Key Points While investors fret over a recent AI thought experiment, one financial services firm is trudging forward with a large dividend increase. One company's dominant position in its industry is leading to never-before-seen margins and a nearly 15% dividend boost. Exploding AI demand looks poised to continue at a legacy tech player, and the company is giving more money back to shareholders. H...
Key Points While investors fret over a recent AI thought experiment, one financial services firm is trudging forward with a large dividend increase. One company's dominant position in its industry is leading to never-before-seen margins and a nearly 15% dividend boost. Exploding AI demand looks poised to continue at a legacy tech player, and the company is giving more money back to shareholders. Huge names across the financial, industrial, and technology sectors just announced dividend increases worth noting. The dividend boosts coming from these three firms aren’t run-of-the-mill; they are all near or above 15%. One company, benefiting extensively from artificial intelligence (AI) demand, went even further. With the expectation of doubling AI revenue in its new fiscal year, it raised its dividend by 20%, placing its yield in the upper echelon among tech stocks. AXP Lifts Dividend 16% Amid Citrini Fears Credit card giant American Express (NYSE: AXP) has been a solid performer over the past several years, but has come under fire recently. The stock’s three-year total return exceeds 70%, essentially equal to the S&P 500’s return over the same period. However, the stock is down almost 20% in 2026. Shares took a big tumble after the release of a dystopian paper put out by Citrini Research. Among other things, Citrini posited a scenario in which AI agents would use stablecoins to route payments outside of traditional card networks. This could allow merchants to bypass the fees they currently pay every time someone makes a purchase using an American Express card. Such a scenario would clearly be bearish for American Express. Still, Citrini’s paper wasn’t a prediction but rather a thought exercise meant to model an “underexplored” AI scenario. As for American Express itself, the company is continuing to show confidence in its future, recently announcing a big-time dividend increase. The firm’s quarterly payment will move up by 16% to 95 cents per share. This gives the stoc...
Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX: PMZ.UN) on Monday said the Toronto Stock Exchange accepted its notice to renew its normal course issuer bid (NCIB), allowing the trust to repurchase up to 9,042,733 Series A units, representing 10% of its public float as of February 27, 2026. The buyback program will begin on March 11, 2026, after the current NCIB expires, and will run until March 10, 20...
Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX: PMZ.UN) on Monday said the Toronto Stock Exchange accepted its notice to renew its normal course issuer bid (NCIB), allowing the trust to repurchase up to 9,042,733 Series A units, representing 10% of its public float as of February 27, 2026. The buyback program will begin on March 11, 2026, after the current NCIB expires, and will run until March 10, 2027, or until the maximum number of units permitted under the program is purchased. As of February 27, 2026, the trust had 117,865,178 units issued and outstanding. Purchases will be made on the open market through the Toronto Stock Exchange or other permitted Canadian trading systems at prevailing market prices. Primaris said daily purchases will be limited to 69,926 units, based on an average daily trading volume of 279,707 units between September 1, 2025 and February 28, 2026, except for block purchases permitted under exchange rules. The trust also entered into a new automatic securities purchase plan effective March 11, allowing its broker to buy units during internal blackout periods. Under its current NCIB that began March 11, 2025, Primaris had approval to buy up to 7,554,561 units and had repurchased 4,340,300 units at a weighted average price of $15.1003 per unit as of February 27, 2026. PMREF -3.91% after hours to $12.8657. Source: Press Release More on Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust (PMZ.UN:CA) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust Historical earnings data for Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust Dividend scorecard for Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust
Vladimir Zakharov/iStock via Getty Images Market Review Markets began 2026 with strong momentum, continuing to set record highs before delivering more mixed performance towards the end of January. The S&P 500 finished the month up 1.45%, while investors' growing preference for small-cap stocks helped propel the Russell 2000 to a 5.35% gain. Artificial intelligence (AI) enthusiasm continued to help...
Vladimir Zakharov/iStock via Getty Images Market Review Markets began 2026 with strong momentum, continuing to set record highs before delivering more mixed performance towards the end of January. The S&P 500 finished the month up 1.45%, while investors' growing preference for small-cap stocks helped propel the Russell 2000 to a 5.35% gain. Artificial intelligence (AI) enthusiasm continued to help drive markets, but performance broadened beyond AI as several sectors saw strong gains in January. While favorable conditions supported equity markets in the early part of the month, volatility jumped later in January on renewed concerns regarding geopolitical tensions and tariffs. However, markets remained generally upbeat, supported by expectations of strong corporate earnings and continued monetary policy easing. Bullish investors focused on economic growth, favorable financial conditions, and strong sector performance outside of big tech and AI, while bearish investors remained cautious amid geopolitical tensions, additional tariff threats, and overextended valuations. Within the small-cap space, value (Russell 2000 Value Index: 6.86%) outperformed growth (Russell 2000 Growth Index: 3.98%) for the month. Month The PGIM Quant Solutions Small-Cap Value Fund underperformed its benchmark, the Russell 2000 Value Index, on a gross basis during the month of January. Our valuation factors underperformed, while our business prospects factors were more muted, as the Fund underperformed its benchmark in seven out of eleven sectors during the month. Relative underperformance was driven primarily by the Information Technology and Health Care sectors. Within Information Technology, underperformance spanned several industries, but most notably from software, with losses stemming primarily from advances among bitcoin miners, which saw another strong AI-related rally this month. Underperformance in Health Care was largely driven by our positioning in biotechnology. The most notable con...
is a senior policy reporter at The Verge, covering the intersection of Silicon Valley and Capitol Hill. She spent 5 years covering tech policy at CNBC, writing about antitrust, privacy, and content moderation reform. SeatGeek was close to a deal that would bring its ticketing business to the next level. The company was in negotiations with the Dallas Cowboys, aiming to take over first-party sales ...
is a senior policy reporter at The Verge, covering the intersection of Silicon Valley and Capitol Hill. She spent 5 years covering tech policy at CNBC, writing about antitrust, privacy, and content moderation reform. SeatGeek was close to a deal that would bring its ticketing business to the next level. The company was in negotiations with the Dallas Cowboys, aiming to take over first-party sales at its stadium. But there was one sticking point: “the concert issue.” The team feared that if it dropped SeatGeek’s rival Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster’s parent company Live Nation could pull concerts from the team’s stadium, damaging an important revenue stream. That’s how SeatGeek CEO Jack Groetzinger remembers things. The deal was ultimately successful, resulting in a primary ticketing partnership that was announced in 2018. But for a while, Groetzinger recalled on the stand in front of a Manhattan jury Friday, “the concert issue was the one thing we just couldn’t get over, and seemed like it might tank the whole process.” During the first days of the government’s six-week antitrust trial against Live Nation-Ticketmaster, retaliation — a charge Live Nation emphatically denies — has been a core theme. Many in the industry believed Live Nation’s promoters would withhold concerts from venues that didn’t use Ticketmaster, several witnesses testified. The real or perceived threat created such fear, witnesses alleged, that some major venues would decline to switch to what they viewed as a better ticketing product, so as not to earn Live Nation’s wrath. With a settlement reportedly imminent, changes may be on the way — but not the full breakup the government put on the table during trial. The dozens of individual states involved in the case, meanwhile, will need to decide whether to push ahead. Retaliation insurance SeatGeek didn’t necessarily know Live Nation would strike back. But venues’ fear of losing its concerts was costing SeatGeek business, Groetzinger said. With the Cowb...
Vestcor Inc lessened its stake in shares of Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL - Free Report) by 19.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 52,764 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock after selling 12,690 shares during the period. Vestcor Inc's holdings in Oracle were worth $14,839,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Get Oracl...
Vestcor Inc lessened its stake in shares of Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL - Free Report) by 19.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 52,764 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock after selling 12,690 shares during the period. Vestcor Inc's holdings in Oracle were worth $14,839,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Get Oracle alerts: Sign Up A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of ORCL. Winnow Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Oracle in the second quarter valued at $28,000. Kilter Group LLC bought a new position in Oracle during the 2nd quarter valued at about $30,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Oracle by 130.0% in the 3rd quarter. Darwin Wealth Management LLC now owns 115 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares during the period. Financial Consulate Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Oracle during the third quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Oracle during the third quarter valued at approximately $38,000. 42.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts have commented on ORCL shares. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on Oracle in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. They issued an "overweight" rating and a $280.00 price objective on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a "buy" rating and set a $375.00 target price on shares of Oracle in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on shares of Oracle from $270.00 to $230.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on shares of Oracle from $270.00 to $205.00 and set an "outp...
Proposals by Hong Kong’s pension regulator to increase Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contributions for higher-paid workers by up to 33 per cent could worsen business challenges and hurt the jobs market, a lawmaker and human resources expert have warned. A labour representative, however, urged the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) to pursue even bolder increases to meet statutory r...
Proposals by Hong Kong’s pension regulator to increase Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contributions for higher-paid workers by up to 33 per cent could worsen business challenges and hurt the jobs market, a lawmaker and human resources expert have warned. A labour representative, however, urged the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) to pursue even bolder increases to meet statutory requirements and reflect rising salaries. The MPFA had announced that it was reviewing the maximum and minimum income levels for contributions to the retirement funds, which had not been adjusted for 13 years, and would submit a review report to the government by the middle of the year. Advertisement The Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI), one of the city’s largest business chambers, revealed that the MPFA had proposed increasing the maximum income level to HK$40,000 (US$5,112) per month from HK$30,000, while also increasing the minimum threshold from HK$7,100 to HK$10,000. Lawmaker Jonathan Lamport said the business community generally welcomed the minimum threshold increase, which would exempt more low-income workers from MPF payments, but many were concerned about the higher maximum income level. Advertisement He said the economy was still recovering and businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, were “still facing challenges”.
(RTTNews) - United Therapeutics Corporation (UTHR), a medical company, Monday announced that it authorized a new share repurchase program of up to $2 billion over the next year. Further, the company has entered into accelerated share repurchase or ASR agreement with Citibank, N.A. to implement an initial $1.5 billion ASR program, with the remaining $500 million available for additional repurchase ...
(RTTNews) - United Therapeutics Corporation (UTHR), a medical company, Monday announced that it authorized a new share repurchase program of up to $2 billion over the next year. Further, the company has entered into accelerated share repurchase or ASR agreement with Citibank, N.A. to implement an initial $1.5 billion ASR program, with the remaining $500 million available for additional repurchase at the discretion of the healthcare firm, over a one-year period. As per the terms of the ASR, United Therapeutics will make an upfront payment of $1.5 billion on or around March 11, to Citi and will receive an initial delivery of shares representing approximately 70 percent of the total shares anticipated to be repurchased under the uncollared ASR agreement. Around 50 percent of the total shares anticipated to be repurchased under the collared ASR agreement will be based on the closing stock price of UTHR common stock on March 9. In pre-market activity, UTHR shares were trading at $485, up 1.43% on the Nasdaq. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Marvell Technology MRVL shares have surged 18.4% since the company reported its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results on March 5. MRVL’s fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues of $2.22 billion grew 22% year over year. Marvell Technology reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings of 80 cents per share, with the bottom line rising 33.3% year over year. Both revenues and earnings beat the Zacks Consensus...
Marvell Technology MRVL shares have surged 18.4% since the company reported its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results on March 5. MRVL’s fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues of $2.22 billion grew 22% year over year. Marvell Technology reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings of 80 cents per share, with the bottom line rising 33.3% year over year. Both revenues and earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Marvell Technology, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Marvell Technology, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Marvell Technology, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Marvell Technology, Inc. Quote Given the strong results and the rise in stock price, the question remains: Should investors buy, sell or hold the stock at present? MRVL Experiences Strong Demand for its AI Products Marvell Technology is seeing robust strength for its products as the global AI infrastructure spending rises. MRVL’s data center business alone grew 46% year over year in fiscal 2026 and crossed $6 billion as hyperscalers, AI data centers, AI fabs and high performance computing clients increased their investment, pushing the demand for MRVL’s networking, optical interconnect and custom silicon solutions. Marvell Technology is also capitalizing on the rising demand for high-speed connectivity, such as 800G and 1.6T optical interconnects. These solutions are gaining traction as AI workloads require faster communication between GPUs and data centers. Based on the current growth trend, MRVL predicts that its interconnect business will grow more than 50% in fiscal 2027. MRVL’s custom silicon segment reached $1.5 billion in fiscal 2026 and is expected to further increase on the back of the rising demand from hyperscalers. New opportunities, such as XPU attach, CXL memory expansion and scale-up networking, are opening additional revenue streams. These are further amplified by the latest capabilities in AI networking and PCIe/CXL switching from the acquisitions of Celestial AI and XC...
Marvell Technology MRVL shares have surged 18.4% since the company reported its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results on March 5. MRVL’s fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues of $2.22 billion grew 22% year over year. Marvell Technology reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings of 80 cents per share, with the bottom line rising 33.3% year over year. Both revenues and earnings beat the Zacks Consensus...
Marvell Technology MRVL shares have surged 18.4% since the company reported its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results on March 5. MRVL’s fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues of $2.22 billion grew 22% year over year. Marvell Technology reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings of 80 cents per share, with the bottom line rising 33.3% year over year. Both revenues and earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Marvell Technology, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Marvell Technology, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Marvell Technology, Inc. Quote Given the strong results and the rise in stock price, the question remains: Should investors buy, sell or hold the stock at present? MRVL Experiences Strong Demand for its AI Products Marvell Technology is seeing robust strength for its products as the global AI infrastructure spending rises. MRVL’s data center business alone grew 46% year over year in fiscal 2026 and crossed $6 billion as hyperscalers, AI data centers, AI fabs and high performance computing clients increased their investment, pushing the demand for MRVL’s networking, optical interconnect and custom silicon solutions. Marvell Technology is also capitalizing on the rising demand for high-speed connectivity, such as 800G and 1.6T optical interconnects. These solutions are gaining traction as AI workloads require faster communication between GPUs and data centers. Based on the current growth trend, MRVL predicts that its interconnect business will grow more than 50% in fiscal 2027. MRVL’s custom silicon segment reached $1.5 billion in fiscal 2026 and is expected to further increase on the back of the rising demand from hyperscalers. New opportunities, such as XPU attach, CXL memory expansion and scale-up networking, are opening additional revenue streams. These are further amplified by the latest capabilities in AI networking and PCIe/CXL switching from the acquisitions of Celestial AI and XConn Technologies. However, MRVL also experiences some chall...
Esteban Alejandro/iStock via Getty Images The last article noted that the stock price of Viper Energy ( VNOM ) was down considerably as the market digested the acquisition. Now with the oil price run-up, the stock price has responded somewhat. But the stock price has a long way to go to get back to where it was before the oil price run-up (thanks to the Iran crisis). Viper Energy Common Stock Pric...
Esteban Alejandro/iStock via Getty Images The last article noted that the stock price of Viper Energy ( VNOM ) was down considerably as the market digested the acquisition. Now with the oil price run-up, the stock price has responded somewhat. But the stock price has a long way to go to get back to where it was before the oil price run-up (thanks to the Iran crisis). Viper Energy Common Stock Price History And Key Valuation Measures (Seeking Alpha Website March 8, 2026) Yet this acquisition was supposed to be accretive. To me, that implies there is considerably more upside potential to the stock price than the previous high price. If you add in the fact that oil prices are now higher than they were when the stock price hit that previous high (and that this company generally grows the business one way or another), then there could be a whole lot more appreciation potential to this stock no matter what happens with oil prices in the future. Now admittedly, the actual stock price that is ideal can vary with market conditions. But sooner or later, a stock that has a growth history will attract market attention. The major idea is that this stock can still participate in the oil price run-up as it was undervalued while the market digested the additional stock issued for the acquisition. Yet that same acquisition is supposed to be accretive. That should protect the downside potential in the long run because the earnings potential on a per-share basis is greater. The yield shown above is likely to climb considerably with oil prices. This is a royalty company that has big margins because it has a good deal fewer expenses than is the case for the typical upstream company. Whatever expenses that the company has for the production it sells are already mostly paid for. The variable costs, like transportation, that are a part of the sales are not a big per-unit cost. Secondary Offering A contrary opinion to this idea is shown by the secondary offering of some knowledgeable inside...
Investing.com -- Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) pushed back against recent media reports about its flagship Abilene, Texas AI data center, stating that the facility remains on track and that the company has secured the full 4.5 gigawatts of capacity committed to OpenAI. Shares of Oracle last traded down 1.2% at $152.96 in pre-open trading despite the denial amid broader stock market weakness. Bloo...
Investing.com -- Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) pushed back against recent media reports about its flagship Abilene, Texas AI data center, stating that the facility remains on track and that the company has secured the full 4.5 gigawatts of capacity committed to OpenAI. Shares of Oracle last traded down 1.2% at $152.96 in pre-open trading despite the denial amid broader stock market weakness. Bloomberg reported on March 6 that Oracle and OpenAI had abandoned plans to expand the Abilene facility, citing prolonged financing negotiations and OpenAI’s changing needs. The report also indicated that Meta Platforms was considering leasing the planned expansion site from developer Crusoe, with Nvidia facilitating discussions and posting a $150 million deposit. "Crusoe and Oracle are operating in lockstep to deliver one of the world’s largest AI Data centers in Abilene at record-breaking pace," Oracle stated. "Two buildings are completely operational and the rest of the campus is on track." A Crusoe spokesperson separately confirmed: "Together, Crusoe and Oracle are operating in lockstep to deliver one of the world’s largest AI factories in Abilene. Our collaboration can deliver massive-scale infrastructure faster than anyone else in the industry." Oracle also addressed concerns about its OpenAI commitments, stating the company "has completed leasing for the additional 4.5GW to deliver on our commitments to OpenAI," though it did not specify where all that capacity is located beyond Abilene. The company did not directly respond to reports that buildings experienced reliability issues earlier this year when they went offline for days due to winter weather affecting liquid cooling machinery. The Abilene site was unveiled last year at the White House alongside President Donald Trump as part of the $500 billion Stargate AI project involving Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank. The original expansion plans would have increased the facility from 1.2 gigawatts to approximately 2.0 gigawat...
The Russian national anthem has been played at the Paralympics for the first time since 2014 as the skier Varvara Voronchikhina claimed gold in the women’s super-G standing. A tearful Voronchikhina received her medal on Monday afternoon, and the Russian flag was raised, after a dominant performance on the slopes of the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. A watching crowd of international fans responded o...
The Russian national anthem has been played at the Paralympics for the first time since 2014 as the skier Varvara Voronchikhina claimed gold in the women’s super-G standing. A tearful Voronchikhina received her medal on Monday afternoon, and the Russian flag was raised, after a dominant performance on the slopes of the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. A watching crowd of international fans responded only with polite applause, but Voronchikhina’s success has already been celebrated by Russia’s sports minister. Voronchikhina finished 1.96 seconds clear of the French racer Aurélie Richard in the giant slalom event. Richard’s silver medal was met with wild cheers from the stands. The 23-year-old Russian, meanwhile, said she had been moved by the sight of her national flags amongst the spectators. “It’s really special for me because I can see my flag on my friends who arrived here,” she said. “Maybe now I can’t believe it, and I don’t understand what happened. Maybe a little bit later I [will] see my gold medal. It’s so special for me really.” View image in fullscreen Varvara Voronchikhina of Russia reacts after her winning run in the women’s super-g standing on Monday. Photograph: Stoyan Nenov/Reuters Russia’s sports minister, Mikhail Degtyarev, was quick to praise Voronchikhina on the social media platform Telegram. “Congratulations to Varvara Voronchikhina on Russia’s first gold medal in the super-G at the Milan-Cortina … the Russian anthem is playing”. A ban on Russian participation had been effective since 2014 after sanctions were applied first in 2018 over the Russian doping scandal then in 2022 over the invasion of Ukraine. The latter ban was imposed, according to the IPC, not in direct response to the invasion but due to a technical breach of rules relating to the use of paralympic sport as military propaganda. That ban was overturned by a vote at the general assembly of the International Paralympic committee last September. Participation by Russian athletes has bee...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. The artificial intelligence boom is beginning to expose a critical pressure point across the semiconductor industry: memory chips. Market research firm IDC has described the current shortage as a crisis like no other, as AI development accelerates and technology companies prepare to spend roughly $650 billion on computing infrastructure in 2026, about 80% ...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. The artificial intelligence boom is beginning to expose a critical pressure point across the semiconductor industry: memory chips. Market research firm IDC has described the current shortage as a crisis like no other, as AI development accelerates and technology companies prepare to spend roughly $650 billion on computing infrastructure in 2026, about 80% higher than the previous year's record. Executives across the industry have already started flagging the issue. Leaders at companies including Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) have discussed how tight memory supply could influence profitability and AI timelines, while Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk raised the possibility on a late-January earnings call that the company could potentially explore producing its own memory chips. The strain reflects how central memory has become to modern AI systems. Memory chips do not perform calculations themselves but store and feed data to processors, making them essential for everything from smartphones to large-scale data centers. AI servers increasingly rely on high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, a technology that stacks multiple layers of memory vertically and places them closer to processors to accelerate data movement. Compared with conventional DDR5 memory, an HBM3 chip can transfer data roughly ten times faster, a speed advantage that may become critical as AI models grow larger and demand enormous volumes of data to be processed without bottlenecks. Demand is rising much faster than supply can adjust. Data-center usage already accounted for around 50% of global DRAM consumption in 2025, up from 32% five years earlier, according to Bloomberg Intelligence, and projections suggest AI servers could represent more than 60% of consumption by 2030. Yet the global memory industry is dominated by only three manufacturers Samsung Electronics (SSNLF), SK Hynix (HXSCL) and Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) a...
Futures Tumble But Off Session Lows On Expectations Of Global SPR Release US futures tumbled and oil surged as the war in Iran showed little sign of deescalating over the weekend and led to more major Middle East producers curbing output. Still, futures retraced more than 50% off the overnight lows as WTI nearly touched $120 overnight, the highest since 2022, before dropping back to around $100 af...
Futures Tumble But Off Session Lows On Expectations Of Global SPR Release US futures tumbled and oil surged as the war in Iran showed little sign of deescalating over the weekend and led to more major Middle East producers curbing output. Still, futures retraced more than 50% off the overnight lows as WTI nearly touched $120 overnight, the highest since 2022, before dropping back to around $100 after a report G7 countries may release 300 million to 400 million barrels, or around 25% to 30% of the 1.2 billion barrels in strategic reserve. As of 8:00am ET, S&P futures are down 1%, although well off session lows, having tumbled as much as 2% earlier before the SPR news hit; in pre-market trading, Mag7 names are weaker, but certain AI plays are positive pre-mkt with Energy the standout sector and Defense bid higher, too. Generally, Defensives over Cyclicals. Bonds deepened losses while the dollar hit its highest level since January. Bond yields are higher, bear flattening, but Treasuries are outperforming global peers with European bonds in freefall due to fears of a spike in inflation driven by higher gas prices; Commodities are stronger led by Energy with all segments / sub-segments higher ex-precious metals which are being sold to fund margin calls in oil. WTI Crude futures have pared an increase of as much as 31% to about 13% but remain highest since 2022 as the war in the Middle East restricts supply via the Strait of Hormuz. Today's US economic data slate includes February New York Fed 1-year inflation expectations at 11am. Reports ahead this week include CPI, personal income and spending (includes PCE price indexes), 4Q GDP revision, JOLTS job openings and industrial production In premarket trading, oil and gas companies are extending gains during the turmoil in energy markets. Among movers: Chevron (CVX) +0.7%, Exxon (XOM) +0.8%, APA (APA) +2%. Magnificent Seven stocks are all lower (Alphabet -1.4%, Amazon -1%, Meta Platforms -1.2%, Microsoft -1.1%, Tesla -1.8%,...
Amcor plc AMCR recently partnered with Belgian organic fertilizer producer De Ceuster Meststoffen NV (“DCM”) to introduce a recycle-ready fertilizer packaging solution designed to advance sustainability and support the European Union’s circular economy goals. The collaboration introduces a mono-material polyethylene (PE) flexible packaging structure that replaces DCM’s previous multi-layer packagi...
Amcor plc AMCR recently partnered with Belgian organic fertilizer producer De Ceuster Meststoffen NV (“DCM”) to introduce a recycle-ready fertilizer packaging solution designed to advance sustainability and support the European Union’s circular economy goals. The collaboration introduces a mono-material polyethylene (PE) flexible packaging structure that replaces DCM’s previous multi-layer packaging, which was more difficult to recycle in existing waste streams. The newly developed packaging contains 35% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content and will be used for DCM’s fertilizer products in pack sizes ranging from 650 grams to 7 kilograms across European markets. By transitioning, the companies estimate the solution can reduce the product’s carbon footprint by roughly 17%, marking a meaningful step toward lowering environmental impact while maintaining packaging performance. The packaging incorporates machine-direction oriented polyethylene (MDO-PE) technology along with a specialized sealant layer, providing strong mechanical properties such as high tensile strength, puncture resistance and durability, which are essential for protecting fertilizer products during transportation, storage and retail handling. The partnership is expected to help Amcor and DCM meet evolving environmental regulations while advancing the European Union’s circular economy objectives centered on reducing waste and optimizing resource use. Shares of AMCR are down 15.7% over the past year compared with the industry’s decline of 9.1%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research AMCR’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks AMCR carries a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks in the Industrial Products space include Flowserve Corporation FLS, Helios Technologies, Inc. HLIO, and Crane Company CR. FLS, HLIO and CR carry a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank here. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FLS’s current-year earnings is pegged at $4.11 per share, ...
Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Monday: Citigroup reiterates Apple as buy The bank trimmed its second half earnings estimates on the stock, but said it's sticking with Apple. "While we believe Apple can navigate the memory component price hikes much better than peers, we see incremental pressure on gross margin, and we now estimate 140bps/48bps gross margin headwind in CY26/27 baking ...
Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Monday: Citigroup reiterates Apple as buy The bank trimmed its second half earnings estimates on the stock, but said it's sticking with Apple. "While we believe Apple can navigate the memory component price hikes much better than peers, we see incremental pressure on gross margin, and we now estimate 140bps/48bps gross margin headwind in CY26/27 baking in 100% DRAM price hike in 2H 2026 and easing 75% of the impact in CY27." Deutsche Bank reiterates Oracle as buy Deutsche Bank cut its price target on Oracle to $300 per share from $375 ahead of earnings later this week. "With timelines to resolve many of these concerns extending beyond what can reasonably be answered over the next several quarters this admittedly contributes to a challenging equity narrative." Citi reiterates Nvidia as buy Citi said Nvidia remains a "core" holding. "Core AI holding on agentic and physical AI." UBS upgrades PG & E to buy from neutral UBS sees "wildfire risk reduction ahead" for PG & E. "We upgrade to Buy from Neutral as expected improvements in wildfire policy and affordability should drive a re-rating. Anticipated Phase 2 legislation, likely ahead of the July 2 recess, would further reduce utility liability." UBS initiates SOLV Energy at buy UBS said shares of the energy company are attractive. "We initiate SOLV Energy (MWH) with a Buy and view the stock as attractive, differentiated exposure to the solar and storage value chain." Morgan Stanley initiates AGI at overweight Morgan Stanley said the Brazilian payroll lending company has upside potential. "Initiating coverage on AGBK with an Overweight rating and year-end 2026 price target of US$21 per share, for 100% potential upside." Read more. Wells Fargo downgrades Netflix to equal weight from overweight Wells said Netflix will need to keep investing to grow. "We expect NFLX to rebound from the WBD saga by aiming to accel engagement w/ more content. Our content spend & fwd rev ests are a ...
Innospec Inc. IOSP enters 2026 with a dependable Fuel Specialties franchise and a balance sheet built for flexibility. But a severe late-January winter storm resets the near-term cadence. The first half now looks soft, with some volumes unlikely to return and several catalysts pushed into later 2026. The investor question is straightforward: can a second-half rebound in the more cyclical segments ...
Innospec Inc. IOSP enters 2026 with a dependable Fuel Specialties franchise and a balance sheet built for flexibility. But a severe late-January winter storm resets the near-term cadence. The first half now looks soft, with some volumes unlikely to return and several catalysts pushed into later 2026. The investor question is straightforward: can a second-half rebound in the more cyclical segments outweigh a weaker start to the year? Setup Shows Why FY26 Starts Soft for IOSP Fuel Specialties continues to anchor the story. Management frames it as a stable contributor with a 2-3% long-term growth profile and steady performance expected in 2026. Innospec also starts the year with substantial liquidity and no debt, a combination that supports investment capacity and downside protection when operating conditions get choppy. The late-January storm creates a difficult first-half setup, including operational disruptions and customer slowdowns that pressure early-quarter performance and defer the margin rebuild into the back half. Innospec Inc. Price and Consensus Innospec Inc. price-consensus-chart | Innospec Inc. Quote Innospec Segments Explain the Uneven Recovery Path Innospec’s three segments matter because the expected 2026 recovery is not uniform. Fuel Specialties is positioned as steady, supported by disciplined pricing, a favorable mix and a track record of consistent profitability. Performance Chemicals is described as “margin-led,” with manufacturing efficiencies, contractual pricing mechanisms and higher-margin new products intended to build as the year progresses. Oilfield Services is the smaller earnings lever, but one that is more dependent on specific regions and products. The 2025 revenue mix highlights why execution outside Fuel Specialties carries disproportionate weight. Performance Chemicals generated $681.4 million, or 38.3% of total revenues, while Fuel Specialties delivered $701.5 million, or 39.5%. Oilfield Services recorded $395.1 million, equal to 22...
jetcityimage Argus upgraded AutoZone ( AZO ) to a Buy rating from Hold on the expectation of a turnaround. Analyst Bill Selesky noted that the lower FQ2 earnings from AutoZone ( AZO ) primarily reflected lower gross margins and higher operating expenses, including tariff costs, which more than offset the benefits of higher company sales and positive same-store sales results. "Our upgrade highlight...
jetcityimage Argus upgraded AutoZone ( AZO ) to a Buy rating from Hold on the expectation of a turnaround. Analyst Bill Selesky noted that the lower FQ2 earnings from AutoZone ( AZO ) primarily reflected lower gross margins and higher operating expenses, including tariff costs, which more than offset the benefits of higher company sales and positive same-store sales results. "Our upgrade highlights our belief that we are nearing an inflection point in the shares, this as we expect year-over-year profit growth to turn positive, beginning with the fiscal third quarter of 2026," highlighted Selesky. In terms of catalysts, Selesky and his team pointed to the hundreds of new stores entering the comp store base, which will boost sales and productivity. The firm also sees continued growth in commercial sales, growth in international markets such as Mexico and Brazil, and operating leverage improvement as the capital investment cycle begins to slow in FY27. While EPS growth stalled over the last two years, Argus expects AutoZone's ( AZO ) earnings growth to reaccelerate in the middle part of this year and beyond, as store expansion efforts and distribution investments begin to generate higher returns. AutoZone ( AZO ) is expected to open stores aggressively to grow market share while effectively managing both margins and operating expenses to support future growth. Argus assigned a price target of $4,325.00 to AutoZone ( AZO ). Shares of AutoZone ( AZO ) were down 0.1% in premarket trading to $3,637.49. The 52-week high for the auto retailer stock is $4,388.11. More on AutoZone AutoZone Q2 Earnings: New Store Openings Drive Growth, But Weak Demand Weighs AutoZone: Winter Weather Takes Results Out Of Zone AutoZone, Inc. 2026 Q2 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation AutoZone targets 350–360 new stores for 2026 while navigating LIFO impacts and accelerated SG&A investments AutoZone falls after domestic same-store sales disappoint