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Manulife Rises 3% Premarket as Record Core Earnings and Asia Growth Support Shares Manulife Financial (NYSE: MFC) shares rose about

Manulife Financial (NYSE: MFC) shares rose about 3% in premarket trading after the company reported record third-quarter core earnings and continued strong growth in...

11-05-26

AppLovin Jumps 16% Premarket as Revenue Surges 55% and Q4 Outlook Stays Strong AppLovin (NASDAQ: APP) shares jumped about 16%

AppLovin (NASDAQ: APP) shares jumped about 16% in premarket trading after the company reported record third-quarter revenue and profit, alongside a strong fourth-quarter outlook....

11-05-26

Mercado Libre Falls 5.8% Premarket as Heavy Investment Pressures Margins Despite 45% Revenue Growth Mercado Libre (NASDAQ: MELI) shares fell

Mercado Libre (NASDAQ: MELI) shares fell about 5.8% in premarket trading despite reporting third-quarter revenue of $10.75 billion, up 45% year over year. Commerce...

11-05-26

McKesson Raises Fiscal 2027 EPS Outlook as Q2 Revenue and Profit Growth Accelerate McKesson (NYSE: MCK) reported fiscal second-quarter revenue

McKesson (NYSE: MCK) reported fiscal second-quarter revenue of $111.0 billion, up 8% year over year, while adjusted diluted EPS increased 18% to $11.68. Growth...

11-05-26

Qualcomm Plunges 10% Premarket as Handset Weakness and Margin Pressure Overshadow AI Data Center Growth Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) shares fell

Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) shares fell about 10% in premarket trading after the company reported weaker fiscal fourth-quarter revenue and profit, while its near-term outlook...

11-05-26

Arm Revenue Jumps 27% as Licensing Growth and Data Center Demand Accelerate Arm Holdings (NASDAQ: ARM) reported record fiscal second-quarter

Arm Holdings (NASDAQ: ARM) reported record fiscal second-quarter revenue of $1.44 billion, up 27% year over year, marking its fifth consecutive quarter of revenue...

11-05-26

Gold Extends Rally While Brent Rebounds After Sharp Selloff Gold and Brent crude both moved higher on Thursday, although the

Gold and Brent crude both moved higher on Thursday, although the two markets were reacting to different forces. Gold futures rose about 1.5% to...

11-05-26

Japan Services PMI Improves to 51.7 in October as JGB Yield Falls at Auction Japan’s S&P Global Services PMI rose

Japan’s S&P Global Services PMI rose to 51.7 in October from 51.3 previously, although it came in slightly below the 52.0 forecast. Separately, Japan’s...

11-05-26

Australia Trade Surplus Widens Sharply to A$2.83 Billion in September Australia’s trade surplus widened sharply to A$2.826 billion in September,

Australia’s trade surplus widened sharply to A$2.826 billion in September, significantly exceeding the A$940 million forecast. The result also marked a substantial improvement from...

11-05-26

Stifel Declares $0.34 Quarterly Common Dividend Stifel Financial (NYSE: SF) declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.34 per common share.

Stifel Financial (NYSE: SF) declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.34 per common share. The dividend will be paid on December 15, 2026, to...

11-04-26

Kraft Heinz to Sell North America Coffee Business to One Rock for $650 Million Kraft Heinz (NYSE: KHC) agreed to

Kraft Heinz (NYSE: KHC) agreed to sell its North America coffee business to One Rock Capital Partners at an enterprise value of $650 million....

11-04-26

UCB Selects Veeva Vault CRM for Global Commercial Operations Veeva Systems (NYSE: VEEV) said UCB has selected Veeva Vault CRM

Veeva Systems (NYSE: VEEV) said UCB has selected Veeva Vault CRM as its global customer engagement platform. Vault CRM is designed specifically for life...

11-04-26

US

U.S. Trade Deficit Narrows in September as Exports Rise Faster Than Imports

The U.S. trade deficit narrowed to $105.0 billion in September, slightly better than the $107.9 billion forecast and down from $105.7 billion in the previous month.

Exports increased to $321.5 billion from $315.7 billion, a rise of $5.8 billion. Imports also increased, reaching $426.6 billion from $421.4 billion, but the $5.2 billion gain was smaller than the increase in exports.

The data therefore point to a modest improvement in the U.S. external trade position, with export growth outpacing import growth during the month.

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WS Investor 11-04-26

U.S. Stock Futures Rally After Democratic Midterm Sweep as ADP Employment Matches Prior Month

U.S. stock futures moved sharply higher on Wednesday as investors digested the Democratic sweep of both chambers of Congress and a stronger-than-expected private-sector employment report.

Dow futures climbed about 2.1%, S&P 500 futures rose 1.1%, while Nasdaq futures gained 0.4%. The broader move followed confirmation that Democrats won control of both the House and Senate in the November 3 midterm elections, creating a divided government with Republican President Donald Trump.

Labor-market data also provided support. ADP reported that U.S. private payrolls increased by 86,000 in October, matching the previous month’s reading and exceeding the 67,000 forecast. The result points to continued hiring momentum, although employment growth remains relatively moderate.

The market reaction suggests investors are balancing two themes. The election outcome has increased expectations that large legislative changes may become more difficult, while the ADP report indicates the labor market has not weakened sharply. Together, those factors supported cyclical shares and helped push Dow futures substantially higher.

The Nasdaq’s smaller gain also reflects a more complicated post-election backdrop for technology stocks. Democratic victories have increased investor focus on possible tighter oversight of AI infrastructure and data-center development, particularly after election campaigns in several states highlighted concerns over energy use, utility costs and local opposition to new data centers.

Overall, the combination of greater political clarity and resilient employment data is supporting U.S. equities ahead of the opening bell. However, investors are likely to remain focused on how the new congressional balance may affect fiscal policy, AI regulation and future Federal Reserve decisions.

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WS Investor 11-04-26

Gold and Bitcoin Rally as Democratic Midterm Sweep Reshapes U.S. Market Outlook

Gold and Bitcoin moved sharply higher on Wednesday while market volatility declined as investors digested a sweeping Democratic victory in the U.S. midterm elections that handed the party control of both the House and Senate.

Democrats captured both chambers of Congress in the November 3 elections, creating a divided government with Republican President Donald Trump and raising expectations that parts of the administration’s legislative agenda could face greater resistance during the second half of his term.

Gold futures jumped 2.9% to about $4,055 an ounce in early trading, rebounding strongly above the $4,000 level. The move coincided with a weaker U.S. dollar and a post-election rally in Treasuries. The move is particularly notable because gold had struggled as a traditional safe haven in the weeks leading into the election. The post-election rebound suggests that falling yields, dollar weakness and renewed political uncertainty may be providing support for the non-yielding metal.

Bitcoin also recovered strongly, rising 1.6% to around $78,200 after briefly falling below $76,000 overnight. The rebound came as broader risk sentiment stabilized following the election result. Lower interest-rate expectations can provide support for speculative assets such as cryptocurrencies, although Bitcoin has also been dealing with crypto-specific volatility following recent market disruptions.

Treasury markets showed an important shift around the election. The 10-year yield had closed November 3 at about 4.95%, up 1.2% on the day, but yields subsequently moved lower as investors assessed the implications of Democratic congressional control.

Meanwhile, the CBOE Volatility Index fell 8.2% to 19.13. The decline in the VIX suggests that the removal of election uncertainty outweighed immediate concerns about political confrontation in Washington.

The market response therefore presents an unusual combination: gold is benefiting from lower yields and political uncertainty, Bitcoin is rebounding alongside improving risk appetite, and volatility is declining as investors gain greater clarity over the political landscape.

The Democratic sweep could still create significant sector-level consequences. With Congress now positioned to challenge Trump administration policies and increase oversight, markets are likely to focus increasingly on fiscal spending, tariffs, energy policy and regulation of the rapidly expanding AI and data-center industries.

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European Investor 11-04-26

U.S. Job Openings and Factory Orders Beat Forecasts in September

U.S. economic data came in stronger than expected in September, with both job openings and factory orders exceeding market forecasts.

JOLTS job openings rose to 7.523 million, well above the 7.150 million forecast and up from 7.190 million previously. The stronger reading suggests labor demand remained relatively resilient despite signs of gradual cooling elsewhere in the employment market.

Factory orders increased 1.8% month over month, also beating the 1.2% forecast and accelerating sharply from the previous 0.3% increase.

The combination of stronger labor demand and faster factory-order growth points to firmer underlying economic activity than expected. For financial markets, the data may modestly reduce expectations for aggressive Federal Reserve easing, particularly if upcoming employment and inflation indicators also remain strong.

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The Investor 11-03-26

U.S. Stocks Rise as Oil Plunges and ISM Manufacturing Beats Forecasts

U.S. stocks extended gains Monday as sharply lower oil prices eased inflation concerns and stronger-than-expected ISM manufacturing data supported confidence in the economy.

The Dow Jones rose 1.03% to 52,304.31, the Nasdaq gained 0.87% to 25,658.79, and the S&P 500 advanced 0.62% to 7,627.00.

Brent crude fell more than 6% to around $106.41 a barrel. The sharp decline in energy prices provides a favorable backdrop for equities by reducing concerns over fuel-driven inflation and potentially lowering costs for businesses and consumers.

Economic data also offered support. The ISM Manufacturing PMI increased to 55.5 in October, beating the 54.5 forecast and improving from 54.5 previously. The reading remained well above the 50 threshold, indicating continued expansion in U.S. manufacturing activity.

At the same time, the ISM Manufacturing Prices index eased to 75.2 from 77.9 and came in below the 77.2 forecast. Although input-price pressures remained elevated, the decline provided some reassurance on the inflation outlook. Manufacturing employment slipped slightly to 52.4 from 52.7 but remained in expansion territory.

Construction spending was the major weak point, falling 1.9% month over month in September compared with expectations for a 0.4% increase and a previous 2.0% gain.

Overall, the rise in U.S. indexes appears to reflect a combination of sharply lower oil prices, stronger manufacturing activity and some moderation in manufacturing price pressures. The weak construction spending figure limited the otherwise positive macro picture but was not enough to offset the broader improvement in investor sentiment.

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European Investor 11-02-26

U.S. Stocks Trade Mixed as Wider Trade Deficit Offsets Inventory Growth

U.S. stocks were mixed after fresh economic data showed a wider-than-expected goods trade deficit alongside stronger retail inventory growth. The S&P 500 rose 0.15% and the Dow gained 0.27%, while the Nasdaq was nearly unchanged, down 0.01%.

The U.S. goods trade deficit widened to $134.90 billion in September, larger than the $130.40 billion consensus estimate and the previous $132.07 billion deficit. The deterioration suggests imports continued to outpace exports and could weigh on the trade component of third-quarter GDP calculations.

Retail inventories excluding autos increased 0.4% in September, accelerating from 0.1% previously. Higher inventories can provide some near-term support to GDP, although persistent inventory accumulation can become a negative signal if it reflects weaker-than-expected final demand.

Overall, the releases offered a mixed economic signal: stronger inventory accumulation was offset by a larger trade deficit, helping explain the relatively subdued reaction across major U.S. equity indexes.

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WS Investor 10-28-26

Wall Street Rises as Strong Consumer Confidence Offsets Mixed U.S. Economic Data

U.S. stocks moved higher Tuesday, with the Nasdaq gaining 1.19%, the S&P 500 rising 0.66% and the Dow Jones adding 0.14%, as investors digested a mixed batch of economic data.

Conference Board Consumer Confidence climbed to 91.7 in October, well above the 81.2 forecast and up from 84.2 previously. The stronger-than-expected reading pointed to improved household sentiment and provided the clearest positive signal from the day’s releases.

New home sales also came in better than expected at an annualized 676,000 in September, compared with the 651,000 forecast, although sales edged down from 680,000 previously.

Other indicators were softer. Building permits slipped to 1.398 million, slightly below the 1.400 million forecast and 1.403 million prior reading. Weekly ADP employment growth slowed to 16,800 from 18,500, suggesting some moderation in private-sector hiring.

Durable goods orders rose 1.8% in September, a sharp improvement from the prior 0.1% increase but slightly below the 2.0% consensus estimate.

Overall, the data presented a mixed economic picture, with stronger consumer confidence and housing demand offsetting softer employment and building activity. The stronger move in the Nasdaq suggests risk appetite remained relatively firm despite the uneven macro signals.

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European Investor 10-27-26

Wall Street Falls as Mixed Jobless Claims and Surging Oil Keep Rate and Inflation Concerns in Focus

U.S. stocks traded lower after the latest labor-market data sent a mixed signal while a sharp rise in crude oil added to inflation concerns.

Initial jobless claims fell to 194,000, better than the 200,000 consensus estimate and down from 200,000 previously. The reading suggests layoffs remain relatively contained and the labor market is still holding up.

Continuing jobless claims, however, rose to 1.728 million, above the 1.720 million forecast and up from 1.703 million previously. That points to some difficulty for unemployed workers in finding new jobs even as new layoffs remain low.

Equities were under pressure, with the S&P 500 down about 0.78%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average off 0.15%, and the Nasdaq falling roughly 1.42%. The heavier Nasdaq decline suggests continued pressure on rate-sensitive growth and technology stocks.

At the same time, Brent crude climbed about 2.4% to $111.48 per barrel. Higher oil prices can complicate the inflation outlook by increasing energy and transportation costs, potentially reinforcing concerns that the Federal Reserve may need to keep monetary policy restrictive for longer.

Overall, the combination of resilient initial claims and rising oil prices appears to be weighing on risk appetite, even as the increase in continuing claims points to some underlying softening in the labor market.

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WS News 10-22-26

Wall Street Trades Mixed as Hotter PPI and Strong Retail Sales Reinforce Rate Concerns

U.S. stocks traded mixed after a batch of economic data showed stronger consumer spending, hotter producer inflation and continued labor-market resilience. The S&P 500 fell 0.26% to 7,698.99 and the Nasdaq dropped 0.86% to 26,463.05, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.55% to 51,907.65.

September retail sales increased 0.8% month over month, well above the 0.3% consensus estimate, although growth slowed from 1.3% previously. Core retail sales rose 0.9%, also beating the 0.6% forecast but easing from 1.4%.

Inflation data were more concerning. Producer prices jumped 1.3% month over month, more than double the 0.6% expected and sharply above the prior 0.5% increase. Core PPI rose 0.7%, compared with a 0.3% forecast and 0.2% previously.

The labor market remained firm. Initial jobless claims were 199,000, matching expectations and little changed from 198,000, while continuing claims came in at 1.710 million, exactly in line with forecasts and slightly below 1.714 million previously.

Manufacturing data were also much stronger than expected, with the New York Empire State Manufacturing Index jumping to 25.5 in October from 7.6, far above the 12.1 consensus estimate.

The data combination points to an economy that remains resilient but is also experiencing renewed inflation pressure. That backdrop may reinforce expectations for interest rates to remain elevated for longer, which appears to be weighing particularly on the rate-sensitive Nasdaq even as the Dow moves higher.

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The Investor 10-15-26

Wall Street Falls as September Inflation Comes in Hotter Than Expected

U.S. stocks moved lower after September inflation data showed broader price pressures remained firmer than economists expected. The S&P 500 fell 0.76% to 7,745.85, while the Nasdaq dropped 0.99% to 26,934.31. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.14% to 51,597.18.

Headline CPI increased 0.6% month over month in September, matching expectations but accelerating from 0.4% in August. On a year-over-year basis, inflation rose to 3.7%, above the 3.6% consensus estimate and up from 3.4% previously.

More importantly for the Federal Reserve outlook, core inflation also came in hotter than expected. Core CPI rose 0.3% month over month versus the 0.2% forecast, while the annual core rate accelerated to 2.6% from 2.4%, also exceeding the 2.5% consensus estimate.

The combination of higher headline inflation and an upside surprise in core prices suggests underlying inflation pressures remain persistent. That could reduce expectations for near-term monetary easing or reinforce the case for keeping interest rates elevated for longer.

The Nasdaq’s larger decline is consistent with renewed rate concerns weighing more heavily on growth and technology stocks, while the relatively smaller move in the Dow suggests a more defensive market response.

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Global Finance News 10-14-26

11-04-26WS Investor

10-19-26WS News

10-15-26The Investor

10-09-26Global Finance News

NASDAQ:AMD

AMD Jumps 8% Premarket as Data Center Revenue Nearly Doubles and Q4 Outlook Accelerates

AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) shares rose about 8% in premarket trading after the company reported record third-quarter 2026 revenue, nearly doubled Data Center sales and issued a strong fourth-quarter outlook.

Third-quarter revenue increased 45% year over year to a record $13.4 billion and rose 16% sequentially. Non-GAAP EPS climbed 74% to $2.09, while non-GAAP operating income increased 75% to $3.92 billion.

Data Center was the clear growth engine. Segment revenue surged 97% year over year to a record $8.5 billion, driven by strong demand for EPYC processors and the launch of Instinct MI450 Series GPUs. AMD said demand for Instinct and EPYC products continues to strengthen as production of Helios systems and 6th Gen EPYC “Venice” processors scales.

Operating leverage improved sharply alongside the revenue acceleration. GAAP operating margin expanded to 21% from 14% a year earlier, while non-GAAP operating margin increased five percentage points to 29%. Non-GAAP gross margin was 56%, up from 54% a year earlier.

Performance outside Data Center was more mixed. Client revenue grew 7% to $2.9 billion, while Gaming revenue fell 40% to $773 million due to weaker semi-custom and graphics sales. Embedded revenue increased 29% to $1.1 billion.

AMD also highlighted broader adoption of its AI infrastructure, with Anthropic, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure running workloads on AMD Helios rack-scale systems. The company continues to expand its AI capabilities through software development and planned acquisitions including World Labs and Taalas.

For the fourth quarter, AMD expects revenue of approximately $17 billion, plus or minus 3%. The midpoint implies roughly 66% year-over-year growth and a 27% sequential increase, signaling a significant acceleration from the already strong third quarter. Non-GAAP gross margin is expected at approximately 55%.

The 8% premarket gain appears to reflect the combination of exceptional Data Center growth, expanding operating margins and an unusually strong Q4 revenue outlook. With Data Center now accounting for the majority of quarterly revenue and management forecasting another sharp sequential increase, investors are increasingly treating AMD’s AI accelerator and server CPU businesses as the central drivers of its growth trajectory.

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European Investor 11-04-26

AMD Expands Meta AI Partnership as Helios Systems Enter Deployment

AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) said it is expanding its strategic partnership with Meta across CPUs, GPUs, networking, systems and software as the two companies scale infrastructure for Meta’s AI and superintelligence workloads.

Initial AMD Helios rack-scale systems have been installed and are being tested by Meta ahead of a broader deployment. AMD EPYC processors already support Meta’s Muse AI agent, while Meta has deployed millions of EPYC CPUs across multiple generations and is a lead customer for sixth-generation EPYC processors.

AMD Instinct GPUs are also being used in production for training, ranking and recommendation workloads. Meta was an early definition customer for the MI450 architecture and plans to deploy a custom Instinct GPU optimized for its workloads. The collaboration is also influencing future AMD platforms, including the MI500 series and next-generation rack-scale systems.

On the software side, AMD and Meta are working together on ROCm, PyTorch and Triton, including optimization of large-scale AI training on MI350X GPUs. AMD also said its hardware provides Day-0 support for Meta models including Muse Spark Open and Muse Glimmer.

The companies said they are aligning future silicon, software and system roadmaps around Meta workloads, with the goal of building integrated AI infrastructure at gigawatt scale. AMD will also invest $1 billion in Meta’s equity offering.

The announcement strengthens AMD’s position as a supplier to one of the world’s largest AI infrastructure buyers and expands its role beyond individual processors into full rack-scale systems, networking and software.

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Global Finance News 11-01-26

AMD Gains as Citi Lifts Price Target to $800, Mizuho Raises Target to $705

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) shares rose about 2.7% on Tuesday after analysts issued bullish updates tied to the company’s expanding role in AI infrastructure and server CPUs.

Citi analyst Atif Malik reiterated a Buy rating on AMD and raised his price target to $800 from $575. Malik said Meta’s newly launched Muse AI agent could significantly increase compute demand and strengthen AMD’s position in the server CPU market.

Citi now estimates the CPU total addressable market could grow from $29 billion in 2025 to $300 billion by 2030, implying a roughly 60% compound annual growth rate.

Malik expects AMD to be the primary beneficiary of what he described as a “CPU renaissance,” with Meta viewed as one of AMD’s largest server customers. He also argued that agentic AI could require orders of magnitude more computing power than traditional chatbot workloads (yahoofinance).

Mizuho also became more bullish on AMD, with analyst Vijay Rakesh raising the firm’s price target to $705 from $580 while maintaining an Outperform rating.

The analyst optimism follows a strong run of fundamental catalysts for AMD. The company recently reported record second-quarter revenue of $11.5 billion, up 50% year over year, while Data Center revenue more than doubled to $6.7 billion on strong demand for EPYC server processors and Instinct AI accelerators (yahoofinance).

AMD is also preparing its next generation of AI hardware, including the Instinct MI450 GPUs, 6th Gen EPYC Venice CPUs and Helios rack-scale AI systems.

The combination of higher analyst price targets, expectations for rapidly expanding AI-driven CPU demand and continued strength in AMD’s data center business appears to be supporting the stock’s latest move higher.

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The Investor 10-06-26

AMD Rose 2.2% After Piper Sandler Initiated Coverage With $600 Target

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) shares rose 2.2% yesterday after Piper Sandler initiated coverage of the chipmaker with an Overweight rating and a $600 price target.

AMD has built a strong position in the rapidly expanding AI and data-center market through its Instinct accelerators, EPYC server processors and increasingly complete rack-scale AI infrastructure. Data Center revenue more than doubled year over year to $6.7 billion in the second quarter, driven by strong demand for EPYC processors and Instinct MI350-series GPUs.

The company is also expanding its position in large-scale AI infrastructure. Its latest portfolio includes the MI400-series accelerators, sixth-generation EPYC CPUs and Helios rack-scale systems, giving AMD exposure across AI training, inference and agentic workloads. Major AI and cloud customers working with AMD technology include OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft and Anthropic.

AMD’s combination of accelerating data-center growth, a broader AI product portfolio and expanding hyperscale deployments provides a strong fundamental backdrop as the company competes for a larger share of global AI infrastructure spending.

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European Investor 09-16-26

AMD Stock Rises 3.5% as CLSA Reiterates Outperform Rating With $710 Price Target

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) shares rose 3.5% to $523.37 on Wednesday as CLSA reiterated its Outperform rating on the semiconductor company.

CLSA maintained a $710 price target on AMD, implying approximately 36% upside from the stock price shown.

The reiterated bullish rating comes as AMD remains a major beneficiary of growing investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure, with investors closely watching the company’s ability to expand its position in the AI accelerator market.

AMD shares have attracted strong investor attention as the company competes for a larger share of AI computing demand while continuing to expand its data center processor business.

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WS Investor 09-09-26

AMD, Cisco and HUMAIN Expand Saudi AI Infrastructure With Instinct GPUs

AMD (NASDAQ: AMD), Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) and Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN announced Monday that their first AMD-powered AI infrastructure is now operational in the Kingdom, marking a major step in their plans to build large-scale sovereign AI capacity.

The production system uses AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs and EPYC CPUs alongside Cisco Silicon One networking and 800G optics. HUMAIN is already using the infrastructure to provide GPU-as-a-service for AI workloads ranging from model training to inference.

The companies also announced the next major phase of the project. Beginning in 2027, they plan to deploy up to 250 megawatts of additional AI infrastructure based on AMD Instinct MI400 Series GPUs, EPYC processors and ROCm software, combined with Cisco networking technology. Capacity is expected to begin coming online in the second half of 2027.

The expansion forms part of the previously announced AMD-Cisco-HUMAIN joint venture, which remains on track to deploy up to 1 gigawatt of AI infrastructure by 2030. The companies said strong customer demand is supporting the buildout.

The project is particularly significant for AMD as it expands the footprint of its Instinct accelerators in large-scale AI data centers, competing for a greater share of a market currently dominated by NVIDIA. For Cisco, the project provides another major opportunity for its high-speed networking technology as AI clusters become larger and more demanding.

The partnership also supports Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a major global AI infrastructure hub, with locally operated computing capacity designed to give governments and enterprises greater control over their data, models and AI systems.

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The Investor 08-31-26

AMD Upgraded to Strong Buy at Raymond James as Price Target Jumps to $641

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) received a bullish analyst upgrade Tuesday, with Raymond James raising its rating to Strong Buy from Outperform and lifting its price target to $641 from $565.

Analyst Simon Leopold's new target represents substantial upside from AMD's recent price of about $477.14.

Why the Upgrade Matters

The upgrade reinforces optimism around AMD's position in the rapidly expanding AI and data-center semiconductor market.

AMD has become one of the most important challengers to Nvidia in AI accelerators, while also maintaining a strong presence in server CPUs through its EPYC product line. The company's growing exposure to hyperscale data centers, enterprise AI infrastructure and next-generation computing gives it significant leverage to continued AI capital spending.

The higher price target suggests Raymond James sees stronger long-term earnings potential as AMD expands its AI product portfolio and competes for a larger share of accelerator and data-center spending.

The shift from Outperform to Strong Buy is also notable because it signals increased conviction rather than simply maintaining an already-positive stance.

Investors will now focus on AMD's AI accelerator shipments, data-center revenue growth, margins and its ability to gain market share as the global AI infrastructure buildout continues.

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WS Investor 08-25-26

MD Acquires Taalas to Strengthen AI Inference Chip Portfolio

AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) has agreed to acquire Taalas, a Toronto-based developer of specialized AI inference silicon, as the chipmaker expands its technology portfolio for the rapidly growing AI inference market.

Founded in 2023, Taalas develops technology designed specifically to optimize AI inference dataflows, reducing compute and memory bottlenecks associated with more general-purpose architectures. AMD said the technology could provide significant improvements in inference performance and efficiency.

The acquisition is intended to complement AMD's broader full-stack AI platform, which includes Instinct GPUs, EPYC CPUs, ROCm software and Helios rack-scale systems.

## AMD Targets Growing AI Inference Demand

AMD plans to integrate Taalas' technology into its accelerator roadmap and combine it with Instinct GPUs to develop system-level AI solutions.

The strategy reflects the industry's increasing focus on inference — the process of running trained AI models — as artificial intelligence moves into high-volume, real-time applications. More specialized silicon can potentially lower the computing, memory and energy requirements associated with deploying increasingly large AI models.

AMD said Taalas' engineering team will also strengthen its AI capabilities while expanding the company's existing semiconductor and AI presence in Canada.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

The deal represents another step in AMD's effort to build a broader AI computing platform and compete across multiple layers of the AI infrastructure market, with Taalas adding specialized inference technology alongside AMD's existing GPU-based accelerator portfolio.

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Global Finance News 08-07-26

## AMD Stock Falls 10% After Hours Despite Record Revenue as Investors Focus on AI Expectations

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) shares fell 10% in after-hours trading Tuesday, despite reporting record second-quarter revenue and earnings, as investors appeared to take profits following high expectations for the company's AI business.

AMD delivered record second-quarter revenue of $11.5 billion, up 50% year over year, while non-GAAP earnings per share surged 246% to $1.66. Gross margin expanded to 56%, and operating income climbed to $3.1 billion, reflecting strong profitability as AI demand continued to accelerate.

The Data Center business remained AMD's primary growth engine. Segment revenue more than doubled, rising 107% year over year to $6.7 billion, driven by robust demand for EPYC server processors and Instinct AI accelerators. The segment accounted for approximately 58% of total company revenue during the quarter. Meanwhile, the Client business continued to perform well with Ryzen processor demand driving 23% growth, although Gaming revenue declined 31% due to weaker semi-custom sales.

Management highlighted a series of major AI announcements during the quarter, including the launch of the Helios AI rackscale platform, the new Instinct MI400 GPU family, sixth-generation EPYC processors, and expanded partnerships with leading AI companies including OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta, Anthropic, Oracle, and others. AMD also announced new collaborations designed to accelerate AI infrastructure deployments and broaden adoption of its hardware and software ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the company forecast third-quarter revenue of approximately $13.0 billion, representing roughly 41% year-over-year growth and another sequential acceleration, while maintaining an expected non-GAAP gross margin of approximately 56%.

Despite the strong financial performance and optimistic outlook, the stock declined after hours as investors appeared to have anticipated another exceptional quarter following AMD's strong rally and elevated expectations surrounding AI infrastructure spending. While the earnings reinforced AMD's growing position in AI computing, the market reaction suggests investors are demanding increasingly larger upside surprises from leading semiconductor companies.

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WS Investor 08-04-26

Semiconductor Stocks Fall as China's Chip Breakthrough Pressures Nvidia and the AI Sector

Semiconductor stocks came under pressure on Monday, dragging the Nasdaq lower as investors weighed China's rapidly advancing semiconductor industry against the latest developments in the global AI infrastructure race. Nvidia led the sector's decline, falling more than 4%, while weakness spread across AI and memory chipmakers.

The latest catalyst on the AI front came after reports that Nvidia is in talks to provide roughly $250 billion in financing guarantees for OpenAI's massive AI data center project in Ohio. The proposed 10-gigawatt facility would rank among the world's largest AI infrastructure projects, underscoring the enormous capital being committed to artificial intelligence. While the news reinforces long-term demand for AI hardware, it also highlights the rapidly evolving competitive landscape and the unprecedented scale of investment required across the industry.

Investor sentiment was also weighed down by developments in China. ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), China's largest memory chipmaker, surged more than 400% in its Shanghai trading debut following Asia's largest IPO of 2026. The emergence of another major Chinese chipmaker renewed concerns that global competition in memory and AI-related semiconductors will intensify. Those concerns were particularly significant for Nvidia, whose growth opportunities in China have already been constrained by U.S. export restrictions.

The weakness extended across the broader semiconductor sector. Memory-related companies including Sandisk, Micron Technology, Western Digital, and SK Hynix posted notable declines, while ASML, AMD, Intel, Marvell Technology, Super Micro Computer, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) also traded lower as investors reassessed the industry's competitive outlook.

Despite Monday's selloff, the semiconductor industry's long-term fundamentals remain supported by accelerating AI adoption and record investment in data center infrastructure. However, the combination of elevated valuations, China's rapid technological progress, and an increasingly competitive global landscape prompted investors to lock in profits following the sector's strong rally.

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European Investor 07-27-26

11-04-26WS Investor

10-09-26Global Finance News

10-07-26European Investor

US Dividends

The UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) board of directors has authorized payment of a cash dividend of $2.32 per share, to be paid on December 15, 2026, to shareholders of record of common stocks as of the close of business December 7, 2026.

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WS Investor 11-04-26

Corning Incorporated Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend on October 6, 2026 of $0.28 per share.

The dividend will be payable on December 11, 2026, to shareholders of record on November 13, 2026.

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Global Finance News 10-07-26

The Board of Directors of Trane Technologies plc declared a quarterly dividend of $1.05 per ordinary share, $4.20 per share annualized. The dividend is payable December 31, 2026, to shareholders of record on December 4, 2026.

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Global Finance News 10-07-26

Pfizer Declares $0.43 Fourth-Quarter Dividend, Extending Long-Running Payout Streak

Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) said its board of directors approved a fourth-quarter 2026 cash dividend of $0.43 per share.

The dividend will be payable on December 7, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 6.

Pfizer said maintaining — and over the longer term growing — its dividend remains part of the company’s capital allocation strategy.

The payment will mark Pfizer’s 352nd consecutive quarterly dividend, extending the pharmaceutical company’s decades-long record of regular shareholder distributions.

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The Investor 10-06-26

Dividend Growth Stocks: Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) Dividend Stock Analysis

Your source for finding the best dividend growth stocks

(dividend-growth-stocks.com)

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The Investor 10-04-26

Honeywell Technologies (NASDAQ: HON) declared a quarterly dividend payment of $0.70 per share on common stock. The dividend is payable on December 4, 2026 to holders of record at the close of business on November 13, 2026.

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Global Finance News 09-25-26

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (Nasdaq: TXN) announced it will raise its quarterly cash dividend 7%, from $1.42 per share to $1.52. The dividend will be payable November 10, 2026, to stockholders of record on October 30, 2026, contingent upon formal declaration by the board of directors at its regular meeting in October.

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Global Finance News 09-19-26

Keurig Dr Pepper (NASDAQ: KDP) announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.23 per share, payable in U.S. dollars, on the Company's common stock. The regular quarterly dividend will be paid on October 9, 2026 to shareholders of record on September 28, 2026.

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The Investor 09-17-26

Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of sixty-three cents ($0.63) per share on the $0.10 par value common stock of the company.

The dividend is payable on November 2, 2026, to stockholders of record at the close of business on October 2, 2026.

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WS Investor 09-16-26

Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR) announced today that its Board of Directors has approved a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.40 per share of its common stock, payable on October 30, 2026 to holders of record on September 30, 2026.

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WS Investor 09-16-26

11-04-26WS Investor

10-19-26WS News

10-12-26WS News

Gold

Gold Extends Rally While Brent Rebounds After Sharp Selloff

Gold and Brent crude both moved higher on Thursday, although the two markets were reacting to different forces.

Gold futures rose about 1.5% to $4,135 an ounce, extending the previous session’s strong advance. The move comes after gold surged alongside a softer U.S. dollar and lower Treasury yields, conditions that typically support non-yielding bullion. Safe-haven demand also remains elevated amid geopolitical uncertainty.

Brent crude futures climbed about 0.7% to $95.31 a barrel, recovering part of the previous session’s steep decline. Oil had fallen sharply as signs of possible diplomacy involving Iran reduced fears of prolonged supply disruption in the Middle East.

The rebound in Brent suggests some stabilization after the selloff, but crude remains sensitive to any change in geopolitical expectations or supply risk.

Gold, meanwhile, continues to benefit from a more supportive macro backdrop, with softer yields and persistent geopolitical uncertainty reinforcing demand for defensive assets.

The divergence remains notable: oil is attempting to recover from a geopolitically driven collapse, while gold is holding near elevated levels as investors continue to seek protection against uncertainty.

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Global Finance News 11-05-26

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European Investor 11-04-26

Brent Crude Rebounds While Gold Falls as Middle East Tensions Shift Inflation Expectations

Brent crude rose while gold moved sharply lower on Tuesday, as renewed Middle East tensions pushed energy prices higher but also strengthened concerns that inflation could remain elevated.

Brent futures climbed about 1.9% to $106.71 a barrel, reversing part of the previous session’s steep decline. The rebound followed renewed geopolitical tensions involving the U.S. and Iran, which brought supply risks back into focus after hopes for diplomatic progress had reduced the oil market’s risk premium.

Oil prices moved higher after reports of a U.S. strike on Iran’s Qeshm Island, while comments from Iranian officials suggested the two sides remain far apart on a potential agreement. The developments revived concerns over Middle East supply disruptions and restored part of the geopolitical risk premium that had been removed from prices a day earlier. (Reuters)

The move suggests traders are once again pricing in the possibility of disruptions to regional energy flows, particularly if tensions spread to shipping routes or critical oil infrastructure. Brent had fallen sharply a day earlier as expectations for negotiations increased, making Tuesday’s rebound largely a reassessment of those assumptions.

Gold moved in the opposite direction. Futures fell about 1.5% to $3,910.10 an ounce, extending pressure on bullion despite the increase in geopolitical uncertainty.

The decline appears to reflect the inflation and interest-rate implications of higher oil prices. A renewed rise in energy costs can increase inflation expectations and reinforce the case for tighter or more prolonged restrictive monetary policy. Higher interest rates and bond yields generally reduce the relative appeal of non-yielding assets such as gold.

The contrasting moves in Brent and gold highlight how the same geopolitical event can affect asset classes differently. Oil is benefiting directly from renewed supply-risk concerns, while gold is facing pressure from the possibility that higher energy prices could keep inflation and interest rates elevated.

Near-term direction for both markets is likely to remain tied to developments between Washington and Tehran. Further escalation could support crude prices, while gold may continue to depend more heavily on how the conflict affects Treasury yields, the U.S. dollar and expectations for Federal Reserve policy.

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Global Finance News 11-03-26

Gold and Silver Rise After Weak U.S. Jobs Data Boosts Rate-Cut Expectations

Gold and silver moved higher on Friday after weaker-than-expected U.S. employment data strengthened expectations for a more accommodative Federal Reserve policy outlook.

December gold futures rose 0.57% to about $4,226 per ounce, while December silver futures gained 1.09% to around $61.84.

The move followed a notably soft September jobs report. Nonfarm payrolls increased by just 29,000, well below expectations of 89,000, while the unemployment rate rose to 4.2%. Wage growth also cooled, with average hourly earnings rising 3.0% year over year, below the 3.2% consensus.

For precious metals, weaker labor-market data are supportive because they can increase expectations for lower interest rates and reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets such as gold and silver.

Silver outperformed gold during the session, with the stronger percentage gain also reflecting its higher volatility and dual role as both a precious and industrial metal.

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WS News 10-02-26

Gold, Silver and Bitcoin Fall as Rising Treasury Yields Pressure Alternative Assets

Gold, silver and Bitcoin moved sharply lower on Monday as rising U.S. Treasury yields and renewed inflation concerns weighed on assets that do not generate income.

Gold futures fell 3.9% to about $4,151.80 an ounce, while silver dropped 5.5% to $61.24. Bitcoin declined 1.9% to around $82,924, extending the broader risk-off move across markets.

The selloff comes as U.S. bond yields continue to climb, with the 10-year Treasury yield moving above 5.2%. Higher yields increase the opportunity cost of holding gold and silver, while also tightening financial conditions for speculative assets such as Bitcoin.

Rising oil prices are adding to the pressure by pushing inflation expectations higher. That makes investors less confident that the Federal Reserve will be able to ease monetary policy quickly and increases the possibility that interest rates remain elevated for longer.

Silver is underperforming gold because it carries both precious-metal and industrial exposure, making it more sensitive to shifts in growth expectations and market volatility. Bitcoin is also being pressured by the same higher-rate environment as investors reduce exposure to riskier assets.

The common theme across all three markets is the sharp rise in real and nominal yields. Unless Treasury yields stabilize, gold, silver and Bitcoin could remain vulnerable despite their different long-term investment narratives.

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The Investor 09-28-26

Gold steadies above $4,300 as oil eases and yields stay high - Kitco AM Report | Kitco News

Gold steadies above $4,300 as oil eases and ...

(kitco.com)

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The Investor 09-21-26

Gold and Bitcoin Rise as Investors Seek Safety and Risk Exposure After Fed Decision

Gold and Bitcoin moved higher Friday, with both assets benefiting from shifting expectations around inflation, interest rates and broader market risk sentiment.

December gold futures rose 0.60% to about $4,426 an ounce, extending gains as investors continued to assess the Federal Reserve’s latest rate increase and the outlook for inflation. Gold remained supported by demand for defensive assets, even as oil prices retreated and some immediate geopolitical supply concerns eased.

Bitcoin climbed 2.13% to around $78,019, recovering further from recent weakness. The cryptocurrency moved steadily higher through the session and briefly approached $78,500 as risk appetite improved.

The moves reflect different parts of the same macro environment. Gold is benefiting from continued demand for inflation protection and safe-haven exposure, while Bitcoin is drawing support from stronger appetite for higher-risk assets and renewed interest in crypto after the Fed’s policy decision reduced some uncertainty around the near-term rate outlook.

For both markets, the next major drivers are likely to be U.S. inflation data, Treasury yields, the dollar and any further signals from Federal Reserve officials about the possibility of additional rate increases.

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European Investor 09-18-26

Gold price holding near session highs as US pending home sales rise 0.3% | Kitco News

Gold price holding near session highs as ...

(kitco.com)

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The Investor 09-17-26

Gold Rises Nearly 1% as Treasury Yields and Dollar Ease Ahead of Fed Decision

Gold prices moved higher Wednesday, with December futures rising 0.98% to around $4,375 an ounce, recovering after recent pressure as investors prepared for the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decision later in the day.

The rebound was supported by a pullback in U.S. Treasury yields and a softer dollar. The 10-year Treasury yield had climbed above 5% on Tuesday, its highest level since 2007, before easing Wednesday. Lower yields improve the relative appeal of non-yielding assets such as gold and bitcoin.

Oil prices also retreated after their recent surge, easing some concerns that higher energy costs could intensify inflation. Markets nevertheless continue to expect the Fed to raise rates by 25 basis points, making the central bank’s guidance on the path of future rates particularly important for gold.

Geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East continues to provide some safe-haven support. For gold, the immediate focus is now on whether the Fed’s message pushes Treasury yields and the dollar higher again.

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European Investor 09-16-26

Gold Slides as Treasury Yields Surge, While Oil Rally Fuels Fed Rate-Hike Bets

Gold prices fell sharply on Tuesday as surging U.S. Treasury yields and growing expectations for a Federal Reserve rate hike outweighed safe-haven demand generated by geopolitical tensions.

December gold futures dropped 1.13% to around $4,302.60 an ounce. The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield climbed above 5%, reaching its highest level since 2007, increasing the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding gold.

Oil prices are adding to the pressure. Brent crude remained above $100 a barrel, futures up 1.76% at $102.77. Escalating Middle East tensions and risks to energy infrastructure have intensified concerns that elevated oil prices could keep inflation persistent.

Those concerns have dramatically shifted expectations for this week’s Fed meeting. Markets are now pricing roughly a 90% probability of a 25-basis-point rate increase, compared with much lower expectations before the latest inflation and energy-price developments.

The combination of higher oil prices, rising Treasury yields and increasingly hawkish Fed expectations is currently overpowering gold’s traditional geopolitical safe-haven support. Investors will now focus on Wednesday’s Fed decision and, particularly, signals about whether further rate increases could follow.

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Global Finance News 09-15-26

11-04-26WS Investor

10-02-26WS News

10-01-26WS News

09-30-26WS News

NASDAQ:KHC

Kraft Heinz to Sell North America Coffee Business to One Rock for $650 Million

Kraft Heinz (NYSE: KHC) agreed to sell its North America coffee business to One Rock Capital Partners at an enterprise value of $650 million.

The transaction includes brands such as Maxwell House, Gevalia, Nabob, Yuban, Tassimo, Ethical Bean and Sanka. Kraft Heinz will retain a 30% non-controlling stake in the business.

The company expects approximately $500 million in after-tax cash proceeds and plans to use the funds to reduce debt. Kraft Heinz said the divestiture should be accretive to growth and margins.

The deal is expected to close in mid-2027, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

The transaction is part of Kraft Heinz’s broader effort to simplify its portfolio and direct more investment toward higher-priority brands and growth areas.

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WS Investor 11-04-26

Kraft Heinz Jumps 5.4% as Improved Sales Trends and Higher EPS Outlook Boost Shares

Kraft Heinz (NYSE: KHC) shares rose about 5.4% after the company reported improving sales and volume trends across its regions and raised the low end of its full-year organic sales outlook while also increasing adjusted EPS guidance.

Third-quarter net sales fell 2.0% year over year to $6.1 billion, while organic net sales declined 1.1%. Volume and mix were down 1.1%, with weakness in North America and Europe partly offset by growth in Emerging Markets.

Profitability remained under pressure. Adjusted operating income fell 15.2% to $0.9 billion, primarily due to procurement and logistics inflation, higher variable compensation, weaker volume/mix and increased advertising spending. Adjusted EPS declined 13.1% to $0.53.

Despite the lower quarterly earnings, management said market share, sales and volume trends improved across every region compared with last year. The company also highlighted progress in its U.S. turnaround and international growth strategy.

Kraft Heinz narrowed its 2026 organic net sales outlook to a decline of 0.5% to 1.25%, compared with the prior range of down 0.5% to 2.0%. Adjusted EPS guidance was raised to $2.07-$2.13 from $2.03-$2.09.

The company maintained its expectation for constant-currency adjusted operating income to decline 16%-18%, reflecting continued inflationary pressures and approximately $700 million of incremental investment compared with 2025.

Cash generation remained relatively solid, with year-to-date free cash flow of $2.4 billion and free cash flow conversion of 120%. Kraft Heinz has returned $1.4 billion to shareholders through dividends so far this year.

The 5.4% share gain appears to reflect improving underlying sales trends and the upward revision to EPS guidance rather than the headline decline in quarterly earnings. Investors may be focusing on signs that the company’s U.S. turnaround is gaining traction and that volume deterioration is beginning to moderate.

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WS Investor 11-04-26

Kraft Heinz Edges Up 1% as Cash Flow Surge Offsets Soft Organic Sales

May 6, 2026 · Earnings Report

Kraft Heinz gained 1% today after reporting first quarter 2026 results that showed modest top-line progress and a standout improvement in cash generation, even as the food giant continues to navigate weak consumer sentiment, inflationary cost pressures and declining volumes in key categories.

Net sales rose 0.8% to $6.0 billion, aided by a 1.9 percentage point tailwind from foreign currency and pricing increases taken to offset higher input costs. However, organic net sales declined 0.4%, with volume and mix down 1.2 percentage points across all three segments, dragged lower by declines in coffee, cold cuts and Indonesia. North America remained the weakest region, with organic sales down 1.1%, while Emerging Markets was the bright spot, delivering 3.8% organic growth to reach $746 million in sales, up 7.6% in reported terms.

Gross profit margin expanded 230 basis points to 36.7%, though adjusted gross profit margin slipped 30 basis points to 34.1%. Adjusted operating income fell 11.8% to $1.06 billion, pressured by higher advertising expenses and manufacturing and logistics inflation that outpaced efficiency savings. GAAP diluted EPS rose 13.6% to $0.67, largely due to lower income taxes and favorable other income items, while adjusted EPS declined 6.5% to $0.58.

The cash flow story was more encouraging. Net cash from operating activities jumped 39.7% to $1.0 billion, driven by working capital improvements including inventory optimization and better supplier payment terms. Free cash flow surged 58.9% to $0.8 billion, with free cash flow conversion reaching 111%, up 46 percentage points year-over-year. The company returned $474 million to shareholders through dividends in the quarter and retains approximately $1.5 billion in share repurchase authorization, though no buybacks were executed.

"Our first quarter results demonstrate steady progress, and I am encouraged by the early signs of momentum we're building," said CEO Steve Cahillane. "The investments we made in 2025 are now driving early traction, with improving market share trends, particularly within must-win parts of our portfolio like Taste Elevation."

For the full year 2026, Kraft Heinz reaffirmed its outlook, which remains challenging. Organic net sales are expected to decline between 1.5% and 3.5%, including roughly 100 basis points of headwind from SNAP benefit reductions. Constant currency adjusted operating income is projected to fall 14% to 18%, reflecting $600 million in incremental investments in marketing, sales and product development. Adjusted EPS is guided to a range of $1.98 to $2.10, with free cash flow conversion of approximately 100%.

The 1% gain reflects investor relief that results came in steady rather than deteriorating, with the cash flow improvement providing some reassurance that the turnaround strategy is at least generating financial flexibility even as volume recovery remains elusive.

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Global Finance News 05-06-26

Kraft Heinz announced the launch of Capri Sun Hydrate, a new electrolyte drink designed specifically for children, marking the brand’s entry into the fast-growing functional hydration segment.

The product contains electrolytes and Vitamin E, with 50% less sugar than traditional sports drinks and no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It will be available nationwide in flavors such as Fruit Punch, Tropical Punch, and Lemon Lime.

The launch targets increasing demand from parents for healthier, lower-sugar beverage options tailored to children’s active lifestyles.

Kraft Heinz said the product reflects its broader strategy to drive growth through innovation and expand into new consumption occasions within the beverage category.
Business Wire

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WS Investor 04-21-26

The Kraft Heinz Company announced that its Oscar Mayer unit has launched Maple Bourbon Bacon, marking its first bacon innovation in five years.

Developed in partnership with Evan Williams, the new product features thick-cut bacon cured with bourbon and finished with a 12-hour slow-smoking process, delivering a sweet and smoky flavor profile with notes of maple, vanilla, and caramel.

The product will roll out nationwide in the U.S., targeting growing consumer demand for bold, trend-driven flavors. The launch also signals the start of a broader innovation strategy, with Oscar Mayer planning to introduce new bacon varieties annually through limited-edition releases and potential permanent additions.

In addition to the bacon launch, the brand is expanding its portfolio with new hot dog offerings ahead of the summer grilling season, reinforcing its focus on product innovation and consumer engagement.
Business Wire

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WS Investor 04-08-26

The Kraft Heinz Company reported weaker sales and margin pressure for 2025, alongside significant non-cash impairment charges, while outlining a $600 million investment plan aimed at restoring profitable growth in 2026.

For full-year 2025, net sales declined 3.5%, with Organic Net Sales down 3.4%. Gross profit margin decreased 140 basis points to 33.3%, and Adjusted Gross Profit Margin declined 120 basis points to 33.5%. The company recorded an operating loss of $4.7 billion, primarily driven by $9.3 billion in non-cash impairment losses. Adjusted Operating Income totaled $4.7 billion, down 11.5% year over year.

Cash generation remained resilient. Net cash provided by operating activities increased 6.6% to $4.5 billion, while Free Cash Flow rose 15.9% to $3.7 billion. The company returned $2.3 billion of capital to shareholders during the year.

In the fourth quarter, net sales fell 3.4%, with Organic Net Sales down 4.2%. Gross profit margin decreased 150 basis points to 32.6%, while Adjusted Gross Profit Margin declined 130 basis points to 33.1%. Operating income was $1.1 billion, and Adjusted Operating Income was $1.2 billion, down 15.9%. Diluted EPS dropped 68.8% to $0.55, while Adjusted EPS declined 20.2% to $0.67.

CEO Steve Cahillane said the company will pause work related to its previously announced separation plans, citing the need to concentrate resources on executing its operating plan and avoiding related dis-synergies.

To support a return to profitable growth, Kraft Heinz announced a $600 million investment focused on marketing, sales, R&D, product superiority, and selective pricing initiatives. Management emphasized that strong Free Cash Flow and a solid balance sheet position the company to fund these investments while continuing shareholder returns.

The company also provided its full-year 2026 outlook, signaling a renewed strategic focus on accelerating momentum in its Taste Elevation portfolio and stabilizing its U.S. business.

Source: Business Wire.

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WS Investor 02-11-26

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WS Investor 02-11-26

The Kraft Heinz Company announced that its HEINZ brand has introduced the HEINZ KegChup, the first-ever keg of HEINZ ketchup, designed for large gatherings and watch parties ahead of football’s biggest game. The stainless steel keg holds 114 ounces of HEINZ ketchup and features a tap-style spigot, aiming to ensure fans do not run out of the brand’s signature condiment during game-day celebrations.

The idea was inspired by the beer industry’s keg format and follows strong consumer interest after the concept was teased on social media, generating nearly one million views. Kraft Heinz plans to give a limited number of fans the chance to win the KegChup through an Instagram promotion and open exclusive preorder access for a broader release planned for the start of the 2026 football season. The launch highlights the company’s focus on brand-led innovation and consumer engagement around major cultural moments.

Source: Business Wire

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WS Investor 01-27-26

The Kraft Heinz Company (Nasdaq: KHC) will release its fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.

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The Investor 01-20-26

The Kraft Heinz Company said its Ore-Ida brand has partnered with Fischer Sports to launch limited-edition “French Fry Skis,” blending the brand’s iconic crinkle-cut fries with winter sports culture. The novelty skis feature a fry-inspired design and are built with Fischer’s performance technology, targeting skiers familiar with the “pizza to French fry” learning milestone on the slopes.

The limited-edition skis will go on sale February 1 for $250 in select retailers across Oregon and Idaho, with promotional events planned at Snowmass later in January. Kraft Heinz said the collaboration is part of Ore-Ida’s broader effort to engage consumers through playful brand extensions tied to seasonal moments.

Source: Business Wire

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The Investor 01-18-26

04-15-26European Investor

02-11-26WS News

11-17-25WS News

10-30-25Global Finance News

09-02-25The Investor

NYSE:CVS

CVS Health Plans Tax-Free Split Into Two Public Companies by 2028

CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) plans to separate into two independent publicly traded companies, splitting its healthcare solutions operations from its retail pharmacy business. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2028.

One company, which will retain the CVS Health name, will include Aetna, CVS Caremark, CVS Specialty, Oak Street Health and Signify Health. The second, CVS Pharmacy, will include roughly 9,000 retail pharmacies, mail pharmacy, MinuteClinic and the Health100 technology business.

CVS said the separation should give each business a more focused strategy, independent capital structure and greater flexibility to invest and allocate capital. Both companies are expected to maintain investment-grade ratings and generate strong free cash flow.

The transaction is intended to be tax-free to CVS Health and its shareholders, who are expected to own shares in both companies following the separation.

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WS Investor 11-04-26

CVS Health Plunges 12.5% Despite Higher Guidance as Medical Cost Concerns Persist

CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) shares fell about 12.5% after the company reported stronger third-quarter earnings and raised its full-year outlook, but maintained a cautious view on elevated medical cost trends and potential macroeconomic headwinds.

Third-quarter revenue increased 5.4% year over year to $108.4 billion. Adjusted EPS rose to $2.09 from $1.60, while adjusted operating income increased 21.2% across the company’s operating segments.

The Health Care Benefits segment showed meaningful improvement. Adjusted operating income climbed to $912 million from $314 million, while the medical benefit ratio improved to 91.3% from 92.8%. CVS attributed the improvement mainly to stronger underlying performance in its government business.

Health Services revenue rose 9.5% to $54.0 billion, while adjusted operating income increased 2.7% to $2.11 billion. Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness revenue fell 2.0% to $35.5 billion, but adjusted operating income increased 10.6% to $1.64 billion, supported by core pharmacy strength and contributions from Rite Aid asset acquisitions.

CVS raised its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to at least $8.20 from a previous range of $7.90-$8.10. GAAP EPS guidance was increased to at least $6.98, while operating cash flow guidance rose sharply to at least $15.5 billion from at least $11.5 billion. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="6"}

However, management also said it remains cautious for the rest of the year because of continued elevated cost trends and possible macroeconomic pressures.

The sharp 12.5% decline suggests investors are looking beyond the headline guidance increase and focusing on the durability of the margin recovery in CVS’s insurance business. The medical benefit ratio improved materially, but it remains elevated, while the company’s explicit warning on cost trends may be raising concerns that recent earnings improvement could prove harder to sustain than the stronger quarterly numbers imply.

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WS Investor 11-04-26

CVS Health’s Aetna Expands Bundled Cancer Prior Authorizations

CVS Health’s Aetna is expanding bundled prior authorizations across all cancer types for eligible Medicaid members, with plans to extend the model across all lines of business in 2027.

The approach allows providers to submit a single prior authorization covering multiple related cancer services, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation oncology and associated imaging such as MRI and CT scans. Aetna said providers had previously submitted an average of four separate prior authorization requests for each member undergoing cancer treatment.

Aetna said nearly 25% of eligible members are already receiving bundled prior authorizations following the initial rollout. The company expects the expanded process to reduce administrative work and speed patient access to approved treatment services.

The insurer cited provider survey data showing that 74% of respondents viewed administrative burden as their biggest clinical challenge, while 31% identified prior authorization management as the single largest contributor.

Aetna plans to expand eligibility to Medicare and commercial members in the first half of 2027, broadening the program beyond Medicaid.

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The Investor 09-17-26

CVS Health (CVS) Stock Falls 6% Despite Strong Q2 Earnings and Higher Guidance

CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) shares fell around 6% on Wednesday despite reporting strong second-quarter results, raising its full-year earnings guidance, and improving profitability across its healthcare businesses. Investors appeared to focus on management's cautious comments about elevated healthcare costs and macroeconomic uncertainty, overshadowing an otherwise solid quarter.

Strong Earnings and Higher Outlook

CVS reported second-quarter revenue of $106.1 billion, up 7.3% year over year, while adjusted EPS climbed to $2.58 from $1.81 a year earlier. The company also generated $10.6 billion in year-to-date operating cash flow.

Management raised its full-year outlook, now expecting:

* GAAP EPS of $6.84 to $7.04
* Adjusted EPS of $7.90 to $8.10
* Operating cash flow of at least $11.5 billion

The higher guidance reflects continued improvement in the Health Care Benefits and Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness businesses.

Insurance Business Continues to Recover

The company's Health Care Benefits segment remained the biggest earnings driver. Adjusted operating income jumped 85.5% year over year, while the medical benefit ratio improved to 87.4% from 89.9%, reflecting better claims experience and continued execution of CVS's margin recovery strategy.

CVS also continued expanding its GLP-1 weight-loss offerings and AI-powered healthcare tools to improve patient engagement and claims processing.

Why the Stock Fell

Despite the strong results, investors appeared concerned that management maintained a cautious outlook for the remainder of 2026, citing continued elevated healthcare cost trends and potential macroeconomic headwinds.

After several quarters of improving performance, expectations heading into the earnings release were high, and the stronger guidance may not have been enough to offset concerns that healthcare costs could remain a headwind.

What Investors Are Watching

Investors will continue monitoring medical cost trends, the recovery of insurance margins, pharmacy reimbursement conditions, and the rollout of CVS's GLP-1 and AI initiatives. While Wednesday's share decline reflected cautious sentiment, the quarter demonstrated continued operational improvement and stronger earnings momentum across the company's integrated healthcare platform.

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The Investor 08-05-26

CVS Health Jumps 6% After Raising Full-Year Guidance on Insurance Margin Recovery

May 6, 2026 · Earnings Report

CVS Health surged 6% today after reporting first quarter 2026 results that beat expectations and prompted the company to raise its full-year earnings and cash flow guidance, with the Health Care Benefits segment delivering a dramatic improvement that reassured investors who had been watching the insurer's margin recovery closely.

Total revenues for the quarter came in at $100.4 billion, up 6.2% year-over-year, with growth across all three operating segments. GAAP diluted EPS rose to $2.30 from $1.41 in the prior year, while adjusted EPS increased to $2.57 from $2.25, beating expectations. Operating income jumped 38.7% to $4.68 billion, and adjusted operating income grew 12.5% to $5.15 billion. Cash flow from operations was $4.2 billion for the quarter.

The standout was the Health Care Benefits segment, which houses the Aetna insurance business. Adjusted operating income for the segment surged 52.6% to $3.04 billion, as the medical benefit ratio improved sharply to 84.6% from 87.3% a year ago, reflecting better underlying performance in the government business and the absence of a $448 million premium deficiency reserve recorded in the prior year. The improvement validated the company's much-discussed margin recovery plan, which had been a central concern for investors after a difficult 2025. Medical membership stood at 26.0 million as of March 31, down from 27.1 million a year ago, reflecting CVS's exit from the individual exchange business in 2026.

The Health Services segment, which includes pharmacy benefit management, posted revenues up 11.0% to $48.2 billion, though adjusted operating income dipped 7.1% to $1.49 billion due to continued pharmacy client price improvements. The Pharmacy and Consumer Wellness segment, which includes retail pharmacies, saw revenues hold roughly flat at $32.0 billion, with prescription volumes up 3.6% partly aided by the Rite Aid asset acquisitions completed in mid-2025, though adjusted operating income declined 8.8% due to reimbursement pressure and weather-related disruptions.

On the strategic front, CVS announced the launch of Health100, a health technology subsidiary that will use Google Cloud's AI technologies to deliver an integrated health care engagement platform for consumers. The company also unveiled plans for smaller pharmacy-focused retail locations and highlighted meaningful progress on prior authorization reform through Aetna, including approving more than 95% of eligible prior authorizations within 24 hours and eliminating over one million provider calls through automation.

For the full year 2026, CVS raised its GAAP diluted EPS guidance to a range of $6.24 to $6.44, up from the prior range of $5.94 to $6.14. Adjusted EPS guidance was lifted to $7.30 to $7.50 from $7.00 to $7.20, and cash flow from operations guidance was raised to at least $9.5 billion from at least $9.0 billion. The company noted it was maintaining a cautious view for the remainder of the year given continued elevated cost trends and potential macro headwinds.

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Global Finance News 05-06-26

CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS) will hold a conference call on Wednesday, May 6th, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. ET on first quarter 2026 financial results.

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Global Finance News 04-07-26

CVS Health announced that its subsidiary Omnicare has entered into an asset purchase agreement with GenieRx Holdings as part of an ongoing court-supervised sale process.

GenieRx will act as the “stalking horse bidder,” setting a baseline value for Omnicare’s assets while allowing competing bids. The deadline for alternative offers is April 30, with a potential auction scheduled for May 5, 2026.

Omnicare said it will continue operating normally during the process, maintaining pharmacy services for long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing and assisted living communities.

The company emphasized that the agreement reflects continued interest in its business and supports efforts to maximize value while ensuring uninterrupted care for patients.

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Global Finance News 04-03-26

CVS Health announced the opening of its first pharmacy-only CVS Pharmacy location in Chicago, marking the start of a broader rollout of smaller, dedicated pharmacy formats.

The company plans to open nearly 20 such locations in 2026, designed to improve access to medications, vaccinations, and pharmacist consultations, particularly in underserved communities.

These compact, apothecary-style stores focus on core pharmacy services with a limited retail offering, aiming to enhance patient interaction and provide more personalized care.

The initiative reflects CVS’s strategy to adapt its retail footprint and meet evolving healthcare needs, emphasizing in-person pharmacist engagement alongside digital services.

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WS Investor 03-30-26

CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS) has announced that its board of directors has approved a quarterly dividend of $0.665 cents per share on the Common Stock of the Corporation. The dividend is payable on May 4, 2026, to holders of record on April 23, 2026.

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Global Finance News 03-19-26

CVS Health and Google Cloud partner to develop AI-driven healthcare engagement platform

CVS Health and Google Cloud have announced a strategic partnership to develop a new AI-powered healthcare consumer engagement platform through CVS Health’s newly launched technology subsidiary, Health100.

The platform will use Google Cloud’s AI technologies, including Gemini models, Cloud Healthcare API and BigQuery, to create an integrated system that connects patients with pharmacies, healthcare providers, insurers and digital health services. The AI-native platform aims to deliver real-time, personalized health support, improve access to care and help consumers manage healthcare costs.

CVS Health said the Health100 platform is designed to provide an always-on digital health partner that can guide patients through care decisions and connect them with services such as pharmacist-led care management. The platform is expected to launch in 2026 and will allow other healthcare innovators to build applications within its ecosystem.

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The Investor 03-07-26

07-24-26WS News

07-02-26WS Investor

04-30-26The Investor

04-13-26WS News

NYSE:ANET

Arista Networks Jumps 11% Premarket as Q3 Revenue Surges 59% and Q4 Outlook Stays Strong

Arista Networks (NYSE: ANET) shares rose about 11% in premarket trading after the company reported a record third quarter, with revenue growth reaching its fastest pace since the company’s IPO and profitability also hitting new highs.

Third-quarter revenue rose 58.5% year over year to $3.66 billion and increased 20.5% sequentially. The result came well above Arista’s prior guidance of about $3.3 billion, underscoring stronger-than-expected demand across AI, cloud and data center networking.

Profitability remained exceptionally strong. Non-GAAP operating margin reached 49.1%, up from 48.6% a year earlier, while GAAP operating margin expanded to 44.9% from 42.4%. Non-GAAP diluted EPS climbed to $1.20 from $0.77.

AI infrastructure was a central growth driver. Arista introduced new open Ethernet rack-scale architectures developed with partners including AMD, Arm, Broadcom, Meta, Microsoft and Qualcomm, targeting both scale-up and scale-out AI networks.

The company also expanded its networking architecture for distributed AI fabrics, including systems designed to support extremely large accelerator deployments across multiple data centers. Arista said demand across customer groups continues to strengthen as generative and agentic AI infrastructure spending expands.

For the fourth quarter, Arista expects revenue of $3.9 billion to $4.0 billion, implying another sequential increase from Q3. Non-GAAP operating margin is expected at 48%-49%, while non-GAAP diluted EPS is projected at $1.26-$1.30.

The 11% premarket gain appears to reflect the combination of a major revenue beat, accelerating AI networking demand and exceptionally strong margins. With Q3 growth far exceeding prior guidance and Q4 revenue expected to rise further, investors are likely focusing on Arista’s increasing role as a key networking supplier for large-scale AI infrastructure.

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European Investor 11-04-26

Arista Unveils Rack-Scale Ethernet Architectures for High-Density AI Infrastructure

Arista Networks (NYSE: ANET) announced a new rack-scale networking portfolio designed for both scale-up and scale-out AI fabrics, expanding Ethernet deeper into high-density AI computing environments.

The new architecture was developed with technology partners including AMD, Arm, Broadcom, d-Matrix, Meta, Microsoft and Qualcomm. Arista said the platform supports up to 144 accelerators in a single rack and can scale to 1,024 XPUs across multiple racks, giving cloud operators an open, standards-based alternative to proprietary interconnect architectures.

At the center of the launch is Arista’s Etherlink SU-144 scale-up architecture. The company is offering three physical designs: an orthogonal chassis for extreme bandwidth and density, a cabled backplane focused on modularity and serviceability, and a cross-rack system designed for larger multi-rack accelerator deployments.

Arista is also extending its scale-out portfolio with support for multiple interconnect approaches, including ESUN, Nvidia NVLink, NVLink Fusion and PCIe. The systems are built on Arista’s Netdi foundation and support either Arista EOS or an open network operating system.

The rack-scale systems incorporate liquid-cooled 7060EX7 switches with 102.4 Tbps of capacity per switch, along with integrated cooling, power and rack-management infrastructure. Arista said next-generation optics such as XPO and open CPO/NPO can increase rack networking capacity from roughly 1.6 Pb/s today to as much as 6.5 Pb/s.

According to the company, that higher density could reduce overall data center footprint by nearly 50%, potentially lowering infrastructure costs and accelerating deployment.

The announcement strengthens Arista’s positioning in AI networking as hyperscalers and cloud providers increasingly look for open Ethernet-based alternatives capable of supporting tightly coupled accelerator clusters at rack scale.

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Global Finance News 10-07-26

Arista Networks Stock Soars 12% After-Hours as Revenue Tops $3 Billion and AI Networking Demand Accelerates

Arista Networks (NYSE: ANET) shares surged 12% in after-hours trading on Tuesday after the company delivered record second-quarter results, beating the $3 billion revenue milestone for the first time while issuing strong guidance that reinforced optimism surrounding AI infrastructure spending.

Second-quarter revenue rose 37.7% year over year to a record $3.04 billion, while non-GAAP earnings per share climbed nearly 40% to $1.02. The company also expanded profitability, with non-GAAP operating margin improving to 49.9%, highlighting continued operating leverage despite rapid growth.

Management attributed the strong performance to robust demand across cloud, AI, enterprise, and campus networking. CEO Jayshree Ullal said Arista's "client-to-cloud" platform strategy continues to resonate as networking becomes the "central nervous system" of AI infrastructure.

The company also announced several AI-focused product launches during the quarter, including new 1.6 Tbps Ethernet switching platforms with liquid-cooled options designed for next-generation AI clusters. Arista also introduced new networking technologies aimed at improving the efficiency, scalability, and resilience of large AI deployments.

Looking ahead, management guided third-quarter revenue to approximately $3.3 billion, well above the just-reported quarter, while forecasting non-GAAP operating margins of 48% to 49% and non-GAAP earnings per share between $1.06 and $1.08.

The results arrive as investors remain highly optimistic about companies supplying networking infrastructure for AI data centers. Strong recent earnings from AI-related technology companies have reinforced expectations that hyperscale cloud providers will continue increasing capital spending on AI infrastructure, creating additional demand for high-performance networking equipment.

Investors welcomed Arista's combination of accelerating revenue growth, expanding margins, AI product innovation, and upbeat guidance, viewing the report as another sign that enterprise and hyperscale AI infrastructure investment remains strong.

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WS Investor 08-04-26

Arista Networks Rises After KeyBanc Raises Price Target on AI Networking Strength

Arista Networks (NYSE: ANET) gained 2.9% after KeyBanc reiterated its Overweight rating and raised its price target to $200 from $178.

The higher target reflects growing confidence in Arista's position as a leading provider of high-performance networking equipment for cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure. As hyperscalers continue expanding AI data centers, demand for advanced networking solutions has become a critical part of the AI investment cycle.

Arista has been one of the primary beneficiaries of rising spending by major cloud providers, which require increasingly sophisticated networking technologies to connect AI servers and manage growing data traffic. The company's strong exposure to large-scale data center deployments has fueled investor optimism about its long-term growth prospects.

The analyst action comes amid a broader wave of bullish calls across the semiconductor and AI infrastructure sectors. Investors remain focused on companies supplying the hardware and networking backbone needed to support the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence workloads.

The stock's advance suggests investors welcomed the increased price target as further evidence that AI-related capital spending remains robust. With cloud providers and enterprise customers continuing to invest heavily in next-generation infrastructure, Arista is viewed as one of the key beneficiaries of the ongoing AI-driven technology spending cycle.

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The Investor 06-19-26

Arista Networks Falls 9% After Hours: Record Quarter Meets a Brutal Valuation Bar

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Arista Networks delivered its strongest quarter yet — and the after-hours market responded with a 9% sell-off. It's the clearest illustration of today's earnings theme: at sufficiently stretched valuations, even exceptional results aren't enough.

## The Numbers Were Excellent

Q1 2026 revenue of $2.709 billion grew 35.1% year-over-year — accelerating from the 28.9% growth posted in Q4 2025 — and came in well above the consensus estimate of roughly $2.615 billion. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.87 beat the $0.81 analyst expectation. GAAP and non-GAAP operating margins held steady at 42.7% and 47.8% respectively — remarkable consistency for a company growing at this pace. Cash flow from operations was $1.69 billion in a single quarter. Revenue also grew 8.9% sequentially, a meaningful acceleration.

Product highlights were compelling. Arista unveiled the XPO MSA — a high-density liquid-cooled pluggable optics platform for next-generation AI data centers that reduces networking racks by up to 75% and saves up to 44% of floor space versus traditional architecture. The company's universal AI spine (the 7800 series) also advanced, addressing the micro-burst and head-of-line blocking challenges that plague large-scale AI training clusters. Net promoter score came in at 89, with 94% of customers expressing strong satisfaction — a rare feat for an enterprise hardware and software vendor.

## So Why Is It Down 9%?

The answer lies almost entirely in Q2 guidance. Arista guided Q2 revenue to approximately $2.8 billion and non-GAAP EPS to $0.88 — both essentially in line with Wall Street expectations, not above them. Non-GAAP operating margin guidance of 46–47% is also a step down from the 47.8% delivered in Q1. For a stock that had rallied over 33% year-to-date heading into this print and was trading at roughly 50x forward earnings and 18.5x EV/sales, "in line" is the new "miss."

The valuation math is unforgiving. At those multiples, the market had already priced in another beat-and-raise. When guidance merely matches rather than exceeds expectations, the implied growth premium deflates — and quickly. The after-hours move is less about what Arista said and more about what the stock had already assumed.

## The Structural Risk Market Is Pricing In

Beyond the immediate guidance reaction, two longer-term concerns are rising in analyst notes. First, customer concentration: Arista's two largest hyperscaler customers have historically represented over 40% of revenue combined, making the stock acutely sensitive to any shift in their AI capex timing. Second, gross margin trajectory. Non-GAAP gross margins of around 62–63% represent a step down from the 64–65% levels of mid-2025, driven by AI cluster mix — large customers negotiating from scale tend to compress margins. The Q2 operating margin guide of 46–47% implies this pressure is not yet abating.

## The Longer-Term Case Remains Intact

None of this changes Arista's structural positioning. The company is the dominant Ethernet networking vendor for AI infrastructure, with a purpose-built software stack (EOS), a growing campus and routing footprint, and a product roadmap — XPO, the 7800 AI spine, cognitive campus — that addresses the next generation of AI data center architecture. Full-year 2026 AI networking revenue is now targeted at $3.25 billion. The NPS of 89 is not the kind of number a company under competitive siege produces.

Today's after-hours drop is a valuation recalibration, not a fundamental verdict. But for investors who bought Arista as a "can't miss" AI trade, tonight is a reminder that at 50x earnings, every quarter has to be perfect — and in-line is not perfect.

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European Investor 05-05-26

Arista Networks announced a multi-source agreement for XPO, a new liquid-cooled pluggable optics module designed for AI data center networking.

The XPO module delivers 12.8 Tbps capacity per unit and supports rack densities of up to 204.8 Tbps per open compute rack unit, about four times higher than current 1600G-OSFP optics. The design includes an integrated cold plate capable of cooling up to 400 watts per module, enabling higher performance in AI workloads that require liquid-cooled infrastructure.

The module supports multiple optical standards including DR, FR, LR, SR and ZR/ZR+, along with next-generation interface architectures such as linear, half-retimed and fully-retimed designs. It is intended for AI networking environments including scale-up, scale-out and metro-reach data center fabrics.

Arista said the XPO specification will be demonstrated at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) 2026 in Los Angeles with support from multiple optical module suppliers. Industry participants including Microsoft and market research firm Dell’Oro Group said the technology could help support the growing bandwidth demands of large AI clusters.
Business Wire

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European Investor 03-12-26

Arista Networks, Inc (NYSE: ANET) will release its financial results for the quarter ended December 31st, 2025, after U.S. markets close on Thursday, February 12th, 2026.

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Global Finance News 01-18-26

Fortinet and Arista Networks Launch Joint Secure AI Data Center Solution

Fortinet and Arista Networks announced a joint Secure AI Data Center solution designed to combine high-performance, low-latency networking with integrated, zero-trust security for large-scale AI workloads. The solution has been deployed at Monolithic Power Systems and provides a validated, scalable reference architecture for organizations building and operating AI data centers.

The joint architecture integrates Arista’s ultra-low-latency networking and load balancing with Fortinet’s ASIC-accelerated security, including encrypted traffic inspection, zero-trust segmentation, and AI-aware threat protection. According to the companies, the design enables faster deployment through zero-touch provisioning, supports next-generation AI accelerators, and improves AI performance by offloading HTTPS and TLS processing from server CPUs.

The collaboration aims to address key barriers to AI adoption such as infrastructure complexity, performance bottlenecks, vendor lock-in, and security risks including data leakage and model tampering. By offering a modular, multivendor blueprint with unified management across networking and security, the companies say organizations can scale AI infrastructure with lower cost, reduced operational risk, and higher resilience.

Source: GlobeNewswire

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WS Investor 12-20-25

Arista Networks (NYSE: ANET) unveiled major enhancements to its Cognitive Campus portfolio, introducing Arista VESPA, an architecture designed to support massive-scale Wi-Fi mobility with roaming domains exceeding 500,000 clients. The technology brings data center–grade scalability to campus networks, eliminating the complexity of traditional controller-based systems. Arizona State University, one of the largest public universities in the U.S., has partnered with Arista to validate the new VESPA architecture.

Arista also expanded its AVA agentic AI platform, which unifies AI-driven networking operations across wired, wireless, data center, and security domains. AVA leverages Arista EOS and the NetDL data lake to enable autonomous event correlation, conversational troubleshooting, continuous monitoring, and automated root cause analysis.

To support industrial and outdoor deployments, Arista introduced two ruggedized switches—the 710HXP-28TXH and 710HXP-20TNH—engineered to withstand extreme environments while powering next-generation devices such as Wi-Fi 7 access points and high-power outdoor security systems.

All new software features and hardware platforms are expected to be generally available in Q1 2026.

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European Investor 12-10-25

Arista Networks Posts Strong Q3 Results With 27.5% Revenue Growth and Higher Profitability

Arista Networks reported a robust third quarter, delivering $2.308 billion in revenue, up 27.5% from a year earlier and 4.7% sequentially, driven by continued demand across AI, cloud, and campus networking. GAAP net income rose to $853 million, while non-GAAP earnings reached $962.3 million, reflecting 25% EPS growth as the company maintained strong gross margins above 65%. CEO Jayshree Ullal said Arista’s “centers of data” strategy continues to resonate with customers seeking scalable client-to-cloud and AI networking solutions.

The quarter also featured several strategic initiatives, including the appointment of Kenneth Duda as President and CTO, new leadership for cloud and AI networking, and expanded collaboration on Ethernet for Scale-Up Networks unveiled at the OCP Summit. Arista also introduced AI-driven agents to automate network operations and a new observability blueprint for modern AI workloads via CloudVision AI.

Looking ahead to Q4, Arista expects revenue between $2.3 billion and $2.4 billion, with non-GAAP gross margins of 62–63% and operating margins of 47–48%, signaling confidence in sustained demand and disciplined execution.

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European Investor 12-04-25

11-04-26WS Investor

08-05-26The Investor

05-22-26European Investor

NYSE:NVO

Novo Nordisk Jumps 7% as GLP-1 Momentum Drives Higher 2026 Outlook

Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) shares rose about 7% after the company reported stronger third-quarter adjusted profit growth and raised its full-year outlook, supported by continued momentum across its GLP-1 portfolio.

Third-quarter sales increased 4% at constant exchange rates to DKK 79.2 billion. Adjusted operating profit rose 27% at constant exchange rates to DKK 31.7 billion, helped by higher GLP-1 sales and an easier comparison against transformation costs recorded a year earlier.

Reported operating profit, however, fell 9% at constant exchange rates to DKK 23.0 billion after Novo recorded DKK 8.7 billion of non-cash impairment charges related to ziltivekimab and the restructuring of its manufacturing network.

Commercial momentum remained strongest in obesity. Wegovy pill sales reached DKK 5.39 billion in Q3 after launches in the U.S., UAE, UK and Germany, with the product now available in eight markets. Novo said the Wegovy franchise maintained more than 50% share of new patient starts in the U.S. branded obesity market.

Ozempic pill also showed encouraging early uptake after its U.S. launch in May, with weekly new-to-brand prescriptions running roughly 100% above pre-launch levels under the Rybelsus brand. The company is also progressing the international rollout of Ozempic 2.0 mg and Wegovy 7.2 mg.

Novo highlighted additional pipeline progress, including 21% weight loss at week 68 for CagriSema in the REDEFINE 9 obesity trial and superior weight loss versus tirzepatide 5 mg in the REIMAGINE 5 diabetes study.

The company raised its 2026 outlook, with adjusted sales growth now expected between -2% and +2% at constant exchange rates and adjusted operating profit growth also expected between -2% and +2%. Management said the improved guidance reflects higher expectations for GLP-1 product sales.

The 7% share gain appears to reflect renewed confidence in Novo Nordisk’s obesity and diabetes franchise after a period of investor concern around competitive pressure and growth expectations. Stronger adjusted profitability, improving oral GLP-1 uptake and the upgraded full-year outlook provided a more constructive signal on the company’s near-term trajectory.

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WS Investor 11-04-26

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WS Investor 05-06-26

Hims & Hers stock surges as Novo Nordisk says it will distribute weight-loss drugs on platform

Hims stock surged more than 40% Monday morning on news that Novo Nordisk will distribute its weight-loss drugs through the Hims platform.

(finance.yahoo.com)

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WS Investor 03-09-26

Novo Nordisk’s International Operations unit committed to adopting Veeva Vault CRM, selecting the platform to support next-generation commercial execution powered by agentic AI. The move expands the companies’ partnership and provides Novo Nordisk with a global, compliant CRM foundation to enhance engagement across personal and digital channels.

Source: Veeva Systems, Novo Nordisk, PR Newswire

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Global Finance News 01-07-26

Pfizer – Second Antitrust Lawsuit Against Metsera and Novo Nordisk

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) announced that it has filed a second federal antitrust lawsuit against Metsera, Inc., its controlling stockholders, and Novo Nordisk A/S in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.

The company alleges that Novo Nordisk’s proposed acquisition of Metsera is an anticompetitive attempt to maintain its dominance in the GLP-1 drug market by blocking an emerging American competitor from gaining Pfizer’s support. Pfizer claims the transaction violates Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act and Section 7 of the Clayton Act, citing conspiracy and attempted monopolization.

Pfizer said it seeks injunctive relief to prevent the transaction, asserting that Novo Nordisk, Metsera, and its controlling stockholders (Validae Health, Population Health Partners, and ARCH Venture Funds XII and XIII) engaged in activities detrimental to competition and patients suffering from obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic conditions.

The company has also filed a separate suit in the Delaware Court of Chancery to block Metsera from terminating its existing merger agreement with Pfizer.

Source: Pfizer Inc. – Investor Relations

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Global Finance News 11-03-25

Scholar Rock Notes FDA Action on Novo Nordisk’s Catalent Facility

Scholar Rock Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: SRRK) announced that Novo Nordisk notified the company the U.S. FDA has classified its Catalent Indiana facility inspection as “Official Action Indicated” (OAI) following a Form 483 issued in July 2025, signaling potential regulatory follow-up or enforcement actions at the site.

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European Investor 10-14-25

Healthcare Investing Trends from Top Companies | Morgan Stanley

Learn healthcare investing trends to watch from top companies—from innovations and AI use cases to China’s evolving role and shifting drug-pricing dynamics.

(morganstanley.com)

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European Investor 10-02-25

Lilly’s Zepbound Outperforms Wegovy in Obesity Trial, Published in NEJM

Eli Lilly's Zepbound (tirzepatide) delivered significantly greater weight loss than Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide) in the head-to-head SURMOUNT-5 trial, according to results published May 11 in *The New England Journal of Medicine*. Over 72 weeks, Zepbound users lost an average of 20.2% of their body weight versus 13.7% with Wegovy. Zepbound also outperformed on all secondary endpoints, including percentage achieving major weight-loss thresholds and waist circumference reduction. The results, presented at the European Congress on Obesity, further position Zepbound as a leading obesity treatment.

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Global Finance News 05-12-25

11-04-26WS Investor

09-23-26The Investor

05-06-26WS News

04-13-26WS News

NYSE:EMR

Emerson Rises 1.1% as Q4 Profitability Beats Expectations and 2027 Outlook Signals Continued Growth

Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR) shares rose about 1.1% after the company reported stronger fourth-quarter earnings and margins, raised its dividend and issued an initial fiscal 2027 outlook pointing to continued sales and earnings growth.

Fourth-quarter net sales increased 7% year over year to $5.20 billion, while underlying sales rose 4%. Underlying orders increased 14%, reflecting strong long-cycle project activity across Emerson’s growth markets.

Profitability improved substantially. Pretax earnings rose to $997 million from $760 million, with pretax margin expanding 360 basis points to 19.2%. Adjusted segment EBITA increased to $1.51 billion, while margin improved 160 basis points to 29.1%.

GAAP EPS increased 24% to $1.33, while adjusted EPS rose 15% to $1.86. Free cash flow increased 9% to $916 million.

For the full fiscal year, revenue increased 5% to $18.98 billion and adjusted EPS rose 10% to $6.59. Free cash flow reached $3.54 billion, also up 9%.

Management said demand remains broad-based across its businesses and regions, supported by a robust backlog and long-cycle investment activity. Emerson expects fiscal 2027 net sales and underlying sales to grow about 5%, with adjusted EPS of approximately $7.25.

The company also expects operating cash flow of $4.3 billion-$4.4 billion and free cash flow of $3.8 billion-$3.9 billion in fiscal 2027. Emerson plans to return roughly $3.8 billion to shareholders through about $2.5 billion in share repurchases and $1.3 billion in dividends.

Emerson increased its quarterly dividend by 7% to $0.595 per share.

The 1.1% share gain appears to reflect solid margin expansion, strong order trends and a constructive 2027 outlook. While expected sales growth remains moderate at around 5%, continued earnings growth, strong cash generation and substantial shareholder returns provide support for the stock.

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WS Investor 11-04-26

Emerson Stock Edges Lower Despite Strong Quarter and Raised Full-Year Outlook

Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR) shares slipped 0.3% in after-hours trading despite reporting better-than-expected third-quarter results, driven by strong order growth, expanding margins, and robust cash generation.

Third-quarter net sales increased 7% year over year to $4.87 billion, while underlying sales rose 6%. Demand remained healthy across key markets, with underlying orders increasing 7%, led by the Software & Systems business and broad-based strength in North America and Asia.

Profitability improved across the board. GAAP earnings per share increased 24% to $1.28, while adjusted EPS rose 13% to $1.71. Adjusted segment EBITA margin expanded 140 basis points to 28.5%, reflecting strong operating execution and favorable business mix. Operating cash flow climbed 34% to $1.43 billion, with free cash flow increasing 36% to $1.32 billion.

Management highlighted continued investment across long-term growth markets despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty. CEO Lal Karsanbhai said demand remained robust during the quarter, supported by secular trends across automation, software, and industrial technology, while noting the company continued serving customers effectively despite the evolving Middle East situation.

Reflecting the strong quarterly performance, Emerson raised its full-year fiscal 2026 outlook. The company now expects adjusted EPS of approximately $6.55, operating cash flow of roughly $4.1 billion, and free cash flow of about $3.6 billion. Emerson also plans to return approximately $2.2 billion to shareholders during 2026 through dividends and share repurchases.

Although the shares traded modestly lower after hours, the results reinforced Emerson's solid execution, healthy order momentum, expanding margins, and confidence in continued growth supported by long-term industrial automation and software demand.

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WS Investor 08-04-26

Emerson Stock Slips 0.38% in Premarket as Middle East Conflict Weighs on Sales

May 6, 2026 · Earnings Report

Emerson reported second quarter fiscal 2026 results, posting modest top-line growth and stronger-than-expected margins, though the industrial automation giant flagged ongoing headwinds from the conflict in the Middle East. Shares dipped 0.38% in premarket trading, a muted reaction reflecting a mixed but broadly steady quarter.

Net sales came in at $4.56 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, up 3% from $4.43 billion in the same period a year ago. Underlying sales growth, which strips out currency and portfolio effects, was just 0.5%, reflecting the drag from Middle East operations. Despite the softer top line, pretax earnings climbed to $793 million from $629 million a year ago, pushing pretax margin up 320 basis points to 17.4%.

GAAP earnings per share rose 28% to $1.10, compared to $0.86 in Q2 2025. On an adjusted basis, EPS came in at $1.54, up 4% year-over-year. Adjusted segment EBITA was $1.26 billion, with margin of 27.6%, down slightly by 40 basis points from the prior year period.
"Emerson's second quarter results reflect our ability to deliver in a dynamic environment," said President and CEO Lal Karsanbhai. "While sales were impacted by the conflict in the Middle East, margins exceeded expectations, and we achieved strong adjusted earnings per share. Underlying orders were up 5% as we continue to see resilient demand, led by Software and Systems, with sustained momentum in our growth verticals."

Operating cash flow came in at $779 million, down 6% from $825 million a year ago, with free cash flow of $694 million, also down 6%. Emerson also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.555 per share, payable June 10, 2026 to stockholders of record as of May 15, 2026. As part of a broader shift toward returning capital to shareholders, the company plans to return approximately $2.2 billion in 2026 through roughly $1 billion in share repurchases and approximately $1.2 billion in dividends.

Karsanbhai expressed confidence in the remainder of the fiscal year. "As we look ahead, 2026 continues to develop largely as expected with a strong second half, supported by orders momentum and a robust backlog," he said.

For the third quarter of fiscal 2026, Emerson expects net sales growth of approximately 5.5% and underlying sales growth of around 5%, with adjusted EPS in the range of $1.65 to $1.70. For the full fiscal year, the company guided to net sales growth of approximately 4.5% and underlying sales growth of around 3%, with adjusted EPS expected between $6.45 and $6.55. Full year operating cash flow is projected at $4.0 billion to $4.1 billion, with free cash flow of $3.5 billion to $3.6 billion.

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WS Investor 05-06-26

Dividend Growth Stocks: Emerson Electric Co. (EMR) Dividend Stock Analysis

Your source for finding the best dividend growth stocks

(dividend-growth-stocks.com)

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European Investor 04-03-26

Emerson Reports Strong Fiscal 2025 Results and Increases Dividend

Emerson reported solid financial results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year ended September 30, 2025, highlighted by margin expansion and steady sales growth. Fourth-quarter net sales rose 5% year over year to 4.86 billion dollars, while full-year sales increased 3% to 18.02 billion dollars. Adjusted earnings per share climbed 9% to 1.62 dollars in the quarter and 6.00 dollars for the year.

Pretax earnings rose to 796 million dollars in the quarter, up from 679 million dollars a year earlier, and full-year pretax earnings surged to 2.93 billion dollars from 2.02 billion dollars, reflecting a margin expansion of 480 basis points to 16.3%. Adjusted segment EBITA margins also strengthened to 27.6% for the year.

The Board of Directors declared a 5% increase in the quarterly cash dividend to 0.555 dollars per share, payable on December 10, 2025, to shareholders of record as of November 14. The company also authorized the repurchase of up to 50 million shares of common stock, in addition to approximately 20 million shares remaining from a prior authorization.

CEO Lal Karsanbhai said Emerson achieved strong execution and integration progress across its portfolio. “Fiscal 2025 was marked by continued margin expansion, robust cash generation, and strong operational performance,” he said. “We’ve advanced our position as the leading automation company, successfully integrated AspenTech, and completed the Test & Measurement integration, achieving our 200 million dollar synergy target.”

Karsanbhai added that Emerson’s portfolio is aligned with long-term growth drivers such as industrial automation and energy transition, which support mid-single-digit order growth and sustainable performance heading into fiscal 2026.

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European Investor 11-05-25

Emerson (NYSE: EMR) will report its fourth quarter and full year results prior to market open on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. Investor conference call will be that same day, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, 7:30 a.m. Central Time.

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Global Finance News 10-16-25

Dividend Growth Stocks: Emerson Electric Co. (EMR) Dividend Stock Analysis

Your source for finding the best dividend growth stocks

(dividend-growth-stocks.com)

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European Investor 07-14-25

Emerson (NYSE: EMR) will report its second quarter results prior to market open on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Emerson senior management will discuss the results during an investor conference call that same day, beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time, 7:00 a.m. Central Time.

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WS Investor 04-16-25

Emerson Electric Co. Announces Resignation of Board Member Leticia Gonçalves Lourenco
March 12, 2025 – Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) announced that Leticia Gonçalves Lourenco has resigned from its Board of Directors, following a change in company and position related to her principal occupation.

The Board of Directors accepted her resignation on March 10, 2025, and the decision took effect immediately.

Emerson Electric Co. expressed appreciation for Lourenco’s contributions during her tenure and wished her success in her future endeavors.

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ME NEWS 03-13-25

Emerson has completed its acquisition of all outstanding shares of Aspen Technology, Inc. (AspenTech) that it did not already own. This marks a key milestone in Emerson’s portfolio transformation, further strengthening its position in industrial automation and software solutions. AspenTech is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerson and will operate within the Control Systems & Software segment.

As part of the transition, Antonio Pietri will retire as CEO of AspenTech, and Vincent M. Servello has been appointed as the new President. David Baker will continue as the business unit's Chief Financial Officer. The acquisition was finalized following the successful completion of Emerson’s tender offer, which expired on March 11, 2025. Shareholders who did not tender their shares will receive $265 per share in cash.

AspenTech’s shares have ceased trading on NASDAQ, and the integration is expected to enhance Emerson’s software offerings, helping customers optimize their industrial operations. Emerson's financial advisors for the acquisition were Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Centerview Partners LLC, with legal support from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP.

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Global Finance News 03-12-25

NYSE:SQ

Block Jumps 6.5% Premarket as Profit Growth Accelerates and 2026 Guidance Rises

Block (NYSE: XYZ) shares rose about 6.5% in premarket trading after the company reported stronger-than-expected third-quarter results and raised its 2026 outlook for gross profit, adjusted operating income and adjusted EPS.

Third-quarter gross profit increased 22% year over year to $3.24 billion. Adjusted operating income surged 92% to $923 million, while adjusted diluted EPS more than doubled, rising 109% to $1.13. Block said all three measures exceeded its previous guidance.

Cash App remained the largest growth contributor, with gross profit climbing 27% to $2.07 billion. Cash App reached 60 million monthly transacting active users in September, with the company highlighting its Neighborhoods product as an important contributor to user growth.

Square gross profit increased 14% to $1.16 billion, while Square gross payment volume growth accelerated to 14%, its strongest rate since the first quarter of 2023. Block attributed the improvement to expanded distribution and faster product development.

AI is also becoming a larger part of Block's strategy. The company has expanded internal AI automation and is beginning to commercialize its technology through Builderlab and Buzz. Block began piloting Buzz with external customers in October and expects to generate its first machine-intelligence revenue during the fourth quarter.

Looking further ahead, Block expects 2027 gross profit to grow at least 15% to approximately $14.52 billion. Adjusted operating income is projected to rise 30% to $4.58 billion, with adjusted operating margin expanding to 32% of gross profit from an expected 28% in 2026.

The 6.5% premarket gain appears to reflect accelerating profitability alongside continued growth in both Cash App and Square. The sharp increase in adjusted operating income and EPS, higher 2026 expectations and a 2027 outlook pointing to further margin expansion suggest Block's cost discipline is increasingly translating revenue growth into earnings growth.

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European Investor 11-04-26

Square Integrates Apple Business to Boost Local Merchant Visibility Across Apple Maps

Block’s (NYSE: XYZ) Square announced a new integration with Apple Business that allows eligible Square sellers to manage their business presence across Apple Maps, Siri AI, Apple Wallet and other Apple apps directly from the Square Dashboard.

The integration lets merchants automatically sync key information such as business hours, addresses and phone numbers, while also adding branding and action links for menus, orders, pickup, delivery, bookings and appointments. Square said claimed locations receive 30% more views on Apple Maps, while action links can increase click-through rates across website, call and other engagement buttons by 31%.

The integration is designed to reduce the operational burden of maintaining business information across multiple channels while improving local discovery and conversion. Square also said future updates are expected to add engagement metrics and peer benchmarking within the Square Dashboard.

The Apple Business integration is now available to eligible Square sellers in Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Japan, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S.

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Global Finance News 09-25-26

Square and OpenTable Expand Partnership to Unify Restaurant Guest and Payment Data

Block’s (NYSE: XYZ) Square and OpenTable, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), announced an expanded strategic partnership Tuesday that will more deeply integrate restaurant reservations, guest information and payment data.

The partnership builds on the companies’ point-of-sale integration launched in 2022 and is designed to give restaurant operators a more complete view of customers by combining OpenTable’s reservation and dining-preference data with Square’s transaction and operational information.

Square Connects Reservations With Customer Spending

Under the expanded integration, restaurants can combine reservation history, dining preferences and transaction information within a unified guest profile.

That means operators can connect a reservation with what a customer ordered, how much they spent, their payment method and whether they returned. Restaurants can then use those insights for personalized marketing, loyalty programs and customer engagement.

The integration will also allow restaurants to measure the financial value of reservations by linking bookings with spending, repeat visits and customer lifetime value.

For Square, the partnership strengthens its broader restaurant technology offering beyond payment processing and point-of-sale services. Connecting payments with customer and reservation data could make Square's ecosystem more valuable to restaurant operators while increasing customer retention across its software and hardware products.

Partnership Expands Across Six Markets

The enhanced Square-OpenTable integration will serve restaurants across the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, Ireland and France.

The companies also plan additional enhancements, including faster onboarding, improved reservation workflows, richer customer intelligence across ordering channels and deeper integration between loyalty, customer engagement and payments.

The partnership reinforces Square's strategy of developing its platform into a broader operating system for restaurants rather than functioning primarily as a payments provider. Combining Square's transaction data with OpenTable's restaurant network and reservation information could give both platforms a stronger competitive position as restaurants increasingly seek integrated technology rather than multiple disconnected systems.

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European Investor 08-18-26

Block Jumps 6.6% Pre-Market as Strong Quarter, Raised Guidance, and AI Transformation Win Over Investors

San Francisco, May 8, 2026 — Shares in Block, Inc. gained 6.6% in pre-market trading on Thursday after the fintech company reported a first quarter that beat guidance across every metric and raised its full-year outlook, while simultaneously presenting a compelling case that its aggressive AI-first operating model is already generating measurable business results.

Gross profit grew 27% year-over-year to $2.91 billion, with Cash App as the standout performer at 38% growth to $1.91 billion. Square grew a steady 9% to $982 million. Adjusted operating income of $728 million represented a 25% margin, and adjusted diluted EPS of $0.85 beat internal guidance. The company is now targeting full-year gross profit growth of 19% and adjusted diluted EPS growth of 62% — a substantial upgrade from prior guidance that gave investors clear reason to reprice the stock higher.

The AI narrative in the shareholder letter was unusually concrete for a technology company, and that specificity likely added conviction to the pre-market move. CEO Jack Dorsey disclosed that production code changes per engineer are up more than 2.5 times since January, incident rates after code changes fell over 70% year-over-year, and an internal AI tool called Builderbot is now reviewing over 90% of production code change requests and making 15% of production code changes nearly fully autonomously. These are operational metrics, not aspirational claims, and they suggest Block is translating AI investment into real efficiency gains faster than peers.

On the consumer side, Moneybot — a proactive AI financial management tool within Cash App — is live and showing early promise, with Dorsey noting that customers who take AI-prompted actions return at dramatically higher rates than those who only receive information. Managerbot, which gives Square sellers real-time business intelligence, is available to over one million sellers ahead of U.S. general availability in June.

For a company that has navigated a challenging period of restructuring and investor skepticism, a quarter this clean combined with a 62% adjusted EPS growth outlook is a powerful reset of expectations.

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Global Finance News 05-08-26

Block Inc. highlighted the growth of Black Seed Bagels as a case study of its Square ecosystem, demonstrating how its unified commerce solutions support scaling businesses.

Black Seed Bagels has expanded to 10 locations across New York City while tripling its gross payments volume using Square’s platform. The technology supports operations across in-store transactions, online ordering, loyalty programs, and multi-location management, enabling the brand to scale without compromising product quality.

The platform has been central to the company’s growth since 2017, helping it navigate expansion, pandemic disruptions, and subsequent recovery. By integrating tools for payments, marketing, staffing, and delivery, Square provides end-to-end operational visibility and efficiency.

The case underscores Block’s strategy to position Square as a comprehensive commerce infrastructure for small and mid-sized businesses, particularly in high-volume, complex environments like urban food service.

Source: Business Wire

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Global Finance News 04-30-26

Block Inc. announced that its Square Managerbot is now available in open beta to a broader group of sellers, expanding its AI-powered capabilities for small businesses.

Managerbot, integrated into the Square platform, acts as a proactive business agent that monitors operations in real time, automates routine tasks, and provides actionable insights across areas such as sales tracking, inventory management, staff scheduling, and marketing.

The company said the tool is designed to help business owners reduce time spent on administrative work and improve decision-making, while maintaining user control by requiring approval for all automated actions.

Source: Block press release, Business Wire

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The Investor 04-28-26

Uber Technologies and Block Inc. announced an expanded global partnership aimed at improving restaurant operations and payment options across Uber’s platforms. The collaboration will extend Square’s integration with Uber Eats to multiple international markets, while introducing Cash App Pay as a payment method for Uber and Uber Eats users in the United States.

The partnership is designed to streamline restaurant workflows through integrated ordering systems and enhance customer payment flexibility, including access to millions of Cash App users. The companies said the initiative builds on previous collaborations and reflects a broader effort to connect their ecosystems and support growth for merchants and consumers globally.

Source: Uber

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The Investor 04-24-26

Açaí Republic has selected Square as its unified commerce platform to support its expanding franchise network, currently spanning 36 locations across multiple U.S. states. The move aims to standardize operations, streamline ordering, and enhance customer experience across in-store, mobile, and kiosk channels.

Square’s platform enables centralized menu management, reporting, and seamless onboarding of new locations, while also supporting customized solutions such as mobile ordering apps and loyalty programs.

The partnership comes as Açaí Republic continues its national expansion, with additional locations under development. The company said the new system provides the infrastructure needed to scale efficiently while maintaining consistent service quality.

Square highlighted the collaboration as part of its broader strategy to support growing restaurant brands with integrated, flexible commerce solutions.
Business Wire

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European Investor 04-21-26

Block Inc. announced that its Square Handheld device powered a high-profile mobile retail activation by Wild West Social House during the Coachella Valley music festival, highlighting growing demand for flexible, on-the-go commerce solutions.

The Los Angeles-based fashion rental club used Square’s portable point-of-sale system to run a fully operational pop-up experience, enabling real-time inventory tracking and seamless payments in a challenging desert environment with limited connectivity. The activation marked the company’s first major off-site expansion beyond its flagship location.

Square Handheld allowed staff to manage thousands of unique luxury items while maintaining accurate inventory and delivering high-touch customer service. Features such as offline payment capability and mobile catalog synchronization proved critical in supporting operations during the multi-day event.

The initiative reflects a broader shift toward mobile-first retail models, as brands increasingly seek to engage customers at events and temporary locations. Block said the collaboration demonstrates how integrated payment and inventory tools can enable new business models and support expansion, with Wild West Social House planning further growth, including a new location in New York City.
Business Wire

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European Investor 04-18-26

Block announced that Birch Coffee has expanded its footprint in New York City with the opening of its 12th location, powered by Square’s unified commerce platform.

The partnership enables Birch Coffee to streamline operations, manage multiple locations, and enhance customer engagement through integrated tools such as point-of-sale systems, marketing features, and subscription services. The brand reported 16% year-over-year growth in 2025, supported by its transition to Square’s ecosystem.

The expansion highlights Square’s role in helping small and mid-sized businesses scale efficiently while maintaining consistent customer experiences in competitive urban markets.
Business wire

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European Investor 04-11-26

02-27-26WS News

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