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table8686
1 day ago
MLB standings 2026: Updated playoff bracket, magic numbers through Sept. 12 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It will still take some time for the leaves to change colors, but the chase for October is upon us.
The MLB postseason, which actually begins in late September, will be framed as a battle between David and Goliath, with 11 Davids and one Goliath: the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While the Dodgers haven't looked unbeatable in the regular season, they have positioned themselves as the villains after following back-to-back championships with the trade deadline acquisition of Tarik Skubal.
Everyone else, whether in a big market or a small market, will enter the postseason as some degree of an underdog. After the Blue Jays nearly dethroned the Dodgers last fall, could 2026 be the year a different team climbs to the top?

#goliath #sept
f3fQKQwKNc
1 day ago
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) could be positioning itself for its next major phase of growth following its roughly $10 billion acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals. The deal gives the company immediate exposure to the endocrinology market and provides a new commercial platform beyond its established cystic fibrosis franchise.
On September 3, Citigroup **** yst Geoff Meacham highlighted the strategic importance of the Crinetics acquisition, arguing it could diversify Vertex's business while complementing its existing cystic fibrosis franchise and newer businesses in renal disease, hematology, and pain.
Through the transaction, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) gains access to Palsonify (paltusotine), an oral treatment for acromegaly that has already received regulatory approval in Europe. Paltusotine is also in Phase 3 development for carcinoid syndrome **** ociated with neuroendocrine tumors.
Palsonify is particularly important because it provides an immediate commercial revenue opportunity, rather than requiring the company to wait several years for an entirely new drug to reach the market.
Early uptake of Palsonify has been encouraging, supported by expanding physician adoption and improving reimbursement coverage. If that momentum continues, the drug could become an important contributor to Vertex's revenue growth.

#palsonify
AwVFbVWaAnt
1 day ago
Solaris Energy Infrastructure, Inc. (NYSE:SEI), traditionally known as an oil and gas field services and solutions company, has been increasingly shifting toward the data center market. On September 8, the company provided an update to its guidance ranges, which suggests that this shift is working.
The company lifted its adjusted EBITDA guidance for the third and fourth quarters of 2026 and provided its initial outlook for the first quarter of 2027. The company said that the updated expectations reflect stronger contributions from its core power services business, along with better-than-expected performance from recently acquired businesses. Solaris Energy Infrastructure, Inc. (NYSE:SEI) now expects Q3 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $110 million to $130 million, up from its previous range of $90 million to $105 million. At the midpoint, that represents a 23% increase.
For Q4 2026, the company raised its guidance to $145 million to $180 million from $100 million to $120 million, a 48% increase at the midpoint. The company also provided initial Q1 2027 adjusted EBITDA guidance of $200 million to $240 million.
Investors responded positively to the update as the stock rallied following the announcement. Solaris Energy Infrastructure, Inc. (NYSE:SEI) has returned about 150% over the past 12 months. As of September 8, the stock was up more than 25% year to date, compared with a 12% gain for the S&P 500.
The guidance update follows the company's September 2 announcement of its acquisition of Omega Foundation Services, a leader in the specialized engineering, procurement and construction industry with expertise in heavy civil construction across several end markets, including large-scale data centers.

#energy #Services
Widget3996
1 day ago
Navan Inc. (NASDAQ:NAVN), a global AI-enabled business travel and expense management solutions provider, announced its second quarter results on September 9. The company registered a 45% growth in its gross booking volume (GBV), which reached more than $3 billion. Such growth was fueled by cohort expansion, customer additions and increase in its existing install base. Total revenue for the quarter was $233 million, representing a 35% year-over-year jump. The company's adjusted operating income more than doubled compared to Q2 FY26, and the quarter also saw positive cash flow generation.
Copyright: kentoh / 123RF Stock Photo
Navan delivered robust performance during the recently concluded quarter, driven by a 35% increase in usage revenue which clocked in at $211 million. Subscription revenue was also up 39%, reaching $21 million. Apart from the 45% GBV expansion, a 34% growth was witnessed in Q2 Payment Volume which stood at $1.3 billion. One of the highlights of this quarter was a turnaround in adjusted net income, which jumped from an $8 million loss in Q2 FY26 to a $14 million profit for the reported period.
Enterprise market momentum remained persistent during the period, as the company established partnerships with leading names such as Evotec, Enbridge, ****** mins, and Ingersoll Rand. Significant progress was made around the Navan's proprietary AI agent, Ava, which managed roughly 60% of the total customer interactions. More than 50% of AI calls are now being managed through the company's in-house AI models, compared to 30% for the previous quarter.
Additionally, the company finalized its acquisition of a leading travel management business, Smartrips. This will enable Navan to expand its presence within the swiftly expanding Latin American market. Navan also acquired an AI-led meetings and events management platform, BoomPop.

#volume
266prism_packet
1 day ago
Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM) continues to strengthen its enterprise artificial intelligence offering as it looks to make AI a larger part of its customer relationship management ecosystem. On September 9, reports emerged that the company is prepared to spend as much as $2 billion to acquire Listen Labs, an AI-powered customer research platform.
The potential deal would extend Salesforce's aggressive M&A strategy as the company seeks to expand its generative and agentic AI capabilities. Salesforce recently completed its approximately $3.6 billion acquisition of customer service AI agent provider Fin, formerly Intercom, underscoring management's willingness to use acquisitions to accelerate its AI roadmap.
Listen Labs could add a new layer of customer intelligence to Salesforce's platform. The company uses artificial intelligence to conduct customer interviews through audio and video and ******* yze the resulting responses.
Kritchanut/Shutterstock.com
The potential acquisition could be particularly valuable for Salesforce Agentforce, the company's platform for building and deploying AI agents. Listen Labs could end up providing crucial insights into why customers behave the way they do. Customer interviews and conversations can reveal motivations, preferences, frustrations, and other qualitative information that may not be captured in traditional CRM databases.

#customer #salesforce #platform #artificial
xyhdiggadgetdrift
1 day ago
ACV Auctions Inc. (NYSE:ACVA)—one of the leading car auction marketplaces in the US—saw its share price jump by 49 percent week-on-week, taking the first spot in the top-performing stocks in last week's shortened trading session.
This followed an announcement from its Texas-based counterpart, Copart Inc., under which the latter's subsidiary will acquire all of ACVA shares in an all-cash transaction at a price of $10.50 apiece, or for a total of $1.9 billion.
The offer price marked a 45 percent premium over its closing price of $7.22 on Thursday, September 10, prior to the announcement.
The completion of the tender offer is subject to the successful acquisition of a majority stake in ACVA or the expiration of the waiting period.
The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

#percent
vcTlD
1 day ago
GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) is making its largest acquisition since becoming a standalone publicly traded company. It agreed to acquire Consolidated Precision Products (CPP) for around $12 billion.
CPP is one of the world's largest precision castings providers. It's a major GE supplier. Precision castings is a major pressure point for the aerospace engines industry. Acquiring CPP would give GE Aerospace greater control over a critical part of its engine supply chain.
And the deal could strengthen GE's ability to meet demand already sitting in its backlog. But the investment case depends on whether additional production capacity generates enough free cash flow to justify the deal's premium price.
rommma/Shutterstock.com
Engine manufacturers like GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) are struggling to keep pace with surging demand due to supply chain constraints. CPP is a major supplier of precision castings for GE's LEAP and GEnx engines. GE plans to raise CPP's output. It would do that by improving factory yields and machine use. With the CPP deal, GE also sees a path to accelerate production of new engine technologies.

#NYSE #largest #engines #supply
11quickly
2 days ago
In 2024, Catalent tapped direct lenders for a $4.2 billion term loan to fund its acquisition by Novo Holdings. Last month, the drug manufacturer refinanced with a $4.1 billion syndicated loan that it says will cut its annual interest expense by about $100 million.
Catalent's move captures a shift under way in the leveraged finance market, according to a new report from DC Advisory. Redemptions from retail investors are contributing to the erosion of private credit's pricing advantage, creating an opening for banks to win refinancing business.
The problems in the retail private credit market show few signs of abating.
All the largest direct lenders, such as Ares, Apollo and KKR, also run business development companies, the most common form of credit fund aimed at individual investors, all under varying degrees of pressure to redeem investors.
PitchBook LCD reported on Wednesday that investors in Cliffwater's direct lending interval fund sought to redeem 16% of shares outstanding in the third quarter, down from 17% in the prior quarter.

#billion #private
ultra
2 days ago
ExxonMobil Holdings Corporation (NYSE:XOM) agreed to increase its Papua LNG interest from 28.7% to 34.1% and ***** ume operatorship, as disclosed on September 7. The proposed ownership percentages reflect Papua New Guinea's state participation rights.
Papua LNG targets a fourth-quarter 2026 final investment decision, or FID. Santos Limited (ASX:STO) disclosed FID as a closing condition for its own stake acquisition; the operatorship announcement did not specify an equivalent condition.
TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) said redesign and contractor rebidding had reduced estimated development spending by nearly $4 billion since 2024 to approximately $14 billion. The project would produce 5.6 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually. The question is whether that smaller budget can support attractive returns through construction and an uncertain LNG market.
ExxonMobil Holdings Corporation (NYSE:XOM) already operates neighboring PNG LNG. Combining operatorship could improve coordination during construction and operations, including the redesigned handling of upstream condensate. That gives the proposed efficiency gains a practical basis in existing infrastructure and local experience.
The cost reduction is substantial. Mechanically, nearly $4 billion off an approximately $18 billion previous estimate represents about 22%. For ExxonMobil Holdings Corporation (NYSE:XOM), lower development spending would reduce the capital required to generate each future dollar of project cash flow, ***** uming production and operating economics hold.

#holdings #operatorship
tuvidashukve050
2 days ago
FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE:FE), through its Potomac Edison subsidiary, proposed a $52.8 million Maryland distribution-rate adjustment to support investment in aging infrastructure, grid modernization and electric-system reliability. If approved, the request would increase the average residential customer's monthly bill by approximately 5.3%.
Potomac Edison said its electric rates were 25% below the average of its in-state peers as of June 1. The utility expects its residential rates to remain the lowest among Maryland's investor-owned electric utilities even after the proposed adjustment.
The proposed reliability program includes Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition technology, replacement of substation reclosers, new circuit ties and automation, overhead-conductor upgrades, aging underground-cable replacement and removal of high-risk trees near power lines. The Maryland Public Service Commission must review and approve the request before any adjustment can take effect.
The proposal connects the requested revenue to specific reliability investments. SCADA technology can give operators greater visibility into system conditions, while reclosers, circuit ties, and automation can isolate problems and reroute electricity. These capabilities can reduce the number of customers affected by outages and shorten restoration times.
Reconductoring, underground-cable replacement and vegetation management address physical causes of service interruptions. The investments could also improve resilience during severe weather, potentially lowering emergency-response costs and reducing the disruption experienced by customers.

#proposed #maryland #aging
rfhqhqlmjwh
2 days ago
First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ:FCNCA), through its First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company subsidiary, completed the acquisition of 138 BMO Bank N.A. branches on September 4. The locations span 11 states across the Midwest, Great Plains and West.
The completion announcement did not disclose final transferred balances. At the announcement, First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ:FCNCA) expected to ****** ume approximately $5.7 billion of deposits and acquire $1.1 billion of loans. Its July 2026 update lowered those estimates to $5.3 billion and $700 million, respectively. Both estimates imply roughly $4.6 billion of net liquidity. That difference represents funding capacity, not transaction income, and remains subject to final balances and acquisition accounting.
The deposit franchise could be the transaction's most valuable ****** et. At announcement, the acquired deposits carried a weighted average rate of 1.43%, with 21% in noninterest-bearing demand accounts. First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ:FCNCA) reported a 2.07% average total deposit cost in the second quarter of 2026. Retaining the acquired accounts near their original pricing could lower the consolidated funding cost.
The 138 branches also establish or deepen a presence across 11 states. The original transaction presentation identified approximately $1.0 billion of wealth ****** ets under management, creating opportunities to cross-sell commercial lending, treasury services, and wealth products. Retaining branch personnel could help preserve local relationships.
First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ:FCNCA) can deploy the surplus funding in several ways. As of June 30, 2026, the company held $151.03 billion of loans and $32.19 billion of borrowings, including a $28.42 billion purchase money note owed to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The acquired liquidity could support loan growth, replace more expensive funding, or be invested in securities. The original presentation projected immediate earnings-per-share accretion and an approximately 27-basis-point reduction in the Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio.

#billion #first #citizens
yownodizupaykumuho2
2 days ago
USA Rare Earth, Inc. (NASDAQ:USAR) announced on September 4 that it completed the Serra Verde acquisition one day earlier, paying $300 million in cash and issuing approximately 126.8 million common shares. The transaction adds Brazil's Pela Ema mine to Less Common Metals in the United Kingdom, the Stillwater, Oklahoma, magnet facility, and the Round Top project in Texas.
Serra Verde began production in January 2024 but is still completing optimization and commissioning. Stage 1 is expected to reach an annual run rate of approximately 4,000 metric tons of total rare-earth oxide, or TREO, by year-end 2026. Stage 2 construction targets average annual production of 6,400 metric tons, with commissioning expected to begin within 12 months.
Serra Verde had $425 million of principal outstanding under its U.S. International Development Finance Corporation loan at June 30. At closing, a $100 million tranche was extinguished after related warrants were exercised, leaving approximately $325 million of principal. The unaudited pro forma combined balance sheet reported a $304.1 million debt carrying value after discounts and issuance costs.
Serra Verde gives USA Rare Earth, Inc. (NASDAQ:USAR) a producing source of dysprosium, terbium, and other rare earths used in permanent magnets. Combining mining, metals, alloys, and magnet manufacturing could capture more of the value chain outside Asia.
The Phase 1 offtake agreement supports revenue visibility. It covers 100% of Pela Ema's Phase 1 products, subject to limited carve-outs, and includes escalating price floors annually. The counterparty is a special-purpose vehicle capitalized by the U.S. government and private investors. The arrangement provides contractual price protection, subject to the counterparty's performance.

#earth #approximately #NASDAQ #usar
flaTPatch
2 days ago
Prosper Stars & Stripes, a long/short equity fund, recently released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. In Q2 2026, the portfolio delivered a strong net return of +30.1% compared to the Russell 2000 Index's +21.5% return and the HFRX Equity Hedge Index's +10.3% return. The long book drove performance, generating a 43.2% gross contribution, while average net exposure remained relatively modest at 47%. U.S. economic growth remained resilient despite inflation concerns, elevated energy prices, and geopolitical uncertainty. Markets rallied sharply after easing U.S.-Iran tensions pushed oil prices lower, supporting renewed risk appetite. Small-cap equities benefited significantly, with Information Technology, Industrials, and Health Care leading gains, while Energy declined as crude prices fell. Year to date, the Composite returned +23.7%, slightly ahead of the Russell 2000's +22.6% and well above the HFRI Equity Hedge Index's +9.7%. Additionally, you can review the Portfolio's top 5 holdings to see its best picks for 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Prosper Stars & Stripes highlighted TechTarget, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTGT) as the largest contributor to the portfolio's short book. TechTarget, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTGT) provides sales and support of purchase intent-driven advertising campaigns. On September 9, 2026, TechTarget, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTGT) closed at $3.89 per share. Over the past month, TechTarget, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTGT) returned 1.57% and its shares lost 35.17% over the past 52 weeks. TechTarget, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTGT) has a market capitalization of $281.37 million, and its stock has traded within a 52-week range of $3.37 to $7.15.
Prosper Stars & Stripes stated the following regarding TechTarget, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTGT) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"TechTarget, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTGT) was the largest contributor to our short book during the quarter. The company monetizes the purchase research behavior of enterprise IT buyers by operating a network of websites where buyers register to consume technical content, then selling those intent signals as leads to IT vendors. We first shorted the company after it completed a value-destroying acquisition in December 2024 that led to significant impairment charges in Q1 2025 and again in Q1 2026. We believe AI is likely to dismantle search-based discovery and commoditize content, the two pillars of TechTarget's value propositions. Results have validated our concerns, with management describing its market as mature, with 2% to 3% top-line growth, and EBITDA margins that peaked in 2022 falling to 7% in Q1 2026. Notably, revenue growth began deteriorating before ChatGPT launched in November 2022, suggesting that problems run deeper than AI alone. We continue to believe generative AI will weigh on TechTarget's prospects and remain short the company."

#techtarget #NASDAQ
eu1tgmyzx
2 days ago
By Oliver Hirt and Marleen Kaesebier
ZURICH, Sept 10 (Reuters) - A major shareholder in Novartis has called for a shake-up of the Swiss drugmaker's board to improve corporate governance after its shares suffered a record fall this ‌week following back-to-back trial setbacks.
David Samra, managing director at top 20 investor Artisan Partners and founding partner of ‌International Value Group, said the board needed to strengthen its oversight of acquisitions, calling for action from board chairman Giovanni Caforio.
"I think he needs to make changes at the board level. One of them should be on improving the team that's doing these deals because clearly they have been uninspiring at best," Samra told Reuters in an interview.
"I think that the board needs to improve their oversight of acquisitions... they need to bring in better talent on the board to do that and have an acquisition committee."

#improve
nphgplglolpfffa
2 days ago
There's no doubt who the biggest star for Texas is right now. Arch Manning is the projected top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, and likely would have been the first pick in April's draft had he declared.
After opening up last season throwing for 170 yards and a touchdown against Ohio State, Manning finished the season with 26 passing touchdowns and 3,163 yards, while adding 10 rushing touchdowns. Manning is one of the favorites to win this year's Heisman Trophy.
The biggest acquisition for Texas in the transfer portal during the offseason was wide receiver Cam Coleman from Auburn. In two seasons with the Tigers, Coleman grabbed 93 passing touchdowns for over 1,300 yards and 13 scores.
In his first game in the burnt orange, Coleman hauled in three passes for 70 yards, finding the end zone twice. The junior is expected to be in the mix for the Biletnikoff Award this season, trying to keep up with Ohio State wideout Jeremiah S,it's in their pursuit for the honor.
Prior to last year's game Simmons provided Ohio State with some bulletin board material when he boasted how eager he was to sack new Buckeye quarterback Julian Sayin.

#state #season #biggest
buffer5590
2 days ago
Both the Steelers and the Falcons have new coaching staffs heading into Week 1. It's safe to say both franchises will be looking to start their new era off on the right foot with a victory. I spoke with Kevin Knight of The Falcoholic to learn a bit about what's new with the Atlanta Falcons.
Kevin Knight: Well, now even Tua Tagovailoa is out of the lineup thanks to an oblique injury suffered during individual drills on Thursday. That means Cooper Rush at the helm (who, in truth, may not be any worse than Tua based on the aforementioned preseason). What you're going to see is a lot of quick game, and as much Bijan Robinson as the team can muster. If Atlanta can run the ball well and get Bijan going, they can score points. So that'll be the plan, with the passing game largely taking a complementary role until Michael Penix Jr. returns.
Kevin Knight: This is a good defense that will have to find ways to manufacture pass rush. Thankfully, Jeff Ulbrich is an evil genius with his blitz packages, and he's got a lot of interesting looks planned. Expect to see a lot of linebacker and slot blitzes to supplement their weaker edge rusher room, along with a lot of emphasis on interior pass rush. Atlanta has a really nice interior duo with Brandon Dorlus (who was leading all interior defensive linemen in the NFC with 8.5 sacks last season before injury) and trade acquisition Gervon Dexter Sr. They're hoping the interior can offset some of their weaknesses outside.
Kevin Knight: I like Kevin Stefanski and think it pretty much takes a miracle worker to extract any amount of success from the Cleveland Browns organization. It does seem like there's a coherent, forward-thinking plan in place for this Falcons team for the first time in years. I don't necessarily expect a lot of success in 2026 based on the moves made to this point and the way the team is structured, but I do expect Atlanta to be one of the most aggressive teams in free agency and the draft in 2027.
Kevin Knight: As I mentioned before, Brandon Dorlus is a borderline-elite interior pass rusher who may also get some run on the edge. Linebacker Divine Deablo was the biggest surprise in last year's free agent class and completely transformed the defense when he was on the field. Second-year safety Xavier Watts was a DROY candidate in 2025 and forms a dynamic duo with veteran Jessie Bates III. Atlanta will be starting two rookies on defense: Avieon Terrell (brother of A.J. Terrell) in the slot, and Kendal Daniels at linebacker. Both impressed in training camp, with Daniels being a particularly pleasant surprise given his Day 3 selection.

#expect
f3fQKQwKNc
3 days ago
This week's ETF Zoo crew takes a lay of the land as summer comes to a close and some new and interesting developments crop up. ETF.com hosts Dave Nadig, President & Director of Research, and Sumit Roy, Senior ETF ****** yst, are joined in this episode by Cinthia Murphy, Director of Research at TMX VettaFi, and James Seyffart, CFA, CAIA, Senior Research ****** yst at Bloomberg Intelligence. Together the group talks about some of the big M&A announcements lately, dig into the AI chokepoint perspective, and more.
You can view this episode here or on our YouTube channel or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
M&A land grab in full swing. Billions in ETF acquisitions, including Victory Capital/First Eagle, Vanguard/Altruist, and more, signal that scale instead of organic growth now drives the industry. The Zoo crew debated whether firms are buying hit products, talent, or distribution, and what could be ahead for the industry.
Leverage and gambling push into new territory. Defiance's hourly-reset leveraged ETFs barely differ from daily resets despite pulling in huge fees, while Korea and ****** an crack down on single-stock leverage entirely. New NHL-linked sports-betting ETFs raised bigger concerns about routing gambling risk through the same rails as retirement savings.
AI concentration is everywhere, even where you don't expect it. Thematic and datacenter ETFs quietly hold the same chokepoint stocks like Micron and Nvidia, sparking debate over whether that's a feature or a vulnerability. However, real revenue growth at companies like Anthropic and OpenAI kept the Zoo Crew from sounding the alarm just yet.

#land #chokepoint
ml0j5PTT
3 days ago
For its Q3 FY26, ABM Industries Inc. (NYSE:ABM) posted a record topline figure of $2.3 billion. With year-over-year acquisitive growth and organic expansion of 2.1% each, the total jump in sales was 4.2%. The company's adjusted EBITDA for the quarter climbed 11% to $139.6 million, compared to Q3 FY25. Adjusted net income stood at $61.5 million, exhibiting a 19% growth and translating into an adjusted diluted EPS of $1.04. ABM generated operating cash flows for the third quarter totaling $146.8 million, while free cash flow stood at $128.4 million.
Dmitry Kalinovsky/Shutterstock.com
Third quarter print revealed that majority of the topline growth was concentrated across the company's Aviation, and Manufacturing & Distribution (M&D) segments, which expanded 12.5% and 17.6% respectively. Performance within the M&D segment was driven by strong technology market trends, with further support coming from ABM's acquisition of WGNstar. Aviation segment got a boost from robust demand for air travel and healthy progress around the company's newly secured London Heathrow contract.
Prudent cost management resulted in around $3 million reduction in ongoing corporate costs compared to the previous year. Overall growth in bottom line can be attributed to higher operating profits across most segments, a lower tax bill, and cut down in corporate overhead. Some of these were offset by rising interest burden due to the financing of the WGNstar transaction. The company's share buyback initiative was another factor that led to a 25% rise in diluted EPS for the quarter.
The Education segment's revenue held steady. Business & Industry (B&I) slipped 2.6%, largely in line with expectations, due to the previously disclosed loss of a major UK client and ongoing weakness along the US west coast. Technical Solutions (ATS) growth was hampered by certain deferred projects.

#Growth #adjusted #topline
zubonttawilepzuzus
3 days ago
On September 8, 2026, GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) agreed to buy Consolidated Precision Products (CPP) for $11.75 billion. The acquisition marks the company's largest bet yet on precision engine castings, a constraint that has been capping GE's growth. Trading already at roughly 40x earnings, the company has now attacked one of its genuine bottlenecks through the deal. But has it paid too much to do it?
Castings, including the superalloy and ******* anium hot-section parts inside the jet engines, have constrained GE's engine production, including programs such as LEAP and GEnx, as well as its high-margin aftermarket. Without these castings, the company can neither build nor service its engines. If the acquisition closes, the company will gain access to CPP's 20-plus plants and about 6,600 workers, which are essential for making those components. The deal would therefore enable GE to control the constraint as well as defend its margins. CEO Larry Culp characterized the move as securing manufacturing capacity to meet simultaneous demand across commercial engines, aftermarket services, and defense contracts.
The valuation is where bulls should slow down. GE is paying roughly 18x 2027 EBITDA including synergies (26x without synergies). The sellers are private equity firms Warburg Pincus and Berkshire Partners. They have basically offloaded a cyclical business near the peak of the aerospace cycle. This is smart money selling to GE instead of the other way around. The real tell is that GE felt compelled to buy its way past this capacity bottleneck instead of scaling organically, which reveals how tight its prized aftermarket really was. Also, CPP also supplies other major aerospace and defense companies such as Pratt & Whitney, Honeywell, and Lockheed Martin, and through the vertical tie-up, the company invites antitrust scrutiny before it closes in late 2027.
GE's 40x multiple rests on its high-margin razor-and-blade business model that services a huge installed base. And the casting supply shortages quietly constrain this aftermarket. Hence, more than merely fixing a supply chain issue, the CPP acquisition defends the company's high margin and multiple. Financially, the transaction is accretive to adjusted EPS and free cash flow in the first year, funded through $7 billion in cash alongside newly issued debt. Insider Monkey data shows 113 hedge funds held GE in Q2 2026, down modestly from 119 in Q1, reflecting firm institutional positioning. Short interest is just 1.3% of float, below peers like Honeywell International (1.6%). Almost no one bets against it.

#aftermarket #acquisition #including
sotuhu
3 days ago
On September 2, Shell Offshore, a subsidiary of Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL), announced the acquisition of a 30% working interest in Conifer, an exploration prospect operated by BP p.l.c. (NYSE:BP) in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Located offshore within Keathley Canyon near BP's Kaskida host development, Conifer represents a significant deep-water play. BP retains operatorship, with the initial exploration well expected to spud in 2027. While the deal reflects shared risk and capital efficiency in high-cost offshore basins, comparing the two giants' Q2 2026 earnings shows that Shell is currently executing from a position of superior financial strength.
Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) delivered an exceptionally clean Q2 2026 report. Adjusted earnings reached $9.8 billion, driven by record upstream production in Brazil and record refinery utilization, which offset Middle East operational outages. Cash flow from operations (CFFO) came in at $21.4 billion, supported by higher realized prices and a $3.4 billion working capital inflow. Shell maintained strict capital discipline, reiterating its full-year capex outlook of $24 billion–$26 billion while completing $5.8 billion in structural cost reductions since 2022. Balance sheet health remains robust, with gearing at 19% and net debt at $42 billion ($12 billion excluding leases).
BP p.l.c. (NYSE:BP) also turned in a solid Q2 recovery, but its headline metrics lag behind Shell's scale. BP reported underlying replacement cost profit (its proxy for net income) of $5.7 billion, a 78% quarter-over-quarter rebound fueled by strong refining margins and oil trading. Operating cash flow reached $10.9 billion after absorbing a $1.0 billion working capital build. BP used strong cash generation to trim net debt down to $22.25 billion, while guiding full-year capex to $13.5 billion–$14.0 billion.
Although BP raised its quarterly dividend by 4% to 8.66 cents, Shell's cash engine allowed it to announce its 19th consecutive quarter of at least $3 billion in share buybacks, distributing 44% of CFFO over the trailing 12 months.
Shell's bull case centers on superior capital allocation, aggressive portfolio high-grading, including the ARC Resources acquisition targeting a 4% production CAGR through 2030, and consistent share buybacks. The bear case focuses on execution risks in integrated gas and LNG amid volatile market conditions, as well as the challenges of integrating large-scale acquisitions.

#cost
na_ka_bawo_gobbi245
3 days ago
On September 3, AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) finalized its acquisition of clinical-stage biotech Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) for $135.11 per share in cash. The $10.9 billion buyouts immediately fold Apogee's promising inflammatory and immunology (I&I) pipeline into AbbVie's commercial engine. On the exact same day, AbbVie separately reported positive Phase 3 Cervino trial results for its bispecific T-cell engager, etentamig, in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Together, the dual catalysts emphasize how mega-cap pharmaceutical giants are deploying cash flow from legacy franchises to lock in next-generation immunology and oncology ***** ets.
In Q2 2026, AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) posted $16.99 billion in net revenue, up 10.2% year over year, while adjusted diluted EPS increased 22.9% to $3.65. Growth was driven by its immunology blockbusters, Skyrizi and Rinvoq, which generated $5.505 billion and $2.525 billion in revenue, respectively, representing growth of 24.4% and 24.5%. These gains more than offset the continued decline in Humira revenue, which fell 35.9% to $756 million amid biosimilar competition. AbbVie reiterated its full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $13.87–$14.07, including a $0.14 dilutive impact from the Apogee transaction.
As a clinical-stage biotech, Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) generated no product revenue in Q2 2026, while R&D expenses reached $67.3 million and G&A expenses totaled $24.3 million, resulting in a quarterly net loss of $85.9 million. Despite the cash burn, the company maintained a strong liquidity position, with $1.3 billion in cash and marketable securities, alongside a $1.3 billion non-dilutive credit collaboration with Blackstone Life Sciences to support Phase 3 trials of its lead ***** et, zumilokibart.
Financially, AbbVie is vastly superior in immediate cash generation and profitability, whereas Apogee represented pure clinical optionality backed by robust liquidity.
For AbbVie, acquiring Apogee's optimized antibody portfolio, including zumilokibart for atopic dermatitis, strengthens its post-Humira immunology franchise. Combined with internal R&D advances such as etentamig, which achieved statistically significant overall response rate and progression-free survival results in the Phase 3 Cervino study, along with an 87.9% 12-month overall survival rate, AbbVie demonstrates potential to sustain strong organic growth.

#phase #revenue #Growth
drift
3 days ago
Casey's General Stores Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY), the third-largest convenience chain and fifth-biggest pizza brand within the U.S., released its first quarter results, showing early traction from the company's recently announced three-year strategic plan. For the recent quarter, inside same-store sales jumped 3.2% year-over-year, and 7.7% on a two-year stacked basis, leading to inside margins of 42.2%. Total inside gross profit stood at $749.8 million, rising 6.3% compared to the same period last year. The company posted net income of $273.7 million, exhibiting a 27.1% increase relative to Q1 last year. This translated into a 27.7% jump in diluted EPS which rose to $7.37.
Foodio/Shutterstock.com
Casey's is building on its three-year roadmap which rests on three core pillars. These include acceleration of growth across food and beverage, scaling up its store footprint, and elevating its operational efficiency.
Food remains a major growth enabler for the broader business, with prepared foods and nonalcoholic beverages currently driving the expansion of inside sales. Wings sales within Des Moines market also posted a 20% year-over-year sales jump. This positions the company to benefit from a larger opportunity of ramping up the offerings across roughly 3,000 stores, and cements Casey's reputation as a food destination.
The retailer also plans to expand its operations with at least 400 stores through a mix of acquisitions, and ground-up development of new stores. The integration of Fikes Wholesale, owner of CEFCO Convenience Stores and Casey's largest acquisition to date, demonstrates its capacity to expand through dealmaking. Management said the integration remains ahead of schedule.

#stores #largest
dtokuhuwabipifojutav
3 days ago
Our ******* ysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here.
Achieved a sixth consecutive quarter of top-line growth, driven by broad-based strength across all regions and industry groups despite macroeconomic headwinds.
Completed the acquisition of AMS to create a global leader in talent and organizational consulting, significantly expanding capabilities in contingent workforce solutions and early career recruiting.
Transitioned to a new geographic reporting structure (Americas, EMEA, APAC) to better align with 'We Are Korn Ferry' go-to-market initiatives and holistic client engagement.
Leveraged proprietary data and IP—including 113 million executive ******* sments—to differentiate services in an AI-saturated market where resume quality has become commoditized.

#market #NVIDIA #tell #americas
l2Cky8850
3 days ago
Our ***** ysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here.
Performance was driven by the compounding power of the identity security platform and rapid adoption of SaaS, which accounted for 97% of net new ARR in Q2.
Management attributes growth to the strategic elevation of identity governance to CISO and Board-level priorities, unlocking larger enterprise budget opportunities.
The acquisition of Entro Security accelerated the product roadmap by expanding discovery capabilities to over 1,200 non-human identity types, providing critical lineage context.
Strategic positioning focuses on a unified control plane, arguing that monitoring alone is insufficient and that proactive governance must link autonomous agents to accountable humans.

#performance #management
pIxelSoCKet
3 days ago
During a September 8 episode of Mad Money, Jim Cramer examined the broader aerospace ecosystem following GE Aerospace's (NYSE:GE) nearly $12 billion agreement to acquire castings specialist Consolidated Precision Products (CPP). Commenting on the strategic importance of supply chain control and the enduring strength of commercial and defense aviation despite rising oil prices, Cramer stated:
I still believe in the data center, but I also want to open your eyes to other opportunities. This morning, for example, GE Aerospace spent nearly $12 billion to buy a castings company called Consolidated Precision Products to integrate this key segment into its supply chain. It's vital for both commercial aircraft and particularly defense, both of which are booming. Now, on a day where oil's up, you might not want to focus on anything airline related, but travel's been booming the whole time, the whole time the Iranian war's been going on. This acquisition will pay off quickly for GE, making it more likely that they can accelerate production. This is also good news, therefore, for Boeing, a huge customer of GE that needs to boost its production speed.
GE is relatively close to its highs, deservedly so. Boeing? Nowhere near its high. Yet the order book is full. Last week, there was this negative article about how Boeing is being hurt by the problem-filled Spirit AeroSystems acquisition. It made that one two years ago. But that actually had to be done because Boeing, like GE Aerospace, needs to get better control of its supply chain. Aha, you say, who needs that kind of problem? Boeing just reported its slowest deliveries in 4 months. I come back and say, wait a second. First, the problems from the Spirit deal are now behind them. You know what? The story is actually old news.
Plus, CEO Kelly Ortberg has made it clear that orders would be lumpy. I knew that. And look, I know the high price of oil, particularly jet fuel, is bad news for the airlines. But the higher price of fuel also makes these new engines and airplanes far more valuable than before. Why? They're way more energy efficient. It's a good situation that has nothing to do with the data center. It does require more, better tech that AI can help with.
GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) and The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) represent two distinct pillars of the aerospace manufacturing ecosystem, operating at massive commercial scale. GE Aerospace reported second-quarter revenue of $13.3 billion, up 21% year-over-year, driven by strong commercial engine services and record internal shop visit output. Its total order backlog extends past $210 billion, supported by sustained airline demand for propulsion systems and aftermarket maintenance.

#boeing #chain #consolidated
hxespusltgfpenev
3 days ago
Steve Garmhausen
Private capital has become a core growth tool for wealth management firms. Flush with cash from private equity and other sources, registered investment advisors are upgrading technology, recruiting specialized talent, and pursuing both organic expansion and acquisitions. Here’s how CEOs of some of these firms put their capital to work.
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#wealth #firms #steve #flush
D5uaeGAFOvb
3 days ago
Oklo (NYSE: OKLO), a developer of microreactors for nuclear power plants, has been a divisive stock since its market debut. After going public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) on May 10, 2024, Oklo started trading at $15.50 per share.
It soared to a record high of $174.14 on Oct. 14, 2025, but it now trades at about $43. Wall Street's average price target for the stock is about $75. Let's see why Oklo's stock went through so many wild swings -- and where I think it will actually end up by the end of 2026.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Oklo's Aurora microreactor, which is much smaller than conventional nuclear reactors, only generates 1.5 MWe per unit. However, its modular design allows it to be deployed alongside additional reactors to generate up to 75 MWe per "Powerhouse" power plant. That's tiny compared to a conventional nuclear power plant, which typically generates at least 1,000 MWe, but Aurora's Powerhouse plants can be deployed on less land in remote, off-grid areas.
The Aurora also uses metallic uranium fuel pellets, which are denser, have higher thermal resistance, and are cheaper to produce than the uranium dioxide fuel pellets that power conventional reactors. By recycling its pellets in a closed loop, the Aurora can last for a decade without refueling. Conventional reactors are still refueled in stages every two years.

#conventional #reactors #signal
rollmirror
3 days ago
On September 2, NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP) reported its Q1 FY27 results, posting record quarterly net revenue of $2.03 billion. Topline for the Intelligent Data Infrastructure company expanded by 30% compared to the first quarter in FY26. The quarter saw a broad-based growth across its core segments, resulting in a record adjusted earnings per share of $2.58, and a quarterly cash dividend of $0.52 per share. The company also strengthened its existing engagements with major players, covering a range of underlying functions.
During the first quarter, all-flash array net revenue went up 47% year-over-year, hitting a record $1.3 billion mark. This drove the overall net revenue for its Hybrid Cloud segment to $1.8 billion, translating into a 30% year-over-year growth. Public Cloud, which accounts for a smaller chunk of the business, saw its net revenue climb by 28%, also setting a record of $206 million. NetApp's total billings clocked in at $2.06 billion, exhibiting a 36% growth compared to Q1 FY26, while its non-GAAP operating margin reached 31.9%.
During the quarter, NetApp finalized the acquisition of an AI-enabled data infrastructure business, DataPelago. The deal is aimed toward facilitating customers streamline and accelerate large-scale AI deployments. On the product front, the company launched StorageGRID 12.1, to support scaling of AI workload through a federated global namespace. It also introduced Instaclustr for its fully managed Model Context Protocol Gateway, along with enhanced support for Azure NetApp Files up to 64 TiB.
NetApp also revealed new features for NetApp Trident software 26.06. These include deeper integration of OpenShift Virtualization, non-disruptive iSCSI rebalancing, efficient volume placement, and additional cloud support.
Despite encouraging numbers reported during the quarter, the free cash flows settled at $401 million. This was a 35% drop compared to figures reported for Q1 FY26. Additionally, NetApp remains heavily dependent on its Hybrid Cloud business, which generated roughly 90% of quarterly revenue, while Public Cloud still contributes a relatively small fraction of the topline despite growing 28% during the recent quarter. This leads to concerns regarding how much of the company's growth story is truly cloud-native compared to conventional on-premises hardware refresh cycles that are strongly tied to AI infrastructure investments. For the underlying all-flash arrays, such AI-linked demand trend could prove to be front-loaded or cyclical in case enterprise capital expenditure decelerates.

#netapp #Growth
Kqpjq
3 days ago
On September 2, Michael Genovese from Rosenblatt Securities reiterated his Neutral rating for Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (NASDAQ:CRDO). The **** yst increased his price target for the stock from $215 to $235, which implies upside potential of almost 38% as of September 4 closing. Genovese's upward adjustment in price target in based on the company's recently announced Q1 FY27 results, leading him to increase his projections for FY27 and FY28. Despite that, he has a Neutral stance because he still wants more visibility around the company's ZeroFlap Optical Transceivers proof points, as well as the incremental revenues from its acquisition of Dust Photonics in May.
Photo by Yogesh Phuyal on Unsplash
Credo's acquisition of DustPhotonics gives it a vertically integrated connectivity stack covering DSP, silicon photonics, SerDes and system integration. This allows the company to tap into both optical and electrical interconnects across the entire AI infrastructure buildout. Together with its optical DSPs and ZeroFlap transceivers, the deal is expected to be a key growth driver in FY27, supported by resilient hyperscale customer sentiment.
Following the DustPhotonics transaction, Credo reported a strong first quarter for FY27. Topline of $479 million jumped 115% compared to Q1 in FY26. Adjusted non-GAAP net income of $236.3 million was up 140% year-over-year, as the company broadens its connectivity portfolio stack. It now spans copper and optical solutions, ranging from millimeters to kilometers, which enables Credo to meet the scaling needs of AI infrastructure with energy-efficient and reliable products.
For FY27, Credo expects a strong inflection with optical revenues expected to exceed $600 million. Management projects contributions over $100 million each from silicon photonics, ZeroFlap optics, and optical DSPs. Full-year revenue growth is expected to be over 85% year-over-year. Adjusted gross margins are likely to remain consistent with fiscal 2026 levels, along with adjusted net margins of around 50%.

#expected
flatfLaT
3 days ago
On this episode of CoinDesk's Public Keys from the New York Stock Exchange, host Jennifer Sanasie is joined by special guest co-host Ophelia Snyder, Co-Founder of 21Shares. Payward Chief Commercial Officer Mark Greenberg breaks down Kraken parent Payward's new partnerships with SoFi and the London Stock Exchange, and how xStocks is bringing tokenized equities and 24/7 markets to investors around the world. Bullish Exchange President Chris Tyrer unpacks Bullish's $4.2 billion acquisition of transfer agent Equiniti, its first tokenized-share trades on a GFSC-regulated venue, and the competing models shaping the future of tokenized stocks. Plus, Sanasie and Snyder break down another billion-dollar week for Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs and what shifting macro conditions could mean for crypto.-Learn more at bullish.com.-Register now for CoinDesk's Policy and Regulation event on September 22, 2026: policy-regulation.coindesk.com.-To get market-moving news delivered daily, download CoinDesk's mobile app: linktr.ee/coindeskapp.

#sanasie

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