WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Brian Serven hit his first major league home run in almost four years and Gage Jump pitched six scoreless innings as the Athletics cooled off the Boston Red Sox with a 4-3 victory Tuesday night.
Tommy White went 4 for 4 and scored twice for the A's, who had lost three straight and five of six. Henry Bolte had an early RBI single, and pinch-hitter Lawrence Butler provided a critical insurance run with an RBI double in the eighth.
Connor Wong launched a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth for the Red Sox, who had won 18 of 20.
Batting ninth, Serven gave the Athletics a 3-0 lead with a two-run drive to center field in the seventh that chased starter Jake Bennett (6-4). It was his seventh career homer and first since Aug. 21, 2022, for the Colorado Rockies against San Francisco.
___

#serven #athletics

PARIS — LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton's key fashion and leather goods division broke its losing streak in the second quarter, in a signal that demand for luxury goods is recovering after two years of sluggish sales.
The French luxury goods giant said organic sales for the unit, which includes Louis Vuitton, Dior and Loro Piana, rose 1 percent to 9.01 billion euros in the three months to June 30, following seven consecutive quarters of declines.
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#louis #luxury #hennessy

If you own Teradyne (TER) stock, or you're thinking about buying it, the last week of July could be critical. Teradyne, the company behind the machines that test AI chips, memory, and networking gear, is about to show investors whether its blistering growth pace from earlier this year can continue. And based on what management has said in recent weeks, there's a lot riding on the answer.
Teradyne has quietly become one of the more interesting AI plays on Wall Street, given it manufactures the equipment that proves AI chips work before they are shipped to data centers. As AI hardware gets more complex, that job is getting bigger and more expensive for customers to skip.
Dear ******* eX Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for August 6
Amazon Stock Just Hit a Major Hurdle Ahead of Earnings
Elon Musk Just Revealed a Quiet Win for Tesla's AI Ambitions

#Stock #chips #dear #fans

The physical infrastructure enabling artificial intelligence requires considerably more than just high-performance accelerators and primary grid connections. It also relies on millions of high-density connectors, backplane interconnects, and power-filtering devices to connect rack-level structures, areas where TE Connectivity plc (NYSE:TEL) holds a significant bottleneck position. As hyperscalers and enterprise data center operators ramp up capital expenditure deployment around the world, demand for critical electrical connector systems has transformed from a passive secondary tailwind to a direct beneficiary of the AI growth cycle.
The company's fiscal third-quarter 2026 report showed this demand in real time, with record top-line performance, order velocity, and profitability. Despite exceeding Wall Street expectations in every fundamental indicator, shares fell roughly 7% following the release, indicating the market's focus on sequential forecast trends over historical trailing figures.
Operational execution in the third quarter set new highs across numerous business areas. Net revenue increased 14% year-over-year to $5.16 billion, above Wall Street expectations by more than 3%. Adjusted earnings per share rose 22% year-over-year to $2.94, exceeding the average estimate of $2.85. The report's defining metric was order flow, which increased 27% year-over-year to a record $5.7 billion, reflecting over $1 billion in incremental booking expansion vs. the prior year period. Meanwhile, profitability increased significantly, with adjusted operating margins improving 90 basis points to 22% and quarterly free cash flow totaling $883 million.
The underlying sector distribution highlights where AI momentum is growing the fastest. Industrial Solutions revenue increased 22% year-over-year to $2.58 billion, driven mainly by data center rack deployments and energy infrastructure growth. Chief Executive Officer Terrence Curtin stated that AI cloud momentum is far above initial multi-year predictions, with data center connection and power distribution orders rising more than 70% year-to-date.
Moreover, to back up its power-handling portfolio, TE Connectivity plc (NYSE:TEL) signed a $1.4 billion formal agreement to acquire Astrodyne TDI. The acquisition includes specialized power management and electromagnetic filtering solutions for critical industrial, semiconductor, and defense applications, providing approximately $250 million in annual revenue to the Industrial Solutions segment once completed.

#year #solutions #revenue

In our weekly FanDuel Sportsbook survey, we asked San Francisco 49ers fans whether the team should part ways with John Lynch if the team misses the playoffs in 2026.
The 49ers would likely need to suffer multiple injuries at critical positions once again to miss the playoffs. Depending on where you look, the Niners are projected to finish anywhere between the top three and the top five teams in the NFC. The expectation is for them to make the postseason.
Even if there were injuries, disappointments, or shortcomings of some sort, 49ers fans are still willing to give general manager John Lynch grace if the team doesn't make the playoffs in 2026.
That makes it seem like the question was silly and should've never been posed. The 49ers have been one of the most successful franchises this decade. They've made the playoffs multiple times, including appearances in the NFC Championship and Super Bowl.
For as much flak as the organization has received for some of their top draft picks not panning out, not enough credit has been given for the team's willingness to move on when they've realized they've made a mistake.

#multiple

The San Diego Padres have six games before the trade deadline on Aug. 3 and that means that each game will be critical to determine whether the team will be a buyer or a seller. The first of those six games is tonight against the Colorado Rockies, and the cellar-dwelling NL West rival would love nothing more than to take down the Padres in two games before the San Francisco Giants come to town for a four-game set.
San Diego is coming off a three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins, which allowed them to catch and pass a team they are battling with for a National League Wild Card position. There is still more to do for the Padres and while the games against the Rockies will not allow them to knock off another team in front of them winning these games is still of utmost importance.
San Diego gained a half-game on the Arizona Diamondbacks without even taking the field on Monday. The hope is the momentum gained from the way the Padres finished their 5-5 road trip can continue and send them into a deadline decision with their best winning streak of the season under their belt. San Diego will have an opportunity to continue that potential streak tonight against the Rockies at Petco Park at 6:40 p.m.
Padres News:
Padres take new approach to pitching and finish road trip at .500.

#game #team #take #still

Good morning, Camden Chatters.
The Orioles have less than a week to decide whether they'll be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Their two series before that Aug. 3 date, a three-game trip to Detroit and three at home against the Phillies, could be critically important for deciding the near-term direction of the club.
Last night, the O's looked like a team that plans to stay in the postseason race, winning the opener against the Tigers in a series with big wild card implications. Even with ace Kyle Bradish suffering a rare bad outing, the Birds used a 12-hit, three-homer offensive explosion and a superb combined effort from four relievers to secure an 8-5 victory. Check out Alex Church's recap of the high-scoring affair.
With so many teams jostling for position on the fringes of the wild card race, we're at the point where every win (and every loss) shuffles the Orioles' status in the pecking order. Their victory last night pulled them back within two games of the rained-out Guardians for the final wild card spot, and inched them a game behind the idle Twins. The O's also pulled even with the Mariners, who lost yesterday, and possibly a half game ahead of the Astros, who were trailing in Anaheim at the time of this writing.
When you see the standings laid out like that, it's more than reasonable to think that the Orioles have a good shot at earning a postseason spot. But all it takes is another losing streak and suddenly the O's could find themselves in a lousy position again. Two days from now, they could be four games out of wild card position and languishing behind three or four other teams once more. The margin for error at this point is incredibly slim, even with so many other AL teams struggling to get hot.

#four

The Red Sea heated up as the rising front in the U.S.-Iran war as Houthi rebels on Sunday attacked two refinery and export sites on Saudi Arabia's west coast. U.S. supplied Patriot missiles reportedly intercepted two ballistic missiles targeting oil installations in Yanbu. Damage to the Saudi refinery in Jizan was unconfirmed, but Al Jazeera reported a large column of smoke following the attack.
In Iran, as of Sunday morning, no new air attacks by U.S. or Israeli forces were reported since Friday.
But the Houthi-Saudi escalation appears set to make the Red Sea's choke-point effect on oil prices, supplies and tanker day rates central to the coming week's market action. Another focal point will be the Federal Reserve and its stance on rate hikes.
But the most prominent discussions will probably involve the balance sheets and artificial intelligence-related spending levels of Magnificent 7 names Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta Platforms (META), all of which report during the week.
Shares of Alphabet (GOOGL) dived nearly 8% and broke critical technical support last week as spending levels and guidance disappointed investors. That played a large role in dragging the Nasdaq below its early June lows, setting the stage for the index to dive to a test of support at its 200-day moving average.

#reported #large

We have $250,000 in the bank and one million to invest for retirement with no debt. We need to earn $50,000 a year from the million. Where should I invest it?
-Rob
First, congratulations on saving $1 million for your retirement – I'm sure a lot of hard work has gone into this! You have also done a great job building up a bank account that you can use for emergencies or other immediate needs. When combining these two ******* et bases with your debt-free balance sheet, you should be in a strong position to achieve your $50,000 per year income objective.
Deciding how to invest your ******* ets is critical both before and after retiring. A financial advisor can help you select and manage investments for your retirement portfolio.
Before evaluating options for investing your retirement savings, it's important to start by ******* sing your goals. On the surface the $50,000 per year income goal is simple, but some nuances might be relevant and worth exploring. There are some additional considerations that you should keep in mind before deciding where to invest, so we'll dig into those before outlining potential investment options.

#deciding #bank #debt

The second wave of the US-Iran conflict shows no signs of letting up. Attacks by the Houthi militia have threatened to curtail shipping through the Red Sea. Russia's refineries are buckling under the weight of bombardment by the Ukrainian military.
For global oil markets, already in a precarious situation, critical logistical nodes just keep getting thwarted. Things keep going wrong. Oil prices have started rebounding in return, reaching levels not seen since the first weeks of June before the signing of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding as Brent futures (BZ=F) crossed $100 per barrel on Thursday.
"If a ceasefire does not materialize," Rystad Energy head of geopolitical ***** ysis Jorge León said, "the risk of a significant rebound in oil prices would be substantial."
As the war between the US and Iran initially began in late February, attention swung toward the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway responsible for roughly a fifth of the world's oil trade. Threats of violence and, eventually, direct attacks on vessels by Iranian military wings sent traffic through the strait collapsing, kicking off the largest energy supply crisis on record.
Six months down the road, as the conflict has reignited, the danger for the global oil market has diversified, no longer concentrated in a single waterway or oil-producing country. Instead, disruptions are accumulating across the infrastructure that carries crude from the Middle East, processes Russian oil into 11% of the world's diesel, and supplies fuel to consumers from Europe to Asia — and at a time when the market is already squeezed after half a year's worth of supply disruptions.

#energy

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider responded to criticism from the fans after the Blue Jays have struggled so far this season.
Just a season removed from making it to Game 7 of the World Series, the Blue Jays are in last place in the American League East and are extremely unlikely to make the playoffs this year, as they are currently 47-57 with 58 games left in the season.
Frustration has boiled over to the Blue Jays' fanbase, who are extremely frustrated by how poorly the team has played so far this season. The fans have also been critical of Schneider, whose managerial decisions in terms of his lineups and bullpen usage have been heavily criticized among the Blue Jays fanbase.
But according to Schneider, he doesn't care what the general public thinks.
Speaking to the "Blair & Barker" show, Schneider responded to fan criticism directed towards the job he has done as Blue Jays manager and toward the team in general.

#schneider

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.
Management attributed the second quarter underperformance to unusually adverse conditions in May, where high fuel prices and persistent drought in the Southeast pressured discretionary spending during the peak spring season.
The business model remains resilient in needs-based categories, with consumable, usable, and edible (CUE) products maintaining positive momentum despite broader macro headwinds.
A strategic shift is underway to prioritize the productivity of existing ******* ets over aggressive new store expansion, reflecting a more cautious approach to the current demand environment.
The acquisition of VIP Petcare is intended to bridge a critical gap in the company's pet ecosystem by integrating veterinary services with physical and digital product channels.

#petcare #analysts #Stock #Potential

(NewsNation) — Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell was the subject of a scathing "pre-obituary" by his hometown newspaper.
Joseph Gerth, a columnist for the Louisville Courier Journal, published a piece reflecting on the 84-year-old's career even though McConnell is still alive.
The piece was highly critical, saying McConnell dismantled civil rights protections he once advocated and enabled President Donald Trump.
These democratic socialists are running in 2026 elections
"Unlike Nixon, McConnell never paid for his sins that have damaged our nation's trust in government, destroyed the country's ability to have meaningful dialogue and cemented our nation's politics as an arena in which winning is the only thing that matters," Gerth wrote in the publication, calling McConnell a "detestable figure."

#kentucky #senator

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Gold (GC=F) August futures opened at $4,074.60 per troy ounce on Thursday, July 23, 2026, down 1.9% from Wednesday's closing price. The price of gold moved up this morning, trading at $4,086.60 as of 8:08 a.m. ET.
The gold price closed above $4,100 Wednesday and opened lower on Thursday. Two opposing forces are keeping the gold price in a tight range. Investors are weighing the potential for higher interest rates against the likelihood of broader geopolitical and economic instability prompted by the Iran war.
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved up to $95 billion in funding for the war, aid to farmers, and parts of the SAVE America Act. The plan still needs Senate approval, but the move signals support for ongoing activity in the Middle East — where the war may be at an inflection point. Yemen's Houthi rebels are now targeting Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, threatening to disrupt another critical shipping lane.
The potential for higher interest rates tends to encourage lower gold prices, while global unrest can stimulate safe-haven demand for the precious metal.

#interest

Brasada Capital Management, an investment management company, released its Q2 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter is available to download here. The market landscape in the past quarter has been significantly influenced by the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), overshadowing other concerns like geopolitical conflicts. Currently, the AI boom is so substantial that it affects the entire market cycle. Key factors include a 400% increase in memory demand due to AI, a slow supply response that takes years to catch up, and minimal demand destruction. The Fund's investment strategy focuses on essential infrastructure that maintains competitive advantages, rather than chasing speculative momentum. The firm emphasizes secular long-term growth, regardless of which AI technologies prevail. In addition, please check the Strategy's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Brasada Capital Management highlighted Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH). Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) is a leading manufacturer of electrical, electronic, and fiber optic connectors serving a broad range of end markets. On July 22, 2026, Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) closed at $157.51 per share. One-month return of Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) was -4.63%, and its shares gained 50.78% over the past 52 weeks. Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) has a market capitalization of $193.77 billion.
Brasada Capital Management stated the following regarding Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) is one of the world's largest manufacturers of connectors, sensors, and interconnect systems, essentially producing the nervous system for modern electronics. The company designs solutions that allow power, signal, and data to flow reliably across demanding applications. Rather than selling off-the-shelf commodities, Amphenol acts as a crucial design partner, engineering the vast majority of its 500,000 SKUs as custom or semi-custom solutions tailored to the exact mechanical, thermal, or electrical requirements of its customers.
What makes Amphenol a high-quality business lies in its production of mission-critical components that represent a very small percentage of a customer's total cost of goods. Because the cost of failure is exceptionally high, whether in a commercial aircraft flying at 40,000 feet or a 1,000-volt EV battery, OEMs face significant switching costs and are reluctant to change suppliers once a component is proven reliable. This dynamic is further reinforced by a highly decentralized operating structure where general managers run their business units autonomously, enabling rapid, localized responses to customer needs. Additionally, the company is diversified across eight major end markets, with no single sector accounting for more than 25% of sales, which acts as a powerful shock absorber during cyclical downturns..." (Click here to read the full text)

#amphenol

During the July 21 episode of CNBC's Mad Money, host Jim Cramer reviewed Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) using options trader Bob Lang's **** ysis of the daily chart of the stock. Pointing to the company as a premier vehicle for investors seeking to rebalance away from pure tech without sacrificing growth or high-margin processing power, Cramer highlighted its market share and recent price action:
I want to talk about the next chart, which is one of my absolute favorites. Michael Miebach runs it. It's Mastercard, MA, second most commonly used credit card. 25 to 30% of cardholders have one. Again, you can see that the stock's gone crazy in the last few weeks. Bouncing like mad off of its June lows. Although, unlike Visa, it still hasn't taken out its January highs. This is what I mean, by the way, when I say you need to diversify away from some of your tech. Mastercard is a tech company in bank clothing. It's always been a terrific place to be.
Examining the daily chart, Cramer highlighted that Bob Lang noted that Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) has constructed a textbook bullish trend channel marked by a series of higher highs and higher lows since hitting its June bottom. The stock's moving average convergence divergence (MACD) line generated a buy signal last month, while its relative strength index continues to trend upward without reaching overbought territory. Elevated volume and a rising on-balance volume line further validate the move. Cramer noted that Lang sees that the stock has legs, with primary technical resistance sitting at $573, representing roughly $35 in potential upside toward where the stock traded prior to a January gap down, giving Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) a clear path to challenge its January highs.
In Cramer's breakdown of the payment landscape, Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) occupies a middle ground in cardholder reach while sharing a critical structural moat with market leader Visa Inc. (NYSE:V). While Visa commands the top spot with 60% of cardholders and American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) handles roughly 10% of purchase volume, Mastercard sits solidly in second place with 25% to 30% cardholder penetration. Both Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) and Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) operate strictly as **** et-light processing networks with zero credit exposure, completely insulating them from default losses that direct lenders like American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) must carry on their balance sheets. On the technical side, while Visa has already surged past its January peak, Mastercard is still catching up after bouncing off its June floor, giving investors a high-margin processing stock.

#cramer

Brasada Capital Management, an investment management company, released its Q2 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter is available to download here. The market landscape in the past quarter has been significantly influenced by the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), overshadowing other concerns like geopolitical conflicts. Currently, the AI boom is so substantial that it affects the entire market cycle. Key factors include a 400% increase in memory demand due to AI, a slow supply response that takes years to catch up, and minimal demand destruction. The Fund's investment strategy focuses on essential infrastructure that maintains competitive advantages, rather than chasing speculative momentum. The firm emphasizes secular long-term growth, regardless of which AI technologies prevail. In addition, please check the Strategy's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Brasada Capital Management highlighted Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST). Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) is a leading industrial and construction supply distributor that offers fasteners, tools, safety equipment, and inventory management solutions. On July 22, 2026, Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) closed at $45.33 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $52.02 billion. Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) posted a one-month return of -3.39%, while its shares lost 5.42% over the past 52 weeks.
Brasada Capital Management stated the following regarding Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) distributes a wide array of products including fasteners, tools, safety equipment, and janitorial supplies, but at its core Fastenal is an outsourced procurement and supply chain partner for the industrial sector, helping to seamlessly manage customer inventory. Fastenal embeds itself within its customers' operations through local branches, automated industrial vending machines, FASTBins equipped with RFID technology, and dedicated Onsite locations where full-time Fastenal employees work directly on the customer's manufacturing floor. By handling the complexities of sourcing and replenishment, Fastenal ensures parts are always available, allowing clients to focus on their core competencies without the risk of costly production delays caused by a missing screw.
What makes Fastenal a high-quality business is that their customers have come to depend on them for cheap, mission critical parts – any delay or having the wrong type of fastener in inventory can mean millions of dollars in costs for the manufacturers in the form of slowdowns, shutdowns, poor product quality, or recalls. If you're missing a $0.30 screw on a $10K or $10M machine, you're just not shipping that machine, and if you have too many of those screws laying around, you're likely wasting ***** e and money. As such, Fastenal commands premium pricing power, high returns on capital, and reoccurring revenue. On top of that, Fast

Brasada Capital Management, an investment management company, released its Q2 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter is available to download here. The market landscape in the past quarter has been significantly influenced by the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), overshadowing other concerns like geopolitical conflicts. Currently, the AI boom is so substantial that it affects the entire market cycle. Key factors include a 400% increase in memory demand due to AI, a slow supply response that takes years to catch up, and minimal demand destruction. The Fund's investment strategy focuses on essential infrastructure that maintains competitive advantages, rather than chasing speculative momentum. The firm emphasizes secular long-term growth, regardless of which AI technologies prevail. In addition, please check the Strategy's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Brasada Capital Management highlighted Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVCO). Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVCO) is a leading manufacturer of factory-built homes primarily in the United States. On July 22, 2026, Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVCO) closed at $570.05 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $4.39 billion. Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVCO) posted a one-month return of -6.32%, while its shares gained 38.35% over the past 52 weeks.
Brasada Capital Management stated the following regarding Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVCO) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVCO) is one of the largest producers of manufactured and modular homes, serving as a critical supplier of affordable housing solutions across the U.S. Cavco utilizes 33 manufacturing production lines and distributes its homes through a network of 92 company-owned retail locations as well as independent retailers. To support the entire homebuying lifecycle, Cavco also offers integrated services through its Standard Casualty insurance group and CountryPlace Mortgage finance subsidiary, making it a comprehensive player in the factory-built housing ecosystem.
What makes Cavco a high-quality business is that it operates within a highly consolidated and attractive oligopoly that heavily favors scale and established distribution. The top three manufacturers in this industry, Clayton Homes, Skyline Champion, and Cavco, control more than 86% of total industry production. This concentrated industry structure creates significant barriers to entry for new competitors, allowing the dominant players to maintain rational pricing, and driving outsized returns on capital by leveraging procurement scale and a wide geographic reach. And unlike AI, housing is one of those industries that has been around for centuries and will likely continue to be around for centuries more..." (Click here to read the full text)

#homes

Bristol Gate Capital Partners, an investment management company, published its Q2 2026 investor letter for the "US Equity Strategy". A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Strategy lagged the S&P 500 Total Return Index in the quarter in terms of returns, but outperformed in dividend growth. Despite debate over capital cycle returns, AI remained the dominant market theme, expanding from early adoption to broader enterprise adoption. The firm continues to focus on high-dividend-growth companies while maintaining discipline around valuation and earnings durability. In addition, please check the Fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Bristol US Equity Strategy highlighted Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN). Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN), a professional services company that focuses on consulting, technology, and outsourcing. On July 22, 2026, Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) closed at $140.09 per share. One-month return of Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) was 9.41%, and its shares lost 51.13% over the past 52 weeks. Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) has a market capitalization of $84.17 billion.
Bristol US Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"We liquidated our stakes in Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) and Intuit due to overlapping thematic headwinds. Both companies face intensifying market scrutiny regarding the potential for generative AI to disrupt their core business models. Accenture's labour-intensive consulting framework and Intuit's legacy software franchise. Because these structural debates will take considerable time to resolve, the near-term visibility on earnings durability has diminished. More critically, our forward-looking model signaled a material deterioration in their projected dividend-growth trajectories. Consequently, we redeployed this capital into higher-conviction opportunities with what we believe are superior risk adjusted return profiles."
Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 64 hedge fund portfolios held Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) at the end of the first quarter, compared to 71 in the previous quarter. In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) reported revenues of $18.7 billion, reflecting a 5% increase in local currency. While we acknowledge the potential of Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

#Equity #quarter #investor #letter

Bristol Gate Capital Partners, an investment management company, published its Q2 2026 investor letter for the "US Equity Strategy". A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Strategy lagged the S&P 500 Total Return Index in the quarter in terms of returns, but outperformed in dividend growth. Despite debate over capital cycle returns, AI remained the dominant market theme, expanding from early adoption to broader enterprise adoption. The firm continues to focus on high-dividend-growth companies while maintaining discipline around valuation and earnings durability. In addition, please check the Fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Bristol US Equity Strategy highlighted Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU). Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) is a financial software company offering products and services for financial management, payments, capital, compliance, and marketing. Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) is facing AI disruption concerns in a rapidly changing software land scape. On July 22, 2026, Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) closed at $284.47 per share. One-month return of Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) was 11.53%, and its shares lost 63.59% over the past 52 weeks. Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) has a market capitalization of $77.81 billion.
Bristol US Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) was the largest detractor with the share price down significantly after its quarterly report disappointed investors. We liquidated our stakes in Accenture and Intuit due to overlapping thematic headwinds. Both companies face intensifying market scrutiny regarding the potential for generative AI to disrupt their core business models. Accenture's labour-intensive consulting framework and Intuit's legacy software franchise. Because these structural debates will take considerable time to resolve, the near-term visibility on earnings durability has diminished. More critically, our forward-looking model signaled a material deterioration in their projected dividend-growth trajectories. Consequently, we redeployed this capital into higher-conviction opportunities with what we believe are superior risk adjusted return profiles."
Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 92 hedge fund portfolios held Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) at the end of the first quarter, compared to 91 in the previous quarter. In the third quarter of fiscal 2026, Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) reported revenue of $8.6 billion, reflecting a 10% year-over-year growth. While we acknowledge the potential of Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report

The PHLX Semiconductor Sector index has jumped by an impressive 68% this year despite the recent sell-off in this sector. These impressive gains have been fueled by the terrific demand for chips, which play a critical role in powering artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.
However, shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) have underperformed the semiconductor sector in 2026, gaining just 33% as of this writing. This is even though TSMC is one of the most important companies in the AI infrastructure ecosystem. Its latest results provide further indication that it is winning big from the massive spending on AI data centers.
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 »
More importantly, TSMC is well-positioned to continue benefiting from the AI infrastructure boom. Let's look at the reasons why it seems like a bad idea to overlook this solid semiconductor stock.
TSMC released its second-quarter 2026 earnings report on July 16. The company's revenue increased 34% year over year to $40.2 billion, while earnings per share jumped by an even more impressive 77% from the year-ago period to $4.31. The numbers exceeded ****** ysts' expectations, and its guidance was the icing on the cake.

#year

STORRS – Delegation is critical when leading an organization of around 100 student-athletes and almost 40 coaches and support staff.
Jason Candle learned this a long time ago.
That is why he utilizes a leadership council, which he brought with him to UConn. There's never been a time in his career when it has been more necessary after bringing so many new faces into the football program in such a short window this offseason.
"You can't be in this position and be naive enough to think that you created a locker room with 115 really alpha males that are elite human beings and do everything right every single day. Even if that was the case, you'd miss some of the really good," Candle said.
The idea of the leadership council has been around, evolved over the years and adapted to different sports and situations. The way Candle's works is essentially by identifying the leader in each position group – typically a veteran player who's been around and knows what it takes to play in college – who will take part in regular meetings and provide feedback to the staff on what's going on and what may need to change.

#staff

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Friends and family of Minnesota Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman said the man sentenced Thursday to two life terms plus 40 years after pleading guilty to her murder failed to eliminate her legacy but caused enduring fear and fury as he changed their lives forever.
Fellow lawmakers and survivors of the shooting spoke Thursday at the sentencing hearing for Vance Boelter, the man who pleaded guilty last month to federal charges related to the killing of former House Speaker Hortman and her husband, Mark, as well as critically wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
Boelter, 59, agreed to plead guilty in June, almost a year after the Minneapolis-area attacks, so federal prosecutors would not seek the death penalty. Mark Hortman's father and siblings voiced anger that he could not be sentenced to death.
U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim said it was "the longest sentence I have imposed after hearing thousands of cases over the years, but I do believe it is deserved."
In court Thursday, Sen. Hoffman said he and his family are constantly reminded of the extraordinary violence of that night, even in the mundane details of day-to-day life. He said they don't receive mail at home anymore, they have installed solid steel doors for protection, and they have changed how they do everyday tasks because of their injuries.

#thursday #minneapolis

The offseason is nearly down for the New York Knicks and they're close to fully realizing their roster, but with just NBA roster spot remaining for New York, how the team manages that roster spot will be crucial.
One glaring need for the Knicks before the season begins is to land another center to replace Ariel Hukporti, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. Without Hukporti, the Knicks don't have a solid third option at center to back up Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond, so addressing that deficit in their roster is critical.
The same could be said about the power forward slot. Beyond OG Anunoby, the Knicks can rely on Towns to slot in at power forward, running a double big setup that relies on Towns' ability to ****** e the floor with his shooting ability, but having more support at the four would serve the Knicks well.
The free agent market may be limited, and the Knicks' desire to stay under the second apron should be considered, so with all of that in mind, there are three free agents that the Knicks could reasonably target to full out their roster in time for the pursuit of another championship.
Mason Plumlee has bounced around the NBA the last few seasons, playing with the Charlotte Hornets on a minimum contract during the 2024-25 season before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, then subsequently waived by the Thunder. Plumlee didn't play again until the San Antonio Spurs signed him to a 10-day contract in February 2026, then being signed to a rest-of-season contract.

#towns #york

As we near August, we're about to flip the driest part of the NBA's year-round calendar. All of the offseason moves are done. Everybody's focus has shifted toward the 2026-27 season. For now, though, teams across the league get to relax for a bit before training camp begins.
For NBA players, though, right now is when most of your critical developmental work takes place. The ample time off allows guys across the league to put in serious work and upgrade their bag. Especially for young players still learning the ropes of the NBA.
Jared McCain is somebody who's taking advantage of his resources. He's spent time in Canada with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. After being an NBA trade deadline acquisition, this is the first time he's had a chance to take a breath and fully embrace being on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder added McCain in a buy-low move from the Philadelphia 76ers. The 22-year-old suddenly became important at work. In just three months, he was jettisoned to the top of the depth chart. Injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell forced him to learn on the job in the game's highest stakes imaginable.
All things considered, McCain did solid. He had two 20-point games that helped the Thunder push the San Antonio Spurs to seven in the 2026 Western Conference Finals. Ultimately, the short-handed squad fell in Game 7. But his microwave scoring was one of the brighter takeaways.

#time #league

Mining company USA Rare Earth (USAR) has named Serra Verde CEO Thras Moraitis as its next CEO after Barbara Humpton retires. Humpton has been instrumental in the company forging public-private partnerships and expanding its activity across critical mining processing, as well as metals and magnet manufacturing.
The rare-earth metal mining firm had agreed to acquire 100% of Serra Verde Group in April, which is the only large-scale producer outside Asia of all four magnetic rare earths. This is an effort to shift supply lines away from China, which hosts roughly two-thirds of global rare earth mining and about 90% of refining.
PayPal Says a $53 Billion Takeover Offer from Stripe Undervalues It. How to Play PYPL Stock Here.
Billionaire Jeff Bezos Called Amazon's Customer Service to Prove a Point But Waited in Silence for More Than 10 Minutes — 'It Was Really Long'
Micron Stock Is Near Bear-Market Territory. Here's Why ASML's Guidance Says Buy the Dip.

#earth

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) bristled when asked Thursday about White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's statement that President Trump's "patience is running out" with the Senate GOP leader because of the stalled SAVE America Act.
"Maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes. Right? It's 50 around here," Thune shot back when asked about Leavitt's statement to reporters at a press briefing earlier Thursday.
"Instead of pointing the finger at Republicans, they might think about going after the people who are stopping it on the floor, which is the Democrats," the senator added, appearing somewhat irritated by the critical comment. "And if there are Republicans they think are gettable, get on the phone."
Leavitt said Trump's patience with Thune's handling of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act, which the Senate has voted on — in whole or in part — at least five times but has failed to move forward, is wearing thin.
The remark comes as the president has ramped up his push for Republicans to support the voter ID bill, legislation that would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and photo ID when casting ballots.

#republicans #voter #save

BOSTON (AP) — More than two dozen states on Thursday sued the Trump administration for requiring them to comply with election and immigration conditions to receive billions of dollars in federal funding for disasters.
The lawsuit, filed in Rhode Island and challenging Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security policies, argued that the administration is requiring states to change their elections systems and help DHS with immigration enforcement. The conditions would also allow DHS to terminate grants at any time and for any reason.
"Once again, the Trump Administration is threatening to jeopardize public safety by unlawfully withholding billions in critical funding and once again, they won't get away with it," Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said. "This Administration is using the safety of Americans as collateral by attempting to bully the states into relinquishing their constitutional right to enact policies and laws that best serve their residents."
The states argue putting conditions on congressionally appropriated funding violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution's spending clause. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit is one of scores that have challenged the Trump administration over its repeated effort to browbeat mostly Democratic states into complying with its priorities to get billions of dollars in federal funding. The strategy has been used on everything from education funding to domestic violence grants to highway funding.

#federal

Jim Cramer made his stance clear during Monday's Mad Money episode, confirming that his Charitable Trust is holding firm on Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) despite relentless criticism from tech commentators. Rebuffing market anxiety over delayed AI features, Cramer argued:
There is some real opportunity here, and I'm not blind to it. That said, let me tell you what we're doing. First, we are not touching the Trust's longstanding Apple position. The sharp knives are indeed out for the Apple, let's say, management from the tech intelligentsia. The intelligentsia say that Apple will miss the most important story of our lives: artificial intelligence. They lambaste Siri. They regard the lost opportunity as critical to Apple's failure for the next generation. Yet you know what? These same people are posting from their iPhone 17 Pro Max. You know what? They would rather slit their wrists than switch to Samsung... So in its core business, Apple's bulletproof, and they never spent much on AI in the first place.
Addressing a $7 intra-day pullback, Cramer pointed out that Apple's deliberate refusal to match competitors' massive infrastructure spending actually protects shareholder value:
I want you to think about this as you look at Apple, down seven bucks today. Did anyone switch to Samsung during this travesty of an AI issue? Did anyone say, that's it, I am sick of it, I'm sick of the 17 Pro Max; get me a Lenovo? Perhaps the cognoscenti wishes that Apple would spend $200 billion, maybe 70% on the data center structure and power, maybe give the rest of Google TPUs; maybe buy some expensive NVIDIA GPUs. As someone who owns Apple for my Charitable Trust, I actually like that they let Alphabet spend those billions of dollars on AI and then they've had Alphabet pay them a nominal sum so it was in the iPhone. The pros have a term for this Apple-Alphabet deal. You know what it's called? A great deal.
Cramer's perspective aligns with institutional commentary ahead of Apple's July 30 earnings report. Bank of America ***** yst Wamsi Mohan maintained a Buy rating and $380 price target, projecting an earnings beat with $109 billion in revenue (+16% YoY) and $1.89 EPS. It is worth noting that this earnings call will mark Tim Cook's final appearance as CEO.

#trust #first

UnitedHealth's stock is flying high after it raised guidance, but on its latest earnings call, ***** ysts zeroed in on an underlying margin divergence running right through the business.
After a +50% run over the past year, UnitedHealth (UNH) stock trades near its 52-week high, and on the surface, its latest earnings report was a clean beat. The company raised its full-year outlook, and the headline numbers looked strong. But the Q&A session with ***** ysts kept circling one critical tension: is the impressive turnaround in the large Medicare business strong enough to offset a new, worsening problem in the company's commercial insurance segment?
The core worry for investors is that stubbornly high medical costs in the commercial business are getting worse. On the call, management confirmed that cost trends are running "modestly above 11%," a deterioration from prior expectations. This is not a small corner of the business; if its margins cannot recover, it puts a real ceiling on the company's growth.
When pressed for the cause, management gave a surprisingly specific answer. The answer went beyond general inflation, pinpointing a federal arbitration process under the No Surprises Act that management ***** erts is being leveraged aggressively by select provider groups. This is now adding "at least 100 basis points of total cost" to the commercial business. The issue is highly concentrated, and according to data cited by management, roughly 60% of their arbitration disputes are brought by one of just five entities. The response quantified the problem, but the admission that came with it was stark: the timeline for a full margin recovery in this segment has been pushed out "past 2027." That is a concrete delay to a key part of the investment case.
While the commercial segment is a growing headache, the equally large Medicare Advantage business is performing better than planned. The key question here was whether this was just good luck from a mild flu season or the result of management's own actions. The answer was more confident than vague.

#management