VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - BTQ Technologies Corp. ("BTQ" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: BTQ) (CBOE CA: BTQ) (FSE: NG3), a global quantum technology company focused on securing mission-critical networks, and the Industrial Technology Research Institute ("ITRI"), one of the world's leading applied research organizations, today announced a strategic collaboration in 2026 to jointly realize and validate BTQ's Quantum Compute In Memory ("QCIM") chip, a next-generation silicon platform designed to en ...

Core Viewpoint - Itron, Inc. will announce its financial results for Q4 and the full year of 2025 on February 17, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. EST, followed by a conference call at 10:00 a.m. EST to discuss these results [1]. Group 1 - The financial results will cover the period ending December 31, 2025 [1]. - Interested parties can listen to the conference call via a live webcast, which will be accessible on the company's website [2]. - Participants are advised to access the webcast 10 minutes prior to the call to ensure proper audio setup [2]. Group 2 - A replay of the conference call will be available until February 25, 2026, on the company's website [3]. - Itron is focused on transforming the management of energy, water, and city services through intelligent infrastructure solutions [4]. - The company aims to improve efficiency, build resilience, and provide safe, reliable, and affordable services to utilities and cities [4].

Core Insights - Itron, Inc. is collaborating with Thessaloniki Water Supply & Sewerage SA (EYATH S.A.) to modernize water infrastructure in Greece as part of a digital water transformation initiative [1][5] - EYATH S.A. aims to reduce its water footprint by 20% by 2030, focusing on minimizing water loss in treated water [2] - The deployment of Itron's Smart Water Solutions will enhance water loss management and provide actionable insights for both EYATH S.A. and its customers [2][3] Group 1: Itron's Smart Water Solutions - Itron's Smart Water Solutions include Intelis® wSource smart water meters and a meter data management (MDM) platform, which will help EYATH S.A. manage water loss effectively [2][3] - The smart meters are designed for durability and accuracy, featuring superior leak detection and real-time alarms [3] - Data collected from the smart meters will be integrated with Temetra, Itron's cloud-based solution, to improve customer satisfaction and reduce water loss [3] Group 2: MDM System and Integration - Itron's MDM system is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution that allows EYATH S.A. to manage water endpoints from various meter vendors, facilitating a modernized infrastructure [4] - The MDM solution consolidates data from all meters into a single system, enabling seamless integration of new technologies while managing existing assets [4] Group 3: Strategic Goals and Local Support - EYATH S.A. is committed to improving water supply services while focusing on environmental sustainability through the implementation of Itron's solutions [5] - The collaboration with IDATOR, an official Itron Channel Partner, ensures local expertise and support for a smooth deployment process [5]

Core Viewpoint - Itron, Inc. is a prominent technology company in the energy and water resource management sector, facing competition in the smart metering and grid management industry [1] Group 1: Analyst Ratings and Market Outlook - On January 5, 2026, Johnson Rice upgraded Itron's stock to a "Buy" rating at a price of $95.9, aligning with a consensus recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from fourteen analysts, indicating a positive outlook for the company [2] - Despite a downgrade from Zacks Research, financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase and Co. and Oppenheimer have set higher price targets for Itron, reflecting confidence in its future performance [2] Group 2: Stock Performance and Market Metrics - Itron's stock is currently priced at $96.60, representing a 2.25% increase, with a trading range over the past year between a high of $142 and a low of $90.11 [3] - The company has a market capitalization of approximately $4.42 billion and a trading volume of 137,617 shares on the NASDAQ exchange, maintaining its status as a significant player in the industry [3]

Core Viewpoint - Itron, Inc. (ITRI) has experienced a significant decline in its stock price, dropping 26% over the past three months and 31.6% over the past six months, underperforming both the Zacks Electronics - Testing Equipment industry and the broader market [1][8]. Financial Performance - Itron has lowered its 2025 revenue guidance to $2.35–$2.36 billion, indicating an approximate 3% year-over-year decline. The fourth-quarter 2025 revenue is projected to be between $555–$565 million, reflecting a 9% decrease from the previous year [4]. - Non-GAAP EPS is expected to range from $2.15 to $2.25 [4]. Competitive Landscape - The company is facing intense competition, leading to pricing pressure and potential market share erosion. Macroeconomic uncertainties, including higher interest rates and inflation, are causing consumers to delay bill payments and impacting project approvals [3][4]. Operational Challenges - Itron's elevated debt burden stands at $1.265 billion, with a debt-to-capital ratio of 42.1%, significantly higher than the industry average of 25.8%. This high leverage may limit cash flow flexibility and access to favorable refinancing options [5]. Growth Drivers - Despite the challenges, Itron's Grid Edge Intelligence platform is showing momentum, driven by demand in data centers, electrification, grid modernization, and digitalization across utilities, supported by a backlog of $4.3 billion [6]. - Frequent product launches, including the Gen6 network platform and UtilityIQ suite, are enhancing Itron's offerings and market position [9]. Strategic Initiatives - Itron is pursuing strategic acquisitions, such as the planned acquisition of Locusview for $525 million and Urbint, Inc. for $325 million, aimed at enhancing its capabilities in utility construction management and predictive risk analytics [10]. - Collaborations with companies like Gordian Technologies to integrate AI and machine learning into its offerings are expected to improve grid resilience and operational efficiency [10]. Valuation - Itron's stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month Price/Earnings ratio of 13.54X, which is below the industry average of 23.84X, indicating a potential undervaluation [11].

Core Viewpoint - Analyst recommendations play a significant role in influencing stock prices, but their reliability is questionable, particularly for Itron (ITRI) [1][5]. Group 1: Analyst Recommendations - Itron has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.64, indicating a consensus between Strong Buy and Buy, based on 11 brokerage firms [2]. - Out of the 11 recommendations, seven are Strong Buy and one is Buy, accounting for 63.6% and 9.1% of all recommendations respectively [2]. Group 2: Limitations of Brokerage Recommendations - Solely relying on brokerage recommendations for investment decisions may not be advisable, as studies indicate they often fail to guide investors effectively [5]. - Brokerage firms tend to exhibit a positive bias in their ratings due to vested interests, leading to a disproportionate number of favorable recommendations compared to negative ones [6][11]. Group 3: Zacks Rank vs. ABR - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock rating tool that categorizes stocks based on earnings estimate revisions, providing a more reliable indicator of near-term stock performance compared to ABR [8][12]. - Unlike ABR, which may not be up-to-date, the Zacks Rank reflects timely changes in earnings estimates, making it a more effective tool for predicting future stock prices [13]. Group 4: Current Earnings Estimates for Itron - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Itron remains unchanged at $6.87 for the current year, suggesting steady analyst views on the company's earnings prospects [14]. - Due to the unchanged consensus estimate and other factors, Itron holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating a cautious approach despite the Buy-equivalent ABR [15].

Company Overview - Itron, Inc. is a leading provider of integrated technology solutions for managing energy and water resources efficiently, leveraging hardware, software, and data analytics capabilities [5] - The company reported a total revenue of $2.41 billion and a net income of $257.5 million for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [4] Recent Performance - Itron's shares experienced a significant rally followed by a sharp pullback of approximately 20%, indicating a potential decision to lock in gains rather than a loss of confidence in the business [6] - The company's revenue declined by 5% year over year to $582 million, attributed to project timing and portfolio optimization, while gross margin expanded by 360 basis points to 37.7% [9] Financial Metrics - As of the latest report, Itron's free cash flow nearly doubled to $113 million, highlighting its ability to convert earnings into liquidity despite revenue pressures [9] - The company has a backlog of $4.3 billion and is experiencing growing recurring revenue in its Outcomes segment, positioning it well for long-term utility spending related to grid modernization and smart infrastructure [10] Market Position - Itron's stock price as of the latest report was $95.22, reflecting a 15% decline over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500, which increased by about 13% during the same period [3] - Following a sale of 123,119 shares by Aristotle Capital Boston, Itron now accounts for approximately 1.95% of the fund's reportable U.S. equity assets under management (AUM) [2][3]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies and confidence in investing [1] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores are indicators that rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum methodologies, helping investors identify stocks likely to outperform the market in the next 30 days [2] - Stocks are rated from A to F, with A indicating the highest potential for outperformance [3] Value Score - The Value Style Score identifies attractive and discounted stocks using ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow [3] Growth Score - The Growth Style Score focuses on a company's financial strength and future outlook, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Style Score helps investors capitalize on price trends, utilizing factors like one-week price changes and monthly earnings estimate changes [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines all three Style Scores, serving as a key indicator alongside the Zacks Rank to identify stocks with the best value, growth, and momentum [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to guide investors, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks achieving an average annual return of +23.81% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7] - There can be over 800 top-rated stocks available, making it essential to use Style Scores to narrow down choices [8] Stock Selection Strategy - To maximize returns, investors should focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B, while also considering the direction of earnings estimate revisions [9][10] Company Spotlight: Itron Inc - Itron Inc, founded in 1977 and based in Liberty Lake, WA, is a leading supplier of advanced metering technology and services for utility sectors [11] - Itron holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and has a VGM Score of A, indicating solid potential [11] - The company is projected to achieve year-over-year earnings growth of 22.2% for the current fiscal year, with a recent increase in earnings estimates [12]

Core Insights - Itron, Inc. (ITRI) has deployed its Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Essentials for water in Tucson, Arizona, aimed at modernizing the city's water infrastructure and supporting long-term sustainability goals [1][9] - The AMI Essentials solution includes 250,000 smart water communication modules, cellular Network-as-a-Service (NaaS), and the Temetra meter data management system, enhancing operational efficiency and community engagement [2][9] Technology and Implementation - The AMI Essentials for water is tailored for small- and medium-sized water utilities, providing a comprehensive solution that integrates smart meters, advanced connectivity, and data management tools [2] - Tucson's water supply challenges, particularly its reliance on Colorado River water, are addressed through the One Water 2100 Plan, which emphasizes water resiliency and sustainability [3] - The system allows for real-time data collection, enabling Tucson Water to detect leaks quickly and provide consumers with access to their usage data, thereby promoting water conservation [4][9] Operational Benefits - Automated data collection eliminates the need for manual meter readings, resulting in significant time and resource savings [5] - The deployment of Itron Cellular 500W modules will convert existing meters into smart meters, capturing and transmitting consumption data every 15 minutes [6] - Temetra, the cloud-based meter data management platform, will unify readings from various meter types and provide insights into water usage and non-revenue water loss [7] Market Challenges - Itron faces margin pressure due to increasing competition in the AMI sector, particularly in North America, which may lead to lower meter prices [8] - In Europe, the presence of numerous service providers offering complete deployments poses a challenge for Itron to maintain a pricing premium as a comprehensive solution provider [8]

Core Insights - Tucson Water is partnering with Itron, Inc. to implement Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Essentials for water, aimed at enhancing water conservation efforts and improving operational efficiency [1][2][5] Group 1: Project Overview - The AMI project began in Q3 2025 and is expected to be fully completed by the end of 2029, aligning with Tucson's One Water 2100 Plan for sustainable water management [2][6] - Itron's solution includes 250,000 smart water communication modules, cellular Network-as-a-Service (NaaS), and Temetra meter data management, facilitating a comprehensive transformation of Tucson's water utility operations [2][4] Group 2: Key Benefits - Water Conservation: The AMI solution will help identify potential leaks and provide detailed consumption data, empowering customers to make informed water usage decisions [4][5] - Enhanced Customer Service: The system will proactively alert the city of unusual spikes in water usage, enabling swift responses to reduce water loss [4][5] - Improved Operational Efficiency: The modules will automatically collect and transmit data, optimizing resource use and saving time for the utility [4][6] Group 3: Technological Components - Itron Cellular 500W Modules will transform existing water meters into smart meters, collecting data every 15 minutes [4] - Itron's Cellular NaaS will manage the network and software, ensuring secure data collection and management [4] - Temetra, Itron's cloud-based platform, will unify meter readings and support proactive infrastructure management [4][6] Group 4: Strategic Importance - The deployment of AMI is seen as a crucial investment for Tucson Water, enhancing reliability and resilience in water management [5][6] - The initiative reflects Tucson's commitment to responsible water stewardship and community-driven conservation strategies [2][5]