On August 5, Cencora (NYSE:COR) reported results for its fiscal third quarter, which closed on June 30, and the headline numbers looked clean. Revenue rose 5.1% to $84.8 billion, adjusted earnings per share climbed 12.0% to $4.48, and management raised its full-year adjusted EPS outlook to $17.75 to $17.95. The company also repurchased $1 billion of its own stock during the quarter. But the profit story has moving parts, and a few of them pull in opposite directions.
Start with the gap between profit growth and sales growth. Adjusted operating income rose 17.0% while revenue grew only 5.1%. Much of the help came from gross profit, which jumped 23.2% on an adjusted basis as both segments contributed and the OneOncology acquisition in February lifted margins in the US business. In plain terms, adjusted gross margin widened 61 basis points to 4.16%, so the company keeps more gross profit from every dollar it sells.
The strength was not confined to one corner, either. US Healthcare Solutions grew operating income 15.9% on higher pharmaceutical sales and the OneOncology deal, while specialty volume to health systems and physician groups lifted its revenue. International Healthcare Solutions did better still, with operating income up 20.8% on strength in European distribution and global specialty logistics. Management also put cash to work, completing in one quarter the $1 billion of buybacks it had expected to finish by the close of calendar 2026. The board declared a $0.60 quarterly dividend as well, payable August 31, to holders of record on August 14.
Growth is costing more than it first appears. Adjusted operating expenses jumped 26.8%, faster than adjusted gross profit, because OneOncology brought expenses along with its profits. Even so, adjusted operating income amounts to just 1.46% of revenue, a thin cushion on a business this large. Financing adds weight too. Cencora funded part of the purchase with new senior notes plus variable-rate term loans, and net interest expense rose $58.9 million from a year earlier.
The sales mix carries its own drag. GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss are adding to revenue, but they earn lower gross margins, so each dollar of that growth is worth less to profit. Meanwhile, an oncology customer Cencora lost in 2025, and lower sales to a large mail order customer both held back US revenue, as did lower manufacturer prices on some brand pharmaceuticals. Cencora is also exploring strategic alternatives for a group of other businesses, and its April divestiture of US Consulting Services trimmed consulting sales.

#adjusted #revenue #august

On September 9, 2026, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone and the biggest change to the iPhone's design in nearly 20 years, at the first product launch event led by new CEO John Ternus since he succeeded Tim Cook on September 1. The book-style, passport-shaped device opens into a 7.6-inch display, Apple's largest ever, starts at $1,999 for the 256-gigabyte model and rises to $3,199 for 2 terabytes of storage. This makes it the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever sold, with availability set for October 23.
The iPhone Duo gives Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) a new premium growth opportunity in a mature smartphone market. Apple entered the foldable market with the $1,999 Duo. It creates a new high-end product category within its largest hardware franchise. ******* ysts expect Apple to take a real share of the foldable market. The firm's brand strength and large installed base could help speed up use of foldable smartphones.
The Duo creates a materially different iPhone experience that could encourage upgrades and attract Android users. The device opens to a 7.6-inch display, supports side-by-side multitasking, and offers a tablet-like experience in a pocketable design. Apple also shows the Duo's ******* anium frame, custom hinge, A20 Pro chip, and Apple Intelligence features. It gives customers several reasons to pay a substantial premium for the new form factor.
The launch solidifies Apple's hardware innovation strategy under new CEO John Ternus. The Duo represents Apple's most significant iPhone redesign since the iPhone X. It gives Ternus an opportunity to reignite enthusiasm around the company's hardware portfolio. The product also expands Apple's ability to monetize its ecosystem through higher-value hardware, services, and accessories as customers spend more time using a larger, more versatile iPhone.
The $1,999 starting price could keep the Duo a niche product. Reuters reported that the global foldable market could account for less than 3% of smartphone sales in 2026. ******* ysts expect only about 6 million Duo units as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) enters the category. Even strong market share would turn into a relatively small contribution compared with Apple's broader iPhone business.

#iphone #aapl

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN) dropped 5.55% to $15.82 on September 16, 2026, close to its 52-week low. The price movement was triggered by a profit warning at a Barclays conference. Huntington brought down its 2027 EPS guidance from above $1.90 to the range of $1.75-$1.83, and its 2026 net interest income growth from 39%-43% to roughly 35%. What matters more than these numbers is the reason behind them. Deposit costs are rising, and loan pricing is tightening, and it landed on the day the Fed delivered its first interest rate hike since 2023. The drop therefore raises the question: is this an oversold bank or the opening crack in regional-bank margins?
A well-run bank has just lowered its guidance, citing intense competition for deposits and loans. If Huntington feels the margin pressure, then it is likely that its peers feel the same. This explains why Fifth Third shares slid 4.1% on the same afternoon alongside the whole financials group. The Fed's new hike makes the environment more unfavorable for the group in the near term. While rate increases eventually lift ***** et yields, banks must immediately offer higher deposit yields to retain balances, squeezing net interest margins in the near term. Furthermore, accelerated commercial real estate loan payoffs reduced total earning ***** ets, though these early payoffs lower credit risk on the loan book.
The selloff leans too much into the reset. A move to $1.75-$1.83 from above $1.90 is a modest single-digit trim. Huntington sustains its profit as well as its operational performance. Loans reached $189 billion from $50 billion in 2015. Deposits touched $222 billion. And one of the company's biggest growth engines, value-added fee income, compounded at a 14% annual rate since mid-2024, with year-to-date growth near 32%. The income helps offset a notable portion of the spread pressure and offers a competitive edge against pure spread lenders.
A higher-for-longer rate environment carries trade-offs for commercial banks. It drives up deposit expenses, reflecting the margin pressure Huntington reported. It also expands loan yields as credit ***** ets reprice. Deposit beta determines the net effect by measuring how much of each benchmark rate increase the bank transfers to depositors. After the rate hikes, deposit costs typically rise further, so betting on a near-term peak takes some faith. A lower beta allows fee revenue to support earnings, whereas a higher beta keeps the squeeze sustained over multiple quarters.

#bank #interest #Growth

On September 9, 2026, Reuters reported that Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) raised £4.25 billion, or about $5.76 billion, in its first-ever sterling bond sale, slightly more than initially expected, as part of a four-tranche deal spanning 3 to 19 years. Final investor demand came in at more than £10.65 billion, roughly 2.5 times the amount raised, but that was notably lower than the demand Alphabet saw for its own sterling debut in February, a sign ******* ysts said shows hyperscaler borrowing may be starting to test the limits of investor appetite.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)'s first sterling bond sale shows that investors still have a strong appetite for its debt. The firm raised $5.8 billion through the offering, and demand reached roughly 2.5 times the amount available. The sterling market also has relatively limited supply of large technology-company debt. It could back up demand for future Amazon issuance in the currency. Strong demand gives Amazon another funding channel as it finances its large-scale AI and cloud infrastructure investments.
Amazon can put the proceeds toward AWS, its fastest-growing major business. AWS revenue increased 36.7% year over year in the second quarter. It marks its fastest growth rate in 18 quarters as demand for AI infrastructure accelerated. Funding more data centers, computing capacity and related infrastructure could allow Amazon to capture more of that demand. If AWS sustains its growth while making strong operating profits, the additional debt could support investments in one of Amazon's most important long-term earnings drivers.
The sterling offering diversifies Amazon's funding base as its capital requirements grow. Amazon issued four tranches with maturities ranging from three to 19 years. It gives the business access to UK investors while adding sterling financing alongside its existing dollar, euro, Swiss franc and yen debt. This overall investor base gives Amazon greater flexibility to raise capital across different markets and currencies. So diversification could become more valuable as Amazon funds an unprecedented AI infrastructure buildout without relying entirely on one debt market.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)'s weaker reception compared with Alphabet signals that investors may demand higher borrowing costs from hyperscalers. Amazon's sterling offering attracted about 2.5 times coverage, below Alphabet's roughly 3.5 times coverage for its recent euro bond sale. The difference shows that demand for hyperscaler debt is not unlimited. If investor appetite continues to weaken, Amazon could face higher yields on future borrowing, increasing the cost of financing its AI infrastructure expansion.

#sterling #infrastructure #NASDAQ #amzn

On September 9, 2026, Reuters reported that AI music startup Suno launched a new suite of models, including its flagship v6 and exploratory v6-Wild, built in partnership with Warner Music Group Corp. (NASDAQ:WMG) and BMG. It lets users make new music inspired by licensed recordings from participating artists. The launch follows Warner Music's copyright lawsuit settlement with Suno in November 2025, under which artists and songwriters can opt in to have their names, voices, and compositions used in AI-generated music in exchange for compensation.
Warner Music Group Corp. (NASDAQ:WMG) can turn the Suno litigation dispute into a new licensing revenue opportunity. Suno has now launched its v6 models in partnership with Warner Music and BMG. It allows users to make music inspired by licensed works from participating artists. Warner previously sued Suno over copyright issues before reaching a licensing agreement. This gives the label a direct path to monetize AI-generated music rather than relying solely on litigation. The deal could create a new revenue stream as consumers increasingly adopt AI music tools.
Warner enters the AI-music market from a position of financial strength. The firm reported fiscal third-quarter revenue of $5.44 billion, up 9% year over year. Adjusted OIBDA increased 16% to $433 million, and its adjusted OIBDA margin expanded to 23.2%. Warner also said it had met or exceeded its financial targets for five consecutive quarters. That basic growth gives the company greater flexibility to invest in AI initiatives while using licensing agreements to add another potential growth driver to its existing streaming and publishing businesses.
Warner could help establish a more sustainable commercial model for AI-generated music. Suno said future products will include opt-in experiences that allow individual artists to participate and receive payment when users generate music around them. So Warner has an opportunity to help shape licensing and compensation practices as Spotify and other platforms develop their own AI-music products. If the industry increasingly adopts licensed models, Warner's large catalog and relationships with artists could solidify its negotiating position and create recurring AI-related revenue.
Suno's new licensing model does not eliminate the overall legal risks surrounding AI music. Warner Music Group Corp. (NASDAQ:WMG) has reached an agreement with Suno, but other copyright owners are challenging the firm's technology. Independent publisher Round Hill sued Suno in August, alleging that the company used copyrighted songs to train its AI system. Suno also faces separate litigation from Universal Music Group and Sony Music. Hence, lawsuits could increase legal costs and create uncertainty over the licensing framework that Warner hopes to monetize.

#music #licensing #corp #revenue

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LIND) announced on September 15 that it had acquired 60% of White Desert Antarctica and its new aviation travel business, Echo Charlie. Consideration comprises approximately $61 million in cash, plus approximately $6 million relating to acquired cash, subject to working-capital, cash, and indebtedness adjustments.
The purchase broadens the travel portfolio beyond expedition cruises. For investors, the test is whether additional bookings and cash generation justify the acquisition price and subsequent investment.
White Desert takes guests into Antarctica's interior, including the Geographic South Pole. Echo Charlie offers journeys aboard a restored DC-3 aircraft carrying 12 guests. These experiences add distinctive products that Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LIND) could market to existing adventure travelers.
Cross-selling could reduce marketing costs per booking and encourage repeat travel across the portfolio. Established customer relationships provide a starting point; the financial benefit depends on generating additional profitable departures.
The company already operates a growing land-travel business. Second-quarter Land Experiences revenue increased 23% to $70.0 million, driven by additional trips and higher pricing. That provides a relevant commercial foundation for the expansion.

#additional

RF Industries, Ltd. (NASDAQ:RFIL) reported stronger fiscal third-quarter results on September 14. Revenue increased 21% to $23.96 million for the quarter ended July 31, 2026, while operating income reached approximately $1.8 million, compared with $720,000 a year earlier.
The next question is whether new orders can sustain that performance. Quarterly bookings totaled $22.5 million, below revenue. Backlog stood at $18.6 million at quarter-end and increased to $19.8 million by September 14.
Bookings measure new orders, including modifications or cancellations of earlier orders. Backlog represents orders received for which revenue has yet to be recognized.
RF Industries, Ltd. (NASDAQ:RFIL) improved both sales and profitability. Gross margin increased to 35.6% from 34% a year earlier, helping operating income grow much faster than revenue.
Management attributes the margin expansion to a shift toward customized cabling and integrated systems. These offerings involve more engineering and larger projects than traditional component sales. Competing on technical capability and customer requirements could support stronger relationships and repeat business.

#earlier

For months, economists and retailers have warned about the financial strain facing lower- and middle-income consumers. Higher earners, on the other hand, have largely been sheltered from the effects of the rising costs of living.
But that may be changing.
A growing number of CEOs and industry insiders, from retailers as varied as Walmart and ThredUp, have said they're seeing shifts in the behavior of consumers earning $100,000 a year or more.
Dollar General's CEO Todd Vasos is the latest to join that growing chorus.
Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Global Consumer and Retail conference, Vasos said it's no longer the chain's core consumer base (low- and middle-earners) who are feeling the financial strain.

#Consumer #strain #higher

The transition toward renewable energy is creating massive opportunities for infrastructure providers. Eos Energy Enterprises (NASDAQ:EOSE) and GE Vernova (NYSE:GEV) represent two distinct ways to play this trend in 2026.
Eos focuses on specialized zinc-based batteries for long-duration energy storage. GE Vernova is a diversified giant that services a massive portion of the world's electricity grid. Comparing these two helps clarify whether you prefer a high-growth disruptor or an established power leader.
Eos Energy Enterprises produces aqueous zinc batteries designed as a safer, scalable alternative to lithium-ion. It operates primarily within the industrial stocks **** e, targeting utilities and commercial developers. Customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business, as two clients accounted for approximately 70% of total revenue in 2025.
In FY 2025, revenue reached approximately $114.2 million. This represents growth of nearly 631.8% compared to the prior fiscal year. The company reported a pre-tax net loss of roughly $969.6 million, resulting in a negative net margin of approximately 849.1%.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the company had a debt-to-equity ratio of -1.0x. This value indicates that total liabilities exceed shareholder equity. The current ratio, which measures the ability to cover short term obligations with short term **** ets, was approximately 4.9x, while free cash flow was nearly negative $265.0 million.

#enterprises #massive #Growth

Nvidia (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang is challenging the people warning that AI could end humanity, suggesting their alarming predictions may serve another purpose.
Speaking with CBS News, Huang rejected the 'AI apocalypse' debate and questioned the motives behind those spreading that fear, adding a sharper edge to an increasingly public industry split.
OpenAI and Anthropic leaders, alongside Elon Musk, have backed calls to slow advanced AI development over safety concerns and fears that the technology might be advancing quicker than companies can control it, as reported by Financial Times.
For Nvidia investors, that debate carries financial weight. Shares have returned 20% year-to-date and 23% over the six months, according to Seeking Alpha data.
A coordinated slowdown could complicate the spending boom supporting its chip business. Huang's response, however, reaches beyond defending continued investment.

#NVIDIA #anthropic

Gold is the ******* et people buy when they have stopped believing in promises. Then most of them hand it to a bank in another country for safekeeping, which is itself a promise.
That arrangement is older than most of the world's central banks. The Bank of England has provided gold custody services to developing nations for decades, according to Reuters, and it usually works for the simple reason that ******* ody involved has any incentive to argue about it.
Custody is boring. It stays boring right up until two governments claim the same account.
Then the metal in the vault ceases to be a reserve ******* et and becomes a legal exhibit. It does not move, and it does not get sold.
It sits in a basement in London, earning nothing and settling nothing, while lawyers on two continents argue over whose signature counts on the paperwork.

#reuters

Veteran ******* yst Jim Cramer sees something in Apple's (AAPL) latest launch that is more than a reason for its customers to buy another replacement phone.
After visiting Apple's Manhattan store, the CNBC host praised the iPhone 18 but reserved his strongest enthusiasm for the foldable Duo. He plans to buy it as a second phone, a distinction that gives his excitement an intriguing business angle.
Apple shares have already gained around 23.6% this year through September 18, raising the stakes for turning product excitement into sales.
For context, Apple unveiled its iPhone 18 Pro lineup and first foldable iPhone on September 9. The Pro models reached stores on September 18; Duo availability follows on October 23.
For Cramer, the bigger opportunity goes beyond better cameras and battery life. His reaction suggests Apple could give loyal customers a fresh reason to spend, even when their existing phones still work perfectly well.

#reason #phone #veteran

It's been a disappointing couple of years for shareholders of biotechnology outfit CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRSP). This stock's barely up since the end of 2022, lagging the broad market's gains. It's not the performance that investors keeping tabs on this company were expecting, given its potential.
Don't be discouraged, though. While still speculative like most young biotech names, CRISPR Therapeutics remains a compelling prospect for investors who can stomach the risk and its inevitable volatility. Here's why.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our **** ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
On the off-chance you're reading this and aren't already familiar with the company, CRISPR Therapeutics is a drug developer that specializes in gene editing.
It's probably an area you've heard a great deal about. No gene-editing drugs were actually on the market in the United States until CRISPR Therapeutics' Casgevy was approved by the FDA as a treatment for sickle cell disease in late 2023. Any and all gene therapies currently on the market followed this pioneer's foray. Being first is a well-deserved accolade for the company, too, which was co-founded by Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier, who was one of the co-discoverers of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing mechanism that makes Casgevy work.

#crispr #gene #company

Anthropic's initial public offering (IPO) appears to be on pace to take place in late October or early November. Right now, it is difficult for retail investors to get a stake in the artificial intelligence (AI) giant, which is one of the fastest-growing businesses in the world.
But there is an investment you could make that would get you sizable indirect exposure to Anthropic ahead of its listing. Zoom Communications (NASDAQ: ZM), the leading cloud video conferencing company, bought a stake in Anthropic back in May 2023, and that investment could now be worth billions.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our ***** ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Let's see whether that makes Zoom stock a buy right now.
Zoom made a $51 million investment in Anthropic in May 2023, and that has turned out to be one of the smartest decisions the company has ever made (maybe even smarter than its choice to go public right before the pandemic).

#investment #missed

Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) is about to significantly expand its operations in Venezuela. The company's CFO, Eimear Bonner, revealed at a Barclays conference on September 8 that the American oil giant plans to more than double the number of oil rigs it operates in the country as part of its five-year plan ‌to increase output.
The statement follows the company's recent announcement that its joint venture partnerships in Venezuela would invest more than $7 billion to more than double oil ⁠output to 600,000 barrels per day by 2031. The current production from Chevron's three Venezuelan JVs totals around 290,000, which is all exported to the United States.
The move builds on Chevron's longstanding presence in Venezuela, as it was the only American oil major that continued operating in the country under a special US license, allowing it to produce and export oil despite the sanctions.
The expansion comes alongside a much larger agreement between Washington and Caracas announced this month, which gave the US majority control over around 20% of Venezuela's proven crude reserves. The White House has now invited American oil companies to revive and modernize the South American country's oil infrastructure and more than double its crude production in the next few years.
Chevron has maintained operations in Venezuela since 1923 and even stayed through the nationalizations that forced ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips to exit in 2007. This gives it a significant competitive advantage, since it already has a longstanding relationship with the state-owned PDVSA and extensive experience operating in the country's complex regulatory environment.

#around

Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with a presence in over 70 countries. The stock has delivered gains of over 23% since the beginning of 2026 and even hit its all-time high earlier in March, driven primarily by soaring oil prices and solid earnings amid supply disruptions in the Middle East.
Following a slight pullback over the last few months, Shell has started to regain momentum, and Morgan Stanley expects the rally to continue. On September 3, the investment bank upgraded SHEL from 'Equal Weight' to 'Overweight', while also raising its price target from $81.60 to $101.30. The target boost implies an upside of 9% from the current levels and even exceeds Shell's previous record high of almost $95 per share achieved earlier this year.
Morgan Stanley noted that the concerns surrounding Shell's long-term resource longevity have now eased, with the company now positioned to sustain production growth through 2030 and stabilize output thereafter. The ******* yst firm believes that while the stock has been weighed down due to its dividend policy, there is now "potential for a significant acceleration. As a result, Morgan Stanley promoted SHEL to top-pick status.
Shell completed the acquisition of ARC Resources earlier this month, addressing the resource-depletion concerns that have weighed down its valuation. The $16.4 billion deal has significantly expanded the energy giant's gas reserves and will boost its production by 370,000 boed. Additionally, the strategic move expands Shell's exposure to the North American gas market and bolsters its position in a region that is emerging as a key player in the global LNG supply.
Shell's recent upstream investments provide further support to Morgan Stanley's bullish thesis. The company announced earlier this month that it had agreed to acquire a 30% interest in BP's Conifer exploration prospect in the US Gulf, and a 50% stake in the Tupinamba exploration block in Brazil's Santos Basin. Additionally, it also recently signed a preliminary agreement for the acquisition of production rights over Ghana's South Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points ‌oil and gas block.

#shel #production #energy #Stock

Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) has been on a strong rally, posting gains of over 140% since the beginning of 2026. The strong performance is fuelled by an unusually sharp surge in global refining margins as the ongoing disruptions have significantly reduced the world's refining capacity and tightened supplies of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
While there are now investor concerns that the stock may have topped out, Wall Street sees further upside ahead. On September 14, Morgan Stanley ******* yst Joe Laetsch significantly boosted the firm's price target on VLO from $255 to $411, while maintaining an 'Equal Weight' rating on the shares. The revised target implies an upside of almost 4% from the current levels and even exceeds the stock's all-time high of just under $400 per share.
The higher price objective is supported by the possibility that Valero can translate the favorable refining environment into material earnings and cash flows. The company did exactly that in the second quarter, when it posted its highest-ever Q2 profit and topped Wall Street expectations.
It seems like the high-margin environment is here to stay following a fresh wave of attacks between the US and Iran. Even if the attacks stop and a potential peace agreement is achieved, the damaged or idled refineries in the Middle East are likely to take some time to return to full operations, keeping refined-fuel markets relatively tight. Notably, the supply disruptions also extend beyond the troubled region, as a recent series of Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries has further constrained global refining capacity.
Valero's FCC Unit optimization project at its St. Charles Refinery will allow it to capitalize even further on the high-priced environment. Expected to be completed in the third quarter, the $230 million initiative will help enhance the facility's ability to produce high-value products.

#even #environment #wall #strong

On September 17, Ferrari N.V. (NYSE:RACE) announced a partnership with the technology company Rakuten Group, Inc., effective January 1, 2027. The announcement gives no scope and no price tag, so it works better as a signal than as a number. The real substance sits in the results Ferrari posted on July 30, when it raised its 2026 guidance because buyers are ordering more personalization than the company expected.
In the second quarter, revenue rose 8%, but operating profit rose 10%, which means each euro of sales is leaving more behind. Ferrari credits a richer mix of cars, with the F80 helping, along with more buyers paying up for personalization. Strip out currency swings, and the gap widens, with revenue up 11% and operating profit up 16%. Deliveries of the Purosangue and the 296 Speciale family grew even in the middle of a planned model changeover.
Cash and demand back that up. Industrial free cash flow jumped 39% to €276 million, and Ferrari also returned more than €800 million to shareholders through a dividend and buybacks. Racing helped too, as higher sponsorships and engine rentals to other Formula 1 teams lifted revenue. Meanwhile, the order book covers 2027 in full, and the new 12Cilindri Manuale is already fully allocated, which is about as strong a demand signal as a carmaker can send. Those trends are why revenue guidance moved up to about €7.60 billion from about €7.50 billion.
Part of the strength is timing. Operating profit got a boost from temporarily lower depreciation and amortization while Ferrari swaps out models, and the company says those charges will climb once the new cars enter production. Net profit also leaned on a 23.0% tax rate, which reflects an estimated benefit from the new Patent Box. Neither says much about how profitable the cars themselves are.
Costs are climbing too. Higher industrial and marketing expenses weighed on operating profit, EBITDA margin slipped to 39.0% from 39.7% a year earlier, and management expects heavier brand, racing and digital spending for the year. Currency is a drag as well, mostly from the dollar and the yen, which is why 11% growth at constant currency shrank to 8% as reported. Deliveries totaled 3,366 cars while the 296 GTS, Roma Spider and SF90 XX family wound down, and sponsorship, commercial and brand revenue grew just 2%. And the whole outlook leans on current visibility into the Middle East crisis, which Ferrari cannot control.

#Ferrari

On August 6, Republic Services (NYSE:RSG) reported earnings of $1.84 per diluted share for the quarter that closed on June 30, up from $1.75 a year earlier, and lifted most of its full-year targets. Here is the odd part. The company moved less volume than it did a year ago and still grew profit. Understanding how that works, and how long it can last, is the whole story.
Start with pricing, because that is the engine. Core price on total revenue added 5.3% to growth, which helped lift total revenue by 4.6%. Inside the related business, price contributed 4.1% in the restricted portion and 7.8% in the open market. Management says price beat cost inflation, and the margin backs that up. Adjusted EBITDA reached $1.42 billion at a 32.1% margin, matching the prior year even after Republic absorbed a 50 basis point drag from event-driven landfill volumes it received in 2025.
Cash generation is just as sturdy. Through the first half of 2026, operations produced $2.38 billion, and adjusted free cash flow came to $1.58 billion. That paid for $860 million of acquisitions and $1.04 billion returned to shareholders, so Republic is buying growth and rewarding owners from the same pool. The board added 4.5 cents to the quarterly dividend, setting it at $0.670 per share with an October 2 record date and payment on October 15. Management also raised full-year revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flow guidance, and set adjusted earnings at $7.23 to $7.28 per share.
The catch is that volume is moving the wrong way. Average yield added 3.4% to total revenue, while volume took away 1.6%, and the related business gave up 1.9% to volume. That makes this a price-led story, and price can only carry so much weight if volumes keep shrinking. Acquisitions also supplied 1.1% of the 4.6% total growth, so organic growth is smaller than the headline suggests.
Other lines were softer too. The environmental solutions business slipped 0.2%, so it added no lift. Recycled commodities sold for an average of $136 per ton at Republic's recycling centers, which is $13 lower than a year earlier. Margin only matched last year's level, and adjusted earnings per share rose 4.5%, just under revenue growth, so profit grew in step with sales rather than faster.

#year

Cloudflare's Q2 beat and reaccelerating growth (36% revenue growth, 120% net dollar retention, record large customer adds) pushed NET stock to new highs, but the market has already paid up: NTM EV/Revenue sits at 35.17x, just below its all-time high of 36.30x and well above its roughly two-year average of 22.30x.
Free cash flow margin, the exact metric management points to as evidence of a credible path to GAAP profitability by 2028, has fallen for two straight quarters, from 14.55% in Q1 2026 to 9.71% in Q2 2026, even as severance and restructuring costs climbed toward $165 million for the year.
President Michelle Zatlyn, CFO Thomas Seifert, and director John Graham-Cumming all sold stock in August and September, Zatlyn alone disposing of roughly $44 million across two separate filings, while the company also raised $2.175 billion in convertible debt despite already holding $4.2 billion in cash.
Street consensus, which saw NET stock as 13% to 22% undervalued for most of late 2025 and early 2026, has now caught up: the mean ****** yst target of $336.81 sits just 4% above the September 18 close of $323.60, a far thinner cushion than investors had earlier in the rally.
Cloudflare's second quarter gave bulls plenty to like. Revenue grew 36% year over year to $696.1 million, beating the $665.5 million ****** yst estimate. The company added a record 986 large customers over the trailing year and net dollar retention accelerated to 120%, up six points from a year earlier. Management used that momentum to lean harder into its Act 4 story, the plan to turn Cloudflare's network into infrastructure for agentic commerce through products like Monetization Gateway, Wallets, and cloudflare.pay.

#revenue #dollar

On September 15, Digital Realty (NYSE:DLR) made ServiceFabric MCP available, a software layer that lets AI agents design, monitor and troubleshoot network connections across more than 800 data centers, including third-party sites. That nudges a real estate company toward becoming a control panel for enterprise AI. It arrives after second quarter results reported on July 23, when Core FFO per share, the company's preferred earnings yardstick, excluding net promote rose to $2.13 from $1.87 a year earlier. Here is what the launch does, and what it has yet to prove.
The pitch is that enterprise AI needs more than servers. It needs power, cooling, and sovereign placement that software can control. ServiceFabric MCP handles four jobs: designing and provisioning connections, spotting capacity and watching live network health, managing access through OAuth 2, and handing troubleshooting to agents with links into chat and monitoring tools. It is also open by design. Customers do not have to live only in Digital Realty buildings or commit to a single AI model. An IDC research VP argues that public cloud interfaces alone cannot give enterprises enough control over data movement and policy, which favors providers that pair global reach with programmable interconnection. Digital Realty runs the system on its own AI workloads, and See All AI, a medical imaging developer, leans on the Boston campus and ServiceFabric to move large datasets quickly and securely.
The financial engine underneath is running hot. Renewal leases in the second quarter were signed at rates 25.4% higher on a cash basis, which shows customers will pay more to stay put. Signed leases waiting to start added up to a $1.9 billion backlog of annualized base rent at 100% share, so future revenue is already lined up. Management responded by lifting its 2026 Core FFO per share outlook, excluding net promote, to $8.15 to $8.20.
Start with what the launch has not shown yet. Digital Realty itself calls MCP an emerging standard, and ServiceFabric MCP is still being validated across internal, enterprise, and partner deployments. The announcement puts no dollar figure on what it could add to revenue, and the company describes it only as the first programmable surface of a larger architecture that may later stretch into ***** e, power and inventory. Until customers pay for this layer, it is a promising idea more than a line item.
Then there is the bill for the physical side. Digital Realty carried about $18.6 billion of debt at June 30, 2026, and its 2026 development spending outlook, net of partner contributions, now sits at $4.25 billion to $4.75 billion. The outlook also ***** umes new long-term debt priced at 4.5% to 5.5%, up from the earlier 4.0% to 4.5%. To help pay for growth, the company has sold roughly 13.5 million shares this year for about $2.5 billion, which spreads future earnings across more owners. And the quarter's headline flattered a bit: Core FFO per share of $2.65 included a $18

GDEV Inc. (NASDAQ:GDEV) saw a year-on-year drop in bookings from both its in-app purchases and advertising, during the second quarter fiscal 2026. Consequently, the quarterly revenue figure of $94 million was down 22% compared to Q2 FY25. On the flip side, SG&A expenses and costs related to platform commissions were lower relative to the corresponding period last year. Along with other factors, the lower cost base helped GDEV report $20 million in net profit, up from $17 million in the second quarter of 2025.
Copyright: artush / 123RF Stock Photo
Breaking down the expenses, selling and marketing costs came down by 38% compared to the same quarter last year, clocking in at $33 million. It reflects on management's continued focus on deploying an efficient approach for its user acquisition initiatives. The approach is based on a more targeted performance marketing across certain channels that lead to durable high-value users, instead of broader campaigns for near-term benefits.
The reported quarter marked a turnaround related to the equity accounted ******* ociates. These contributed a $2 million profit share, which was a reversal from a $2 million loss share in Q2 FY25. Most notably, cash flows from operating activities turned from negative $10 million in Q2 FY25 to positive $10 million in the reported period.
Several operating metrics weakened during the reported quarter. Monthly paying users dropped by 23% year-over-year, along with a 15% decline for the entire first half. This was the major underlying reason for a sluggish performance in bookings, which stood at $73 million and $156 million for the second quarter and first half of the year, respectively. These fell short in comparison to $92 million and $173 million recorded in the corresponding periods last year. GDEV also said the decline in first-half platform commissions was driven by lower revenues recognized from PC platforms, while PC's share of bookings fell to 36% from 39%.

#million #lower

For custom chip designer Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO), the debate is all about whether the demand for AI products will sustain and grow. It is among the few firms capable of designing custom AI chips that big technology firms rely on to supplement NVIDIA's high-power and expensive AI chips. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's latest remarks about the need to slow down AI development due to safety concerns have generated quite a buzz, and Cramer discussed what Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO)'s CEO told him when asked about AI infrastructure development losing traction:
"What's refuted by Hock Tan, of course, maybe Hock Tan is one of the biggest providers of semis, other than NVIDIA, and when I asked him about, give me a prediction about the AI slowdown, would there be one, he said, not in the least. We see the demand for compute infrastructure for development of AI and inference as extremely strong and durable. So I know those stocks were the most heavily hammered, other than the fiber stocks. But David, when you listen to what Hock Tan said last night on Mad Money, you are inclined to do buying.
"I think David, you recognize, and a lot of people don't, when you're speaking about Hock Tan, whom I had on, you're talking about a 1.6 trillion dollar company. This isn't just someone. . .worried about what orders are going to be. . .this man has more orders than almost anybody other than Jensen Huang. So I think Carl, when we get very, very negative we still have to rely on the facts And the facts do not support there are some people who are very worried about mankind, I did not get the mankind worry when I spoke yesterday."
The CNBC TV host's remarks about Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) sit right at the center of the debate for the firm. This debate is about whether it will be able to continue to capture additional orders for custom AI chips. Looking at the third quarter earnings, released on September 2nd, the growth narrative appears to be quite strong.
It boosts Cramer's claims of Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) experiencing strong orders, as during the quarter, the firm's revenue grew by 86%, AI semiconductor revenue jumped by 221% and fiscal year 2026 guidance implied 186% annual AI revenue growth. Not to mention, CEO Tan reaffirmed that Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) could pull in $115 billion in annual AI chip sales in 2027 and a whopping $230 billion in 2028.

#orders #debate #strong

September 18, 2026 / 8:03 PM EDT / CBS News
During his ex-wife's murder trial, Patrick Clancy faced intense scrutiny online, with social media users often questioning his character. Now, as he reflects on the tragedy, Clancy says he believes he did the best he could with the information he had at the time.
"I think I did the best I could with what I had at the time, and I live with the outcome. I live with it every day, but I think I did the best I could," Clancy told correspondent Ross Douthat after being asked whether he feels angry with himself or like he failed in some way.
He and his wife, Dr. Rachel Danis, spoke with 60 Minutes after Lindsay Clancy's case ended in a mistrial.
Lindsay Clancy's defense team has argued that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis when she killed their three children, 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan in January 2023.

#best #year #patrick

JEPI, DIVO, and GPIX each pay near 8% monthly yields while growing share price by writing calls on only a portion of holdings.
GPIX has beaten SPY with an 80% return since its 2023 launch by capping its options overlay at just 25 to 75% of the portfolio.
DIVO's tactical options sleeve delivers a lower 6% yield but drives 72% five-year price appreciation, nearly matching SPY's gains.
Two retirees, same $1 million, same 4% rule, buy one finished with $1.4 million, the other hit $0 in 12 years. Our free reader guide explains the flaw that separated them, and the income-first method built to avoid it.
Covered call ETFs have a reputation problem. For years, the category was defined by funds like QYLD and XYLD that wrote at-the-money calls on entire index portfolios, harvested rich premiums, and quietly bled principal every time markets rallied. Investors got their monthly check and watched their share price drift lower. That is the trap worth avoiding.

#gpix #calls #lower #years

Rocket Lab (RKLB) has gained 9.5% over the last five trading days, while the S&P 500 added 0.6%. A week like that pulls money in. The stock is still about 55% below its 52-week high. The run is not the question. What matters for your money is what this stock does to your portfolio when the market moves, because it travels about four times as far as the index in both directions.
On days the S&P 500 rose over the past year, Rocket Lab captured about 381% of the gain. On days the index fell, it absorbed about 403% of the loss. The down days take slightly more than the up days give.
That is leverage on the market rather than a cushion. Over the past five years Rocket Lab ran 79.2% annualized volatility against 17.2% for the S&P 500, and its daily moves tracked the index at a correlation of 0.46 over those five years.
A moderate correlation and a swing that size sit together. Correlation asks whether the stock and the index move the same way, not how far. A good part of what Rocket Lab does is its own.
Look at what you own. Rocket Lab booked a record $234 million of revenue in Q2 2026, up 62% from the same quarter a year earlier, and it has just flown its 16th Electron mission of 2026.

#days

Investing in high-yield dividend stocks can be a solid portfolio move and give investors some nice supplemental income. However, not all dividend stocks are created equal. Two dividend stocks I'd be buying now are Energy Transfer (NYSE: ET) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ), while one I would avoid is Pfizer (NYSE: PFE).
Let's take a closer look at each, starting with why I'd avoid investing in Pfizer.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our **** ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
At one point, Pfizer was as blue chip of a pharmaceutical company as there was. However, the stock's 6.2% yield and cheap valuation reflect a company facing challenges ahead.
Pfizer took on significant debt when it acquired Seagen for $43 billion in December 2023 to strengthen its oncology portfolio. That has left the company with over $60 billion in debt and high interest expenses. The company paid out $9.7 billion in dividends last year while generating $9.1 billion in free cash flow, so it paid out more in dividends than it generated in cash. That has continued through the first six months of 2026.

#NYSE #stocks #missed #high

Automattic has a new interim chief financial officer: Jeremy Klaperman, the CFO of the company's WordPress VIP Enterprise business unit. The news, shared internally on Friday, follows last week's attempted ouster of Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg, which ultimately resulted in the departure of the board members who voted him out and other executives, including then-CFO Mark Davies. Davies was briefly interim CEO before Mullenweg retook the position.
In a Slack post, Mullenweg shared that Klaperman had previously acted as Automattic CFO when Davies had been on sabbatical. He noted that the board — whose new members have yet to be announced — will still need to evaluate internal and external candidates for the position before a final decision is made.
In addition, Mullenweg said in the post that a candidate to become the company's chief legal officer had also just verbally accepted the position, replacing Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan, who has also since left the company alongside Davies. TechCrunch recently reported that Davies and Missan had signed reciprocal severance deals during Mullenweg's 33-hour leave of absence before he returned as CEO.
"I have 100% confidence in our cash and financial position," Mullenweg's post concluded, adding "There is still work to do, but everything is within our control and depends only on Automattic's ability to execute."
In subsequent updates, Mullenweg also said to "stay tuned" for board announcements, and noted that special advisor and creator of Wolfram|Alpha, Stephen Wolfram, will continue in his position. The company's next board meeting is scheduled for September 23.

#klaperman

XRP shook off a sharp regulatory setback this week, climbing more than 7% over 24 hours to trade near $1.39 after briefly touching lows around $1.27.
The rebound followed a rocky 48 hours that combined a failed Senate vote with the Federal Reserve's first rate hike since 2023.
Cloture is the Senate procedure required to end debate and move a bill toward a final vote, needing 60 senators to succeed. On September 15, the CLARITY Act fell short in a narrow 50-49 tally, missing that threshold and stalling a proposed federal framework for digital **** ets.
XRP dropped more than 8% in the immediate aftermath, touching lows near $1.27 to $1.28. Pressure intensified the next day when the Fed raised its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.75% to 4.00%, a move that typically weighs on risk **** ets broadly.
The sell-off, however, proved short-lived. XRP has since rebounded to $1.39, up 7.23% over 24 hours, even as the token slipped slightly by 0.30% in the past hour. Trading volume held near $3.9 billion, close to its 30-day average, suggesting genuine buying rather than thin, low-liquidity trading.

#near #senate #since

Interested in O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better.
Record store expansion: O'Reilly plans to open 232 stores in 2026, its highest annual total, supported by new distribution capacity and growth opportunities across underserved U.S. markets.
International growth: The company expects to open 20–25 stores in Mexico, where it sees potential for more than 1,000 locations over time, and plans to add three to five Canadian stores while developing its platform.
Demand and competitive advantages: Comparable-store sales rose 7% through the second quarter, while O'Reilly highlighted its inventory network, promote-from-within culture, proprietary brands exceeding 55% of sales, and opportunities from an aging and increasingly complex vehicle fleet.
Hitting the Brakes: Is O'Reilly's Stock a Breakdown or a Buy?

#stores #open #Growth #interested