Market Overview - Major indexes closed mostly in the red, with the Dow down 157 points, S&P 500 down 24 points, and Nasdaq down 90 points, while the small-cap Russell 2000 gained 4 points [1] Economic Indicators - S&P flash Manufacturing PMI for August reached 53.3, significantly above the anticipated 49.5 and July's 49.8, marking a more than 3-year high [2] - August Services PMI was reported at 55.4, the second consecutive month above 55 this year [2] Company Earnings Reports - **Zoom Communications (ZM)**: Shares rose 6% after Q2 earnings beat expectations by 10% at $1.53 per share, with revenues of $1.217 billion, a 4.7% year-over-year growth, and non-GAAP operating margins at 41.3% [3] - **Intuit (INTU)**: Shares fell 5% despite beating fiscal Q4 earnings expectations by 10 cents at $2.75 per share, with revenues of $3.8 billion, a 20% year-over-year increase, attributed to lackluster guidance for the current quarter [4] - **Ross Stores (ROST)**: Shares increased by 2.3% after Q2 earnings of $1.56 per share exceeded consensus by 4 cents, with revenues of $5.5 billion, a 5% year-over-year growth, and expected comps of 2-3% going forward [5] Upcoming Events - Fed Chair Jerome Powell's address at the Economic Symposium in Jackson Hole, WY, is anticipated to provide insights on interest rate decisions for the September meeting [6] - Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data is due out a week from Friday, with the last report showing year-over-year PCE at 2.6% and core PCE at 2.8% [7]

Core Viewpoint - The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) is highlighted as a favorable investment option for those seeking dividends and stability, particularly in the context of short-term Treasury investments. Dividends - SGOV is primarily attractive for its dividends, which are derived from short-term Treasuries, offering better tax treatment compared to corporate bonds for most Americans [2] - The ETF has a low expense ratio of 0.09%, making it competitive in its category [2] - Recent trends indicate a dip in dividends due to reduced short-term rates, which affects the yield from new Treasury bill purchases [4][7] Price Stability - The price of SGOV remains stable, with minimal volatility, primarily influenced by dividend accrual and payout schedules [5][12] - Historical data shows that prior to 2022, price movements were less pronounced due to low short-term rates, resulting in a more stable dividend environment [8] Investment Strategy - SGOV is positioned as a cash alternative rather than a traditional investment, emphasizing its liquidity and attractive yield [12] - The company suggests that holding cash in checking accounts may lead to missed opportunities for earning interest, advocating for the use of Treasury bill ETFs instead [9][16] Idle Cash Management - The company categorizes idle cash into three types and recommends investing excess cash in Treasury bill ETFs to maximize interest earnings [15][16] - It highlights the potential loss of over $1,000 in interest annually for those holding significant cash balances in low-interest checking accounts [16]

Financial Performance - For the quarter ended July 2025, Zoom Communications reported revenue of $1.22 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 4.7% [1] - The earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $1.53, up from $1.39 in the same quarter last year [1] - The reported revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.2 billion, resulting in a surprise of +1.66% [1] - The company achieved an EPS surprise of +11.68%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.37 [1] Key Metrics - Zoom had 184,000 enterprise customers, slightly below the four-analyst average estimate of 186,862 [4] - Customers generating over $100K in trailing twelve months (TTM) revenue totaled 4,274, surpassing the average estimate of 4,233 [4] - The current remaining performance obligation (RPO) was reported at $2.41 billion, compared to the average estimate of $2.45 billion [4] - Total remaining performance obligations (RPO) stood at $3.98 billion, slightly below the two-analyst average estimate of $4 billion [4] - Non-current remaining performance obligation (RPO) was $1.57 billion, slightly above the average estimate of $1.53 billion [4] - Online revenue reached $486.6 million, exceeding the three-analyst average estimate of $477.5 million [4] - Enterprise revenue was reported at $730.7 million, also above the average estimate of $719.9 million [4] Stock Performance - Over the past month, shares of Zoom have returned -5.1%, while the Zacks S&P 500 composite has changed by +1.7% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating potential performance in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Viewpoint - Bed Bath & Beyond, under the leadership of executive chairman Marcus Lemonis, has decided to avoid opening new stores in California due to high operational costs and regulatory challenges, focusing instead on expanding in other regions and online sales [1][3][4]. Company Strategy - The company plans to open 300 new stores over the next 24 months, with the first new store recently opened in Nashville, TN [3][4]. - Lemonis emphasized that the decision to avoid California is based on practical considerations rather than political ones, citing the state's high taxes, fees, and wages as prohibitive factors [2][3]. Financial Performance - Bed Bath & Beyond previously operated 365 stores before its bankruptcy in 2023, with California housing the largest number of stores at nearly 90 [5]. - The company generated $1.4 billion in fiscal 2024, a decrease from $1.6 billion in 2023, and revenues for the first half of 2025 fell from $780 million to $514 million [5]. - Consolidated operating losses improved from $117 million to $59 million year-over-year [5]. Partnerships and Expansion - Kirkland's has become the exclusive brick-and-mortar partner for Bed Bath & Beyond, operating smaller stores and facilitating the rebranding process [6][7]. - The rebranding of Kirkland's Home stores to Bed Bath & Beyond Home stores has begun, with plans for additional store openings in Nashville [6][7]. Industry Context - Several companies have relocated their headquarters from California to Texas in recent years, indicating a trend of businesses seeking more favorable operating environments [8].

Core Insights - The fifth annual Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge showcased a record 73 entries, highlighting the increasing passion for classic Porsche vehicles and restoration efforts [2][9][10] - The competition featured three categories: Preservation, Restoration, and Individualization, with a People's Choice award also presented [3][8] Group 1: Event Overview - The judging for the finalists took place during the Werks Reunion West at Monterey Car Week, with a panel including members from the Porsche Club of America and Porsche staff [1] - Jonathan Sieber, Senior Manager of Porsche Classic, noted the growing competitiveness of the event since its inception in 2020 [2] Group 2: Winners and Their Projects - Restoration Winner: Porsche San Francisco's 1985 928 S was restored to impeccable condition despite having over 81,000 miles, showcasing the dedication of the technicians [4][5] - Preservation Winner: Gaudin Las Vegas's 1988 944 Turbo S underwent meticulous conservation after sitting for over 20 years, preserving its original details [6] - Individualization Winner: Porsche Bend transformed a 1973 Porsche 911T into an RSR 2.8 tribute, emphasizing authenticity and creativity in the restoration process [7] - People's Choice Winner: Porsche Tucson's 1972 914 Off-Road was inspired by community input, resulting in a unique Fire Orange design [8] Group 3: Industry Context - The U.S. is home to more classic Porsche vehicles than any other market, with technicians utilizing nearly 85,000 Porsche Classic Genuine Parts for restorations [9] - The next rounds of judging are scheduled for September 5th and 6th, culminating in the National Championship on October 4th in Durham, North Carolina [10]

Core Insights - Stock screening is a valuable tool for investors to navigate numerous options and focus on preferred investment parameters [1][10] - Zacks offers a variety of pre-built screens tailored to different investment strategies, including growth, value, momentum, and income [11] Screening Parameters - Screening parameters serve as essential criteria for filtering stocks, akin to ingredients in a recipe, allowing investors to exclude irrelevant information [3] - Parameters can be customized for various investing styles, such as momentum, value, growth, or income-based strategies [2][3] Value Investing - Value investors can utilize parameters like Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio, Price-to-Sales (P/S) ratio, and Price-to-Book (P/B) ratio to identify high-quality stocks trading at a discount [4] Momentum Investing - Momentum investing focuses on stocks experiencing buying pressure, with parameters including percentage price change over the last month, average volume, and price as a percentage of the 52-week high-low range [5] Growth Investing - Growth-oriented strategies target companies expected to achieve above-average sales and earnings growth, with key parameters including last year's earnings and sales growth rates, expected growth rates for the current year, and long-term expected EPS growth rate [6][7] Income Investing - Income-focused investing emphasizes dividend-paying stocks, with parameters such as current dividend yield and 5-year historical dividend growth rate to identify stable investments [8]

Company Performance - Okta's stock closed at $89.83, reflecting a -1.32% change from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.4% [1] - Over the past month, Okta's shares have decreased by 4.81%, while the Computer and Technology sector gained 1.1% and the S&P 500 increased by 1.67% [1] Upcoming Earnings - Okta's earnings report is scheduled for August 26, 2025, with expected earnings of $0.84 per share, indicating a year-over-year growth of 16.67% [2] - The consensus estimate for revenue is projected at $711.04 million, reflecting a 10.07% increase from the same quarter last year [2] Full Year Projections - For the full year, earnings are projected at $3.28 per share and revenue at $2.86 billion, representing year-over-year changes of +16.73% and +9.44%, respectively [3] Analyst Estimates and Rankings - Recent changes in analyst estimates for Okta are crucial for investors, as positive revisions indicate optimism about the business outlook [3] - Okta currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), with the Zacks Rank system showing an impressive track record of outperformance [5] Valuation Metrics - Okta's Forward P/E ratio is 27.73, which is a discount compared to the industry average Forward P/E of 63.52 [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 1.64, while the Security industry has an average PEG ratio of 2.64 [6] Industry Context - The Security industry, part of the Computer and Technology sector, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 81, placing it in the top 33% of over 250 industries [7] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]

Core Insights - The article introduces David Hotea as a new contributing analyst for Seeking Alpha, emphasizing the opportunity for others to share investment ideas and gain exposure [1] Group 1 - The author expresses a strong interest in financial markets, particularly in productive companies and free market capitalism [2] - The foundational investment literature that influenced the author's perspective includes Benjamin Graham's "The Intelligent Investor" and "Security Analysis," which shifted the focus towards the Heavy Industrial Sector, specifically steelmaking [2] - The author has engaged with Austrian Economic theory, which has informed the understanding of credit cycles and their impact on industrial firms [2] Group 2 - The author has also studied technical aspects of steelmaking, indicating a comprehensive approach to understanding the industry [2] - The intention to write for Seeking Alpha is driven by a desire to share sound investment theories and principles of Austrian Economics to aid informed decision-making [2]

Core Viewpoint - A class action lawsuit has been filed against XPLR Infrastructure, LP (formerly Nextera Energy Partners, LP) for misleading statements made during the Class Period from September 27, 2023, to January 27, 2025, potentially affecting investors' rights and financial interests [1][5]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit claims that XPLR was struggling to maintain its operations as a yieldco, which focuses on delivering cash distributions to investors [5]. - Defendants allegedly made false statements and failed to disclose significant risks associated with financing arrangements that temporarily alleviated operational issues [5]. - The lawsuit asserts that XPLR's business model and distribution growth rate were unsustainable, leading to planned halts in cash distributions to investors [5]. Group 2: Investor Information - Investors who purchased XPLR common units during the Class Period may be entitled to compensation without any out-of-pocket fees through a contingency fee arrangement [2]. - To join the class action, investors can visit the provided link or contact the law firm for more information [3][6]. - A lead plaintiff must be appointed by September 8, 2025, to represent other class members in the litigation [1][3]. Group 3: Law Firm Credentials - The Rosen Law Firm has a strong track record in securities class actions, having achieved significant settlements for investors, including over $438 million in 2019 [4]. - The firm has been recognized for its leadership in securities class action settlements, ranking No. 1 in 2017 and consistently in the top 4 since 2013 [4].

Group 1 - Investors are currently facing a challenging decision as the S&P 500 remains near all-time highs, with a choice between investing in large-cap growth stocks or exploring other opportunities [1] - Large-cap growth stocks have been the primary contributors to market gains in recent times, indicating a trend that investors may be inclined to follow [1] Group 2 - Gary Alexander has extensive experience in covering technology companies and has been involved with seed-round startups, providing insights into current industry trends [1]