Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST), valued at a $433.3 billion market cap, is set to announce its fiscal Q2 2026 earnings. Analysts forecast a profit of $4.50 per share, an 11.9% increase from the prior year’s $4.02. The company has exceeded earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters and reported EPS of $4.34 in the previous quarter, surpassing forecasts by 1.9%.

For fiscal 2026, analysts expect $20.09 per share, up 11.7% from fiscal 2025. EPS is projected to rise another 9.3% to $21.95 in fiscal 2027. Despite a 3.3% gain over the past year, COST lags behind the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) and State Street Consumer Staples ETF (XLP).

On Dec. 11, Costco reported Q1 results with total revenue of $67.3 billion, up 8.3% year-over-year. Shares remained muted post-earnings. Wall Street analysts hold a "Moderate Buy" rating, with an average price target of $1,043.32, suggesting a 6.9% upside from current levels.

CoinDesk Indices reported a daily market update for the CoinDesk 20 Index, which closed at 2730.82, down 0.6% (-15.95) from Thursday's 4 p.m. ET close. Among the 20 assets, 10 traded higher while 10 declined. Leading gains were seen in APT (+1.8%) and UNI (+0.8%), while laggards included POL (-2.2%) and ICP (-1.7%). The index is broadly traded across global platforms.

The Cooper Companies, Inc. (COO), a medical device firm focused on vision and women’s health, is set to announce its fiscal Q1 2026 earnings. Analysts expect a profit of $1.03 per share, up 12% from the prior year, with revenue projected at $1.1 billion. The company recently reported strong Q4 results, with adjusted EPS of $1.15 exceeding expectations by 3.6%. For fiscal 2026, analysts forecast EPS of $4.51, growing 9.5% year-over-year, and $4.91 for fiscal 2027.

COO shares have declined 13% over the past year, underperforming both the S&P 500 and the State Street Health Care ETF. However, Wall Street analysts remain moderately optimistic, assigning an average price target of $90.12, implying an 8.8% upside. Among 17 analysts, nine recommend "Strong Buy," while one advises "Strong Sell." The company’s robust guidance and recent performance may bolster investor confidence ahead of the earnings release.

Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. (KR), valued at a $39.6 billion market cap, is set to report fiscal Q4 2025 earnings. Analysts forecast a profit of $1.20 per share, marking a 5.3% increase from $1.14 in the same period last year. The company has consistently exceeded expectations over the past four quarters, with its most recent adjusted EPS of $1.05 surpassing estimates by a penny.

For fiscal 2026, analysts project a 10.5% year-over-year EPS growth to $5.28. Despite a 6.6% gain over the past year, KR lags behind the S&P 500’s 13.6% return but outperforms the XLP ETF’s 6.5% rise. On Dec. 4, shares dropped 4.6% following mixed Q3 results, though adjusted EPS beat expectations.

Wall Street maintains a "Moderate Buy" rating, with an average price target of $74.81, suggesting a 19.4% upside from current levels. Analysts remain moderately optimistic about KR’s stock performance.

US economic activity remained stable in January, but growth momentum significantly weakened, with a sluggish job market and ongoing cost pressures from tariffs. S&P Global's Composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) reported a reading of 52.8, just above the 50 threshold for expansion, indicating slow growth. The manufacturing PMI stood at 51.9, while the services PMI was at 52.5, both below market expectations. The data suggests early signs of economic slowdown in the US. Employment indicators showed minimal growth, reflecting cautious hiring practices amid weak demand and rising uncertainty. Meanwhile, price pressures persisted, with input costs remaining elevated despite slight moderation. Analysts expect the Federal Reserve to maintain current interest rates as inflation remains above target and employment growth stays weak.

Precious metals surged on Friday, with gold (GC=F) nearing $5,000 per ounce and silver (SI=F) hitting $100 amid a robust rally. Bullion is poised for its strongest weekly gain since 2020, up 13% year-to-date, driven by central bank purchases and private investor interest. A weaker US dollar, anticipated Federal Reserve easing, fiscal deficits, and reduced demand for government debt have fueled the rally.

Geopolitical tensions, including Denmark's pension fund exiting US Treasurys and Northern European investors reassessing US assets, have further supported precious metals. Saxo Bank's Ole Sloth Hansen highlighted the erosion of US fiscal discipline as a key factor in gold's sustained demand. Silver futures have outperformed, rising 29% year-to-date, with industrial use contributing to its gains.

JPMorgan analysts caution that silver prices have already exceeded forecasts, making it challenging to predict a peak. Bloomberg's Mike McGlone draws parallels to past rapid price movements, warning of potential sharp retracements if silver lives up to its "devil's metal" reputation. Ines Ferre reports for Yahoo Finance.

U.S. consumer sentiment improved more than previously estimated in January, according to a report released on January 23, 2026. The Conference Board's index rose to 115.2, surpassing the forecasted 112.0. This marks a significant increase from December's reading of 110.8. Economists attribute the improvement to stronger job markets and rising wages, which have bolstered consumer confidence. The data suggests a positive outlook for consumer spending, potentially supporting economic growth in the coming months.

Truecaller Ltd. (NASDAQ: TCLU) on January 23, 2026, released preliminary fourth-quarter 2025 financial results, revealing a projected 12% year-over-year decline in advertising revenue due to global economic pressures. The company attributed the slowdown to reduced ad spend by multinational corporations amid macroeconomic uncertainty. Truecaller's management noted that while core user engagement remained stable, the advertising sector's challenges were impacting its top line. Investors closely monitoring TCLU stock reacted with a 3.5% drop in after-hours trading as analysts revised earnings forecasts downward. The firm plans to address these challenges through cost optimization and diversification into enterprise solutions.

The University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index for January climbed to 56.4, marking a modest 3.5-point increase from December but remaining 21% below the 71.7 level recorded a year prior. Despite this improvement, rising costs and poor job prospects continue to weigh on U.S. households' outlooks.

Joanne Hsu, director of the survey, noted that while consumers see "minor improvements" across various indicators, these gains are small and not indicative of a broader recovery. Inflation expectations showed some easing, with year-ahead forecasts dropping to 4% from 4.2%, though they remain higher than desired by consumers.

The index was compiled following President Trump's brief threat to impose tariffs on European countries over Greenland, which later deescalated. However, concerns about potential trade tensions persist, with experts warning that renewed tariff threats could further dampen consumer confidence.

Inflation expectations also showed signs of improvement, with year-ahead forecasts falling to 4% from 4.2%. While consumers feel slightly more optimistic about inflation stabilizing, they remain cautious, especially if trade war rhetoric intensifies.

The University of Michigan's release highlighted that consumers do not appear to be connecting international developments with their domestic economic views, suggesting a disconnect between global events and personal financial outlooks.

International Oncology Biotech (IOBT) announced on January 23, 2026, a restructuring plan that includes job cuts across its operations, citing cost optimization needs. The move follows a recent decline in investor confidence due to delayed drug development timelines.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) agreed to acquire RAPT Therapeutics for $1.5 billion in an all-cash deal, aiming to bolster its oncology pipeline with RAPT's innovative cancer treatments. The acquisition is expected to close by Q2 2026.

Meanwhile, Corteva Agriscience (CORT) reported positive results from its Phase III ovarian cancer study, meeting primary endpoints ahead of schedule. The trial's success could accelerate regulatory approval for the new therapy, potentially expanding CORT's presence in the oncology market.

The most significant research calls from Wall Street analysts are now consolidated for investor review. Today's notable upgrades include Darden Restaurants (DRI), reflecting improved market outlook and financial performance expectations. Conversely, The Trade Desk (TTD) has been downgraded, signaling potential challenges in its growth trajectory. These calls come as part of a broader analysis by The Fly, providing investors with critical insights into stock movements and strategic positioning. Analysts cite specific financial metrics and industry trends influencing these decisions, offering a clear framework for portfolio adjustments.

Williams-Sonoma Inc. (WSM), the omni-channel home products retailer, is set to report its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings, with analysts forecasting an EPS of $2.88, a 12.2% drop from $3.28 in the same period last year. Despite this decline, the company has consistently exceeded Wall Street expectations over the past four quarters.

For fiscal 2025, analysts project an EPS of $8.69, down slightly from $8.79 in fiscal 2024. However, EPS is expected to rebound to $9.08 in fiscal 2026, marking a 4.5% year-over-year increase. Shares of WSM have declined nearly 1% over the past year, lagging behind the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY).

Following better-than-expected Q3 2025 results, where EPS reached $1.96 and revenue hit $1.88 billion, WSM shares fell 3.4% on November 19. The company cited tariff challenges, including 20% tariffs on China and Vietnam, 50% on India, and rising inventory levels, as key factors impacting performance.

Analysts maintain a moderately optimistic outlook on WSM, with an overall "Moderate Buy" rating. Among 20 analysts, six recommend "Strong Buy," one suggests "Moderate Buy," and 13 advise a "Hold." As of the latest data, WSM is trading above the average analyst price target of $205.83.

On October 23, 2026, Fortune magazine published an article highlighting the work of Demis Hassabis, co-founder of Google DeepMind and Nobel Laureate, and his venture, Isomorphic Labs. Established in 2021, Isomorphic aims to harness AI to navigate the vast chemical space—estimated at 10^60 small, drug-like molecules—potentially revolutionizing drug discovery.

Hassabis envisions a systematic approach to developing treatments using advanced AI platforms, moving beyond traditional serendipitous discoveries like penicillin. The company's mission is not merely to "cure" diseases but to create scalable processes for discovering, designing, and optimizing drugs as needed. Despite lacking clinical trials, Isomorphic emphasizes the importance of demonstrating tangible results through actual drug development.

Investor Krishna Yeshwant underscores the necessity of proving efficacy by bringing drugs to market. As AI-driven drug discovery enters a new phase demanding concrete outcomes, Isomorphic's success could redefine treatment paradigms for conditions ranging from autoimmune disorders to cancer, promising a transformative impact on healthcare within the next decade.

Solstice Advanced Materials, Inc. (SOLS), a New Jersey-based specialty chemicals company, is set to release its fiscal Q4 earnings for 2025 on February 11 before market open. Analysts forecast a profit of $0.40 per share, marking a 100% decline from the same quarter last year. For fiscal 2025, SOLS is expected to report a profit of $0.99 per share, down 100% from fiscal 2024, though earnings are projected to rebound in FY2026 with an 189.9% annual increase to $2.87.

Over the past three months, Solstice shares have surged 32.7%, outperforming the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) and the Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLB). The company’s third-quarter results, released on November 6, showed a 7% year-over-year increase in net sales to approximately $969 million, driven by steady demand across its segments. Wall Street analysts maintain a highly positive outlook, with an overall "Strong Buy" rating. Among six analysts, four recommend "Strong Buy," one suggests "Moderate Sell," and one affirms "Hold." The mean price target for SOLS is $63.33, indicating marginal upside potential from current levels.

Paramount Skydance Corporation (PSKY), with a market cap of $11.3 billion, is set to release its fourth-quarter earnings soon. Analysts anticipate a loss of $0.05 per share, representing a 54.6% improvement from the $0.11 loss reported in the same period last year. The company has met or exceeded earnings expectations in two of the past three quarters but missed once.

For fiscal year 2025, analysts forecast a 57.8% decline in earnings per share to $0.65 from $1.54 in 2024. However, earnings are expected to rebound in 2026, growing 44.6% to $0.94 per share. PSKY stock has risen 12.1% over the past year, lagging behind the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) and the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF Fund (XLC).

On December 22, shares surged 3.8% after Paramount strengthened its $30-per-share bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) by securing a $40.4 billion financing guarantee from Larry Ellison. This move bolstered investor confidence in the takeover attempt. Currently, PSKY holds a consensus “Hold” rating, with a mean price target of $14.42, implying a 22.4% premium from its current price.

(Kritika Sarmah had no positions in the securities mentioned at the time of publication.) All data is for informational purposes only. Originally published on Barchart.com.

General Mills Inc. (GIS), with a $23.5 billion market cap, is set to release its fiscal Q3 2026 earnings. Analysts forecast a profit of $0.84 per share, down 16% from the prior year’s $1.00, reflecting softer demand and strategic shifts. Despite this, the company has consistently exceeded expectations in recent quarters.

For fiscal 2026, analysts project an EPS of $3.65, a 13.3% drop from $4.21 in 2025. However, growth is expected to rebound in 2027, with EPS projected at $3.74, up 2.5% year over year. Over the past year, GIS stock fell 25%, lagging behind the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) and Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP).

On December 17, shares rose 3.4% after reporting fiscal Q2 results, with revenue of $4.9 billion, down 7%. Adjusted EPS of $1.10 beat estimates, though margins declined due to cost pressures. Wall Street remains cautious, assigning a “Hold” rating, with only three analysts recommending a “Strong Buy.” The mean price target of $53.63 suggests a 20.5% upside potential.

Merkle Manufactory, the developer of decentralized social protocol Farcaster, announced plans to fully repay its $180 million raised from venture investors following the sale of Farcaster to infrastructure firm Neynar. Co-founder Dan Romero clarified that Farcaster is not shutting down, stating the protocol will continue operating under new ownership. Neynar intends to shift Farcaster toward a more developer-focused direction. The acquisition, first revealed Wednesday, involves transferring Farcaster’s protocol contracts, code repositories, and core app to Neynar, which will assume operational responsibility. Founded in 2020 by Romero and Varun Srinivasan, Merckle raised funds from investors including a16z Crypto and Paradigm. Farcaster was last valued at $1 billion before the sale. The transition reflects a maturing phase for decentralized social media, with infrastructure teams taking on greater operational roles. Observers note this shift prioritizes reliability and scalability over ideological experimentation. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin highlighted Farcaster and Lens Protocol as examples of protocols maintaining user networks while changing operators. [2026-01-23 14:12 UTC]

On January 16, Ethereum's daily active addresses briefly surpassed 1.3 million, according to Token Terminal data, marking a significant rebound from its Layer-2 scaling networks like Arbitrum and OP Mainnet. This surge follows the December Fusaka upgrade, which reduced transaction fees, making on-chain activity more affordable, particularly for stablecoin transactions.

However, analysts warn that the increase in active addresses may not reflect genuine user demand. A substantial portion of the growth is linked to address poisoning attacks, where attackers send small "dust" transfers to millions of wallets, inflating metrics artificially. Security researcher Andrey Sergeenkov noted that approximately two-thirds of new addresses during peak activity received dust as their first stablecoin transaction, indicating malicious activity rather than organic adoption.

The attack has resulted in over $740,000 in confirmed losses, primarily affecting a small number of victims. While lower fees have revived on-chain activity, they also enable abuse, skewing headline metrics. The takeaway is that while Ethereum usage is not fake, it requires contextual analysis to distinguish between legitimate activity and spam-driven inflation.

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, submitted a formal application to operate under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, selecting Greece as its regulatory base ahead of the framework’s implementation later this year. The company filed the application with the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC), the national authority overseeing securities and crypto-asset service providers.

In a statement, Binance emphasized that MiCA represents a “positive and important milestone” for the industry, offering greater regulatory clarity and user protections. The firm is engaging closely with the HCMC, which has initiated a fast-track review process involving global advisory firms such as PwC, Deloitte, and KPMG.

This move follows Binance’s incorporation of Binary Greece, a local holding entity registered with €25,000 capital, aimed at regional equity management and financial advisory services. The filing marks a strategic effort to reestablish compliance in regulated markets after exiting several European jurisdictions in 2023 amid U.S. regulatory scrutiny. CEO Richard Teng has reiterated Binance’s long-term ambition to reenter the U.S. market, prioritizing compliance.

Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP) reported higher-than-expected sales for the fiscal year 2025, driven by robust demand in its semiconductor and microcontroller segments. The company announced total revenue of $10.2 billion, marking a 12% increase compared to the previous year. Analysts attributed the growth to increased adoption of IoT devices and automotive electronics.

In a statement, CEO Steve Sanghi highlighted the company's strategic investments in R&D, which have bolstered its product portfolio. Microchip's stock price surged 8% in after-hours trading following the release of the earnings report. The firm also raised its guidance for fiscal year 2026, projecting revenue growth of 10-15%.