CAT news sentiment

Should You Invest in the iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (IFRA)?

If you're interested in broad exposure to the Utilities - Infrastructure segment of the equity market, look no further than the iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (IFRA), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on April 3, 2018. Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are excellent vehicles for long term investors. Sector ETFs also provide investors access to a broad group of companies in particular sectors that offer low risk and diversified exposure. Utilities - Infrastructure is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 14, placing it in bottom 13%. Index Details The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $4.58 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs attempting to match the performance of the Utilities - Infrastructure segment of the equity market. IFRA seeks to match the performance of the NYSE FACTSET U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE INDEX before fees and expenses. The NYSE FactSet U.S. Infrastructure Index comprises of equities of U.S. companies that have infrastructure exposure and that could benefit from a potential increase in domestic infrastructure activities. Costs Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same. Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.3%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space. It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.6%. Sector Exposure and Top Holdings ETFs offer a diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis. This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Utilities sector -- about 40.9% of the portfolio. Industrials and Materials round out the top three. Looking at individual holdings, Caterpillar Inc (CAT) accounts for about 4.17% of total assets, followed by Union Pacific Corp (UNP) and Nextera Energy Inc (NEE). The top 10 holdings account for about 24.89% of total assets under management. Performance and Risk The ETF has added roughly 16.36% and it's up approximately 21.42% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 08/11/2026), respectively. IFRA has traded between $50.77 and $64.07 during this last 52-week period. Story Continues The ETF has a beta of 0.95 and standard deviation of 16.36% for the trailing three-year period. With about 168 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk. Alternatives iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, IFRA is an excellent option for investors seeking exposure to the Utilities/Infrastructure ETFs segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well. First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure ETF (GRID) tracks NASDAQ OMX Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index and the Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF (PAVE) tracks INDXX U.S. Infrastructure Development Index. First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure ETF has $12.09 billion in assets, Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF has $14.29 billion. GRID has an expense ratio of 0.56%, and PAVE charges 0.47%. Bottom Line To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (IFRA): ETF Research

Zacks Market Edge Highlights: Caterpillar, MasTec and United Rentals

For Immediate Release Chicago, IL – August 10, 2026 – Zacks Market Edge is a podcast hosted weekly by Zacks Stock Strategist Tracey Ryniec. Every week, Tracey will be joined by guests to discuss the hottest investing topics in stocks, bonds and ETFs and how it impacts your life. To listen to the podcast, click here: https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2971070/3-halo-stocks-to-buy-now 3 HALO Stocks to Buy Now Welcome to Episode #495 of the Zacks Market Edge Podcast. (0:15) - Where To Find Strong Growth Stocks Outside Tech? (3:50) - Top Stock Picks For Your Watchlist Right Now (20:30) - Episode Roundup: CAT, MTZ, URI Podcast@Zacks.com Every week, host and Zacks stock strategist, Tracey Ryniec, is joined by guests to discuss the hottest investing topics in stocks, bonds, and ETFs and how it impacts your life. This week, Tracey went solo again to look at what companies are benefiting from the big spending on the AI Revolution. The hyperscalers have gone all in. They are expected to spend a trillion dollars, or more, in just 2026 alone to build out the AI infrastructure, which includes data centers, the power to run them, cooling them, and filling them with racks and chips. Everyone knows the semiconductor trades but what about those who are on the back end? Investors should follow the money. Who is getting the contracts to build and power the data centers? That's who you want to invest in. Those companies are growing their business. Definition of a HALO Stock What's a "HALO" stock? HALO stands for "hard assets, low obsolescence." Basically, the company makes something that is a real product and it's a product that has been in use for decades. It's not a flash in the pan. Tracey likes to call these companies the "old economy" companies because they have been in business for decades and are in the "old" industries like railroads, heavy equipment, and utilities. These "old economy" companies are now seeing a renaissance as they capture business from the hyperscalers who are building data centers and the power generation that goes with them. 3 HALO Stocks to Buy Now 1. Caterpillar Inc. CAT Caterpillar recently reported second quarter 2026 results and saw sales jump 24%. Its backlog rose 92% year-over-year to $72 billion. Not only does Caterpillar make construction equipment but it also manufactures industrial gas turbines, which are being used to power data centers. Earnings of Caterpillar are expected to rise 30.5% this year and another 25.2% in 2027. Shares of Caterpillar hit new all-time highs earlier this year but have fallen 13% in the last month. It now trades with a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 35. A P/E over 30 is considered high. Story Continues Should a HALO stock like Caterpillar be on your short list? 2. MasTec, Inc. MTZ MasTec is an engineering and construction company in the United States that is involved in key infrastructure projects in power delivery, pipeline infrastructure, clean energy including renewables, as well as communications. MasTec had a record backlog of $21.4 billion, up thirty percent year-over-year, as of the end of the second quarter of 2026. It continues to see strong demand this year. Earnings are expected to rise 41.2% in 2026 and another 35.3% in 2027. MasTec shares have plunged in the last month, however. It's down 33.1% in that time as investors cash in profit on the AI trade. MasTec trades with a forward P/E of 28.8. Should a HALO stock like MasTec be on your short list? 3. United Rentals, Inc. URI United Rentals is the largest equipment rental company in the world. Most of its business is in North America, where it operates in 49 U.S. states and all Canadian provinces, but it also operates in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. United Rentals reported record results for the second quarter of 2026 and raised full year earnings guidance. Growth accelerated in the quarter with customers being optimistic, especially around large projects. Earnings are expected to rise 15.4% in 2026 and 14

Semis Surge, Michael Burry’s Shorts Feel the Pressure — But Don’t Expect Him to Run for Cover After His Latest “1987-Style” Crash Warning

Quick Read Burry's bearish puts on AI stocks like Palantir and Nvidia may be right in thesis but dangerously early in timing. A 1987-style crash would create quality buying opportunities, given that investors who held through that crash recovered within two years. Don't wait: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just revealed his top 10 AI stocks. See the full list FREE now. After a strong recovery bounce for the semiconductors and most other names tied to the AI trade that Dr. Michael Burry is betting against by way of bearish put options, the big question is whether Dr. Burry has gotten the timing wrong or perhaps the whole bearish thesis about the AI trade as a whole. Undoubtedly, valuations on a number of names are certainly hard to justify. Whether we're talking about Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR), Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), or even Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT), it's easy to see why Dr. Burry has set his sights on such names. At the same time, overvaluation and overbought conditions don't necessarily mean that a short will be a walk in the park. Overvalued stocks can stay the way for quite a while and, what's more, they can become even more overvalued. In the case of Palantir and the many AI names that are shrouded in uncertainty, I do think that it's just as risky to bet against as it is to go long, especially with put options where timing is everything.Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images Dr. Burry is onto something, but the big question is whether he's too early While Dr. Burry's track record speaks for itself, the big question this time around is whether he's early. And, if he is, how long it's going to take before the names on his radar finally do implode. It's been a wild ride for AI stocks this summer. And it's easy to get startled at the first signs of heightened volatility. Of course, volatility works in both directions, which is what makes following Dr. Burry's shorts unadvisable. Don't wait: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just revealed his top 10 AI stocks. See the full list FREE now. With Dr. Burry recently bringing up 1987 and the potential for a market top, questions linger as to how things will end for the AI high-flyers that have been met with heightened expectations and increasing skepticism about the longevity of their glorious runs, which, in the case of semiconductors, tends to be cyclical. At least that's what history suggests. Though, things may very well be different this time around with the AI revolution. Regardless, I think bearish bets against Micron (NASDAQ:MU), Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), and more aren't going to be covered so easily, especially now that Dr. Burry doesn't have to answer to anybody else. It's not like he's running the show over at Scion Asset Management anymore. Story Continues Michael Burry must short, but you most certainly shouldn't As leverage piles up and more Situational Awareness (margin call unwinds) hit at scale as volatility stays heightened, perhaps the next big correction could be a painful one, maybe one that goes deep into bear market territory before a bottom can be put in. With a Substack to update everyone on, my guess is that he'll be true to his word: he'll short, even though most shouldn't follow. Indeed, perhaps such a dangerous stunt is best left to the professionals. While the leverage is piling up and it could make the eventual downfall so much more painful, time will tell when the unwind happens and whether AI innovation can somehow live up to or even surpass expectations. That's the big upside risk that Dr. Burry is taking. Oracle is Dr. Burry's most confusing short For the most part, Dr. Burry's bearish bets seem to make a lot of sense. He's mostly betting against momentum and frothy multiples, perhaps with the exception of Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), in which he initiated a new bearish bet last week. That's the one AI short that I don't get. Yes, excessive leverage to go all-in on the AI buildout is never a good idea. But, at the same time, the stock has already crashed, an

Silver Spruce Resources, Inc. Announces New Chief Financial Officer

BEDFORD, NS / ACCESS Newswire / August 10, 2026 / (TSXV:SSE) - Silver Spruce Resources, Inc. ("Silver Spruce" or the "Corporation") announces that its Board of Directors has approved the appointment of Kevin Thieneman as Chief Financial Officer, replacing Michael Kinley. Mr. Thieneman previously worked as a Certified Public Accountant, and licensed attorney, in the State of Illinois. Mr. Thieneman was formerly the President of Caterpillar Inc. Forest Products Division, and an Officer of LiuGong Machinery, one of China's largest construction and mining equipment manufacturers with global sales and operations. He is a global executive with decades of experience in turnarounds of manufacturing operations and end-to-end businesses; and with extensive on-the-ground experience in China and India. He previously Chaired the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council infrastructure committee while leading delegations to Indonesia and Vietnam. Mr. Thieneman is a graduate of Duke University, Juris Doctorate, with honors. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Plymouth Tube Company and on the Board of Advisors for Cornwell Capital; and is Chairman of the Corporation. The Corporation would like to thank Mr. Kinley for his service as CFO and wishes him well in his future endeavours. The Corporation announces changes to the Audit Committee, and is now comprised as follows: Kevin O'Connor (Chair), Lisa Ng (Member), Don Hunter (Member). About Silver Spruce Resources Silver Spruce Resources Inc. is a Canadian junior exploration company. The Company's diversified exploration portfolio includes: Pino de Plata Ag Project - High-grade silver property with historic artisanal mining located 15 kilometres west of Coeur Mining's Palmarejo Mine in western Chihuahua, Mexico Jackie Au-Ag Project - Early-stage epithermal project with high-grade surface sampling and strong structural targets located <10 kilometres northwest from Minera Alamos' Nicho deposit in eastern Sonora, Mexico Melchett Lake VMS Zn-Ag-Au-Cu Project - Polymetallic project with historical drilling in the Thunder Bay Mining District of Ontario Contact: Kevin O'Connor, CEO & Director (312) 509-5972 koconnor@silverspruceresources.com info@silverspruceresouces.com www.silverspruceresources.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements". Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Story Continues Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with mineral exploration and difficulties associated with obtaining financing on acceptable terms. We are not in control of metals prices and these could vary to make development uneconomic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. SOURCE: Silver Spruce Resources, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire View Comments

Resolution Copper awards $110m contracts for Arizona mine

Resolution Copper has selected Major Drilling America and Redpath USA Corporation for contracts totalling around $110m as part of efforts to develop its proposed underground copper mine in Arizona. The mine is situated in Arizona's Copper Triangle, about 60 miles east of Phoenix, and is expected to be capable of meeting up to a quarter of annual US copper requirements. These contracts form part of an early phase within Resolution Copper's planned $500m investment programme. The initiative was announced after the company completed the Final Environmental Impact Statement process, received a Record of Decision, and concluded a congressionally required land exchange earlier this year. Major Drilling America, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is set to carry out deep-hole directional diamond core drilling over the next two-and-a-half years. The drilling will take place both from the surface and from depths of around 6,800ft below ground, supporting continued exploration of the Resolution Copper ore body. This plan includes the deployment of four large surface core drilling rigs, two of which have already arrived on site, with two additional rigs expected by year-end. The drilling equipment, supplied by Utah-based Boart Longyear, features remote-controlled operation and mechanised rod handling to enhance safety. Redpath USA Corporation, headquartered in Nevada, will undertake the first phase of underground development. The work involves converting two existing shafts, each descending 7,000ft, from their current sinking phase to a development setup. The company will also install new underground infrastructure, including a mine station situated about 6,800ft underground, and develop approximately 1,500ft of new tunnels and supporting facilities. Additional equipment, such as a production drill and Caterpillar loaders, will be supplied by Empire CAT in Mesa, Arizona. Resolution Copper president and general manager Vicky Peacey said: "Federal action is translating into tangible progress at Resolution Copper. Completion of the FEIS process and land exchange has enabled us to move quickly into this next phase, with approximately $110m in contracts now awarded to American companies for drilling and underground development. "This is a major early commitment within our broader $500m investment programme, and we appreciate the Trump Administration prioritising domestic mineral development and helping move this nationally significant project forward." The contracted work is expected to create 100 new full-time positions at Resolution Copper. Story Continues A final investment decision (FID) for the mine remains subject to ongoing data collection, permitting processes, and partner approvals. Resolution Copper operates as a joint venture, with Rio Tinto holding a 55% stake and BHP owning 45%. In March 2026, the company concluded a significant land exchange with the US Forest Service (USFS), advancing one of the world's largest undeveloped copper deposits. "Resolution Copper awards $110m contracts for Arizona mine" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. View Comments

Earnings beats ease concerns over record U.S. stock rally - WSJ

Investing.com -- Strong second-quarter earnings from major U.S. companies have pushed stock indexes to fresh highs and eased concerns that the rally relies too heavily on a small group of artificial intelligence companies, the Wall Street Journal reported. About 86% of the more than 440 S&P 500 companies that have reported results beat analysts' estimates, according to FactSet. The index is on course for its seventh consecutive quarter of double-digit earnings growth. Upbeat results from Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:PLTR), Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) and Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) helped major indexes post their strongest weekly gains since April. S&P 500 blended earnings have increased by roughly 50%, the strongest growth since the stimulus-driven recovery in 2021. Energy-sector earnings rose more than 147%, followed by gains of around 117% for communication services, 92% for consumer discretionary companies and 70% for technology. Higher oil prices linked to the Iran war drove much of the energy sector's growth. Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM)l's profit more than doubled to its highest since 2022, while Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX) reported record quarterly earnings. AI spending continued to drive results across other sectors. Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) shares jumped 15% in one session after cloud-computing sales accelerated. Microsoft added a record $450 billion in market value following results that eased concerns about returns from spending on data centres and chips. Demand for generators and construction equipment used in data centres also helped Caterpillar increase total sales and revenue by 24%. Still, earnings growth remains concentrated. Alphabet and Amazon accounted for about 71% of the increase in blended S&P 500 earnings since July. Excluding the companies would reduce growth from about 50% to 32%. Valuations also remain elevated. The S&P 500 traded at around 28 times trailing earnings last week, below May's level above 29 but well over its 10-year average of 22.5. Investors will turn next to earnings from Cisco and Applied Materials, along with the latest U.S. consumer inflation report. Related articles Earnings beats ease concerns over record U.S. stock rally - WSJ Goldman expects lower but still attractive stock market returns in 2026 5 reasons why Jefferies thinks Meta's pullback is a buying opportunity View Comments

Caterpillar tariffs send major signal on margins

Caterpillar delivered a quarter that its own leadership called historic. Sales topped $20 billion for the first time in company history, and profit per share jumped 73% from last year. Notably, Caterpillar's (CAT) adjusted operating margin came in at 21.9%, boosted by a surprise recovery of tariff costs the company had already absorbed. The single line item is now shaping how Wall Street thinks about Caterpillar's profitability for the rest of the year. Here's what happened, why it matters, and what it means for anyone watching CAT stock heading into the back half of 2026. Caterpillar sales hit record highs Caterpillar's three main segments, Construction Industries, Resource Industries, and Power & Energy, all grew sales to end users during the quarter. Power & Energy led the pack, with sales to users up 33%, driven largely by demand for large generators and turbines used in data centers. Power generation sales jumped 72%. Construction Industries posted its sixth straight quarter of sales to user growth, up 22%, helped by strong rental fleet activity in North America. Resource Industries, which covers mining and heavy construction equipment, grew sales to users 17%. CEO Joe Creed pointed to broad-based momentum across the business, stating: "Strong order rates and a growing backlog reflect broadening momentum across our business." The backlog grew to $72 billion at the end of Q2, up $9 billion from the prior quarter and 92% higher than a year ago. Every segment contributed to that growth, and 59% of it is expected to ship within the next twelve months, a share that has held steady for three straight quarters.Joe Creed, CEO of Caterpillar is optimistic about steady future growthBloomberg /Getty Images Tariff recovery lifts margins Tariffs have been a drag on Caterpillar's profits since early 2025, when new import duties started hitting its supply chain. In the second quarter, the company recognized $392 million in what it calls IEEPA tariff recoveries, essentially money clawed back after adjustments to how earlier tariff costs were calculated. CFO Kyle Epley explained that outside of that recovery, tariff costs for the quarter came in around $400 million, well below the $700 million the company had guided to back in April. "This favorability was primarily driven by adjustments to the computation of tariffs previously incurred," Epley said. Related: BofA sees more power behind Caterpillar shares That combination, a one-time recovery plus lower ongoing tariff costs, added up to a 430 basis point margin improvement compared to last year. Without the recovery, Caterpillar says full-year margin would land near the bottom of its target range. With it, the company now expects to operate closer to the middle of that range. Story Continues For investors, this matters because it shows tariffs aren't just a one-way headwind anymore. Caterpillar is finding ways to recapture some of that cost, and management believes the tariff impact in the second half of the year will not be significant. Wall Street responds to Caterpillar stock According to Investing.com, Oppenheimer lifted its price target on Caterpillar to $1,118 from $1,105 following the results, while keeping its "Outperform" rating in place. The investment firm pointed to acceleration across every business segment as the reason for the price hike. The upgrade landed shortly after a broader pullback in stocks tied to AI infrastructure spending, a group Caterpillar has increasingly been lumped into given its exposure to data center power demand. Oppenheimer pointed out that Caterpillar's stock has become notably more sensitive to swings in AI-related trading, with its beta to that trade roughly doubling from about 0.8 in 2025 to around 1.6 now, a level that lines up with the stock's five-year beta of 1.6. Out of the 16 analysts covering CAT stock, eight recommend "Buy", and eight recommend "Hold". The average Caterpillar stock price target is $1,013, 18% above the current price. What'

Trending stocks this week as SpaceX, Palantir earnings and jobs data drive markets

[Wall Street New York stock exchange stock market] alexsl Wall Street ended the week higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DJI]) and the S&P 500 (SP500 [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SP500]) closing at record highs as investors weighed a deluge of corporate earnings, including results from SpaceX (SPCX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SPCX]) and Palantir Technologies (PLTR [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PLTR]), alongside weaker-than-expected U.S. payrolls data. U.S. nonfarm payrolls fell by 23,000 in July, missing economists' expectations for an 88,000 increase and reversing June's revised gain of 20,000, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the week, the S&P (SP500 [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SP500]) added +3.6%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (COMP:IND [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/COMP:IND]) climbed +5.2%, and the blue-chip Dow (DJI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DJI]) advanced +3.0%. HERE'S WHAT CAUGHT INVESTOR ATTENTION THIS WEEK: SPACEX'S (SPCX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SPCX]) first earnings report as a public company showed strong revenue growth. However, the stock dropped 14% in the wake of the report, as investors were unsettled by the company's plans to sharply increase spending on AI infrastructure. Capital expenditures climbed to $18.4B during the second quarter, up from $10.1B in the first quarter and more than six times the $2.8B spent a year earlier. Nearly $15.8B of that total was invested in the company's AI business. AMD (AMD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AMD]) shares fell 7% on Wednesday as investors likely expected a larger increase in its guidance for the coming quarter. The company did beat expectations on its headline numbers, with revenue soaring 50% to $11.54B. Looking ahead, AMD said it expects third-quarter revenue to be between $12.7B and $13.3B, with the mid-point of $13B well above the $12.51B consensus. Adjusted gross margin is expected to be 56%, AMD added. AMAZON'S (AMZN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AMZN]) market capitalization surpassed $3T for the first time in its history. This came after a strong post-earnings rally fueled by better-than-expected results and optimism about the growth of its AWS cloud business and AI investments. PALANTIR (PLTR [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PLTR]) posted results well above Wall Street expectations, driven by continued strength in its AI business. The company also increased its full-year outlook. Investors responded enthusiastically, sending the stock up roughly 37% in the week. President Donald Trump criticized EXXONMOBIL (XOM [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/XOM]) and CHEVRON (CVX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CVX]), saying they were "making too much money" as gasoline prices surged. He urged the oil giants to share more of their profits with consumers by lowering fuel prices. ASTRAZENECA (AZN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AZN]) and BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB (BMY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/BMY]) were in the spotlight after The Financial Times reported the two held preliminary talks about a potential merger that would have created one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, with a combined value approaching $400B . The talks were at an early stage, and no deal has yet been reached. SANDISK (SNDK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SNDK]) shares fell after the storage maker issued mixed guidance that overshadowed stronger-than-expected results for the fiscal fourth quarter. For the first quarter of fiscal 2027, Sandisk expects adjusted earnings to be between $44 and $46 per share, with the midpoint above the $44.72 per share estimate. Revenue is forecast to be between $10.3B and $10.8B, with the midpoint of $10.55B below the $10.82B estimate. NOVO NORDISK (NVO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NVO]) slipped despite raising its full-year outlook for the second time this year, citing increased expectations for GLP-1 product sales.

“The fundamentals are still strong” — biggest market opportunities right now

Transcript: Caroline Woods: Joining me now is Tiffany McGhee, CEO and chief investment officer at Pivotal Advisors. Tiffany, great to have you back. Tiffany McGhee: Good to be back, Caroline. Caroline Woods: All right. So, Tiffany, the jobs report came in worse than expected today. The economy lost more than 20,000 jobs last month. Yet the market is higher. Is Wall Street getting ahead of itself or is bad news officially good news here? Tiffany McGhee: No. Listen, you know, bad news is not necessarily especially good news when you think about the labor market in general. You know, it's cooling, but I think it's, you know, kind of in a bit of, like, a healthy way. Right. So we look at the, the data that we got earlier on this week, initial jobless claims are really below 200,000. Tiffany McGhee: Layoffs are really historically low. And then, you know, those we also got those, challenger job cuts, which also, remain low. And so when we think about hiring has slowed, but companies are still hiring. So I think overall the fundamentals are still are still relatively decent. Caroline Woods: So the economy is still on. Tiffany McGhee: Absolutely. Caroline Woods: What's the single biggest takeaway from all of this economic data that we got this week then. Yeah. For the retail investor I should say. Yeah. Tiffany McGhee: I think that, you know, we always get these, these, huge data points. And I think it's very unscientific, but I think that, you know, this is the cycle, right? You know, we're we're going to have this news and we're going to be tracking all of this data. I really think that, at the end of the day, the fundamentals are still strong. Tiffany McGhee: The economy is still believed. You know, wages are still decent. So I don't think that this is going to hit us really, really hard. But, you know, there there is that bit of like a shock value when we hear news like that. Caroline Woods: So as well as shock value except for the market's higher. So I think we should just make it clear that the market and. Tiffany McGhee: Retail investors mind sometimes. Caroline Woods: Right. Sure. Yeah. Yeah. So so the market's higher because the expectation is that the fed won't have to hike rates if the economy is actually weakening to obviously combat inflation. Are you in that camp. Do you think that the fed will just remain on hold, or do you think hikes still need to be in the picture? Tiffany McGhee: Yeah. So I think that the fed is is is very much looking at you know, inflation of course. But then also jobs. I think that there's a very good chance that they might still be on hold. But we're just going to have to wait and see. But I think that this is what the fed was waiting for, you know, really that that, that, employment data I think was really important because there's been so much talk about inflation. Story Continues Tiffany McGhee: So I think that they were really just kind of waiting to see about the, the, the, the jobs data. Caroline Woods: When we think about investment strategy. Last time you were on, which was the end of June, you were basically saying, don't abandon the Meg seven, but broaden and diversify. Since then, we've had another earnings season still going on. Things like financials and industrials have hit new highs. And then we've also seen economic data like this jobs report. What's changed about your outlook now. Tiffany McGhee: Yeah nothing's changed. So you know technology has kind of dominated for for several years. And, you know, last time I was on, I was talking about how leadership is broadening and broadening, in terms of sector broadening in terms of size and style. We're seeing, you know, value outperform growth. We're seeing small caps outperform large, large caps. Tiffany McGhee: And so and we're seeing those sectors leadership broadening in those sectors. So, you know, so that it's just really a continuation of the theme that I was talking about. Caroline Woods: Okay. So as we think about actual op

Stock market hits records as Fed removes key safety net

Wall Street just got the milestone investors have been waiting for. The S&P 500hit new highs this week, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 54,000 for the first time. The Nasdaq also jumped as technology and artificial-intelligence stocks bounced back from their summer slump. If you're looking at a retirement account or brokerage balance, the move looks reassuring. There's a catch, though. Corporate profits are holding up unusually well, oil prices have retreated from recent peaks, and investors are finding winners beyond the most crowded of tech bets. Yet the Federal Reserve is becoming harder to read at precisely the time stocks are getting more expensive. Investors are accustomed to heavy forward guidance from previous Fed leadership, but Chairman Kevin Warsh has moved away from that, Reuters noted. He has argued that markets should be more data-driven and less dependent on central bank forecasts. That switch may improve discipline over time. Unfortunately, it leaves traders less sure about what the Fed will do next. It also changes the risk around record highs. The market needs more than just robust earnings. Now it needs investors to read inflation, jobs, and interest rates correctly, without the Fed doing as much of the signaling for them. Piper Sandler technician Craig Johnson described the recovery as "good, not great," pointing to lower oil and yields but lingering risks. S&P 500 earnings are giving the rally real support Sentiment is not the strongest reason for the stock market. It is profits. More than half of S&P 500 companies had reported second-quarter results by July 31, FactSet said, with both the percentage of companies beating earnings estimates and the size of those beats running above recent historical averages. That matters, since record highs are simpler to defend when earnings go up with stock prices. Analysts are also getting more, rather than less, optimistic. For the second straight quarter, Wall Street has upped its quarterly earnings projections for S&P 500 businesses, FactSet said this week. That's important because experts usually lower their expectations as a quarter progresses. The strength is also showing up in individual companies. Caterpillar reported sales and revenue of $20.5 billion in the second quarter, up 24% from a year ago, and adjusted profit of $8.17 a share. Demand connected in part to data center construction and power generation needs has been a boon for the company. Palantir also recorded a spectacular quarter as demand for its artificial intelligence products soared. Story Continues These findings explain why investors are willing to buy the dip instead of fleeing equities. Related: Bank of America sees Mastercard opportunity Wall Street missed The rally is also becoming less dependent on one kind of enterprise. Technology specialization was an obvious weakness identified earlier this summer. The market was over-reliant on a few technology stocks, to historically high levels, meaning they posed a greater danger if they faltered, Reuters reported in June. That risk hasn't gone away. But better industrial, financial, and other-sector performance gives the market additional ways to move on if AI stocks stumble again. That broadening is essential since the summer sell-off showed how rapidly crowded trades may collapse. Nasdaq flirted with correction territory before staging a strong rally. Investors are still excited about AI. They are just becoming increasingly choosy about which companies deserve high prices. The Fed may now be the market's harder problem The biggest unresolved risk may not be earnings; it may be monetary policy. The Fed has kept its benchmark rate steady in the 3.5% to 3.75% range, and its July Monetary Policy Report indicated inflation remains high relative to the central bank's 2% target. PCE inflation was running at 4.1% in May, up substantially from the year-ago period. More Wall Street: Wall Street's AI trade faces its biggest valuation test

Caterpillar (CAT) Could Be 13% Undervalued After Record Quarter And Raised Outlook

Never miss an important update on your stock portfolio and cut through the noise. Over 7 million investors trust Simply Wall St to stay informed where it matters for FREE. Caterpillar (CAT) is back in focus after reporting record second quarter results, lifting its full year sales outlook as demand tied to AI data center construction and power generation continues to shape the story. See our latest analysis for Caterpillar. Caterpillar's strong guidance and record backlog have pulled the stock sharply higher this year, with a year to date share price return of 43.21% and a one year total shareholder return of 107.3%. That momentum has cooled more recently, with the share price down 8.85% over the past 30 days and 4.51% over 90 days, even as recent record quarterly results and buybacks keep investors focused on the longer term story. If AI driven infrastructure is on your radar, it can be useful to compare Caterpillar with other companies tied to the build out of data centers and related hardware through the 55 AI infrastructure stocks The question now is whether Caterpillar's recent pullback after a powerful run reflects investors cooling on the AI infrastructure story, or a gap between sentiment and what the current valuation suggests about that record backlog and guidance. Most Popular Narrative: 12% Undervalued The most followed narrative currently places Caterpillar's fair value at $970.37, above the last close of $856.96. This frames the recent pullback as a potential valuation gap rather than a broken AI infrastructure story. Record backlog growth across all three primary segments, driven by strong global infrastructure demand (particularly in North America, Africa, and the Middle East), positions Caterpillar for above-trend sales growth in late 2025 and into 2026, supporting top-line revenue expansion. Read the complete narrative. Want to see what sits behind that backlog driven optimism for Caterpillar? The narrative leans on faster revenue expansion, rising margins and a richer future earnings multiple. Curious which specific profit, growth and discount rate assumptions are doing the heavy lifting in that $970.37 fair value? Result: Fair Value of $970.37 (UNDERVALUED) Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts. However, this upbeat Caterpillar narrative can be knocked off course if new tariffs hit margins harder than expected or if weaker construction and mining demand softens orders. Find out about the key risks to this Caterpillar narrative. Story Continues Another View: Caterpillar Through A Cash Flow Lens There is a very different message when Caterpillar is viewed through the SWS DCF model. On this measure, the stock price of $856.96 sits above an estimated future cash flow value of $796.40, which points to an overvalued outcome rather than an undervalued one. This gap suggests that if cash generation tracks the SWS DCF model rather than the analyst narrative, investors could be paying upfront for more growth or resilience than the cash flow forecast currently supports. The key question is which set of assumptions you trust more when you think about holding Caterpillar at today's price. Look into how the SWS DCF model arrives at its fair value.CAT Discounted Cash Flow as at Aug 2026 Simply Wall St performs a discounted cash flow (DCF) on every stock in the world every day (check out Caterpillar for example). We show the entire calculation in full. You can track the result in your watchlist or portfolio and be alerted when this changes, or use our stock screener to discover 49 high quality undervalued stocks. If you save a screener we even alert you when new companies match - so you never miss a potential opportunity. Next Steps With sentiment split between optimism and caution around Caterpillar, it helps to move fast and weigh the evidence for yourself using the 2 key rewards and 1 important warning sign. Looking for more investment ideas beyond Caterpillar? If Caterpillar ha

Jim Cramer Shares Key Reason Why Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)’s Shares Are Higher Than Deere’s

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) has been on Jim Cramer's radar with respect to the AI data center buildout for quite some time now. In most of his appearances, the CNBC TV host has discussed the link between the firm's power generation products and the need for data centers to generate power. Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)'s stock is up by 101% over the past year and by 40% year-to-date. The firm reported its fiscal second-quarter earnings on August 4th. However, in a brief tweet earlier, the CNBC TV host discussed Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) along with its peer firm Deere and commented that the divergence in the share price was due to the former's exposure to data centers: "CAT with data center-lower DE no data center-- higher" Cramer's remarks, albeit brief, point towards the central debate for Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT). This debate, between the bears and the bulls, is about whether the firm's exposure to the AI business will be a durable revenue driver. Naturally, the bulls believe that it will be, while the bears don't. To strengthen their case, Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)'s bulls point towards the firm's order backlog. The firm's second-quarter earnings saw it reveal a $72.1 billion backlog as it added $9.4 billion worth of orders in the quarter. Additionally, during Q2, Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)'s power and energy business grew by 17% while "Power generation grew 72%, driven by very strong demand for large gen sets and turbines used in data center applications," according to CEO Joe Creed. On the flip side, the bears point towards potential headwinds such as regulatory hurdles towards data centers, as creating potential headwinds for Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)'s shares. They also point towards the rich valuation, which has led the shares to soar over the past year, to suggest limited upside. Notably, one well-known bear is Michael Burry, who has shorted the stock. Burry quoted Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)'s price-to-sales ratio and pointed out that it was at its highest level in three decades. Comparing Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) to Deere & Company (NYSE:DE), the difference in their valuation is quite stark. The former trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 33.33 and a price-to-sales ratio of 5.41. On the other hand, the latter's two metrics are 25.13 and 3.47, respectively, which makes the higher premium for the former. Falling in tune with what Cramer said, Deere & Company (NYSE:DE)'s narrative concerns the trends in the agricultural market, as the firm has little exposure to data centers. Story Continues Extending the comparison to hedge fund sentiment, 86 out of the 1,041 hedge funds part of Insider Monkey's Q4 2025 database had held a stake in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT). This figure sat at 87 out of 1,022 funds in Q1. Sentiment in Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) was more muted, with 60 and 62 funds owning a stake in Q4 and Q1, respectively. Short interest in Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) was higher at 2.47% of the float compared to 1.95% for Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT), which potentially indicates investor sentiment towards the agriculture market compared to data center power generation. While Insider Monkey acknowledges the risk and potential of CAT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CAT that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: Jim Cramer Draws the Line on NVIDIA in China: Why National Security Comes First and Jim Cramer Defends His Dell Stance as Investors Complain About Missing Out. Disclosure: None. View Comments

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