Here's Why the Stock Didn't Rally.
480,126 automobiles it shipped in Q2 were not only up 25% year over year, but topped analysts' consensus estimate of 406,024 units. It's a complicated answer because ... well, there's a complicated dynamic surrounding this company and its stock. That said, the market is also connecting dots that aren't Tesla-specific, yet still paint an alarming picture for the electric vehicle industry. This includes Ford Motors Company's (F 0.39%) 41% tumble in EV sales for the same quarter, when General Motors' (GM 0.94%) fell 33%. That's mostly the result of the wind-down of EV subsidies within the United States, although Tesla didn't exactly outshine its competition on other fronts either. China's electric vehicle powerhouse BYD (BYDDY +3.52%) bounced back from a disappointing Q1 to reclaim its lead from Tesla in terms of worldwide EV deliveries, shipping 557,090 battery-electric vehicles in Q2. It's not necessarily a direct setback for Tesla. Every EV that makes it to the market, however, crimps Tesla's already-waning pricing power. That's the chief challenge of buying, selling, or holding a stake in Tesla, of course. There are as many unknowns as there are knowns, and the market will fill in the blanks with whatever knowns it can find when it finds them.
Tesla Earnings Loom After Surprise Delivery Beat Stuns Wall Street
Tesla delivered a record 480,126 vehicles during the second quarter, exceeding Wall Street expectations by about 18%. Deliveries also topped production, suggesting inventory levels improved ahead of the earnings release.
Should You Buy Tesla Stock Before July 22?
Automotive revenue growth and gross margin, the outlook for capital expenditures, and CEO Elon Musk's commentary on Robotaxi and Optimus developments are incredibly important. The stock's extreme price-to-earnings ratio of 358 underscores how astronomical the market's expectations are, creating an asymmetric opportunity skewed to the downside.
Stock Market Today, July 16: Lucid Group Surges on CEO's Denial of Bankruptcy and Take-Private Rumors
Trading volume reached 45.1 million shares, coming in about 116% above its three-month average of 20.9 million shares.
Microsoft's Nadella rips Anthropic's Fable restrictions in staff meeting: 'Doesn't make sense'
Microsoft tied itself tightly to OpenAI through a series of investments, but the two companies drifted and became competing with each other after the abrupt 2023 ousting and reinstatement of OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, with little notice to Nadella. OpenAI said in April it would bring its models beyond Azure to cloud infrastructure leader Amazon Web Services.
Is Blackstone (BX) Quietly Rewriting Its AI and Infrastructure Playbook With Ode and India?
Blackstone's narrative projects $22.5 billion revenue and $9.8 billion earnings by 2029. This requires 16.1% yearly revenue growth and a roughly $6.7 billion earnings increase from $3.1 billion today.
Driving the Agentic AI Era: MiTAC Computing Showcases Comprehensive AI Infrastructure at WAIC
52U High-Density AI Liquid-Cooled Rack Integrates 12 G4826Z5 liquid-cooled AI servers, packing up to 96 AMD Instinct™ MI355X GPUs and dual AMD EPYC™ processors. This 52U high density rack configuration boosts GPU density by 50% compared to standard 48U racks. Equipped with advanced cold plates and CDU, it scales extreme compute vertically while reducing power consumption from fans and air conditioning to optimize PUE. G8825Z5 AI GPU Air-Cooled Rack Tailored for AI training and inference, this full rack houses 4 G8825Z5 units, hardware-configured with up to 32 AMD Instinct™ MI350X GPUs, delivering high-density computing power.
Sandisk Stock Is Up More Than 3,700% From Its 52-Week Low. Is the Memory Rally Still Investable, or Is This Stock Priced for Perfection?
Sandisk's data center revenue and earnings per share (EPS) are growing at triple-digit percentage rates year over year, underscoring the company's operating leverage and improving gross margins as the adoption rates for AI surge toward ongoing compute capacity limits. During Sandisk's most recent earnings call, management told investors that the company had signed a series of multiyear supply contracts worth $42 billion. These agreements lock in sales volumes and prices, and provide Sandisk with clear revenue visibility well into the latter half of the decade. For the current fiscal year, Wall Street analysts estimate that Sandisk will report $66.51 in EPS. However, by next fiscal year, the consensus forecast points to a meaningful step change in profitability, with EPS expected to reach $208.22.
Power / Grid
Zelestra, EnBW sign agreement for 300MW Italian battery storage project
The project, which will have an approximate total capacity of 500MW and deliver four-hour storage, is expected to provide more than 1.2GW-hours (GWh) of flexibility for Italy's power grid. With the conclusion of this deal, Zelestra says its 2GWh battery storage project in Emilia-Romagna is now fully secured. Italy remains a key market for Zelestra, which is aiming to double its 1.4GW project pipeline of solar and battery storage within the year. In December 2025, Zelestra also secured contracts covering nine projects in Italy's FER X auctions, enabling construction of up to 168MW of new solar capacity. Last month, the company signed a new power purchase agreement with Meta for the 180MW-direct current Palmera Solar Plant in Freestone County, Texas, US.
Software
Apollo Global Just Got Kicked Out of the Russell Growth Indexes. Is the Forced Selling a Buying Opportunity?
In the algorithms that Russell uses to reconstitute its various indexes, Apollo no longer exhibited the traits of a growth stock. Instead, it was deemed a value stock and was moved into the Russell 1000 Value Index. A big reason Apollo stock dropped is that it got kicked out of two massive growth exchange-traded funds (ETFs) -- the $127 billion iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF +0.28%) and the $44 billion Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG +0.26%). It did get added to two value ETFs -- the $81 billion iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD +0.37%) and the $20 billion Vanguard Russell 1000 Value ETF (VONV +0.47%). In Q1, Apollo had record fee-related income of $728 million, up 30% year over year, while adjusted net income rose 8% to $1.2 billion. Wall Street analysts project 21% revenue growth in 2026 and 14% growth in 2027. Earnings are expected to rise 6% this year and another 20% in 2027. Some 73% of Wall Street analysts rate it as a buy, with a median price target of $150 per share.
ValorC3 Data Centers Launches Backup as a Service (BaaS) to Safeguard Critical Enterprise Data
Most companies falsely assume SaaS vendors provide backup service. In reality, recent cloud governance tracking shows that 80% of organizations have experienced at least one cloud security issue, and cloud environments are now the source of 45% of all data breaches. However, SaaS platforms are built to keep the service running, not to recover lost data.
Microsoft: The Inflection Point May Finally Be Here
Microsoft (MSFT) trades at a rare discount, down 30% from its high, despite robust ≈17% EPS growth and sector-wide SaaS weakness. Azure’s 40% YoY growth is capacity-constrained, but management expects these limits to resolve by end-FY26, potentially accelerating growth into FY27.
GE Aerospace beats estimates, lifts guidance on services growth
For fiscal 2026, GE Aerospace now expects adjusted EPS of $7.65 to $7.85, up from its prior guidance of $7.10 to $7.40. The midpoint of $7.75 exceeds the analyst consensus of $7.56. The company raised its operating profit guidance to $10.55 billion to $10.75 billion from $9.85 billion to $10.25 billion previously.
PowerCell Sweden AB (publ) (PCELF) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
We had an issue with the system that we did a reboot and a restart, which is also something that we're doing with PowerCell because what we see this quarter is that we are delivering on what we said we are in a very uncertain, volatile year. The second quarter was weak. We were reporting a falling revenue of 46% year-over-year, excluding the one-off effects that we saw in license transaction last year.
Snowflake unveils $448 million pay plan for CEO tied to ambitious stock targets
Snowflake has been benefiting from clients shifting their workloads to its cloud platform as they invest to develop AI tools. The company's stock price would need to climb to $531 by July 15, 2033 from Wednesday's closing price of $271.87 for the final tranche, adding up to $100 billion to its market capitalization. Snowflake shares have risen about 24% this year. In May, the company raised its annual product revenue forecast and announced a five-year deal worth $6 billion with Amazon Web Services to use AWS's Graviton processors and AI infrastructure.
Buffett Backs Alphabet as Berkshire Builds $21 Billion Stake
Berkshire Hathaway, an Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate, began building its Alphabet position last year, with the stake valued at nearly $21 billion at Tuesday's market close.
Sharon AI Announces US$1.32 Billion Five-Year Cloud Computing Service Agreement
Under the terms of the contract, Sharon AI expects to deploy cloud computing solutions across data center infrastructure in New Zealand, with revenue from the contract expected to commence across the first and second quarter of 2027. Sharon AI's total AI Factory capacity is 132MW, of which 116MW is contracted to end customers, with more than 62,000 NVIDIA GPUs expected to be deployed by mid-2027.
A $10,000 Investment in JPMorgan When Jamie Dimon Took Over Is Worth This Much Now
A $10,000 JPM investment when Dimon took over in 2005 has grown to $147,285, nearly tripling the S&P 500's 496% return over the same period. JPMorgan's Q2 2026 EPS of $7.70 beat the $5.80 consensus while Equity Markets revenue surged 86%, underscoring the franchise's capital markets dominance. The recent numbers make the case. Q2 2026 produced EPS of $7.70 against a $5.80 consensus, revenue of $57.35 billion, and a 23% ROTCE. Commercial & Investment Bank revenue jumped 27% to $24.85 billion, Equity Markets surged 86%, and Asset & Wealth Management now oversees $5.14 trillion in AUM. Here's why you should do the same before their July 16 investment deadline: lithium prices are up 75% this year, with demand projected to grow a staggering 5X by 2040.
META Price Prediction: The Stock Will Hit $700 on This Date
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META | META Price Prediction) delivered Q1 2026 EPS of $10.44 versus a $6.66 consensus, a 56.79% beat, on revenue of $56.31 billion (+33.08% YoY). The stock sits at $656.73, roughly flat year to date. The market is pricing execution risk on top of solid earnings. Shares are down 8.18% over the past year and 0.34% YTD, even after ripping 15.93% over the past month and 9.4% in the past week. Beta of 1.246 explains these swings. Our base case price prediction is $908.19, implying 38.29% upside, with a bull case of $1,033.28 and a bear case of $776.07. Confidence is 90%. With forward EPS of $41.13, a price of $700 implies a forward P/E of 17x. Our base case of $908.19 already implies 19x, meaning $700 simply requires the market to stop discounting the CapEx line, with no multiple expansion needed. Meta's 247Factor adjustment of 1.111 is powered by strong earnings acceleration and 90% bullish analyst consensus.
Nvidia-backed Fireworks hits $17.5 billion valuation as companies pursue cheaper AI models
The cost of the latest artificial intelligence models is increasingly breeding anxiety among finance executives, who have started directing employees to consider open-source alternatives. That's boosting cloud startup Fireworks, which competes with Amazon and Google to host models that developers can weave into applications. The Nvidia-backed company said Thursday that it has exceeded $1 billion in annualized revenue, five times what it had last year, and it has now raised a $1.5 billion round at a $17.5 billion valuation. Fireworks is much smaller than Anthropic and OpenAI, which investors have valued above $800 billion each this year, nor is it close to the top names in technology, whose market capitalizations are counted in the trillions. But the startup's revenue milestone suggests that companies aren't completely satisfied with the models coming out of the top labs. Shares of easy-to-use cloud infrastructure vendor DigitalOcean are up 149% so far this year as growth has accelerated. CoreWeave, which rents out Nvidia graphics processing units, or GPUs, raised $1.5 billion in an initial public offering last year and is now worth $42 billion. Fireworks gives developers an easy way to adopt models from Chinese companies such as DeepSeek, MiniMax and Z.ai. Open-weight models OpenAI released last year are also available. The idea is for clients to bring their own data that frontier labs don't have and refine models until they deliver state-of-the-art performance for specific tasks, Qiao said. While Anthropic and OpenAI serve up "generalized intelligence," Fireworks can unlock "specialized intelligence," she said. A former Meta director, Qiao and six of her co-founders started Fireworks in 2022. The company employs around 200 people. Qiao expects the head count to reach 600 by the end of 2026. Fireworks now handles 40 trillion AI tokens per day, Qiao said. Google disclosed in May that its AI models were processing about 19 billion tokens per minute for developers, implying more than 27 trillion per day. OpenAI announced in March that its developer tools were working through 15 billion tokens per minute, which would suggest about 22 trillion per day. Each token equates to about three-quarters of a single word. As of last year, about half of Fireworks' revenue came from AI coding startup Cursor, which has become less dependent on OpenAI and Anthropic and built a custom model named Composer. "We are much more diversified right now," Qiao said. In June, Elon Musk's SpaceX agreed to acquire Cursor in a $60 billion stock deal, with the transaction set to close this quarter.
Apple Intelligence approved for launch in China with Alibaba and Baidu
In the second quarter, Apple generated $20.5 billion in sales in Greater China, up 28% from a year earlier.
Flywire vs. Mastercard: Which Financial Payments Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?
In FY 2025, revenue reached $603 million, representing approximately 27% year-over-year growth. The company reported a net income of $13.5 million for the year, marking a notable improvement over prior years. This results in a net margin of roughly 2.2%, representing the percentage of total revenue remaining after the company pays all operating costs and taxes. During FY 2025, revenue reached nearly $32.8 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of approximately 16.4%. This top-line growth supported net income of nearly $15 billion for the year. Maintaining a net margin of roughly 45.6% highlights the consistent profitability of this titan among financial stocks. Revenue is expected to rise about 24% to $747 million this fiscal year, with net income improving to about $55 million. Mastercard’s 2026 profitability is seen increasing 14% to $17.1 billion on revenue of $37.1 billion, a rise of close to 15%.
The Real Engine Behind Johnson & Johnson Stock's Next Climb
Excluding STELARA, management revealed the rest of the business “grew double digits in the quarter.” In fact, the core Innovative Medicine division, stripped of that one headwind, grew over 14%. That’s the kind of momentum that can quietly compound shareholder value while the market is looking elsewhere. This isn’t a one-product story. It’s a portfolio hitting its stride. Look at TREMFYA, a treatment for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It delivered “exceptional overall sales growth of 71% in the quarter,” accelerating from 64% growth in the prior quarter. Management notes it’s now the fastest-growing advanced therapy in its class. Alongside established powerhouses, new launches are already making their mark. ICOTYDE, a new oral treatment for psoriasis, has seen more than 11,000 patients start therapy (18,000 prescriptions) since its recent launch, a figure that jumped from just 1,500 prescriptions written a quarter ago. The company still confidently raised its full-year sales guidance by $400 million. That’s a signal that the pharma engine is powerful enough to pull the whole train, even with one of the cars dragging its feet.
These 3 Social Media Stocks Are Among the Best Bargains in the Market
Meta Platforms The market has punished Meta Platforms for its aggressive spending on AI infrastructure, but the narrative has started to shift, with the company looking to potentially start up a cloud computing operation -- and also with the launch of its Muse Spark 1.1 multimodal reasoning model. Few companies have been as good as Meta at employing AI within their core businesses to drive growth. The company is using AI to constantly improve its recommendation engine to display more relevant content to users and keep them on its platform longer. At the same time, it's using AI to serve them more relevant ads, helping advertisers increase conversions. The result has been strong revenue growth, with both ad impressions and ad prices surging. Meta also has a strong opportunity ahead with WhatsApp and Threads, as it is just in the early stages of displaying ads on these platforms. With the stock trading at a forward P/E of 20.5 for a company that just grew its Q1 revenue by 33%, Meta looks undervalued with a lot of potential upside. Similar to Meta, the company has also brought the use of AI to advertisers, helping them automate marketing campaigns to optimize their ad spending and better convert customers. This helped lead to strong 18% year-over-year (15% in constant currency) revenue growth in the first quarter to over $1 billion. Reddit Reddit has been the fastest-growing social media company, with its revenue surging 69% last quarter to $663 million. It was the seventh straight quarter in which it had grown its revenue by more than 60%. The company is benefiting from introducing new ad formats and increasing ad loads. It's also launched a few new shopping tools to improve its dynamic product ad capabilities. This is still in its early stages but is showing promise. Meanwhile, its AI-powered ad platform, Reddit Max, is helping advertisers both reduce costs per action and increase conversions. Reddit is seeing rapid growth and is working to improve new user retention and frequency by enhancing its feed quality, onboarding process, and machine learning capabilities. It's also working on improving the overall user experience to improve security and eliminate bots. Trading at a forward P/E of 22 based on 2027 analyst estimates, this is another cheap social media stock whose valuation does not reflect its current growth.
Nordea Bank Abp (NRDBY) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
In fact, total income exceeded EUR 3 billion, and we are -- we were last there in 2024 at the peak of the higher rate environment. This highlights not only the strength of our diversified business model, but also our focused, growth-oriented 2030 strategy. We generated strong fee income and other ancillary income and importantly, net interest income has now started to move in the right direction.
Alibaba and Baidu shares jump in Hong Kong on Apple AI partnership
Shares of Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Baidu rose Thursday on their partnership with Apple for deploying their AI tools. Hong-Kong listed shares of Alibaba rose 5% after the company confirmed that its Qwen AI model would be integrated into Apple services in China. U.S.-listed shares of Alibaba had closed slightly higher overnight after an Alibaba spokesperson told CNBC that "Qwen will be integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences within iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and vision OS for users in China." Baidu's Hong Kong-listed shares gained 4% as the company confirmed that it was working with Apple on Apple Intelligence features for iPhones in China. This comes amid reports in late June that its artificial intelligence chip unit Kunlunxin is targeting an initial public offering in the city, which could value its affiliate at $50 billion.
The S&P 500 Is Doing Something Not Seen in 60 Years. History Says Investors Should Make This 1 Move Right Now.
The top 10 largest companies in the S&P 500 make up roughly 40% of the index's total value, according to data from S&P Dow Jones Indices, which is the most concentrated the market has been since the mid-1960s.
Market Overlooked Spotify Technology S.A. (SPOT) Despite Robust Results
Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) reported total revenue of EUR 4.5 billion in Q1 2026, growing 14% year-over-year in constant currency. The largest detractors included McKesson, Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE).
Over 60 Analysts Recommend Buying This Stock. Here’s Why We Agree.
Q1 2026 was strong: EPS of $2.78 crushed the $1.73 estimate, and revenue rose 16.6% to $181.52 billion. AWS grew 28% to $37.59 billion, the fastest pace in 15 quarters, powered by Trainium commitments from OpenAI and Anthropic. Management guided Q2 revenue to $194 billion to $199 billion. The analyst consensus target of $312.91 across 62 Buy, 4 Hold, and 0 Sell ratings aligns with our model. These projections assume Amazon executes on AWS AI monetization and CapEx converts to free cash flow by 2028.
3 of our stocks rode the AI rally, while 3 others fell out of favor since last month
Palo Alto Networks up 25.5%, CrowdStrike up 21.7% These two cybersecurity names both hit record highs since our last Monthly Meeting as the sector cemented itself as an AI winner and not a loser. Earlier this year, investors worried artificial intelligence would disrupt the industry. Now, they're betting AI will only increase demand for cybersecurity , a theme that first gained traction after Anthropic's Mythos models reignited concerns about AI-powered cyber threats in April. The latest rally began after The Wall Street Journal reported that Chinese AI models are becoming nearly as capable as leading U.S. platforms at identifying software vulnerabilities. Rather than viewing that as a threat, investors saw another reason companies will need to spend more to defend their systems. Meta recently announced plans to launch a cloud business that would rent excess computing capacity to outside customers, which Jim has spent weeks advocating for . The company also introduced new AI products for developers and advertisers, signaling a broader shift toward charging for its AI capabilities rather than relying primarily on open-source releases.
Karooooo Ltd. (KARO) Q1 2027 Earnings Call Transcript
FY '27 is off to a strong start, highlighted by Cartrack subscription revenue growth accelerating to 19% in Q1 despite foreign exchange headwinds associated with the strengthening ZAR. In constant currency, Cartrack subscription revenue growth accelerated to 21%. And despite the strengthening ZAR, ARR growth
Here’s Why Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (CRDO) is on the Detector List of the Fund
Polen 5Perspectives Small Growth Composite Portfolio returned 33.22% gross and 32.83% net of fees, respectively, in the second quarter of 2026, compared to the 25.71% return of the Russell 2000 Growth Index. Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (NASDAQ:CRDO) has a market capitalization of $42.28 billion. "Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (NASDAQ:CRDO) was among our largest relative detractors despite not being held in the Portfolio during the quarter."
Warren Buffett's Successor, Greg Abel, Has Nearly 30% of Berkshire Hathaway's $351 Billion Portfolio in These 2 Magnificent Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks
As of this writing (July 14), Berkshire's equity portfolio stands at $351 billion, with Apple and Alphabet together representing roughly 30% of invested capital. Berkshire further committed $10 billion through a private placement as part of Alphabet's broader $80 billion equity raise -- allocating $5 billion each to Class A and Class C shares.
Is UnitedHealth Group a Buy After Its Latest Earnings Report?
Revenue for the second quarter was solid, but unspectacular, coming in at $112 billion versus $111.6 billion a year ago. UnitedHealth Group increased its full-year guidance to $25.45 billion in operating earnings, versus previous expectations of $24 billion. The company now expects adjusted earnings per share to be in a range of $19.50 to $20, versus previous guidance of $17.75 per share. It expects the full-year medical care ratio to be 88.1%, down from a previous expectation of 88.8%.
Experian plc (EXPGY) Q1 2027 Sales/Trading Call Transcript
Q1 total revenue growth was 10% of actual rates, 8% constant currency and organic revenue growth was 7%. Q1 total revenue growth was 10% of actual rates, 8% constant currency and organic revenue growth was 7%.
The Russell 2000 Is Having Its Best Year in 23 Years. Here’s Why Small-Caps Are Winning Again
The Russell 2000 has surged 20% in 2026, its best performance since 2003, as AI spending ripples beyond mega-cap tech into small caps. Unprofitable Russell 2000 companies have surged 154% since mid-2025, dwarfing profitable peers' 34% gain as investors bet on AI exposure over current earnings. HSBC's data shows the market is currently rewarding AI exposure more than current earnings, with unprofitable small caps leading their profitable peers.
Virtuix Eyes Growth From Meta Quest Launch, Defense Training Push
Revenue, margins and production capacity continue to improve. Virtuix reported 18% year-over-year revenue growth in its most recent earnings call and said its production facility is capable of producing 3,000 Omni One units per month. He said that capacity equates to about $100 million in annual revenue potential. He said the company has brought five products to market to date, including Omni Pro, Omni Arena and Omni One, its current consumer-focused system. Goetgeluk said Phase I SBIR funding is relatively small, but the process can lead to a Phase II award of $1 million to $2 million and potentially a Phase III award with "$100 million sole source status," though he said the process can take one to three years. He said potential acquisitions could provide access to contract vehicles, sales channels, certifications and additional revenue, while supporting Virtuix's goal of building an immersive defense training consortium. On financial performance, Goetgeluk said Virtuix reported more than $4 million in revenue last fiscal year and said revenue is increasing, particularly following the Meta Quest launch. He said the company's gross margin rose to 25% and that expenses are coming down.
Meta's data center plans could help solve its AI spending problems
Meta spent a whopping $72.2 billion on capital expenditures, with the bulk of that going toward its AI build-out. That prodigious outlay is going toward facilities like Meta's upcoming Canadian data center announced last week, as well as toward expanding its massive Hyperion data center in Louisiana, which will support 5 gigawatts of capacity. In 2025, Meta spent a whopping $72.2 billion on capital expenditures, with the bulk of that going toward its AI build-out. And it plans to spend even more this year: between $125 billion and $145 billion. If Meta does end up leasing out its data center space, the next question becomes, for how long? SpaceX's deal with Anthropic technically runs through May 2029, but either party can call it off with 90 days' notice.
Purchase of investment bank gave U.S. Bank a rapid boost
The acquisition of BTIG and a new card partnership with Amazon will generate more than $1 billion of annual revenue. U.S. Bank intends to expand its branch network in selected high-growth markets, increasing annual branch spending by $100 million annually. Going forward, U.S. Bank, the company's banking subsidiary, is targeting a $200 million quarterly revenue contribution from BTIG.
Publicis Keeps Winning the Ad Slowdown
Publicis reported second-quarter net revenue of €3.77 billion (about $4.3 billion), up 4.8% organically from a year earlier. That was an acceleration from 4.5% growth in the first quarter and helped lift first-half organic net revenue growth to 4.7%. Net revenue for the first half came in at €7.23 billion. Publicis delivered a record first-half headline margin rate of 17.5%, up 17 basis points from a year earlier.
The Debates That Matter For AAPL Stock
iPhone revenue grew 22% to $57 billion, and management was quick to note the iPhone 17 family is the "most popular lineup in our history" for the post-launch period.
Fireworks AI raises $1.5 billion Series D at $17.5 billion valuation
The fundraise coincides with Fireworks crossing the $1 billion threshold in annualized revenue, a figure that has grown fivefold compared with the previous year. Token volume on its platform has climbed to more than 40 trillion per day from 15 trillion over the same stretch, according to Reuters.
In the AI Data Center Buildout, Amazon.com Inc (AMZN) Has a Cost Advantage
Amazon Web Services introduced Loom for AWS, an open‑source platform to help enterprises build and deploy AI agents with strong security controls and governance frameworks. The brokerage expects Amazon to spend $159 billion on AI infrastructure buildout in 2026, unchanged from the previous projection. For 2027, Amazon is now projected to spend $230 billion, up from the prior estimate of $196 billion. All together, Amazon is projected to spend $389 billion on AI capacity expansion between 2026 and 2027. According to BofA Securities, it costs anywhere between $25 billion and $45 billion to build 1 GW of data center capacity. The brokerage believes Amazon has the lowest data center building costs among the top hyperscalers. It estimates Amazon's costs at $25 billion per GW, compared to $37 billion per GW for Google and $45 billion per GW for Meta Platforms.
The Reason I Keep Buying Amazon That Wall Street Keeps Missing
AWS carried a $364 billion commercial backlog into Q1 2026, and that figure does not include the recent Anthropic deal announced for over $100 billion. The spend would scare me if it were speculative. Instead, Jassy said Amazon has “customer commitments for a substantial portion” of that 2026 spend, and the monetization window on new capacity runs 6 to 24 months against assets with 30+ year useful lives on data centers. I keep buying because the backlog is signed, the silicon is shipping, the consolidated margin line just hit an all-time high, and the stock trades at $247.49 against an analyst consensus target of $312.91 with 62 buy ratings and zero sells.
Netflix Drops 45% as Critical Earnings Test Looms
Netflix shares have fallen about 45% since reaching a record high on June 30, 2025, wiping out approximately $259 billion in market value and placing the company among the 20 worst performers in the S&P 500 (SPY) over that period. Wall Street expects Netflix to report second-quarter revenue of roughly $13 billion, representing a 14% increase, while earnings per share are projected to rise 10% to 79 cents.
Alphabet could crush estimates on Cloud strength, Anthropic windfall: BofA
The EPS gap is largely driven by an estimated $80 billion boost to second-quarter operating income from the revaluation of Alphabet's Anthropic stake, after Anthropic's valuation rose from $380 billion in the first quarter to $965 billion in the second. Cloud growth estimates were raised to 70%, supported by demand indicators and a backlog suggesting at least $230 billion in revenue over the next eight quarters. For full-year 2026, Bank of America raised its net revenue estimate by 1% to $427 billion and its EPS estimate by 36% to $19.70, now projecting 16% full-year search growth and 72% Cloud growth. For 2027, the bank raised net revenue estimates by 3% to $537 billion and EPS by 1% to $14.70, with Cloud revenue from the second quarter of 2026 through the first quarter of 2028 now projected at $290 billion, above the current backlog. Given accelerating AI demand, higher component pricing for items like memory, and Alphabet's recent capital raise, Bank of America believes the company could raise its 2026 capex range by roughly 5% to $190 billion to $200 billion.
QTS Expands AI Loan to $3.25 Billion, Drops $1 Billion Bond Sale
QTS has already raised more than $6 billion through public and private investment-grade bonds over the past year and has issued securities backed by data center cash flows.
UnitedHealth Group Q2: The Real Test Begins Now (Downgrade)
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated delivered a strong Q2, with improved medical care ratio and operating income up 50% YoY, signaling effective cost initiatives. UNH raised FY 2026 EPS guidance to $19.5–$20, reflecting operational recovery and solid cash flow prospects, especially from Optum’s AI-driven growth.
Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) Posts Q2 CY2026 Sales In Line With Estimates But Stock Drops On Weak Guidance
Streaming video giant Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) met Wall Street's revenue expectations in Q2 CY2026, with sales up 13.4% year on year to $12.56 billion. Company management is currently guiding for a 11.7% year-on-year increase in sales next quarter. We still think its growth trajectory is satisfactory given its scale and suggests the market is baking in success for its products and services. Looking further ahead, sell-side analysts expect revenue to grow 12.6% over the next 12 months, a slight deceleration versus the last three years.
Amazon: A Deeper Look at the Cloud Growth Story (NASDAQ:AMZN)
$182 billion in revenue in the first three months of 2026. AWS posted a 28% year-over-year revenue gain in Q1, its fastest growth pace in more than three years. The market places a lot of attention on a single metric for cloud computing leaders like Amazon: backlog, which indicates contracted (but not yet delivered) demand from customers. AWS had a $364 billion backlog as of March 31, up 49% from three months before. Amazon has said it will lay out $200 billion on capital expenditures this year, up 52% compared to 2025.
Is IBM's Crash Really a Buying Opportunity?
IBM posted its worst decline in its more than a century-old history, erasing roughly $67 billion in market value.
Intuitive Surgical Q2 Earnings Call Highlights
Revenue rises 19% as recurring revenue remains dominant Chief Financial Officer Jamie Samath said second-quarter revenue increased 19% year over year to $2.89 billion, or 18% on a constant-currency basis. Recurring revenue rose 19% to $2.47 billion and represented 85% of total revenue. Non-GAAP operating margin was 42%, and non-GAAP earnings per share increased 28% from the prior year to $2.80. Non-GAAP net income was $1 billion, compared with $798 million a year earlier. On a GAAP basis, net income was $818 million, or $2.29 per share, compared with $658 million, or $1.81 per share, in the second quarter of last year. The company ended the quarter with $8.6 billion in cash and investments, up from $8 billion in the prior quarter. Samath said the increase was driven by operating cash flow, partly offset by $379 million in stock repurchases and $112 million in capital expenditures. Free cash flow for the first half of 2026 was $1.8 billion, up 71% from the first six months of 2025. In the U.S., da Vinci procedure growth was 12%, led by general surgery, while after-hours procedures increased 26%. Rosa said U.S. growth moderated from recent trends and from the company’s expectations at the start of the year, particularly in procedures that can be deferred. Outside the U.S., da Vinci procedure growth was 20%. Rosa said Europe and Asia each grew 20%, while rest-of-world markets increased 22%. Samath highlighted strong results in India, Italy, Taiwan and the U.K., as well as solid growth in distributor markets and Germany. He said procedure growth in China and Japan was slightly ahead of the global average but continued to be affected by market-specific dynamics. Intuitive placed 468 da Vinci systems in the quarter, up from 395 in the year-ago period. Of those placements, 246 were da Vinci 5 systems, including 114 dual consoles. The da Vinci 5 installed base is now just over 1,700 systems, used by more than 15,000 surgeons since launch, Samath said. The company also placed 55 Ion systems, compared with 54 last year. Systems revenue increased 19% to $685 million. U.S. da Vinci placements rose 24% to 267 systems, driven by adoption of and upgrades to da Vinci 5. Samath said almost all of the increase in U.S. placements came from trade-in activity, reflecting customer interest in upgrading. The company also placed 27 systems at ambulatory surgery centers, a level Samath described as significantly higher than Intuitive’s history. Twenty of those 27 placements were XiR systems. Outside the U.S., Intuitive placed 201 systems, up 12% from last year. Placements included 75 systems in Asia, 79 in Europe and 47 in rest-of-world markets. In China, the company placed two systems, including its first da Vinci 5 system in Hong Kong. Samath noted that da Vinci 5 is not cleared in mainland China. Rosa said adoption of da Vinci XiR is increasing, especially in more cost-constrained countries outside the U.S. and in U.S. ambulatory surgery centers. He said XiR expands access where a customer’s procedure mix and economics align with the capabilities and cost profile of Intuitive’s fourth-generation systems. SP and Ion platforms continue to gain traction Intuitive placed 38 da Vinci SP systems in the quarter, bringing the global installed base to 445 systems. SP procedures increased 61%, driven by strength in Korea and the U.S. and early-stage momentum in Europe, Japan and Taiwan. Samath said U.S. SP system utilization increased 25% from the prior-year quarter. The SP stapler launch also continued to expand. In the U.S., where it is in broad release, Samath said the stapler was used in nearly 60% of eligible cases, up from just under 40% in the prior quarter. Internationally, the stapler is in broad launch across Europe and Korea, with availability expected to extend to Japan in the third quarter. Ion procedures increased 36% to 48,000 and now exceed 400,000 cumulatively. Rosa said Intuitive’s commercial teams have installed Ion systems in 12 countries outside the U.S., and the company continues to support U.S. utilization growth while generating evidence needed for international adoption. Outlook maintained for da Vinci procedures Dan Connally said Intuitive is maintaining its full-year 2026 da Vinci procedure growth forecast of 13.5% to 15.5%, with an expectation closer to the midpoint. The company continues to expect growth to be driven mainly by U.S. general surgery, including after-hours procedures, and non-urology procedures internationally. Connally said the outlook factors in the impact of changes to ACA premium subsidies and U.S. patient behavior, China tender volumes and competitive intensity, capital pressure in parts of Europe, prior capital challenges in Japan and the effect of pharmaceutical products for obesity management. The company raised its non-GAAP gross profit margin forecast to a range of 68% to 69% of revenue, from a prior range of 67.5% to 68.5%. Connally said the new outlook still assumes higher input costs in areas including freight and semiconductor memory, as well as faster growth of newer products such as da Vinci 5 and Ion. Intuitive now expects non-GAAP operating expense growth of 11% to 13%. Connally said R&D has recently grown faster than SG&A and that the company expects that trend to continue through the rest of 2026.
Warren Buffett Just Reaffirmed Apple as One of His Favorite Stocks -- Even as Tim Cook Prepares to Step Down
A business Buffett knows well Buffett first bought Apple in 2016, and it has grown into Berkshire's single biggest position. It accounts for about 22% of the conglomerate's roughly $263 billion equity portfolio, according to its most recent quarterly filing, making it Berkshire's largest holding by a wide margin. More telling still, Berkshire left the stake untouched in the first quarter, its first full period under new CEO Greg Abel. After years of steady trimming, standing pat amounts to a quiet vote of confidence. In its fiscal second quarter (the period ended March 28, 2026), Apple's revenue rose 17% year over year to $111.2 billion, and earnings per share climbed 22% to $2.01. Both were March-quarter records. iPhone revenue jumped 22% to a record $57 billion, powered by demand for the iPhone 17 lineup. Services revenue, meanwhile, hit an all-time high of about $31 billion, up roughly 16% year over year. That services business is the quiet engine here, and it's the piece I'd watch most. It carries a gross margin near 75%, against about 39% for products, so as it outgrows the rest of the company, it steadily lifts Apple's overall profitability. Zoom out, and the trajectory is the real story. Apple's revenue grew just 6% in fiscal 2025, then accelerated to that 17% pace in the March quarter. Management has guided for 14% to 17% growth again in the current quarter, which Apple will report later this month. After several sluggish years, in other words, this is a business reaccelerating. That helps explain why Buffett is content to leave it as Berkshire's anchor holding through a CEO change. But is the stock overvalued? Apple stock climbed about 4% on Wednesday to roughly $328, a fresh record, and it is up more than 55% over the past year, well ahead of the S&P 500. At that price, shares trade at close to 40 times earnings -- a steep premium to the broader market's roughly 25. Even on next year's expected profits, the multiple eases only to the mid-30s. But I think Apple stock is worth its premium. Not only is the business accelerating, but it's also built on an enduring, proven brand and a loyal customer base. Then there's the potential for AI to further accelerate both its products and services businesses, as it gives customers reasons to upgrade and potentially opens the door to entirely new product categories. Additionally, Buffett's conviction is worth taking seriously. Not only is he a renowned investor, but he's putting his money where his mouth is -- and he hasn't sold any Apple shares this year. So, is Apple a buy up here? I think so. Sure, there are risks. But I agree with Buffett on this one. Apple is a stock worth owning. With that said, it's worth being clear that Berkshire hasn't been buying Apple stock at this level -- least not that we know of. So it's not fair to say that Buffett thinks Apple stock is a buy. But he certainly likes owning it -- and he likes owning a lot of it. Further, Berkshire's position size is arguably already borderline oversized, so it makes sense he isn't adding.
Andy Jassy Says Amazon's Chip Business Already Has $225 Billion in Commitments
Amazon's custom chip unit -- Graviton processors, Trainium artificial intelligence (AI) accelerators, and Nitro networking chips, all deployed inside Amazon Web Services (AWS) -- has an annual revenue run rate above $20 billion, growing at triple-digit percentage rates year over year. And customers have lined up. Jassy said in the company's first-quarter earnings call that it now holds more than $225 billion in revenue commitments for Trainium. Numbers like those suggest Amazon is building something bigger than an internal cost-saving project.
Why Did IBM, ORCL, SMR Stocks Drop To 52-Week Lows Today?
IBM's comment that enterprise customers are prioritizing AI infrastructure investments, delaying or reducing spending on traditional software offerings, has added additional pressure. The firm added that while IBM had been monitoring higher component costs, particularly rising memory prices, the company underestimated the extent to which those market dynamics would influence customer buying behavior. Oracle stock tumbled to a fresh 52-week low of $123.66 on investors' concern about the company's aggressive investments in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, which have resulted in elevated capital expenditures and negative free cash flow. Additional pressure came from concerns surrounding leverage and its credit profile, with S&P Global lowering the company’s credit rating to BBB- last week, only one level above non-investment-grade status. The agency highlighted concerns about Oracle’s reliance on large customers, including OpenAI, which represents a large portion of its remaining performance obligations. Oracle has cratered 36% year-to-date, with sentiment around the stock remaining in ‘extremely bullish’ territory. NuScale Power stock dropped to an annual low of $7.52 as investors remained wary of the lengthy regulatory and construction timelines associated with small modular reactors. So far this year, NuScale has declined 46% with sentiment around the stock remaining in ‘bearish’ territory.
Why Prologis (PLD) Is Up 6.2% After Raising 2026 Earnings Guidance And Record Leasing Results
In the past week, Prologis, Inc. raised its 2026 net earnings guidance for common stockholders from US$3.80–US$4.05 to US$4.40–US$4.55 per diluted share, following a quarter of record leasing activity and better-than-expected results. The company's record 67 million square feet of leases, 95.5% occupancy, and US$1.60 billion of new logistics and data center projects highlight how rising demand for both warehousing and digital infrastructure is reshaping its growth mix. Prologis' narrative projects $10.2 billion revenue and $3.6 billion earnings by 2029. This requires 2.8% yearly revenue growth and an earnings decrease of $0.1 billion from $3.7 billion today.
Why Did AAPL, ATAI, UNH Stocks Jump To 52-Week Highs Today?
AAPL stock closed up nearly 2% higher on Thursday as Apple Intelligence AI service registration in China, alongside Wall Street optimism over the company’s recent strength, bolstered prices. Eli Lilly said that it will acquire all outstanding ATAI shares for $6.75 per share in cash, with shareholders eligible for an additional up to $2.50 per share if certain development and regulatory milestones are achieved, bringing the deal's total potential value to $9.25 per share. The company posted revenue of $112.03 billion, up about 0.37% from $111.62 billion in the prior-year quarter.
Danaher (DHR) Stock May Trade At A Discount Despite Its 18% Five Year Decline
Over the past 5 years, Danaher shareholders have seen the stock decline about 18%, which frames the current valuation debate against a weaker long term return profile. Those cash flow assumptions translate into an estimated intrinsic value of about $261 per share. This sits above the current share price and implies the stock trades at roughly a 21.4% discount to that DCF estimate, so it screens as undervalued on this metric. Danaher trades on a P/E of about 39.5x, which sits just below the Life Sciences industry average of roughly 41.0x and close to the broader peer group at around 41.2x.
Aerospace
Farnborough to survey the state of Boeing's comeback
Boeing, which reported annual losses between 2018 and 2024, expects positive cash flow in the second half of 2026. On Tuesday, Boeing announced that it delivered 314 commercial planes in the first half of 2026, the most since 2018.
What a $1,000 Investment in SpaceX Could Be Worth in 2030
According to SpaceX's S-1 filing, the company generated $18.7 billion in total revenue in 2025. The connectivity segment, driven by Starlink, generated roughly $11.4 billion in sales and stood out as the only profitable segment, with operating income of $4.4 billion.
GE Aerospace Q2 Earnings Call Highlights
GE Aerospace raised its full-year 2026 outlook across revenue, profit, EPS and free cash flow. Ghai said the company now expects overall revenue to grow in the high teens, up from a prior outlook of low double-digit growth. - Commercial Engines and Services revenue is expected to grow around 20%, up from a prior mid-teens outlook. - Commercial services revenue is expected to grow in the low 20% range, up from a prior mid-teens outlook. - Commercial equipment revenue is expected to grow around 20%, with LEAP deliveries up in the high teens. - Defense and Propulsion Technologies revenue is expected to grow in the low double digits. - Operating profit is expected to be between $10.55 billion and $10.75 billion. - EPS is expected to be between $7.65 and $7.85. - Free cash flow is expected to be between $8.9 billion and $9.2 billion. Ghai said the commercial services backlog stands at roughly $170 billion, up nearly $30 billion since the end of 2024. He said the company is entering the third quarter with more than 95% of spare parts revenue in backlog, similar to the second quarter, and that engines already off wing plus planned third-quarter removals exceed the company’s full-year shop visit guide by more than 40%.
AST SpaceMobile Falls 13% on a $1B Convertible Raise and Launch-Provider Acquisition Talk
Shares of AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS) are down 13% to $57.63 in early Thursday trading, extending an overnight slide after the company priced a fresh $1 billion convertible senior notes offering. The initial conversion price is $79.57 per share, a 20% premium to Wednesday's close, and paired capped call transactions lift the effective conversion price to $149.20, a 125% premium. AST SpaceMobile's net proceeds are estimated at about $983.6 million, per the company's Business Wire release. The bull case rests on AST SpaceMobile's nearly 60 mobile network operator partners covering 3 billion-plus subscribers and the BlueBird constellation build-out.
Lumen Technologies vs. Viasat: Which Data Network Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?
In FY 2025, revenue was $12.4 billion, reflecting a year-over-year decline of approximately 5%. The company reported a net loss of nearly $1.7 billion, much wider than its 2024 loss. For FY 2026, which ended May, revenue reached roughly $4.6 billion, representing growth of approximately 3% over the previous year. It reported a net loss of approximately $34 million. Viasat had a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.5x as of March 2026, which compares its total debt to its shareholders’ equity. During the fiscal year, the company generated approximately $597 million in free cash flow, representing the cash left over after accounting for necessary capital expenditures. Closer in Viasat is expected to post fiscal 2026 sales of about $4.9 billion, up about 5%, though with a wider net loss of $225 million or so due to capital investments.
AST SpaceMobile vs. Rocket Lab: 1 Number Separates These Space Stocks
Rocket Lab pulled in roughly $200 million in revenue in a single quarter earlier this year, growing more than 60% from the year before. AST SpaceMobile, by contrast, guided to somewhere around $150 million to $200 million for the entire year of 2026. Rocket Lab books in three months what AST hopes to earn in 12 months. Rocket Lab is an operating business with two revenue engines -- launch services and a growing satellite manufacturing arm -- plus a backlog of over $2 billion that provides visibility into future work.
These 2 Space Stocks Skyrocketed 388% and 174% in 2025: Here's 1 Reason I Wouldn't Buy in 2026.
Rocket Lab has yet to turn a profit, which is not uncommon in space stocks. However, with a market cap of almost $50 billion and a trailing-12-month revenue of about $660 million, its price-to-sales ratio (P/S ratio), which measures revenues against market cap, is about 75. That is extremely high, which means investors are paying a lot for shares in a company that isn't yet generating significant revenue. Planet Labs is a leader in satellite imaging, providing an ever-changing stream of data to both businesses and governments. When combined with artificial intelligence (AI) analytics, its services have applications in defense, agriculture, climate monitoring, and more. It also has a solid backlog of $816 million and partnerships with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Navy, and several governments. Its subscription model is starting to generate sustainable revenue streams, and its last quarterly revenue was up 42% year over year to $94 million.
Trump Presses General Dynamics as $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget Advances
The latest comments build on earlier administration efforts to expand domestic defense manufacturing and reshape the weapons procurement process. Trump said defense companies agreed in March to quadruple production of advanced weapons, while a June order invoked the Defense Production Act to address industrial capacity and a January executive order pushed contractors to prioritize investment and production over stock buybacks and dividends.
Goldman's Equity Underwriting Revenue Jumps 130% on SpaceX, AI Deal Boom
Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS), a major U.S. investment bank, generated $985 million in equity underwriting revenue during the second quarter ended June 30, representing a 130% increase from the same period last year. Morgan Stanley's quarterly equity underwriting revenue increased 70% from a year earlier to $851 million. The banks also benefited from active demand for equity-linked offerings, including convertible bonds, with issuance reaching more than $166.7 billion this year, up 82% from 2025. Morgan Stanley projects that artificial intelligence spending could reach $1.3 trillion next year, potentially creating further demand for capital across the market.
What Vicor (VICR)'s AI-Fueled Backlog And Insider Selling Tug-Of-War Means For Shareholders
Vicor Investment Narrative Recap To own Vicor, you need to believe AI data centers will keep driving demand for its high‑density power solutions and that new capacity and licensing can translate that demand into durable earnings. In the near term, the key catalyst is execution on capacity expansion to convert a sold‑out backlog into revenue, while the biggest risk is that today's rich valuation, a 100 percent plus year to date share price move, and heavy insider selling leave little room for disappointment. Recent guidance raises and backlog strength look supportive, but do not fully resolve that tension. Among recent developments, Vicor's decision to boost Q2 2026 revenue guidance to US$142 million and highlight a sharply higher one‑year backlog directly ties into the AI capacity story. It reinforces the idea that near term results are more constrained by supply than demand, which could help address earlier worries about underutilized fabs and lumpy licensing. At the same time, this stronger outlook sits uncomfortably beside third‑party flags about valuation risk and substantial insider sales. Yet against this enthusiasm, investors should be aware that heavy recent insider selling and questions about how much AI demand is already priced in... Vicor's narrative projects $1.3 billion revenue and $416.1 million earnings by 2029. This requires 45.7% yearly revenue growth and a roughly $279 million earnings increase from $136.7 million today. Uncover how Vicor's forecasts yield a $406.25 fair value, a 56% upside to its current price.
AST SpaceMobile: Shares Sink 17% After Pricing a $1 Billion Convertible-Note Offering, But Dilution Risk Is Smaller Than It Looks (NASDAQ:ASTS)
The company said the money will let it "pursue an expanding universe of growth initiatives and secure additional access to orbit for its space-based cellular broadband network," including possible partnerships or acquisitions that would reduce its dependence on third-party launch providers. Getting those satellites up is the core of the investment case, so locking down launch capacity is money aimed at the company's biggest bottleneck.
Bio
Lilly to acquire AtaiBeckley to advance therapies for treatment-resistant depression and other mental health conditions
In a Phase 2b study, BPL-003 demonstrated rapid and durable reductions in depressive symptoms following an in-clinic visit lasting approximately two hours on average, with beneficial effects persisting for months.
Xenon Pharmaceuticals: Azetukalner Has Shifted From Binary Science To Commercial Execution
Xenon Pharmaceuticals is transitioning into a late-stage, cash-rich neuroscience company with a validated Kv7 potassium channel platform and strong Phase 3 epilepsy data. XENE's lead candidate, azetukalner, showed robust efficacy in refractory focal onset seizures and is progressing toward a Q3 2026 NDA filing.
What Could Push LLY Stock Higher From Here?
Revenue compounding at 30% annually. Top line moves from $72.2B to $158.7B. Standalone contribution to the price move: 120%. The next wave of growth may come from converting an entirely new set of doctors and patients. The recent launch of the company’s oral GLP-1, Foundayo, has already attracted over 8,000 prescribers. Critically, a third of them had not previously been prescribed a drug in this class, signaling true market expansion. Management explicitly guides for price to be a headwind in the low to mid-teens for the full year. This pressure is already visible in the latest results, where the U.S. price declined by 7%.
Johnson & Johnson vs. Eli Lilly and: Which Pharma Giant Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?
In FY 2025, revenue reached nearly $94.2 billion, representing about 6% growth over the previous year. During FY 2025, revenue surged to nearly $65.2 billion, representing approximately 45% growth over the prior fiscal year. Eli Lilly is riding a wave of success with its GLP-1 drugs Zepbound for weight loss and Mounjaro, which is the same drug for diabetes control. There is still plenty of growth left in the treatment, and that is expected to power revenue up as high as 30% in 2026, to $85.2 billion, with close to $31 billion in net income. Besides GLP-1s, Lilly is working on a small interfering RNA therapeutic targeting lipoprotein(a) for the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in patients with elevated lipoprotein(a) levels. Analysts believe it will be a blockbuster ($1 billion or more lifetime revenue) if approved.
Here’s Why McKesson Corporation (MCK) Slid in Q2
McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) posted a one-month return of 9.60%, while its shares gained 15.82% over the past 52 weeks. The concern is that lower drug pricing could pressure distributor margins. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, McKesson Corporation's (NYSE:MCK) earnings per diluted share reached $11.69, a 16% increase over the prior year.
Takeda’s zasocitinib proves ‘top-notch’ for difficult-to-treat psoriasis in phase 3 update
Takeda has unveiled more data from its phase 3 trials of zasocitinib, demonstrating that the once-daily pill was able to clear or almost clear scalp psoriasis in 75% of patients.
Dimerix snaps up Mission’s stalled, phase 2-ready kidney disease candidate in $292M deal
Dimerix has bought an acute kidney injury drug from Mission Therapeutics, paying $5 million upfront and committing up to $287 million in milestones for the phase 2-ready asset.
Consumer / Retail
Prediction: Dutch Bros Will Hit $130 by 2031 for This Obvious Reason
At the end of 2021, there were 538 Dutch Bros locations in the U.S. This small number, mostly concentrated in the western and southern parts of the country, surged in recent years. As of March 31, there were 1,177 Dutch Bros coffee shops in total. The business opened its first store in the Chicago area in May, for instance, clearly expanding its geographic footprint. Dutch Bros has huge growth ambitions. During its 2025 investor day, executives revealed that the goal is to reach 2,029 stores by 2029. The management team estimates that the U.S. has a total addressable market of 7,000 locations. This figure is six times larger than the current shop count. These locations are performing well, despite the uncertain macro backdrop. Dutch Bros has reported systemwide same-store sales growth in at least the last nine consecutive quarters. This must definitely be the envy of the retail sector. What's particularly encouraging is that the company's shops generate almost 75% of their sales after 10 a.m. Compared to the 50% share industry leaders report during this time, Dutch Bros has been able to differentiate itself in a notable way. Between 2022 and 2025, sales climbed 122%. The bottom line went from a $19 million net loss to a $117 million net profit, as advantages developed thanks to greater scale.
The Portfolio Blueprint for Building $20,000 a Month in Dividend Income
Twenty thousand dollars a month in dividends means $240,000 a year that has to arrive whether the market cooperates or not. Reaching it is a math problem before it is a stock-picking problem, and the math gets uncomfortable fast when you compare that target with current yields. The core equation is unforgiving: annual income divided by portfolio yield equals the capital you need before taxes. Every choice from here is a negotiation between how much you have and how much risk you will accept to close the gap. For context, the 10-year Treasury recently yielded about 4.4%, which is the baseline every income strategy has to justify. At a blended 3.5% yield, hitting $240,000 requires roughly $6.86 million in invested capital. That is the ceiling of the range, and it is the price of sleep. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ | JNJ Price Prediction) just approved a 3.1% dividend increase to $1.34 per quarter, extending 64 consecutive years of raises. The payout is backed by Q1 2026 revenue of $24.06B (+9.9% YoY) and adjusted EPS of $2.70. Southern Company (NYSE:SO) posted Q1 2026 adjusted EPS of $1.32 on revenue of $8.40B (+8.0% YoY), backed by regulated utility operations and Southeast data-center demand that CEO Chris Womack has flagged as a multi-year tailwind. Move to a blended 6% yield and the capital requirement drops to $4 million. That is the tier where net-lease REITs and pipeline partnerships live. Realty Income (NYSE:O) pays a $0.27 monthly dividend ($3.246 annualized), a yield near 5.06%, and has raised the dividend for 114 consecutive quarters. Q1 2026 AFFO/share grew 6.6% YoY to $1.13 with occupancy at 98.9%. Enterprise Products Partners yields around 6-7%, with a $0.55 quarterly distribution ($2.20 annualized, +2.8% YoY) and $5.3B of major growth projects under construction. Ares Capital (NASDAQ:ARCC) yields around 10% and earns it from a portfolio with weighted average debt yields of 10.3% at amortized cost. Q1 core EPS of $0.47 covered the $0.48 quarterly dividend with almost no cushion, and the portfolio absorbed $412M in net unrealized losses while NAV slipped to $19.59 from $19.94. Non-accruals rose to 2.1% at amortized cost from 1.8%. A 3.5% portfolio that starts at $240,000 of income and raises its dividend 7% annually would pay roughly $441,000 in year ten, or about $472,000 in year eleven after ten full annual increases. A 10% portfolio that holds its distribution flat pays $240,000 every year. Ten years in, the dividend-growth investor may have far more income, while the yield chaser may have stood still if the payout never grew.
Walmart's Momentum Cannot Justify The Premium
Walmart delivers strong Q1 FY27 results, but trades at nearly 39x forward earnings, leaving little margin for execution errors. eCommerce and digital ads, especially Walmart Connect, are driving higher-margin growth, yet consolidated margin gains remain modest due to rising costs. Operating leverage is limited: net sales rose 7.1%, but operating income increased only 5.0%, with negative free cash flow from heavy capex and buybacks.
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) Stock Sees Modest Fair Value Lift As Analysts Raise Targets
Across June and July, firms including Piper Sandler, Truist, KeyBanc, Wells Fargo, RBC Capital, Morgan Stanley, BofA, JPMorgan and UBS lifted UnitedHealth Group price targets into a roughly US$430 to US$492 range, signaling greater confidence in the stock's valuation than earlier in the year. Several banks, such as Truist, Bernstein and UBS, point to margin recovery in Medicare Advantage and other government businesses, along with steadier ACA exchange trends, as important supports for UnitedHealth Group's earnings profile. Mizuho and Morgan Stanley highlight what they describe as a more stable policy backdrop and potential AI related efficiencies. They see this as allowing investors to focus more on underlying fundamentals and cost control at UnitedHealth Group. Commentary from BofA and others indicates that moderating healthcare utilization and clearer medical cost trends are feeding into more constructive Q2 expectations for UnitedHealth Group. UnitedHealth Group is scheduled to report Q2 2026 earnings on July 16, with investors watching medical care ratio management, cost controls and full year EPS guidance above US$18.25 after prior 2025 challenges. Recent Q1 2026 results and margin recovery led to analyst upgrades and higher price targets, with attention on softer utilization trends, Medicare Advantage payment changes, AI driven efficiencies at Optum and a 5% dividend increase. UnitedHealth Group plans to invest about US$3b in artificial intelligence across 2026 and 2027 to support automation and efficiency across insurance, healthcare services, pharmacy benefits and Optum, while also addressing Department of Justice and litigation matters.
Costco (COST) Stock Still Looks Overvalued As Its 133% Run Draws Scrutiny
Over five years, Costco Wholesale has returned 133.1%, a performance that leaves today's buyers assessing whether much of the long term success is already priced in. P/E is a useful way to look at Costco Wholesale because earnings are a key output of its membership and warehouse model. On this measure, the stock currently trades at about 46.0x earnings, far above the Consumer Retailing industry average of roughly 19.7x and also above the peer group average of about 23.5x. Simply Wall St's fair P/E ratio for Costco Wholesale is 37.0x. This is an estimate of what investors might pay given its size, margins, business mix and risks. Compared with that benchmark, the current 46.0x implies a rich premium.
South Korea auto exports rise 6% in June
The value of South Korean vehicle exports rose by 5.8% year-on-year to US$ 6.79 billion in June 2026, driven by strong overseas sales of battery-powered and hybrid-electric vehicles by the country's main automakers, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. This was a record high for the month of June, with the value of shipments to Europe rising by 13.7%, while exports to North America rose by 12.3%, and shipments to Latin America rising by 5.1%. Overall exports of eco-friendly vehicles surged by over 31% to US$ 2.9 billion, according to the Ministry. The strong June data followed weak production and exports in previous months, due mainly to temporary auto parts shortages affecting key automakers, particularly Hyundai Motor. Overall vehicle production in the country rebounded by 12% year-on-year to 394,210 units last month, according to industry data, with domestic sales by the 'Big Five' automakers rising by 5% to 117,390 units. In the first half of 2026, total vehicle output declined slightly to 2,110,783 units, while the value of exports was down by just over 1% to US$ 35.95 billion.
Frontline vs. ZIM Integrated Shipping Services: Should Industrials Investors Bet on Oil or Consumer Goods in 2026?
In FY 2025, revenue reached approximately $2 billion, which represented a decrease of nearly 4% compared to the prior year. Despite lower revenue, the company achieved a net income of roughly $379.1 million, resulting in a healthy net margin of approximately 19.3% for the period. As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the company maintained a debt-to-equity ratio of nearly 1.2x. This ratio shows that the company uses $1.20 of debt for every dollar of shareholder equity. The current ratio, which measures the ability to cover short-term debts with short-term assets, stood at roughly 1.4x. During the same period, the company generated close to $669.9 million in free cash flow, representing the cash left over after paying for operations and capital equipment. Revenue for ZIM can swing significantly based on global container freight rates. For FY 2025, the company reported revenue of $6.9 billion, a decline of approximately 18% from the previous year. This resulted in a net income of close to $481 million. The net margin for the fiscal year was approximately 6.9%, illustrating the tighter profitability currently found in the container segment compared to tankers. Based on the December 2025 balance sheet, ZIM carried a debt-to-equity ratio of roughly 1.4x. This indicates its total debt is 1.4 times the value of its equity. Its current ratio was approximately 1.2x, suggesting it has sufficient liquidity to meet its immediate financial obligations. A bright spot was its free cash flow, which reached nearly $1.6 billion in FY 2025, providing significant capital for fleet adjustments or shareholder returns. Frontline benefits from geopolitical volatility that can raise the demand for and cost of crude oil. But it also must navigate the associated physical disruptions, including the recent uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz. ZIM's focus on consumer goods leaves it vulnerable to changes in consumer demand, which can dry up quickly in tough economic environments — its 18% revenue decline in 2025 bears this out.
Here Are Thursday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Alphabet, BlackRock, Etsy, Flex, Lululemon Athletica, Meta Platforms, Okta, Palo Alto Networks, and More
The Producer Price Index (PPI), which tracks wholesale costs, plummeted 0.3% in June, largely due to falling gasoline prices. Blackrock (NYSE: BLK) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan, which pushed the price target to $1,364 from $1,165. Okta (NASDAQ: OKTA) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight at Capital One, which boosted the target price to $171 from $126. Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight at Capital One, which lifted the target price to $421 from $307.
Nike Tariff Receivables Put Cash Flow in Focus
Nike (NYSE:NKE) reported $684 million in outstanding tariff receivables as of May 31, 2026, after already collecting $302 million tied to IEEPA-related import charges. The company said it has since recovered substantially all of the remaining balance. Nike will continue monitoring U.S. and international trade policies, tariff refunds and related litigation because further changes could affect cash flow and reported results. U.S. Nike Brand and Converse sales accounted for about 44% of fiscal 2026 revenue, up from 43% in 2025 and 42% in 2024.
UnitedHealth Stock Soars After Q2 Earnings Beat and Stronger 2026 Forecast
UnitedHealth posted adjusted earnings of $6.38 per share, exceeding analyst expectations by $1.46, while revenue rose 0.3% from a year earlier to $112.0 billion, also ahead of consensus. UnitedHealth raised its 2026 outlook, projecting reported earnings of $18.45 to $18.95 per share and adjusted earnings of $19.50 to $20.00 per share, up from its previous forecast of more than $18.25 per share.
‘Massive opportunities’ for J.B. Hunt in intermodal shift
J.B. Hunt's (NASDAQ: JBHT) operating leverage was again evident in the period. It grew operating income 32% y/y to $259 million on a 19% increase in revenue. Intermodal revenue increased 22% y/y to $1.75 billion, given the higher load count and an 11% increase in revenue per load. The unit booked a 91.4% operating ratio (8.6% operating margin), 190 basis points better y/y. Revenue of $3.5 billion was ahead of a $3.26 billion consensus estimate. Earnings per share of $1.91 were 60 cents higher y/y and 18 cents above consensus. Dedicated revenue increased 9% y/y to $921 million. The company's brokerage business turned an operating profit for the first time in 14 quarters. Revenue was up 49% y/y as loads increased 19% and revenue per load increased 26%.
U.S. grocery unit sales falling, squeezing PepsiCo and food companies
Grocery unit sales — a measure of individual items purchased — were down 1.8% in June relative to the same month last year. Prices continue climbing at roughly 2% to 3% a year, but that tailwind has lost its power to offset declining volumes and prop up total sales figures. Food at the grocery store now costs consumers about a third more than it did in 2019, and gasoline expenses have climbed as well.
Why PepsiCo's stock is at a 1-year low
In the second quarter, PepsiCo reported revenue of $24.2 billion, up 6.4% year over year and above Wall Street expectations. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $2.20, roughly in line but slightly below some analyst estimates. Core operating profit margins fell 40 basis points year over year in the quarter. Management maintained its full-year outlook, calling for 2% to 4% organic revenue growth and 4% to 6% core constant-currency EPS growth.
3 Stocks to Own When the Market Gets Ugly in July
Q1 FY27 delivered Adj EPS of $0.66 on revenue of $175.68B, up 6.1% year over year, with global eCommerce sales up 26% and U.S. comps up 4.1% ex-fuel. Global comparable sales rose 3.8% versus -1.0% a year ago, with U.S. comps up 3.9% and all segments positive. Revenue of $6.52B was up 9.4%, and management guided to operating margin in the mid-to-high 40% range. The quarterly dividend was raised to $1.86 in Q4 2025, up from $1.77, extending a growth streak that has taken the annual payout from $0.77 quarterly in 2013 to $1.86 in 2026. Management reaffirmed 2026 Adj EPS guidance of $6.55 to $6.80 and pointed to long-term growth of 5% to 7% through 2030, with confidence in the top half beginning 2028. The capital return story is stiffening. Walmart raised its quarterly payout to 24 cents for 2026, up from 23 cents in 2025 and 20 cents in 2024, and authorized a new $30 billion buyback in February with $28.2 billion remaining.
Japanese food group Nichirei hit by cyberattack
For the year ended 31 March 2026, Nichirei's net sales rose 2% to Y716.14bn ($4.41bn), while operating profit edged up to Y38.99bn from Y38.31bn. Profit attributable to owners of parent increased 10.5% to Y27.33bn. Nichirei has forecast net sales of Y609.40bn and operating profit of JPY33.80bn for the nine-month transition period ending 31 December 2026.
Rentokil Initial PLC (RTO) A Top UK Dividend Growth Stock To Consider on North American Organic Growth
Goldman Sachs expects Rentokil Initial to return to mid-single-digit organic growth by 2027. The growth could come as a major pause in Terminix integration, as it continues to reduce operational disruption. Therefore, EBITA margins are expected to increase to 17.1% by 2027, driven by stronger revenue growth and continued cost savings.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (CCEP): A Top UK Growth Dividend Stock to Consider on Robust Growth Expectations
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners has remained resilient despite inflationary pressures, as evidenced by solid profit growth. The company's edge has stemmed from leaning into pricing power and premiumization strategies to offset cost pressures. The strategy is expected to continue paying off over the next two years, which explains why it is one of the top UK dividend stocks, with a five-year compound annual growth rate of 19.19%.
UK competition watchdog clears eBay’s $1.2bn Depop acquisition
Depop recorded close to $1bn in annual gross merchandise sales during 2025, with growth in the US market reaching nearly 60% year-on-year. Figures as of 31 December 2025 show the platform had seven million active buyers – with almost 90% under the age of 34 – alongside more than three million active sellers.
Strong Results Bolster UnitedHealth’s (UNH) Recovery
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) has a market capitalization of $380.08 billion. The result reflected a prioritisation of margin recovery over membership growth, including trimming Medicare Advantage membership and restoring operational discipline at Optum Health. In Q1 2026, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) reported revenues of nearly $111.7 billion, representing a 2% increase from Q1 2025.
Does Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) Have a Positive Outlook Amid Challenges?
According to Magellan Global Opportunities Fund's Q2 2026 investor letter, Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE), a US-based financial services company that provides technology, data, and market infrastructure to financial institutions, corporations, and government entities, detracted from the performance. On July 15, 2026, Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE) closed at $139.84 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $79.08 billion. Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE) posted a one-month return of 4.45%, and its shares lost 23.14% over the past 52 weeks. "Key detractors included Intuit, Netflix and Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE). ICE was affected by a combination of i) broad concerns about the disruption of software by AI that applies to a small part of its business, ii) a decline in exchange energy volumes as the US and Iran reached a ceasefire, iii) US approval of perpetual futures for bitcoins and a stated willingness to consider additional asset classes and iv) a more resilient macro outlook and associated higher rates, which affects valuation and volumes in its mortgage business.
Here’s Why SoFi Is a Prime Takeover Target for These Major Financial Players
SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI | SOFI Price Prediction) has quietly built the profile of an ideal fintech takeover target: 14.7 million members, a national bank charter, over $40 billion in member deposits funding over 90% of liabilities, and the Galileo technology platform servicing approximately 133 million global accounts. PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) needs a growth story. Q1 2026 revenue of $8.353 billion grew just 7.21%, and CEO Enrique Lores has guided FY2026 non-GAAP EPS flat to slightly lower vs. FY 2025’s $5.31. JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) has the checkbook. Q2 2026 revenue reached a better-than-expected $57.35 billion, and the board authorized a new $50 billion share repurchase program. Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) posted Q2 2026 EPS of $1.21 and services 60 million active digital banking users. Mastercard (NYSE:MA) is the cleanest strategic buyer. It is already SoFi’s partner: CEO Anthony Noto has described an important partnership with Mastercard to enable SoFiUSD settlement across their global payments network. Investors should watch SoFi’s FY2026 guidance of ~$4.655 billion revenue and ~$0.60 adjusted EPS as the real driver of the takeout math.
Walmart: The Sell-Off Isn't Over Yet (Rating Upgrade)
Walmart's stock price has dropped by over 14% in just 2 months, right after I rated it a strong sell. Management guides for 3.5%-4.5% FY 2027 revenue growth, with Q3 and Q4 expected to weaken. And that exposes shareholders to the risk of losing some of their gains. Q1 2027 delivered solid top-line growth, aided by currency effects, but underlying growth and margin improvements are modest relative to WMT’s high multiples.
Panera makes a major Sip Club change diners will hate
Few restaurant subscriptions have offered as much value as Panera's Unlimited Sip Club. Panera puts a cap on unlimited sips Beginning on August 19, the chain says the program will change to My Panera + Sip Club, and the never-ending caffeine fountain will be turned off. From that date, members will be limited to just 30 self-service refills per month. The price of the Sip Club will not change. Panera maintains that even with the adjustments, the subscription is still a good deal for consumers. Sip Club members who get just four drinks per month will essentially pay for the subscription fee. Those who get all 30 Sip Club refills will save about $100 monthly. One report from Boston Consulting Group found that nearly 40% of restaurant loyalty members increase the frequency of their visits after joining the program, and nearly 25% increase the amount they spend per visit. That's a major reason restaurant chains increasingly invest in loyalty ecosystems. Frequent visits create more opportunities for additional food purchases, while personalized rewards help encourage repeat business.
Why McDonald's stock is at nearly 2-year lows
Data suggest McDonald's was unable to power through industry challenges in 2Q, and we are modeling US same-store sales down 2%/reaching a multi-year low in relative performance vs the fast food benchmark," Citi analyst Jon Tower said in a new note. "With beverages on the horizon, we think this can be the low-water mark for both same-store sales and the multiple before a September investor event gives McDonald's the opportunity to make the case for asset investments/a faster pace of menu innovation/beverages as multi-year sales drivers," he added. Tower noted that McDonald's US foot traffic fell by 4.6% year over year in the second quarter, with May being the worst month.
The Smartest Dividend Stocks to Buy With $1,000 in July and Never Sell
Revenue in the first quarter was $6.51 billion, up 9% from a year ago, and net income of $1.98 billion was up 6% year over year. Revenue in the first quarter was $6.22 billion, up from $6.02 billion a year ago. Net income was $723 million, an increase from $637 million a year ago, and cash flow from operations increased 24% to $1.5 billion. The company is also using artificial intelligence to streamline its work. ADP Assist includes tools such as AI-powered chatbots to allow employees to manage their own accounts. Other tools automate tasks and validate timecards. Revenue in the fiscal third quarter of 2026 (ending March 31, 2026) was $5.93 billion, up 7% from a year ago. McDonald's has increased its dividend annually for the last 50 years, and its current dividend yield is 2.7%. Waste Management stock offers a 1.6% dividend yield, and the company has increased its dividend for 23 consecutive years. Realty Income currently has a healthy dividend yield of 5.1%.
United Airlines shares fall as weak outlook overshadows Q2 earnings beat
For the third quarter, United forecast adjusted earnings of $2.50 to $3.50 per share, with the midpoint of $3 falling below analysts' consensus estimate of approximately $3.60 per share. The company raised its full-year adjusted earnings per share guidance to a range of $9 to $11. United said it now expects nearly $6 billion in additional fuel costs for full-year 2026 compared with expectations at the start of the year. Fuel expense rose $2.3 billion, or 84%, year over year in the second quarter. The company said it recovered about half of that increase during the quarter and expects to recover 80% to 90% in the third quarter and fully recover the increase by the fourth quarter. The airline reported adjusted diluted earnings of $1.99 per share for the second quarter on total operating revenue of $17.67 billion. The results exceeded Wall Street expectations of adjusted earnings between $1.85 and $1.89 per share on revenue of about $17.62 billion.
Sales of Vita’s Tableware and Lifestyle Brands Drive Fiskars Group’s Q2, Even as Margin Pressure Persists
Sales of Vita’s Tableware and Lifestyle Brands Drive Fiskars Group’s Q2, Even as Margin Pressure Persists MILAN – Finland's Fiskars Group, founded 377 years ago, took a major bet when it began building up Vita, its tableware and home decors segment, in the 21st century. Over the last two decades it has acquired some of the oldest names in tableware and design, among them Royal Copenhagen, founded in 1775 under the patronage of Queen Juliane Marie; Wedgwood, founded in Burslem, England, in 1759, and Georg Jensen, established in Copenhagen in 1904 by Georg Jensen, a former goldsmith's apprentice and sculptor. That bet is now beginning to pay off. More from WWD - Dr. Martens Confirms Fiscal 2027 Outlook Citing 'Encouraging' U.S. Wholesale Performance - Levi's Q2 Revenue Rises as Women's Business, Supply Chain Improvements Fuel Growth - Aritzia Reports Strong Q1 With 35.1% Comp Sales Jump as the Retailer's Momentum Continues On Thursday, the group, which began as an ironworks and later expanded into high-quality household utensils and implements, said overall sales inched up 1 percent to 260.9 million euros in the second quarter. For the first time in its history, Vita's sales exceeded those of the Fiskars segment in the quarter. The latter includes Fiskars, a gardening, cooking and lifestyle brand; Gerber, a tools brand, and Hackman, a cutlery brand. However, earnings before interest and taxes plunged 76 percent to 1.3 million euros as the group faces elevated inventories. Vita's sales in the three months ended June 30 rose to 130.4 million euros, compared with 125.3 million euros in the year-ago period. Sales in the Fiskars segment fell to 128.7 million euros from 131.1 million euros in the second quarter of 2025. The company maintained its full-year guidance, forecasting an improved EBIT from 2025 levels of 76.4 million euros. "It was actually the fourth consecutive growth quarter, much driven by our business area, Vita," said Fiskars Group chief executive officer Jyri Luomakoski during a live webcast with analysts. On a comparable basis, excluding the impact of exchange rates, acquisitions and divestments, Fiskars Group said sales rose 3 percent. Its comparable EBIT rose to 7.7 million euros from 3 million euros, which excludes items related to Vita's turnaround, involving efforts to separate it into an operationally independent business, scale down production to clear inventory, and restructuring facilities. New Management Amid Turnaround In 2025, Fiskars Group poached seasoned luxury executive Daniel Lalonde from Flos B&B Italia Group to become chief executive officer of Vita. At the time, he took on an extensive portfolio of heritage brands and centuries of design history.
Citizens Financial Group Q2 Earnings Call Highlights
Net interest income rose 4.4% from the prior quarter and 14% year over year, driven by net interest margin expansion and stronger loan growth across the company's businesses. Fee revenue increased 8% sequentially and 9% from a year earlier, helped by capital markets, wealth and payment-related businesses. Banerjee said net interest margin expanded by three basis points from the first quarter, bringing the first-half improvement to 10 basis points. The company benefited from terminated swaps, non-core runoff and fixed-rate asset repricing, while higher loan demand led to a modest increase in funding costs. Average loans rose 2% from the prior quarter, while period-end loans increased 3%. Banerjee said loan growth occurred across all three businesses. The private bank added $1.9 billion in period-end loans, driven by commercial line utilization and originations in residential mortgage and multifamily lending. Commercial loans excluding the private bank rose $1.5 billion on a spot basis, supported by C&I growth in corporate banking and higher line utilization across corporate and sponsor businesses. Capital markets fees rose 14% from the first quarter and 46% year over year, which Banerjee said marked the company's strongest second quarter ever for the business. Loan syndications and bond underwriting drove the outperformance, while equity underwriting and M&A were broadly stable compared with the prior quarter. Banerjee said M&A fees were up significantly from a year earlier and pipelines remain strong. Wealth also delivered a record quarter, with fees up 2% sequentially and 16% year over year. Banerjee attributed the growth to higher assets under management in the private bank and retail network, along with positive market impact. The private bank remained a central growth driver. Van Saun said the business ended the quarter with spot deposits of $17.8 billion, loans of $9.7 billion and client wealth assets of $11.2 billion. He said the business now contributes 11.5% of Citizens' pre-tax income while maintaining an ROE of around 25%. Banerjee said Citizens opened its 10th private bank office during the quarter in West Palm Beach and added a wealth team in Southern California. Coughlin said the private bank's loan yields are just above 6%, with deposit costs around 2.10%, producing a net loan-over-deposit spread just under 4%. He said the business continues to lead with deposits and investments, with loan growth picking up more recently. Banerjee said net charge-offs were 37 basis points, down from 39 basis points in the prior quarter. Non-accrual loans fell 4% sequentially, driven by a decrease in commercial real estate as Citizens continued to work through its general office portfolio. The allowance for credit losses was stable, with an ACL coverage ratio of 1.48%. Banerjee said the credit outlook remains positive, though the bank continues to monitor the macroeconomic environment. Citizens ended the quarter with a CET1 ratio of 10.4%, slightly below its 10.5% target due to stronger-than-expected loan growth. The company returned $422 million to shareholders in the quarter, including $197 million in common dividends and $225 million in share repurchases. Through the first half of the year, Citizens returned $920 million to shareholders. For the third quarter, Banerjee said Citizens expects net interest income to rise 2.5% to 3.5%, driven by continued margin expansion and earning asset growth. Non-interest income is expected to increase about 1%, led by capital markets and wealth, while expenses are expected to be stable to up slightly. The company expects charge-offs to be stable to down slightly and CET1 to return to approximately 10.5%, including about $125 million in share repurchases. For the full year, Banerjee said revenue is trending above the guidance Citizens provided in January, and expense discipline puts the company on track to deliver more than 600 basis points of positive operating leverage. Management reiterated a path to achieving a 16% to 18% ROTCE target by the end of 2027. Banerjee said the bank expects to exit 2026 with about $100 million of annualized pre-tax benefit, doubling in 2027 and reaching about $450 million by the end of 2028.
UnitedHealth Group boosts earnings outlook after stronger-than-expected Q2 results
UnitedHealth reported adjusted earnings of $6.38 per share, ahead of analysts' expectations of about $4.91 per share. Revenue rose to $112 billion from the prior year, exceeding the consensus estimate of roughly $110.8 billion. Net earnings were $6.04 per share, while earnings from operations totaled $8 billion. UnitedHealth's medical cost ratio, a closely watched measure of healthcare spending, was 86.7% in the quarter, below analysts' expectations of 88.4%. The company attributed the result to product design changes, improved medical management, better-aligned pricing and favorable prior-period development. Optum, the company's health services business, supported more than 120 million consumers, reporting $65.7 billion in revenue and $4 billion in earnings, with margin expansion of 160 basis points year over year. UnitedHealth also reported operating cash flow of $11.1 billion during the quarter and ended June with a debt-to-capital ratio of 41.2%. Further, the company raised its full-year 2026 adjusted earnings guidance to between $19.50 and $20 per share, up from its previous outlook, citing stronger year-to-date performance and an improved outlook for the remainder of the year.
Starbucks spends $400 million a year on software — now it's using AI to build its own and cut out the middleman
Starbucks spends approximately $400 million on software, fulfilling a promise from chief technology officer Anand Varadarajan, who said earlier this year that Starbucks had "clear opportunities to reduce the spend" on its software operations. According to the Bloomberg report, Starbucks expects to save $30 million in 2026 on enterprise technology spending and save $10 million on software spending alone.
Here's Why Plug Power Stock Soared 37.6% in the First Half of 2026
Plug stock rocketed 37.6% in the first half of 2026. According to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, Plug stock rocketed 37.6% in the first half of 2026. With the company's cost-savings initiative, Project Quantum Leap, seeming to bear fruit, Plug reported a 2.4% gross margin in Q4 2025 -- a sharp improvement from the negative 123% it reported in Q4 2024. For the last quarter of 2025, Plug posted earnings per share (EPS) of negative $0.63 compared to negative $1.48 in Q4 2024. Beating analysts' expectations that it would post revenue of $141.2 million, Plug reported $163.5 million on the top line -- 22% higher on a year-over-year basis. But it was likely management's year-end commentary that provided the most fodder for the bulls. Speaking to the company's continuing improvements, Jose Luis Crespo, Plug's CEO, reaffirmed the belief that the company would achieve positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and share-based expense (EBITDAS) in the fourth quarter of 2026. Should the company report further success in reducing expenses when it reports second-quarter 2026 financial results later this summer, it may suggest that a new day for Plug is dawning.
McDonald's has a McProblem that's not getting better
More than four-in-five (82%) consumers would try a competitor if their go-to is frequently out of stock, according to a new survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers from DOSS. Nearly two-thirds (62%) have already switched brands because of a stockout, while a quarter (25%) of consumers say stockouts damage their trust in a brand. Nationally, the McDonald's ice cream machine was reported down about 10.4% of the time, according to the data. Cleveland, Tennessee, is the broken-machine capital of America, with implied odds of a downed machine at 46.9%, nearly a coin flip on whether you're getting ice cream at all. Albany, Georgia (42.4%) and Gulfport, Mississippi (39.7%) round out the three unluckiest cities in the country. Mississippi is the worst state overall (34.0% implied odds of a broken machine), followed by Oklahoma (32.4%), and Alaska (30.5%). Minnesota (11.5%) and Wisconsin (12.7%) have the best statewide odds in the country. In Q1, we grew global system-wide sales 6% in constant currency and global comparable sales grew 3.8% with solid growth across each of our operating segments.
Netflix heads into earnings with bulls unfazed by stock's rough year
Subscriber growth slowed sharply in 2022, and the stock fell more than 50% as a result, before Netflix responded with paid sharing and its ad-supported tier, moves that reignited growth. Management has "consistently demonstrated an ability to adapt to changing market conditions, execute effectively and create long-term shareholder value," the bank wrote. Jefferies doesn't expect a meaningful upside surprise in second quarter or full-year revenue guidance. It's forecasting constant-currency revenue growth of 12% year-over-year for both the second and third quarters, in line with Wall Street. The firm also doesn't expect Netflix to lift its full-year revenue outlook this quarter, citing soft third-party subscription data. On margins, Jefferies is a bit more upbeat, suggesting consensus estimates may be underestimating the benefit of Netflix's US price increase from late March while overstating the drag from Brazil-related tax comparisons. The firm thinks the company's full-year operating margin guidance of 31.5% could eventually move higher, though the timing is unclear. Both firms flagged engagement as the metric to watch. Jefferies expects first-half 2026 viewing hours to improve on the roughly 2% year-over-year growth seen in the second half of 2025, with third-party web traffic data pointing to stabilization rather than further weakness.
Could Somalia See The World's Next Major Oil Discovery?
Somalia's offshore remains largely unexplored: only eight wells have been drilled historically, including just two in the Somali Basin, and none have produced a commercial discovery so far. Hence, the risk is reflected in the country's recently revamped fiscal terms. Under Somalia's 2020 model PSA, companies may recover up to 70% of oil and 80% of gas production as cost petroleum, while the government's share of profits rises as project returns improve. Somalia's revised 2023 PSA model has replaced its broad sliding royalty system with a flat rate of 5% for both oil and gas. To give a perspective, internationally a 5% royalty remains relatively generous to investors, but it is no longer exceptional for frontier offshore acreage. It is broadly comparable with smaller West African deepwater contracts and well above the 2% royalty granted under Guyana's original Stabroek agreement. However, it remains only half the 10% royalty Guyana introduced for new licences after its basin had been de-risked by a succession of major discoveries.
Coca-Cola looks set to bring back new take on giant failure
According to Keurig Dr Pepper's 2026 State of Beverages report, 58% of Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers are interested in unexpected flavors, while 57% favor globally inspired options, and 56% are drawn to limited-edition drops. An Attest survey conducted in early 2026 found that 56% of Americans ages 18 to 27 use TikTok daily, while the same percentage said social media content influences their food and beverage purchases.
Billionaire Leon Cooperman’s Top 3 Stocks: Buy, Sell or Hold
Vertiv: Great Business, Uncomfortable Multiple Vertiv sells the power and cooling systems inside AI data centers, and the run shows it. Shares are up 88.08% YTD against the S&P 500's 10.69%, and the company joined the index in March 2026. Q1 revenue jumped 30.1% to $2.65B, adjusted EPS hit $1.17 versus $1.01 expected, and management raised full-year guidance to $6.30 to $6.40 in adjusted EPS on organic growth of 29% to 31%. Backlog sits at a record $15B. At 80 trailing and 52 forward earnings with a beta of 2.03, execution is priced in. EMEA revenue fell 20.3% last quarter, and the stock has pulled back 4.17% in the past week. Rocket Companies: Transformation On Deck, Rates Still In Charge Rocket warrants patience because the story is genuinely bifurcated. The Mr. Cooper and Redfin acquisitions are integrating faster than planned, with the full $400M Mr. Cooper synergy target now expected by end of 2026, a year ahead of schedule. Q1 revenue exploded 167.1% to $2.94B, and adjusted EBITDA reached $738M versus $169M a year prior. The combined servicing book now spans $2.1T in unpaid principal across 9.4M loans. Energy Transfer: Yield, Growth, And AI Gas Demand At $19.91, Energy Transfer looks most compelling of the three. The MLP raised full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance to $18.20B to $18.60B, a $750M lift, and locked in gas supply agreements with Oracle ramping to roughly 900 MMcf/d across three data center facilities plus the Nexus Hubbard AI hyperscale campus. Q1 adjusted EBITDA rose 20% to $4.94B, and distributable cash flow climbed to $2.70B. The quarterly distribution of $0.3375 annualizes to $1.35, a 6.65% yield, and units trade at just 17 trailing and 12 forward earnings. Units are up 25.14% YTD, more than double the S&P 500's 10.69%, and 21 analysts rate it 5 Strong Buy, 14 Buy, 2 Hold with an average target of $23.64, implying 18.7% additional upside.
‘The only true one-and-done asset’ — here’s the passive income gig one investor says can net you $40,000 per month
In his experience, these campsite properties can bring in $30,000 to $40,000 each per month, even after expenses, including loan repayments, and all with minimal oversight. Morby said it's more than he makes from his car washes, venues, rental properties and other such holdings. Morby, who says he owns 40 RV parks that earn him approximately $100 million (8) per year, has faced his fair share of criticism (9), with RV park owners offering mixed reviews of the passive earnings potential in online forums (10).
GE Aerospace Q2 2026 Earnings Call Summary
Performance was anchored by robust commercial services revenue growth of 32% in the first half, supported by record internal shop visit output and improved material availability. Full-year 2026 guidance was raised across all metrics, with revenue now expected to grow high teens and operating profit projected between $10.55 billion and $10.75 billion. Commercial services revenue growth was upgraded to low 20s, supported by a $170 billion services backlog and 95% visibility into third-quarter spare parts revenue. LEAP engine deliveries are now expected to grow high teens for the full year, up from the previous 15% growth target. Free cash flow guidance was raised to $8.9 billion-$9.2 billion, reflecting higher earnings and improved working capital performance, though conversion is expected to normalize over time. Spare parts delinquencies grew 20% sequentially in the second quarter, indicating that supply chain constraints remain a governor on meeting total market demand. Defense backlog grew to over $30 billion, driven by next-gen technology milestones including the XA102 adaptive cycle engine and collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) products.
The great bank migration: Banking loyalty must now be earned
Raisin's 2026 State of Consumer Banking Report found that 65% of Americans have switched banks at least once, and nearly one-third have switched multiple times. The rise of fintechs and digital tools has changed what customers expect from their financial institutions. Comparing rates, opening accounts, and moving money no longer feel like major hurdles, weakening the friction that once kept consumers in place. But easier access does not mean every consumer is acting on the information available to them. Raisin's report found that only 7% of Americans are currently earning what would be considered a competitive savings rate in today's market, while 31% don't know their savings interest rate at all. Among Baby Boomers, that figure rises to 38%.
Price Prediction: Coca Cola Will Trade at This Price in Two Years
Our model projects KO hitting $100 by 2028 as EPS compounds at 8-9% annually and investor sentiment rotates away from AI toward staples. Wall Street's consensus target of $86.81 implies single-digit upside from $83.70. Ratings break down as 7 Strong Buy, 12 Buy, 5 Hold, 0 Sell, and 1 Strong Sell, with 76% bullish sentiment. Our 2028 base case sits at $99.95, with a bull case of $103.52 and confidence rated 0.9 (high). Wall Street is anchoring on last year's flat performance and ignoring Q1 results: EPS beat by 5.87%, revenue grew 12.1% year over year, and management raised comparable EPS growth guidance to 8-9%.
Clear Street starts payments coverage, favors Visa and Mastercard over XYZ, PYPL
Analyst Owen Lau initiated coverage of Visa with a Buy rating and a $403 price target, based on a 27x P/E multiple applied to its fiscal 2027 EPS estimate of $14.95. The firm called Visa "one of the highest-quality compounders" in its coverage, citing adjusted operating margins exceeding 67% and conversion of roughly half of net revenue into free cash flow. Mastercard was also initiated at Buy, with a $617 price target based on 27x its 2027 EPS estimate of $22.85.
The Portfolio That Pays All Your Car Repairs For Life
AAA’s 2025 Your Driving Costs study pegs routine maintenance at $792 per year, or $66 per month, for a typical new vehicle. Inflation matters. CPI-U rose from 321.465 in June 2025 to 335.123 in May 2026, and motor vehicle maintenance and repair costs were up 6.1% over the year. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ | JNJ Price Prediction) yields 2.1% today but has raised its payout for 64 consecutive years, most recently to $1.34 a quarter. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) yields 2.9% and just hiked its quarterly dividend to $1.0885, extending a streak back seven decades. NextEra Energy yields 2.7% but has compounded its dividend at roughly 10% a year since 2022. Realty Income (NYSE:O) yields 5.2%, pays monthly, and has now declared 670 consecutive monthly dividends. Agree Realty (NYSE:ADC) yields 4.1% after raising its monthly payout to $0.267 earlier this year. STAG Industrial yields 3.9% and leases warehouses to single tenants across the country. The aggressive tier looks cheapest until you account for time. P&G now pays $1.0885 a quarter, up from $0.285 in 1999. NextEra raised its quarterly dividend to $0.6232 in 2026, consistent with its plan for about 10% annual dividend growth through 2026 off a 2024 base. For a recurring, inflation-linked expense like car repairs, the lower-yield tier can win over a 20-year horizon if the dividends keep growing and the principal compounds.
The TJX Companies: Resilient Performance, But Valuation Caps Upside (Upgrade)
TJX Companies has outperformed retail peers, driven by strong comp sales and margin expansion amid a choppy consumer macro environment. Recent Q1 results delivered a beat-and-raise, with all banners posting high single-digit comps and management citing room for up to ~7k stores.
UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong EPS Growth Amidst Cost ...
Adjusted Earnings Per Share (EPS): $6.38 compared to $4.08 in the prior year. Total Revenues: $112 billion, largely consistent with the prior year. Operating Earnings: $8 billion, a 55% increase year over year. Full Year 2026 Adjusted EPS Guidance: $19.50 to $20. Full Year Operating Earnings Outlook: UnitedHealthcare at least $12 billion, Optum Health at least $2.2 billion.
FDA approves first-of-its-kind cholesterol pill Lipfendra: What it will cost
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that just over half of U.S. adults who could benefit from cholesterol medicine (47 million people) are taking it. Nearly 6 in 10 Americans, or 59%, said they were worried about the rising costs of prescription drugs, according to a KFF poll released in March. Healthcare costs, in general, are the top financial worry for voters ahead of the midterm elections. KFF reported 62% of surveyed adults said they were "very" or "somewhat worried" about affording healthcare. In April, a KFF report noted that about half of adults in households with annual incomes under $40,000 (52%) or between $40,000 and $90,000 (47%) said they had not taken their medication as prescribed in the past year due to the cost.
The Coca-Cola Company Announces Technology Disruption Involving fairlife Operations
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company's purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Fuze Tea, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and Santa Clara. We're constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people's lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide.
Jio Financial Services Ltd (BOM:543940) Q1 2027 Earnings Call Highlights: Robust Growth Amidst ...
Jio Financial Services Ltd (BOM:543940) reported a strong quarter with consolidated total income excluding dividends growing 141% year on year to INR1,496 crore. The company's lending business, JioCredit, saw its gross AUM surge 2.6 times year on year, reaching INR30,667 crore. Jio Payment Solutions achieved a 2.5 times increase in total payment volume value to INR19,208 crore. The company's joint venture with BlackRock, Jio BlackRock AMC, scaled its closing AUM to INR8,412 crore within a year of entering the market. Q: Can you elaborate on the growth and performance of JioCredit's lending business this quarter? A: Hitesh Sethia, CEO and Managing Director, explained that JioCredit's gross assets under management (AUM) surged 163% year-on-year to over INR30,000 crore. The AUM mix is balanced across mortgages, corporate and SME lending, and retail loans. Q: How is Jio Payment Solutions performing, and what are the strategic focuses? A: Kashinath Hariharan, MD and CEO of Jio Payment Solutions, reported that total payment value crossed INR19,000 crore, representing a 2.5x year-on-year growth.
Michael Burry Says PayPal's $60.50 Buyout Offer Is "Simply Too Low." Here's the Case for a Higher Bid.
Shares of the payments specialist soared 17% on the news, closing at $55.52. The offer came in 28% above Tuesday's closing price of $47.37. But that price followed a brutal stretch for the stock. Shares traded as high as $79.50 within the past year, which means the bid sits about 24% below the stock's own 52-week high. The company produced $1.7 billion of adjusted free cash flow in the first quarter alone, up 25% year over year, and it has returned $6 billion to stockholders through share repurchases over the trailing 12 months. At the first quarter's pace of cash generation, a $53 billion price works out to less than eight times a year of adjusted free cash flow. The offer also values PayPal at about 11 times earnings. Revenue rose 7% year over year in the first quarter, but transaction margin dollars, a key profitability measure for the company, rose just 3%.
Netflix Q2 Earnings Call Highlights
CFO Spence Neumann said Netflix is guiding for 12% reported revenue growth in the third quarter and 11% growth on a foreign-exchange-neutral basis. Neumann said Netflix expects 13% to 14% top-line growth, or roughly 12% on an FX-neutral basis, representing about $6 billion of incremental revenue year over year. Peters said viewing hours grew 2% in the first half of 2026, an incremental 1.5 billion hours compared with the same period last year. Sarandos said Netflix is forecasting content expense to rise about 10% this year, above the 8% average over the last five years but below the 14% average over the past decade. Peters also discussed Netflix’s video game strategy, saying the gaming market represents about $150 billion in consumer spending excluding China and Russia and not including advertising revenue. Neumann said there is no change to Netflix’s capital allocation philosophy, which includes investing in the business, maintaining liquidity and a healthy balance sheet, and returning excess cash through share repurchases.
2 Well-Known Stocks Are Ready to Pay You Dividends – But You Must Act Before July 24
Against trailing EPS of $7.26 and FY2025 EPS of $7.98, a $1.00 annual payout leaves an enormous cushion. FY2025 operating cash flow was $931.9 million against capex of $312.3 million, producing free cash flow of $619.6 million, far more than needed to fund the regular dividend. Q1 FY2026 revenue of $1.847 billion rose 16.9% year over year, though adjusted gross margin slipped 70 basis points to 39.1% on roughly $35 million of incremental aluminum costs tied to tariffs and supply. FY2025 operating cash flow of $13.34 billion and free cash flow of $7.84 billion comfortably fund the $5.88 annual payout with room for continued warehouse expansion (heading toward roughly 942 warehouses by fiscal year-end) and buybacks. Q3 FY2026 revenue reached $70.53 billion, up 11.6% year over year, with comparable sales up 9.8% and the worldwide membership renewal rate at 89.7%.
Why Newell Brands Stock Raced More Than 5% Higher Today
On average, according to data compiled by Yahoo! Finance, pundits tracking Newell stock are modeling $1.97 billion for revenue, which would be 2% higher year over year. While they're expecting a net profit of $0.19 per share, that's down from $0.24 a year ago.
Should You Buy Coca-Cola Stock Before July 28?
The beverage company has exceeded earnings expectations for four consecutive quarters, and while Coca-Cola isn't shattering any growth records, it remains consistent. Coca-Cola investors are also rewarded on the income side. The company has raised its dividend for 64 consecutive years, making it a true Dividend King -- a company that has raised its dividend for at least 50 consecutive years. Right now, the stock is yielding about 2.5%. The company currently pays $0.53 per share quarterly. Coca-Cola is an asset-light company, which helps it maintain strong free cash flow. The company reported nearly $2 billion in free cash flow last quarter.
Why Verizon Stock Topped the Market on Thursday
Increasingly, Verizon's retail outlets are being managed under the franchise model. Currently, around 5,000 company stores are run in this manner. Following the sale announced on Thursday, Verizon will directly operate only about 1,000 of its outlets. Just after current CEO Dan Schulman took the reins last October, the company announced plans to cut roughly 15% of its workforce, or around 13,000 people.
Prologis Inc (PLD) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Record Leasing Activity and Strategic ...
Prologis Inc (NYSE:PLD) signed a record 67 million square feet of leases during the quarter, indicating strong demand and market presence. The company has a 14,000-acre land bank representing 240 million square feet of embedded development opportunity, providing flexibility to meet customer demand. Prologis Inc (NYSE:PLD) started $1.6 billion of new projects, expanding its logistics platform and creating opportunities in data centers and energy. The power pipeline has expanded to approximately 5.8 gigawatts, representing significant investment potential and long-term growth opportunities. Prologis Inc (NYSE:PLD) closed a $1.2 billion European joint venture, reflecting strong demand for high-quality logistics assets and expanding strategic capital relationships. Same-Store NOI Growth: 6.4% on a net effective basis, 8.5% on cash. New Development Starts: $1.6 billion during the quarter. Real Estate Acquisitions: $1.8 billion at an estimated 20% discount to replacement cost. Disposition Activity: $800 million during the quarter. Data Center Development: $2.1 billion year-to-date, exceeding full-year guidance. Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio: 4.7 times at the end of the quarter. Guidance for Average Occupancy: 95.25% to 95.75%. Net Earnings Guidance: $440 to $455 per share. Core FFO Guidance: $622 to $630 per share.
Can Masimo’s Integration and Bioprocessing Strength Reshape Danaher’s Long-Term Story (DHR)?
Danaher, which released its Q2 2026 results on 21 July, saw expectations firm up ahead of the report as analysts projected modest year-on-year growth in revenue and earnings, helped by solid bioprocessing demand, improved filtration activity, and contributions from the Masimo acquisition despite cost pressures and higher debt. The key short term catalyst is whether Masimo's integration can meaningfully support diagnostics and bioprocessing growth, while the biggest current risk is that rising operating and interest expenses from higher debt could weigh on margins. Danaher's narrative projects $31.2 billion revenue and $6.5 billion earnings by 2029. This requires 8.0% yearly revenue growth and about a $2.8 billion earnings increase from $3.7 billion today.
2 Stocks Down 44% and 30% to Buy Right Now and Hold for the Next Decade
There are early signs that it is working. North America, Nike's largest market, has begun to grow again as store partners welcome the brand back onto their shelves. Recent quarterly revenue has grown and come in ahead of expectations, suggesting the recovery is slowly taking hold.
What’s Fueling UNH Stock’s Rally? A Bigger Buyback, Higher Guidance – And CEO Says Turnaround Is ‘Returning To Form’
UnitedHealth reported second-quarter adjusted earnings of $6.38 per share, well above the $4.92 consensus estimate and up from $4.08 a year earlier. Revenue came in at $112.03 billion, topping Wall Street’s $110.86 billion estimate and remaining broadly flat year-over-year. The company increased UnitedHealthcare’s operating-profit outlook to at least $12 billion and lifted Optum Health’s forecast to at least $2.2 billion. UnitedHealth raised its 2026 share-repurchase target to at least $5 billion from $2.5 billion. Optum said AI tools helped add nearly 200,000 patient-facing hours, cut clinician cognitive burnout by 90% and delivered a 96% first-pass approval rate for digital prior authorizations. UNH stock has risen 49% over the past year.
This Detroit Auto Stock Has Soared, but There's Still One Nagging Problem: China
GM's stock has far outperformed its rivals thanks to strong cash flow driven by high-margin sales of internal combustion engine (ICE) full-size trucks and SUVS, huge share buybacks, and effective cost-cutting. Those factors all propelled GM to consistently beat earnings estimates, and Wall Street has rewarded it with a premium valuation compared to most mainstream automakers. General Motors peaked in China in 2017 with record sales topping 4 million vehicles, and financially, GM and its joint venture peaked a few years before in 2014. Since then, however, it's essentially all been downhill, and it has cost the company a pretty penny. At the end of 2024 GM restructured its joint venture with SAIC Motor Corp in China with a price tag topping $5 billion in noncash charges and write-downs. Worse yet, the most recent numbers out of the region are gloomy: GM's China sales extended their slide during the second quarter, dropping 20% to 357,000 vehicles in the world's largest automotive retail market. That marks the third year-over-year decline in consecutive quarters. Year to date, China's new car volume has declined 20% to 8.75 million, in part due to the government taxing electric vehicles (EVs) in January, amplified by increased electric vehicle demand amid the Iran conflict. GM has also taken a page out of rival Ford's playbook and made a strong push into turning China into an export hub.
Others
UnitedHealth lifts managed care peers after guidance hike
UnitedHealth (UNH) added ~7%, sending its peers higher in premarket trading on Thursday after the largest health insurer in the U.S. reported better-than-expected financials for Q2 2026 and hiked its full-year outlook to a level that far exceeded
UnitedHealth shares surge on strong earnings beat and guidance
The company posted adjusted earnings of $6.38 per share, beating the analyst consensus of $4.85 by $1.53. Revenue reached $112.0 billion, surpassing the $110.76 billion estimate and up slightly from $111.6 billion in the prior year quarter. UnitedHealth raised its full-year 2026 adjusted earnings guidance to $19.50 to $20.00 per share, with a midpoint of $19.75 that exceeds the analyst consensus of $18.48. Cash flows from operations were $11.1 billion, or 1.9 times net income. The company repurchased $4.0 billion of its common stock through mid-July and expects to repurchase at least $5.0 billion for the full year. UnitedHealth also raised its full-year cash flow guidance to approximately $24.0 billion from over $18.0 billion previously.
GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) Reports Bullish Q2 CY2026
Industrial conglomerate GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) reported Q2 CY2026 results topping the market's revenue expectations , with sales up 31.5% year on year to $13.35 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $2.02 per share was 8.6% above analysts' consensus estimates. Revenue: $13.35 billion vs analyst estimates of $11.91 billion (31.5% year-on-year growth, 12% beat) Adjusted EPS: $2.02 vs analyst estimates of $1.86 (8.6% beat) Management raised its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance to $7.75 at the midpoint, a 6.9% increase Free Cash Flow Margin: 22.7%, up from 20.7% in the same quarter last year Market Capitalization: $376 billion
U.S. Bancorp Quarterly Revenue Rises to Record
U.S. Bancorp notched record second-quarter revenue due to to strong loan growth, broad momentum on fees and a one-month boost from the recent acquisition of financial-services firm BTIG.
Quantum Cyber jumps on $2M purchase orders
Quantum Cyber (QUCY) said its wholly owned subsidiary, Quantum Drones Corp., has received purchase orders worth ~$2.09M.
Verkkokauppa.com Oyj (VERKF) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
We'll start with the presentation by Panu, where he will go through the key highlights of our Q2 results. We'll then move on to the Q&A session with both Panu and Jesper. We have a few of our analysts joining us live here in Helsinki, so we'll take their questions first before moving on to the online questions. And just a reminder, if you want to ask a question, please type them into the question box on your webcast panel. I will then address them in the Q&A session. Panu Porkka CEO & Managing Director Good morning also on my behalf, and welcome to our Q2 presentation. I will start my presentation, first of all, with the operating environment, then we will jump into the report published this morning. So highlights from the financials and also from the strategy execution. We will have market outlook and guidance and then key takeaways at the end. And as Elisa mentioned, we will have a separate Q&A session after my presentation, where CFO, Jesper is also joining with me and available for questions. If I start with the operating environment, the
CDT Equity announces 1-for-10 reverse stock split
CDT Equity (CDT) announced on Thursday that its board of directors has approved a 1-for-10 reverse stock split of the company’s common stock to ensure continued compliance with the Nasdaq bid-price rule.
Uber Makes $14.8 Billion Bid for Delivery Hero
Uber Technologies (UBER, Financials) has formally offered to buy Germany's Delivery Hero in a deal valued at about $14.8 billion. Before the deal closes, Delivery Hero plans to sell operations in 14 markets to SSW Partners for about 1.4 billion. Those businesses generated roughly $11 billion in gross bookings last year. Uber would take control of the remaining operations across about 50 markets, which produced close to $42 billion in gross bookings. The purchase would give Uber far more scale in global food delivery and reduce its reliance on ride-hailing alone. Management expects the deal to lift adjusted earnings per share immediately and deliver high-single-digit percentage accretion by the third year.
Duke Energy: Contracted Load Makes The Growth Plan More Credible
J.B. Hunt Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations, stock surges
J.B. Hunt Transport Services reported second-quarter earnings of $1.91 per diluted share on revenue of $3.5 billion, topping Wall Street expectations and sending the company's stock higher in after-hours trading. Operating income rose 32% to $259.5 million from $197.3 million a year earlier, the company said. Intermodal was the clear highlight of the quarter, generating $1.75 billion in revenue — a 22% year-over-year increase — while operating income jumped 58% to $150.9 million. Dedicated Contract Services revenue increased 9% to $921 million, with operating income up 9% to $102.5 million. The Integrated Capacity Solutions segment posted revenue of $388 million, up 49%, swinging to an operating profit of $1.7 million from a loss of $3.6 million a year earlier. At June 30, total debt outstanding was approximately $1.15 billion, down from $1.72 billion a year earlier.
Abbott rises as guidance hike tops expectations
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) added ~3% in the premarket on Thursday after the MedTech giant boosted its full-year outlook ahead of Street estimates following a better-than-expected Q2 2026 earnings report. The Abbott Park, Illinois-based company revised its 2026 outlook for adjusted earnings
3 Dividend Stocks to Buy for Growing Income in July
Visa hiked its dividend 14% supported by 26% operating cash flow expansion, while NextEra committed to roughly 10% annual dividend growth through 2026. Home Depot delivered its 156th consecutive quarterly dividend in 2026, but the modest 1.3% hike signals muted earnings growth expectations ahead. The quarterly rate has climbed from $0.515 in 2024 to $0.5665 in 2025 to $0.6232 in 2026, with the most recent payment landing June 15, 2026. Shares traded near $89.34 on July 15 and are up 10.39% year to date and 19.60% over the past year. Q1 2026 adjusted EPS increased 10% year-over-year to $1.09, and NextEra's renewables arm added a record 4 GW to backlog, bringing total signed backlog to roughly 33 GW. The yield sits around 2.67%, well above Visa's, with analyst target price at $99.25. Annualized, that puts the forward payout at $9.32, translating to a yield near 2.05%. Fiscal 2025 revenue reached $164.7 billion (+3.24%), adjusted diluted EPS came in at $14.69, and Q4 adjusted EPS beat expectations at $2.72 versus $2.52. The SRS Distribution and GMS acquisitions extend Home Depot's reach into the professional contractor market through more than 1,250 SRS locations. Return on equity is an exceptional 128.4%, and analysts carry a target of $370.34 with 22 Buy ratings. Q4 comp customer transactions declined 1.6%, and interest expense from acquisition debt is expected to run around $2.3 billion in fiscal 2026. FY26 adjusted EPS guidance of flat to +4% growth is muted compared with peers, which is why the recent raise was a modest 1.3%.
The Medicaid Problem That Swallowed an Earnings Beat
On paper, Wednesday looked like a victory lap for Elevance Health (ELV). The company beat second-quarter earnings estimates and raised its full-year profit guidance. You’d normally expect a stock to rally on that kind of news. Instead, shares of ELV dropped 8.5% in a single session, badly lagging peers and the broader market. The company is holding to its full-year Medicaid operating margin outlook of approximately -1.75%, meaning they expect to lose money on every dollar of revenue from a large part of their portfolio. Management called 2026 the “trough year for our Medicaid margin,” but the market wasn’t in a patient mood. Elevance announced it had reached a “mutual agreement” to exit the D.C. Medicaid market. More pointedly, management stated they “expect to exit additional Medicaid markets over the next 12-18 months where we do not see a path to sustainable performance.”
Abbott Q2 2026 earnings beat, raises full-year profit guidance
Abbott raised its full-year profit guidance on Thursday after posting stronger-than-expected second-quarter earnings, with sales growth across most of its business segments. Abbott lifted its full-year 2026 adjusted diluted earnings outlook to a range of $5.45 to $5.60 a share, compared with the $5.38 to $5.58 range it had previously communicated. For the third quarter, Abbott projected adjusted diluted earnings of $1.38 to $1.46 a share. Medical devices, Abbott's largest segment, posted comparable sales growth of 8.4% in the quarter. Diagnostics sales rose 42.3% on a reported basis, though the comparable growth rate was 2.9% once the acquisition of cancer-screening company Exact Sciences is factored into prior-year figures. Established pharmaceuticals sales grew 8.7% on a comparable basis, led by double-digit growth in key emerging markets across Latin America and Asia Pacific. Abbott returned $2.1 billion to shareholders during the quarter through dividends and share repurchases.
Kongsberg Automotive ASA (KGAUF) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Q2 EBIT improved to EUR 12 million, representing 6.2% EBIT margin compared with same quarter last year that was a negative -- where we had a negative EBIT of EUR 2.9 million. Cash flow also improved and moving in the right direction with a net cash flow in Q2 that was positive EUR 4.3 million compared with a negative EUR 0.9 million in the same quarter last year. Net profit increased to EUR 5.2 million compared with a loss of EUR 2 million in Q2 last year.
German state minister says higher tariffs could boost Chinese interest in VW plant
We need to consider imposing higher tariffs on Chinese-made cars at the EU level. Chinese manufacturers like BYD have been building their market share in Europe, including with popular plug-in hybrid models not covered by the EU's current tariffs on all-electric vehicles.
Uber to acquire Delivery Hero in $14.8bn deal
Uber Technologies has signed a business combination agreement to acquire Delivery Hero in a deal that values the German company at $14.8bn. The combined mobility and delivery platform will span 99 markets. A statement from Delivery Hero said that it generated $236bn in gross merchandise value (GMV) in 2025 on a pro-forma basis. Following completion, Uber’s presence in markets where it offers both mobility and delivery services is projected to rise from 34 to 58. Uber stated that it “fully supports and respects” Delivery Hero’s existing employee commitments, adding that it has pledged to retain the platform’s Berlin-based headquarters and workforce until at least 2029.
Cogeco Inc. (CGO:CA) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
We generated $169 million in free cash flow for a cumulative total of $450 million in free cash flow after only 3 quarters, thanks to our transformation initiatives and tight capital allocation discipline.
Senzime AB (publ) (SNZZF) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
We have a 15% decrease in our operating expenses. We are reporting a 27% improvement in our EBITDA, and we're reporting a 46% improvement in our cash flow.
Eli Lilly deal to buy AtaiBeckley boosts psychedelic stocks
Psychedelic drug developers traded higher in the morning hours on Thursday after Eli Lilly (LLY) agreed to acquire their peer AtaiBeckley (ATAI) in a deal worth up to $3.8B to strengthen its neuroscience portfolio.
GE HealthCare inks $500M MedTech deal with Catholic Health
Catholic Health, a New York-based healthcare system, on Thursday announced a 10-year partnership worth approximately $500M with GE HealthCare (GEHC) to modernize its operations in the areas of imaging, diagnostics, and AI-driven technology.
Teva on track to snap seven straight sessions of losses
Teva (TEVA) was climbing over 2% on Thursday following seven consecutive sessions of declines. The stock was up 1.71% to $32.10 during midday trading. It ended in the red in each session from July 7 to July 15, losing nearly 9% during
Big Tech Isn’t Doing Its Part to Offset Chip Weakness
Yesterday the PHLX Semiconductor Index ended the session down 2%, but the Nasdaq closed in the green, up 0.6%. Today the chip index is down roughly 4.4%, but the Nasdaq is also trading lower, down 1%.
Abbott stock powers through 100-DMA, but long-term downtrend still looms
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) shares are experiencing a massive technical shift in Thursday afternoon trading, surging over 10% on the heels of better-than-expected second-quarter 2026 earnings and a boosted full-year outlook.
Jamie Dimon's JPMorgan Chase Just Posted 86% Growth in Equities Trading Revenue and Raised Its Full-Year Net Interest Income Guidance to $105.5 Billion
JPMorgan Chase reported adjusted earnings per share of $6.14, nearly $0.30 ahead of Wall Street consensus estimates. Adjusted revenue of $52.4 billion also topped estimates by over $2 billion. The bank achieved record revenue across each major line of business and reported an overall 23% return on tangible common equity (ROTCE), well above the bank's long-term ROTCE guidance. JPMorgan Chase also reported a massive 86% year-over-year increase in its equity markets trading business, while raising its full-year net interest income (NII) guidance to $105.5 billion. JPMorgan Chase raised its guidance from $103 billion last quarter to $105.5 billion, including markets revenue.
AI Data-Center Play Prologis Offers Entry. It Hiked Its Outlook Again.
Industrial real estate investment trust and AI data-center play Prologis guided higher for 2026 on Thursday as growth accelerates.
Why UNH Stock Breakout Faltered After Massive Earnings Beat
UnitedHealth Group crushed Q2 earnings forecasts amid lower-than-expected benefit costs, sending the Dow Jones stock surging past a buy point on Thursday morning. Results: UnitedHealth posted Q2 earnings per share of $6.38, up 56% from a weak year-ago result and 30% ahead of $4.91 forecasts.
GE Aerospace (GE) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue Growth and Raised Guidance ...
Revenue: Increased 24%, with CES up 27% and DPT up 16%. Operating Profit: Grew 18%, totaling $2.7 billion. EPS: Increased 22% to $2.02. Free Cash Flow: Grew 43% to $3 billion, with conversion over 140%. Orders: Up 17%, with CES up 18% and DPT up 12%. Commercial Services Revenue: Up 32% in the first half. Total Engine Deliveries: Up 31%, including LEAP engines up 41%. Defense & Systems Revenue: Up 12%. Propulsion & Additive Technologies Revenue: Grew 23%. Commercial Services Backlog: Approximately $170 billion. Full-Year Revenue Growth Guidance: Raised to high-teens. Full-Year EPS Guidance: Raised to $7.65 to $7.85. Full-Year Free Cash Flow Guidance: Raised to $8.9 billion to $9.2 billion.
Why Karooooo Stock Jumped 13% Today
Shares of Karooooo (KARO +9.54%) were up 12.8% at 2:30 p.m. ET today, following a strong earnings report. The company's recurring revenues rose by 19%, almost entirely due to strong growth in the Cartrack service's subscriptions. Karooooo's Q1 sales rose 34% year over year while bottom-line earnings jumped 11% higher. Investors should keep a close eye on Karooooo Logistics, as this high-growth operation only accounted for 13% of total revenues in this report.
Intuitive Surgical falls despite better-than-expected Q2 results
Healthcare equipment maker Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) on Thursday beat analyst estimates for second quarter revenue and profit, driven by higher growth in its da Vinci procedure volume. The Sunnyvale, California-based MedTech reported over 18% growth in second quarter revenue to $2.89B, beating consensus by $60M.
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (publ) (SWOBY) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
We are delighted to welcome you to the second quarter and half year of 2026 conference call for investors and analysts. Our presentation was posted on sobi.com earlier today. Unless stated otherwise, we are making comments that mostly relate to the second quarter at constant currency exchange rates and in million Swedish krona. Please turn to Slide #4. It's about the key
IBM: AI Just Exposed A Bigger Problem
International Business Machines Corporation reported a significant Q2 revenue miss, with $17.2B vs. $17.86B consensus, and adjusted EPS of $2.93 below expectations. IBM's segment performance deteriorated: Software growth slowed to 5%, Consulting was flat, and Infrastructure declined 7%, raising concerns about broad-based demand weakness.
JPMorgan Just Reported $21.2 Billion in Q2 Net Income -- Up 41% -- and CEO Jamie Dimon Said the Economy Is "Close to as Good as It Gets."
JPMorgan Chase generated a record net income of $21.2 billion, up 41% year over year. Revenue also set a record, coming in at $57.3 billion, up 28% year over year and significantly above estimates of $51.1 billion. The bank's credit quality also improved. Net charge-offs, which are bad loans unlikely to be repaid, fell by $44 billion year over year. JPMorgan Chase lowered its net charge-off rate in Card Services to 3.2%, down from its previous guidance of 3.4%. The bank also raised its net interest income guidance for fiscal 2026 from $103 billion to $105.5 billion. Net interest income rose a robust 10% to $25.6 billion, but the real alpha came from noninterest or fee revenue, which surged 45% to $32.4 billion. Within the trading business, equity market trading revenue skyrocketed 86% to $6 billion, fueled by a major market rally in April and May.
Netflix posts higher Q2 results but shares drop due to lukewarm forecast
Netflix said Thursday its second-quarter profit grew thanks to new membership signups and price increases, which "had gone well and as expected." But the company's shares declined sharply in after-hours trading as the video streaming company's forecast for the current quarter fell below Wall Street's expectations. Netflix earned $3.4 billion, or 80 cents per share, in the March-June period. That's up 9% from $3.13 billion, or 72 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier. Revenue grew 13% to $12.56 billion from $11.08 billion. Analysts, on average, were expecting earnings of 79 cents per share on revenue of $12.58 billion, according to a poll by FactSet. For the current quarter, Netflix is forecasting revenue growth of about 12%. Analysts are expecting revenue to grow by about 13%, to $13 billion. The Los Gatos, California-based company said its advertising business remains a top priority and it expects to bring in about $3 billion in ad revenue this year.
Texas Instruments board declares third quarter 2026 quarterly dividend
The board of directors of Texas Instruments Incorporated (Nasdaq: TXN) today declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.42 per share of common stock, payable August 11, 2026, to stockholders of record on July 31, 2026.
KBRA Assigns Preliminary Ratings to J.P. Morgan Mortgage Trust 2026-6 (JPMMT 2026-6)
KBRA assigns preliminary ratings to 94 classes of mortgage pass-through certificates from J.P. Morgan Mortgage Trust 2026-6 (JPMMT 2026-6). The pool comprises 264 first-lien, fixed-rate residential mortgage loans with an aggregate unpaid principal balance of $336.6 million as of the July 1, 2026 cut-off date.
Alcoa Cuts Production Guidance, Says Alumina Prices Stable Despite Iran War
Alcoa cut its full-year alumina guidance, citing issues at its Pinjarra, Australia refinery, and said alumina prices remained stable despite uncertainty about global shipments driven by the war in Iran.
Nebius lands $1 billion AI deal as one major risk looms
Nebius Group’s latest $1 billion artificial intelligence contract suggests customer demand is not the company’s biggest problem. Paying to build the capacity may be. AI startup Reflection said on July 14 that it had signed a deal worth more than $1 billion to secure computing capacity from Nebius ...
Netflix Viewing Hours Hit 97B, Q2 Revenue Up 13%
Netflix says total worldwide engagement (viewership) of its content grew 2% to 97 billion hours in the first six months of 2026 -- despite competition from the Winter Olympics and World Cup. These results came as part of the premium streamer’s second-quarter earnings/revenue report. Separately, Netflix says second-quarter revenue grew 13.4% to $12.6 billion, with net income at $3.4 billion -- up from $3.3 billion in the second quarter of 2025. The company projects revenue will climb another 11% for its third quarter, with the full-year 2026 forecast coming in at $51 billion to $51.4 billion. Netflix says it is on track to achieve its projected goal of $3 billion in global advertising revenue for 2026; it was $1.5 billion in 2025.
How to Earn $500 a Month From UnitedHealth Stock Ahead of Q2 Earnings
Analysts expect the company to report quarterly earnings of $4.85 per share, up from $4.08 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for UnitedHealth's quarterly revenue is $110.82 billion. It reported $111.62 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company.
Why Abbott Stock Jumped Today
Shares of Abbott Laboratories (ABT +10.71%) popped on Thursday after the healthcare products provider raised its full-year profit forecast. Abbott's sales rose 13% to $12.6 billion in the second quarter, boosted by its $21 billion acquisition of cancer screening leader Exact Sciences in March. The acquisition added more preventive products to Abbott's offerings, including Exact's market-leading noninvasive colorectal cancer screening test, Cologuard. Abbott's worldwide diagnostics sales surged 42.3% to $3.1 billion. Revenue in the healthcare giant's worldwide medical devices division also grew by a solid 9% to $5.9 billion, driven by an 11% jump in sales of continuous glucose monitors. All told, Abbott's adjusted earnings rose 4% to $1.31 per share. That bested Wall Street's expectations, which had called for per-share profits of $1.28. Looking ahead, Abbott sees its full-year comparable sales growing by 6.5% to 7.5% in 2026. Management also lifted its adjusted earnings per share outlook to between $5.45 and $5.60, up from a prior forecast of $5.38 to $5.58. Abbott's strengthening profitability enables it to reward its shareholders with steadily rising cash payments. The medical devices and testing leader has raised its dividend for a remarkable 54 straight years.
Blackrock CEO Says Client Demand Has ‘Never Been Greater’ as Assets Reach Record $15.3 Trillion
Second-quarter revenue increased 31% year over year to $7.08 billion, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $6.70 billion. Adjusted operating income climbed 39% to $2.92 billion. Adjusted operating margin expanded to 45.9% from 43.3% a year earlier, marking the company's highest margin in nearly five years. Adjusted earnings came in at $13.91 per share, ahead of the consensus estimate of $12.60. Investment advisory, administration fees and securities lending revenue rose to $5.73 billion from $4.45 billion a year earlier. The increase reflected higher average assets under management, 8% organic base fee growth and about $230 million in fees related to the HPS transaction. Securities lending revenue increased to $239 million from $171 million as spreads improved. Investment advisory performance fees jumped to $305 million from $94 million, driven by stronger alternative investment revenue, including contributions from the HPS transaction, and higher long-only product fees. Technology services and subscription revenue rose to $566 million from $499 million. Growth was supported by continued demand for Aladdin products and multi-product solutions. Annual contract value for the segment increased 15% from a year earlier. BlackRock reported total net inflows of $192 billion, up sharply from $68 billion a year ago. Its active business generated $53 billion in net inflows, led by systematic strategies and a record $7 billion in liquid alternatives. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. iShares assets under management surpassed $6 trillion, nearly doubling over the past three years. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. "The scale and depth of our client relationships globally have never been greater. Clients are turning to BlackRock for insights and opportunities," he said. Chief Financial Officer Martin Small reaffirmed the company's expectation for a mid-single-digit percentage increase in full-year general and administrative expenses. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million, raising its planned 2026 share repurchases to $2 billion. Assets under management increased 22% year over year to $15.34 trillion, while average assets under management rose 24% to $14.85 trillion. The company repurchased $450 million of shares during the quarter. It also increased its quarterly share repurchase authorization to $550 million
Vicor (VICR) Following AI Growth And JPMorgan Interest Looks Hard To Value
Vicor stock reacts to AI driven growth story and fresh institutional interest Vicor (VICR) has been drawing attention after strong AI focused earnings, raised revenue guidance, and a new disclosure that JPMorgan controls a 6.9% stake in the company's common stock. The accelerated adoption of high-power, high-density AI computing in data centers is driving demand for advanced power delivery solutions. Vicor's Gen 5 vertical power delivery products and 800V-to-48V converters target this need, with customer engagements and sampling set to expand in Q3 and Q4. These next-gen products enable Vicor to address a market expected to exceed $5 billion by 2027, supporting long-term revenue growth and eventual margin expansion as manufacturing scales. While the most popular Vicor narrative points to a wide gap between the current share price and the $406.25 fair value, Simply Wall St's fair ratio for the P/E tells a more cautious story. Vicor trades on a 76.8x P/E, which is roughly double the US Electrical industry average of 38.1x and also well above the peer average of 40.5x. The accelerated adoption of high-power, high-density AI computing in data centers is driving demand for advanced power delivery solutions. Vicor's Gen 5 vertical power delivery products and 800V-to-48V converters target this need, with customer engagements and sampling set to expand in Q3 and Q4. These next-gen products enable Vicor to address a market expected to exceed $5 billion by 2027, supporting long-term revenue growth and eventual margin expansion as manufacturing scales. The fair ratio suggests a P/E of 85.7x could be reasonable if the market leans fully into the current growth and quality assumptions. That leaves only a modest buffer between today's multiple and the level the fair ratio points to, which means small changes in sentiment or earnings expectations could have a big impact on the share price.
Visa (V) Stock May Trade At A Discount To Fair Value Yet A Premium To Earnings
Visa stock has delivered a 55.9% return over the past three years, yet the latest valuation checks suggest the shares are no longer an obvious bargain, with the intrinsic value estimate from the Excess Returns model sitting close to the current market price while earnings based multiples screen on the expensive side.
NFLX Stock Tumbles Overnight After Guidance Dismay – CFO Says Global Growth Story Is Far From Over
Netflix expects fiscal third-quarter earnings of $0.82 per share and revenue of $12.86 billion. Netflix expects Q3 revenue to rise by 12% on a reported basis and 11% when adjusted for currency effects. For 2026, Netflix expects revenue between $51 billion and $51.4 billion. The updated outlook is narrower than its earlier estimate of $50.7 billion to $51.7 billion. Analysts currently expect the company to generate about $51.38 billion in annual revenue. It's roughly 800 million addressable households. We're capturing, we think, just 7% of addressable revenue market. It's about $670 billion of addressable revenue in the countries and categories in which we operate today. And we estimate that we're only about 5% of TV view share globally. NFLX stock has cratered 20% year-to-date.
Netflix Stock Sinks After Third-Quarter Revenue Guidance Misses Estimates
Netflix shares sank nearly 9% after issuing third-quarter revenue guidance below Wall Street's $13 billion estimate.
Agoda Search Insights: Vietnam Gains Momentum with Travelers from China
SINGAPORE, July 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital travel platform Agoda has revealed that accommodation searches from China increased by 164% year-on-year, showing the strongest search growth among inbound markets to Vietnam during the first five months of 2026. The ranking is based on accommodation searches from the top 10 inbound markets made on Agoda between 1 January and 31 May 2026, compared with the same period last year. All inbound markets included in the analysis recorded year-on-year growth in searches for stays in Vietnam. Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Poland rounded out the top five fastest-growing markets. Travel interest from Southeast Asia gained notable momentum. Compared to the previous year, 2026 searches from Indonesia increased by 86%, followed by the Philippines at 82% and Thailand at 65%. With three Southeast Asian markets among the top five, alongside Myanmar and Malaysia featuring in the top ten, the data highlights Vietnam's growing appeal as an accessible regional destination. Poland, the only European market in the top ten, recorded a 63% increase in searches. The introduction of visa-free entry for Polish travelers in 2025 has made it easier for visitors from the market to explore Vietnam, and may have contributed to the rising interest. Across most inbound markets, Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City remained the three most-searched destinations in Vietnam.
After an Epic Fall, IBM Faces a Long Road Back to Relevance
Big Blue had been riding high. Not only did fewer companies buy the actual mainframe hardware, they also bought less of the high-margin software required for tasks like banking and credit-card payments. Big Blue had been riding high. Not only did fewer companies buy the actual mainframe hardware, they also bought less of the high-margin software required for tasks like banking and credit-card payments.
Nolato AB (publ) (NLTBF) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
We saw a quarter with growth in both business areas with a total growth of 4% currency adjusted with the strongest growth in the Medical business area. The profit EBITA ended up at SEK 247 million, creating a margin of 10.1%. Strong cash flow in the quarter ended up at SEK 287 million and as a total, we have a very strong financial position, enabling us to deliver on the intensified acquisition strategy as communicated previously.
SEC Flooded With Complaints Over Plan to Scrap Required Quarterly Earnings
The agency received more than 200,000 comments, a record number.
"Lacks excitement": Netflix tumbles 9% as weak earnings forecast deepens doubts over growth
Subscriber growth remains central to Netflix's business, he said, adding that younger audiences are increasingly gravitating toward free social media platforms over long-form content. We believe this will result in slower subscriber growth and attempts by the company to offset this via more aggressive price increases and investment in content. The company forecast quarterly earnings per share and revenue below analyst estimates for a second quarter in a row, on Thursday, with at least 11 analysts lowering their price targets. Netflix's shares were trading at 19.92 times 12-month forward profit estimates, compared with 13.54 for Walt Disney and Comcast's 6.57.