Market Valuation & Earnings Season - Market multiples are considered high but justified by the market's resilience and strong corporate performance [1][2] - Approximately 80% of companies have exceeded EPS expectations, and 70% have surpassed revenue forecasts, indicating corporate growth supports current valuations [2] AI Investment & Future Technology - AI is seen as a significant driver for market growth over the next 5 to 10 years, influencing areas like quantum computing [3][4] - Major tech companies like Microsoft and Amazon are heavily investing in AI co-pilots and cloud AI services, suggesting future revenue expansion in these areas [4] - Investment in hardware by companies like Microsoft and Alphabet signals a focus on future technologies beyond AI, such as supercomputing and quantum computing, with potential 30% to 35% CAGR [5] Quantum Computing - Pure quantum computing companies are experiencing substantial revenue growth, with IonQ reporting an 80% increase and D-Wave a 500% increase [6] - These quantum computing companies are becoming more commercial, demonstrating tangible results and value [6][7] Defiance ETF - Defiance ETF's name originates from the founder's family history, specifically their heroic rescue of Jews during the war [8]

Core Insights - The second-quarter earnings season is underway, and focusing on companies expected to outperform may yield better investment opportunities than those that have already reported strong earnings [1] - The resilience of REITs in both physical and digital economic activities is highlighted, suggesting potential for stable returns and long-term growth despite market uncertainties [3] Industry Fundamentals - The U.S. industrial real estate sector showed resilience with net absorption of 29.6 million square feet in Q2 2025, consistent with the previous quarter but below historical averages [4] - Vacancy rates increased by 20 basis points to 7.1%, marking the first rise above 7% since Q2 2014, yet still only slightly above the 15-year pre-pandemic average [5] - Industrial asking rent growth slowed to 2.6%, the weakest since early 2020, due to softening demand and rising vacancies, although leasing activity remained strong at nearly 309 million square feet in H1 2025 [5] - Retail real estate faced challenges with the overall retail availability rate rising to 4.9% due to bankruptcies and downsizing, while net absorption was negative for the second consecutive quarter, totaling 5 million square feet [6] - Construction completions fell to 4.1 million square feet in Q2, below the 10-year quarterly average of 11.9 million square feet, as developers became more cautious [7] - The average asking rent for retail properties rose slightly to $24.79 per square foot, reflecting landlords' adjustments to subdued demand [8] Company-Specific Insights - Realty Income Corporation (O) has a Zacks Rank of 3 and an Earnings ESP of +0.30%, with expectations of steady results supported by a 98.5% occupancy rate and a focus on non-discretionary tenants [11][12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Realty Income's Q2 revenues is $1.40 billion, indicating a 4.21% increase year-over-year, while the AFFO per share estimate remains unchanged at $1.06 [13] - Americold Realty Trust (COLD) holds a Zacks Rank of 3 and an Earnings ESP of +0.74%, expected to benefit from rising demand for temperature-controlled warehouses amid e-commerce growth [14][15] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Americold's Q2 revenues is $647.54 million, with an FFO per share estimate of 34 cents [16] - Plymouth Industrial REIT (PLYM) has a Zacks Rank of 2 and an Earnings ESP of +2.33%, with expectations of strong leasing activity and effective capital redeployment strategies [17][18] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Plymouth's Q2 total revenues is $46.71 million, with an FFO per share estimate of 43 cents [19]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the recent earnings season, highlighting the performance of individual stocks, particularly those that are showing signs of recovery despite high market expectations and challenges in the broader economy [1][2]. Group 1: Earnings Season Insights - Q2 earnings season has revealed significant surprises, with companies like NVIDIA Corp. missing EPS expectations but still achieving impressive revenue of $44 billion [2]. - AI capital expenditure has contributed more to U.S. GDP growth than personal consumption expenditures this year, indicating a strong market focus on AI investments [3]. - High expectations have led to stock declines even for companies that beat earnings estimates, as seen with Coinbase and Chipotle, where stocks fell 14% and 13% respectively after reporting [4]. Group 2: Stocks with Positive Q2 Reports - The article identifies three companies that are changing their narratives through strong Q2 earnings: SoFi Technologies, Boeing, and PayPal [6]. - SoFi Technologies reported a 34% year-over-year growth in new customers, with revenue increasing by 42% year-over-year, and loan originations up 64% to a record $8.8 billion [9]. - Boeing's Q2 revenue of $22.75 billion represented nearly 35% year-over-year growth, with a backlog exceeding $600 billion, indicating a potential turnaround for the company [12][13]. - PayPal's Q2 earnings showed EPS and revenue beats, driven by a 20% year-over-year revenue growth from Venmo, despite the stock being down 20% this year [14][15].

Group 1: Earnings Reports Overview - Palantir has secured a $10 billion Army contract and is expected to report strong quarterly results, with predictions of a "total blowout" due to strong business performance [2] - Berkshire Hathaway's upcoming earnings report is anticipated to be different under Greg Abel's leadership, with expectations of a potential stock price increase if results are favorable [1] - DuPont's breakup is on track, with expectations that the individual parts will be valued higher than the whole [3] Group 2: Sector Insights - Caterpillar is expected to post strong results, benefiting from domestic infrastructure and reshoring trends [3] - Eli Lilly's performance will be closely watched, especially in light of competitor Novo Nordisk's disappointing quarter, raising questions about market share dynamics in the GLP-1 drug sector [5] - Disney's shares have been climbing, with positive remarks on its streaming, theme park, and cruise line segments [4] Group 3: Other Companies to Watch - McDonald's is viewed as a buy due to recent improvements and new offerings [4] - Warner Bros Discovery is undergoing reorganization and debt reduction, with anticipation around its earnings report [6] - Pinterest is expected to deliver solid results, being recognized as a family-friendly advertising platform [6]

Core Viewpoint - High-growth tech stocks are becoming more expensive, prompting investors to consider the auto sector for potential bargains, particularly Ford and General Motors, which both exceeded Q2 expectations [1][2]. Group 1: Q2 Results - Ford's Q2 sales increased by 5% year over year to $46.94 billion, surpassing estimates of $41.72 billion by 12%. However, tariff costs of $800 million impacted earnings, resulting in Q2 EPS of $0.37, down from $0.47 a year ago but above expectations of $0.34 [3]. - General Motors reported Q2 sales of $47.12 billion, exceeding estimates of $46.24 billion but down 2% year over year. Q2 EPS was $2.53, exceeding expectations of $2.39 by 6%, but down 17% from $3.06 in the prior period, impacted by $1.1 billion in tariffs [4]. Group 2: Guidance - Ford reinstated its full-year guidance, projecting adjusted EBIT of $6.5-$7.5 billion, revised down from $7-$8.5 billion, accounting for an estimated $2 billion net tariff-related impact. Adjusted free cash flow is forecasted at $3.5-$4.5 billion with capital expenditures around $9 billion [5]. - General Motors reaffirmed its full-year guidance, expecting FY25 adjusted EBIT of $8.2-$10.1 billion and raised its annual net income guidance to $11.2-$12.5 billion from a previous range of $10.4-$11.1 billion, considering an estimated $5 billion tariff-related hit [6]. Group 3: Stock Performance - Year to date, Ford's stock is up approximately 11% to around $11 per share, while General Motors shares are virtually flat at around $53. Ford has outperformed the S&P 500's gains of 8% this year [7]. - Over the last five years, General Motors' stock has increased over 100%, outperforming the broader market and the Automotive-Domestic Market's returns of 73%, while Ford's stock has risen 65% [8]. Group 4: EPS Outlook & Valuation - General Motors has a forward earnings multiple of 5.5X, with annual EPS expected to dip 11% in FY25 but projected to stabilize and rise 3% in FY26 to $9.69. Ford's forward earnings multiple is 9.5X, below the industry average of 12X, with FY25 EPS expected to drop 38% to $1.14 [9]. - Ford's annual EPS is forecasted to rebound and rise 13% in FY26 to $1.28 [9]. Group 5: Dividend Comparison - Ford offers a dividend yield of 5.52%, significantly higher than General Motors' 1.15% yield and the S&P 500's average of 1.16%. General Motors also provides a generous dividend compared to most automakers [10]. Group 6: Conclusion - Following Q2 reports, both Ford and General Motors hold a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold). General Motors presents a more appealing investment potential due to its robust bottom line, while income investors may prefer Ford's stock [14].

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of thorough analysis during earnings season, highlighting that successful investing requires more than just surface-level metrics and press releases [2][3] Company Analysis - Allison Transmission Holdings Inc. (ALSN) has demonstrated consistent growth, with revenue and net operating profit after tax (NOPAT) increasing by 4% and 9% compounded annually since 2014, respectively [6] - The NOPAT margin for Allison Transmission improved from 15% in 2014 to 25% in the trailing twelve months (TTM), while invested capital turns increased from 0.5 to 0.8 during the same period [6] - The return on invested capital (ROIC) for Allison Transmission rose from 8% in 2014 to 19% in the TTM, indicating enhanced operational efficiency [6] Valuation Insights - At a current price of $95 per share, Allison Transmission has a price-to-economic book value (PEBV) ratio of 0.9, suggesting that the market anticipates a permanent decline of 10% in NOPAT from TTM levels, which appears overly pessimistic given the company's historical growth [8] - Even with a conservative estimate where NOPAT margin falls to 22% and revenue grows by only 3% compounded annually through 2034, the stock could be valued at $127 per share, representing a 34% upside [9] Financial Adjustments - Significant adjustments were made in financial filings, including nearly $150 million in income statement adjustments, resulting in a net effect of removing under $100 million in non-operating expenses [10] - Over $2 billion in adjustments were made to the balance sheet to calculate invested capital, with a net decrease of over $600 million, particularly notable for deferred tax assets [11] - Valuation adjustments totaled under $4 billion, leading to a net decrease of over $2 billion in shareholder value, with significant adjustments for total debt and excess cash [11]

Core Insights - The earnings season is progressing positively, with major banks setting a strong tone and other companies following suit [1] - Visa and PayPal are significant players reporting next week, with expectations remaining stable [6] Visa - Visa is expected to see an 18% increase in earnings and an 11% rise in sales, reflecting strong investor confidence [2] - Total Payments Volume (TPV) grew 8% year-over-year, indicating healthy consumer spending despite macroeconomic uncertainties [3] - The current forward 12-month earnings multiple for Visa is 28.2X, which is above its five-year median of 26.9X, suggesting shares are relatively expensive [4][13] PayPal - PayPal is projected to achieve 9% EPS growth and a 2.7% increase in sales, with sales growth expected to accelerate [7] - PayPal's TPV reached $417 billion, a 3% increase year-over-year, with a consensus estimate of $434.4 billion for the next period [11] - The current forward 12-month earnings multiple for PayPal is 14.3X, reflecting a 37% discount compared to the S&P 500 [12][14]

_Before trading options, please read the Options Disclosure Document: https://www.theocc.com/Company-Information/Documents-and-Archives/Options-Disclosure-Document._ The major indexes have hit more all-time highs as earnings season gets underway, but there may be signs of exhaustion on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. With that market backdrop, Tony shares what he believes to be a rare opportunity to capture potential upside in a mega-cap tech stock. - For more about In the Money: https://www.fidelity.com/learning-c ...

Market Outlook & Economic Indicators - Goldman Sachs anticipates an "interesting period" influenced by upcoming jobs reports and inflation data, leading to a significant Fed meeting in September [2][3] - The firm projects 16% economic growth for the year, despite market uncertainties [5] - The market's focus is shifting from uncertainty in the first half of the year to resiliency in the second half [5] Investment Strategies & Opportunities - Goldman Sachs highlights ETFs focused on income generation, particularly appealing due to market highs [7] - These ETFs, such as GPI and GPIQ, aim to capture broad market returns while providing income through higher dividend yields and option strategies, targeting 85% annualized monthly distributions [8][9] - The firm suggests overweighting international equities, noting a 20% increase in international equities [12][13] - Opportunities exist in both income-generating stocks and fixed income markets, particularly high yield and higher carry strategies outside the US, where rate cuts are occurring [15][16][17][18] Earnings & Market Drivers - Earnings are a key driver of markets, with 70% of companies beating sales estimates and 85% beating EPS estimates [20]

A solid earnings season shows Corporate America’s profit engine is humming along https://t.co/KSlGtTGUOd ...