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Microsoft Shares Jump 3% After Company Unveils Plan To Reveal Azure Revenue For First Time This Fall

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iPhone 18 Pro Rumors: Apple May Ditch the Notch with

REDMOND, Wash. — Shares of Microsoft Corp. climbed sharply Thursday, rising $16.04, or 3.23%, to $512.86 as of 11:19 a.m. ET, as investors responded positively to a broader market rally alongside the company’s announcement that it will begin disclosing standalone quarterly revenue figures for its Azure cloud business for the first time.

Microsoft unveiled the reporting change Wednesday as part of its most significant overhaul of financial disclosure since 2015, consolidating its three existing operating segments into two new groupings: Agents and Infra, and Devices and Consumer. The updated structure is set to take effect with the company’s fiscal first-quarter results this fall.

Under the new framework, the Agents and Infra segment will merge Azure and server products with Microsoft 365 business software, consolidating the company’s cloud, productivity, developer, security, consulting and support operations into a single reportable unit. The Devices and Consumer segment, meanwhile, will bring together Windows, Xbox gaming, and a unified search and advertising business that now includes LinkedIn Marketing Solutions and premium subscriptions.

The centerpiece of the change is Microsoft’s decision to finally disclose actual dollar figures for Azure’s quarterly revenue, ending more than a decade in which the company shared only year-over-year growth percentages for the business rather than concrete sales totals. That practice had long frustrated analysts attempting to model the true scale of Azure relative to rivals Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud, both of which report specific quarterly revenue figures for their respective cloud platforms.

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According to figures disclosed alongside the restructuring announcement, Azure generated $29.42 billion in revenue during the quarter ending in June, a 42% increase from the same period a year earlier, and surpassed $100 billion in cumulative sales for the full 2026 fiscal year. Notably, the restructured Azure reporting will exclude GitHub cloud services, Security Copilot and healthcare cloud solutions, offerings that had previously been folded into Azure’s growth metrics under the prior reporting structure.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella explained the rationale behind the broader reorganization in materials accompanying the announcement, tying the change directly to the growing influence of artificial intelligence across the company’s product lines.

“It is changing what we build and how we operate, and it is blurring the boundaries between our products,” Nadella said, referring to AI’s transformative effect on the company’s business.

Azure has emerged as one of the primary beneficiaries of the broader artificial intelligence boom, as enterprise customers increasingly turn to major cloud infrastructure platforms to access the computing power needed to build and deploy AI models and agents. Analysts at Stifel estimated in July that roughly half of Azure’s revenue growth during fiscal 2026 stemmed from Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI, while rival AI developer Anthropic has also become increasingly reliant on Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure.

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The new Agents and Infra segment will also give investors a clearer view into Microsoft’s expanding AI assistant portfolio. The company disclosed in July that it had surpassed 30 million paid licenses for Microsoft 365 Copilot, up from more than 20 million reported in April, reflecting rapid growth in enterprise adoption of the company’s AI-powered productivity tools.

Thursday’s stock gain builds on additional positive momentum for Microsoft heading into the reporting change. Bank of America research analyst Tal Liani recently upgraded his outlook on the stock, arguing that investors have been underestimating how effectively Microsoft is differentiating itself within the broader artificial intelligence competitive landscape.

Wall Street’s overall sentiment toward Microsoft has remained strongly positive. Analysts maintain a consensus “Strong Buy” rating on the stock, with price targets ranging from roughly $568 to $592, implying meaningful additional upside from current trading levels according to some estimates.

Thursday’s gains also came amid a broadly positive session for the overall stock market, with major indexes advancing as Treasury yields eased and technology stocks benefited from renewed investor enthusiasm tied to Nvidia’s confirmed $12.93 billion acquisition of AI platform Hugging Face, announced the same day. Microsoft is among the seven major technology stocks tracked within a widely followed equal-weighted “Magnificent Seven” exchange-traded fund, alongside Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Nvidia and Tesla, several of which also posted gains Thursday amid the broader rally in AI-linked technology names.

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Microsoft’s stock performance has been notably volatile throughout 2026. Shares were down more than 20% for the year prior to the company’s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report in late July, which triggered a sharp rally after Microsoft reported $90 billion in quarterly revenue, an 18% increase from the same period a year earlier, alongside profit growth of 31% compared with the prior-year quarter. That earnings-driven surge added roughly $450 billion to Microsoft’s market value in a single session, pushing the company’s market capitalization to approximately $3.4 trillion and making it the fourth-largest company in the world by that measure at the time.

Despite that rebound, Microsoft shares remained roughly 5% below the all-time high the stock had established roughly a year earlier, even after the post-earnings surge. The stock’s recovery this year has come even as the company continues navigating cost pressures tied to its aggressive artificial intelligence infrastructure spending, including a previously announced reduction of 4,800 employees, representing roughly 2.1% of Microsoft’s global workforce, disclosed earlier this year in a memo from Amy Coleman, the company’s executive vice president and chief people officer.

In fiscal year 2026 overall, Microsoft reported total revenue of $331.84 billion, an increase of 17.79% compared with the prior year, while earnings rose 31.34% to $133.75 billion, according to data compiled by financial analysts tracking the company’s performance.

With the new two-segment reporting structure and standalone Azure disclosure set to take effect alongside Microsoft’s fiscal first-quarter earnings report this October, investors will gain their first detailed, dollar-based look at the true scale of Azure’s business performance relative to its major cloud competitors, a level of transparency Wall Street has sought from Microsoft for years. Analysts and investors will likely be watching closely to see how the newly disclosed figures compare against market expectations, and whether the added transparency reinforces or complicates the broader bullish narrative that has driven Microsoft shares higher in recent months.

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3D product visualisation cuts marketing costs by replacing repeated photo shoots with one reusable digital model

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3D product visualisation cuts marketing costs by replacing repeated photo shoots with one reusable digital model

A single accurate model can be rendered from any angle, in any colour, setting or format, so a new variant becomes a re-render rather than a new shoot.

By 2014, IKEA had disclosed that around 75% of its catalogue imagery was computer-generated rather than photographed. What was once a big-brand luxury is now a practical option for far smaller businesses.

Why is product photography so expensive?

For most product businesses, photography is a recurring cost, not a one-off. Every colourway, channel and seasonal refresh tends to mean another shoot. The website wants clean cut-out images, the social team wants lifestyle shots, the marketplace listing has its own spec, and the trade brochure wants something else again. For a narrow, stable range, that is manageable. For one with hundreds of lines, frequent launches or many variants, the cost compounds until imagery becomes one of the larger marketing lines – and one of the slowest to turn around. Waiting on a physical sample can hold a launch up by weeks.

What changes with a 3D model?

The 3D approach builds one accurate digital model of a product, once, then renders it as many times as needed, in a plain studio scene or a styled room that never existed. Change the fabric and you re-render rather than re-shoot. Consistency is the quieter benefit. When every image comes from the same model and the same standards, a product looks identical on the website, the marketplace and the trade stand. There is no drift between one shoot’s lighting and the next.

Does 3D visualisation increase online sales?

Interactive 3D moves conversion, not only production cost. Shopify reports that shoppers who view a product in augmented reality are 65% more likely to buy, and those who view it as a 3D model are 44% more likely to add it to their basket. One model built for the catalogue can be reused on the product page, in an AR viewer and in an online configurator, with no fresh shoot each time.

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When is 3D visualisation worth the cost?

3D visualisation earns its upfront modelling cost through reuse, so it pays off fastest where an image is used many times or a product ships in many variants: furniture, configurable goods, wide catalogues, and ranges marketed before they physically exist. For a single image that will never be reused, a photographer is still the simpler answer. The first model costs more than a single shoot; the saving comes with reuse, so the crossover arrives once an image is needed across several variants or channels. A project usually starts from what you already have – product samples, technical drawings or existing photographs – from which the studio builds the model. You approve it, then commission renders as you need them: the launch set now, campaign or seasonal variations later, all from the same asset. Three practical checks before you commit: volume (how many images, variants and channels the model will feed), full commercial rights, and whether the studio’s renders hold up as genuinely photoreal.

Who provides 3D visualisation services?

Studios offering 3D visualisation services build one production-ready model from a brief and reuse it across every channel and format. Evermotion, a Polish studio with 20 years in 3D, says its library of more than 18,000 ready-made assets lets it produce a project in up to half the time, since much of a scene can start from existing assets rather than being built from scratch. The method suits businesses with wide or fast-changing product ranges more than one-off campaigns. The wider shift is simple: product imagery is moving from a service you buy over and over to an asset you build once and reuse.

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Jobs and holidays saved after business rescued from administration

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Beacon Park Boats has been sold out of administration, saving 30 jobs and hundreds of holidays

 Beacon Park Boats

Beacon Park Boats(Image: PFK Littlejohn Advisory)

Jobs and holidays have been saved after a business based along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal was rescued from administration. 30 jobs have been saved at Llangattock-based Beacon Park Boats, a luxury canal boat holiday provider.

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Beacon Park Boats has a fleet of more than 20 vessels and delivers hundreds of holidays every summer. Visitors book its narrowboats and cruise along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, but the firm suffered “turbulent” trading after the pandemic and a long recovery left it with significant debts.

The company turned to PKF Littlejohn Advisory for help. Having worked with the business since late 2025 PKF looked at several options, including a potential “time to pay” arrangement with HMRC to securing additional external funding, but none were viable.

As a result, Oliver Collinge, partner in PKF Littlejohn’s Leeds office, and Paul Williams, partner and head of advisory in the London office, were appointed as joint administrators of Beacon Park Boats.

Following a short period of trading whilst in administration, during which PKF secured additional funding to trade the company, the joint administrators ensured that all summer holiday bookings were honoured and the team remained fully employed during one of the busiest seasons of the year.

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The PKF team then sold the business out of administration to Timeout Escapes Limited in August, saving jobs and holidays.

Law firm Walker Morris advised the joint administrators, while interim funding and valuation advice was provided by Gordon Brothers, said PKF.

Paul Reeves, partner at Littlejohn Advisory UK LLP, said: “Beacon Park Boats has an incredible heritage and a unique offer to holidaymakers wanting to explore the beautiful Welsh valleys. While the business had struggled in the years following Covid, its fundamentals were very strong and we had confidence that it could thrive given the opportunity.

“We are pleased for its loyal customers and staff that we were able to safeguard the company’s future. Businesses like Beacon Park Boats are all about people and that was something we kept in mind throughout the process.

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“It was good to work with the teams at Walker Morris and Gordon Brothers to ensure that the process went smoothly. It was particularly rewarding to help ensure that workforce was maintained, keeping decades of industrial knowledge in the local area.”

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Jerome T. Murphy and the Power of Thinking One Step Ahead

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Jerome T. Murphy and the Power of Thinking One Step Ahead

Growing up on the southside of Chicago, Jerome Murphy watched three generations of attorneys build their practices on service, community, and results.

His grandfather, father, and uncles showed him what it meant to use the law as a tool for helping people. That foundation shaped everything that followed.

Today, Murphy is a partner with Tressler LLP, a national firm based in Chicago. He serves clients in complex litigation involving governmental tort defense, breach of contract, commercial disputes, toxic tort cases, and personal injury defense. He has tried cases in both state and federal courts and has developed a reputation for preparation that goes deeper than most.

A Lesson That Changed Everything

Early in his practice, Murphy argued a significant motion for a client and lost. The law was not in his favor, but that was not the only problem. He had built his arguments around his client’s strongest position without fully anticipating the opposition’s best counterargument.

“After that, I changed how I prepared for any significant argument, either in trial or appellate court,” Murphy said. “I now script the best counterargument the other side could make and make sure my position preempts that argument, rather than just presenting my own case. This anticipatory form of practice has proven to create favorable results for my clients.”

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That shift became the backbone of his practice. Instead of simply presenting his case, Murphy learned to think one step ahead, to see the battlefield from both sides, and to prepare his clients for the strongest attack the other side could mount.

Building a Career on Short-Term Wins

Murphy does not lean on long-term goals. He believes they are the byproduct of satisfying short-term objectives that are reasonable and fair.

“If I come up short, I have the opportunity to be constructively critical, and learning from the experience,” he explained. “Long-term goals are satisfied with the satisfication of the many reasonable short-term goals I set for myself.”

That philosophy extends to how he measures success with clients. He defines success as the earned obtainment of goals, but only when those goals are set realistically from the start. He works with clients to establish clear expectations, knowing that the facts and the law sometimes impose limits.

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“My metric of success is my ability to deliver a reasonable objective to my client,” Murphy said. “Goal setting is created in consultation with your client, with a realistic expectations of the limitations that may undermine those goals.”

Recognition and Growth

Murphy earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Illinois in 2011 and graduated cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2014. Since entering practice, he has been recognized by Leading Lawyer as an Emerging Lawyer in 2018, 2019, and 2022, an honor given to less than 2 percent of lawyers under 40 or those practicing fewer than 10 years. He was also selected by his peers in the 2023 and 2024 editions of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Despite the accolades, he maintains a beginner’s mindset.

“I have to remain humble and approach each client and matter as if it’s my first,” Murphy said. “I owe it to all of my subsequent clients to demonstrate the same carefulness and concern I would for my first client. I never presume that I am beyond learning something new, and I maintain an appetite for a better understanding of the law and a better way to serve my clients.”

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Gratitude as a Tool

When obstacles arise, Murphy turns to a simple practice. He identifies 10 things for which he is grateful.

“I’m immediately injected with positive energy, perspective and perseverance,” he said.

That discipline reflects a broader belief in the connection between personal well-being and professional performance. Murphy sees them as symbiotic. He needs to be healthy and sound in his personal life to deliver the highest quality results to clients. Professional success, in turn, breeds the confidence to take risks and push boundaries in other areas of life.

Outside the courtroom, Murphy reads widely in philosophy, history, and economics. He hikes the trails in local forest preserves, golfs with friends, and has toured the Hawaiian islands. He stays involved in his church community and travels with family and friends to see historical landmarks across the country.

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A Practice Built on Ethics and Preparation

Murphy credits his partners, family and friends in the legal industry, and his law professors for teaching him how to practice ethically. Those influences continue to shape his work at Tressler LLP, where he handles everything from toxic tort litigation to real estate transactions for buyers and sellers.

The qualities he considers most important are diligence, communication, perseverance, flexibility, adaptability, honesty, critical thinking, and hard work. They are not abstract ideals. They are the daily habits that allow him to anticipate the next move, prepare for the toughest argument, and deliver results for the clients who depend on him.

Jerome Murphy remains based in Palos Heights, the same community where his family has lived for decades. He is close with his siblings and enjoys being an uncle. The third-generation attorney continues the work his grandfather began, serving clients with the same care and commitment that inspired him to enter the profession in the first place.

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Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc. (BBCP) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

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OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Operator

Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for participating in today’s conference call to discuss Concrete Pumping Holdings’ financial results for the third quarter ended July 31, 2026. Joining us today are Concrete Pumping Holdings’ CEO, Bruce Young, CFO, Iain Humphries, and the company’s External Director of Investor Relations, Cody Slach.

Before we go further, I would like to turn the call over to Mr. Slach to read the company’s safe harbor statement within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that provides important cautions regarding forward-looking statements. Cody, please go ahead.

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Cody Slach
Gateway Group, Inc.

Thank you. I’d like to remind everyone that during this call, to give you a better understanding of our operations, we will be making certain forward-looking statements regarding our business and outlook. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements.

For information concerning these risks and uncertainties, see Concrete Pumping Holdings’ Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and other publicly available filings with the SEC. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise.

On today’s call, we will also reference certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted EBITDA, net debt, and free cash flow, which we believe provide useful information for investors. We provide further information about these non-GAAP financial measures and reconciliations with comparable GAAP measures in our press release issued

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Wales’ growing dog economy creating a new bred of entrepreneurs

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Jessica Phillips-Harris of the British Business Bank explores the emerging opportunities in Wales’ growing dog economy.

A dog groomer has shared what a day in the life looks life, after quitting her office job (stock image)

A dog groomer has shared what a day in the life looks life, after quitting her office job (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)

Wales has long been a nation of dog lovers. Increasingly, it is becoming a nation of dog entrepreneurs too.

From mobile groomers and doggy daycare to self-service washing stations, specialist toys and stylish accessories, a growing variety of businesses are being built around the needs – and increasingly, the wants – of our four-legged companions .It is a trend we are seeing first-hand through the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme data.

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So far this year, almost 5% of all Start Up Loans distributed in Wales have been for start-ups within the ‘dog economy’.

Put another way, that’s almost 1 in 20 Welsh Start Up Loan recipients – a data point not to be sniffed at!

Collaring the market

And what is striking is not simply the number, but the diversity of dog-related businesses appearing in the Start Up Loans recipients, and they are operating in a market where consumer spending is clearly evolving.

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There is no single figure for the value of Wales’ dog economy, but nationally the direction of travel is clear. UK household spending on veterinary and other services for pets reached £6.7bn in 2025, up from around £4.5bn in 2019 – an increase of almost 50%, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The category covers veterinary and other services for pets rather than dog businesses specifically, but the growth illustrates the increasing amount consumers are spending on the care and wellbeing of their animals.

That spending is happening against a backdrop of a rapidly expanding dog population. The number of dogs living in UK households has risen from around 12.5 million in 2021 to an estimated 15.5 million today, with 41% of households now owning a dog. At the same time, the market around pets is becoming increasingly varied, extending well beyond essential food and veterinary care into grooming, daycare, walking, training, products and other specialist services.

Pooch pampering

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Perhaps most tellingly, pet grooming was added to the Office for National Statistics’ official inflation basket for 2026. The ONS says it introduced the service to reflect a growing area of the pet-care market, noting that reports indicate grooming attracts the second-highest spending in the sector after health checks.

In Wales, the dog grooming picture is equally interesting, even if it cannot yet be neatly expressed in pounds and pence. The Welsh Government estimates that more than 500 pet groomers are operating across the country, and describes pet grooming as widespread and growing. Its evidence also found that 36% of Welsh dog owners had used a professional dog groomer.

That creates an obvious opportunity for entrepreneurs – but the businesses emerging around dogs suggest the opportunity is becoming much broader than grooming alone.

When the dog gets better accessories than you do

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Some of the most interesting businesses are tapping into something less essential: what people want to buy for their dogs.

In Abergavenny, former Royal Navy serviceman Ed Woolcott founded Monty’s XI following the loss of his beloved cocker spaniel, Monty.

Supported by a £20,000 Start Up Loan, Ed has launched a range of dog-walking accessories inspired by classic 1990s football kits, including collars, harnesses, leads and poo-bag holders.

No dog actually needs a retro football-inspired lead, and that is precisely what makes the business strategy so revealing.

Ed identified a gap in a market where many dog accessories were heavily targeted towards women, creating an opportunity for products aimed at men who wanted something that reflected their own interests.

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Another Start Up Loans-supported business is Pawfectly Clean Cymru.

Rather than operating a conventional grooming salon, the business is installing self-service dog-wash stations, giving owners a quick and convenient way to tackle the inevitable muddy paws, wet fur and post-walk grime without having to turn their own bathroom into a canine spa. It currently has three locations across south Wales – Caerphilly Mountain, Pontcanna Fields and Clydach Valley Lakes.

It is a simple idea, but an interesting one commercially. As dog ownership grows, so does demand for services that make caring for pets easier. With ambitions to expand across Wales, Pawfectly Clean Cymru shows how entrepreneurs can find opportunities by rethinking established services rather than reinventing them entirely.

The businesses backed by Start Up Loans in Wales reflect the widening opportunities emerging around dog ownership.

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Alongside Pawfectly Clean Cymru and Monty’s XI, businesses supported so far in 2026 include an American-style dog daycare business in North Wales, a manufacturer of chew-resistant dog toys, an indoor dog soft-play and stay-and-play facility, mobile dog groomers, specialist grooming suppliers and businesses providing dog walking, sitting and home boarding.

Together, they demonstrate how entrepreneurs are identifying opportunities across a market that extends far beyond traditional pet care. Some are solving practical problems for owners, while others are creating products and experiences that reflect the increasingly important role dogs play in people’s lives.

Beyond Start Up Loans, the British Business Bank’s other programmes are helping dog-related businesses to scale and expand and stay here in the UK. One notable example is Clydach Farm – Natural Dog Food which, in addition to finance from Start Up Loans, access the Bank’s Recovery Loan Scheme (now operating as the Growth Guarantee Scheme) through Robert Owen Community Banking Fund.

The ‘dog economy’ may not yet have an official Welsh balance sheet, but the businesses emerging around it tell us something important about modern consumer behaviour. As owners continue to spend more on their pets’ wellbeing, convenience and enjoyment, Welsh entrepreneurs are finding new ways to turn that demand into successful businesses.

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  • Jessica Phillips-Harris is a director in the Wales local growth team at the British Business Bank – the economic development bank of the UK Government.
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Tesla Shares Surge Ahead Of Highly Anticipated Cybercab Robotaxi Launch Event In Austin Texas

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Tesla

AUSTIN, Texas — Shares of Tesla Inc. surged Thursday morning, climbing $20.07, or 5.62%, to $377.08 as of 10:15 a.m. ET, as investors positioned ahead of the company’s closely watched Cybercab launch event scheduled for later in the day in Austin.

The invite-only event, described by market analysts as the most consequential product milestone on Tesla’s calendar since Cybertruck deliveries began, will formally introduce the production version of the Cybercab, a purpose-built two-seat autonomous vehicle featuring no steering wheel or pedals. Tesla intends to deploy the Cybercab as the primary driverless model within its expanding robotaxi network, with riders expected to be able to hail the vehicle through the company’s existing Robotaxi app as early as the week following the event.

Tesla first unveiled the Cybercab concept in October 2024 at the “We, Robot” event held at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles. Pilot production of the vehicle reportedly began at Gigafactory Texas in February of this year, setting the stage for Thursday’s rollout of the production-ready model. Alongside the Cybercab’s development, Tesla has continued expanding its existing Austin Robotaxi service, which currently operates using modified Model Y vehicles running Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software, initially with human safety monitors present before the company began removing monitors from certain routes. According to Tesla’s own disclosures, the service has logged more than 380,000 unsupervised miles without a notable incident.

The stock’s rally into Thursday’s event built on gains recorded earlier in the week. Tesla shares closed at $367.95 on Aug. 31, up 5.51%, as investors focused on the upcoming Cybercab event alongside renewed interest in Tesla’s broader Full Self-Driving and robotaxi ambitions. That level also marked the stock crossing above its 50-day moving average, a technical signal some traders view as indicative of improving short-term momentum.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has consistently steered investor attention toward the company’s autonomy software as the primary driver of Tesla’s long-term value, positioning the Cybercab and the broader robotaxi rollout as central to that narrative. Thursday’s event offers Musk and Tesla executives an opportunity to provide investors with a clearer picture of the company’s progress and near-term plans for scaling the driverless vehicle business into a commercially viable service.

Not all analysts have expressed confidence heading into the event. Morgan Stanley issued a note ahead of Thursday’s launch warning that Tesla shares could “sell off through the event,” a caution some market watchers have attributed to the risk that high expectations built up over recent weeks leave the stock vulnerable to a “sell the news” reaction regardless of how the Cybercab reveal itself is received.

Tesla’s most recent quarterly results offered a mixed backdrop for Thursday’s event. The company’s core automotive business generated $20.52 billion in revenue during the quarter, a 23.1% increase from a year earlier, while its energy business, covering solar and battery energy storage systems, posted $3.14 billion in revenue, up 12.5% year over year. Services and other revenue, which includes elements of Tesla’s software and subscription offerings, surged 50.4% to $4.58 billion.

Despite that revenue growth, Tesla’s costs rose considerably faster than sales during the quarter. Operating expenses climbed 47.3% from the prior-year quarter to $4.35 billion, driven in significant part by increased spending on artificial intelligence and other research and development initiatives tied to the company’s autonomy and robotics ambitions. That spending pushed Tesla’s operating margin down sharply to 1.4%, compared with 4.1% during the same quarter a year earlier, underscoring the tension between Tesla’s continued investment in future growth areas and the near-term profitability of its existing business.

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Beyond the Cybercab, Musk has continued steering Tesla’s broader narrative toward technologies beyond conventional vehicle sales, including the company’s Optimus humanoid robot program and updates tied to Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Musk’s separate company, xAI, which Tesla has periodically referenced in connection with its own AI development efforts. Shares had previously jumped following updates related to both Optimus and Grok in the days leading up to this week’s Cybercab event.

Tesla’s stock has shown considerable day-to-day volatility in the weeks leading up to Thursday’s launch, reflecting the market’s sensitivity to incremental news tied to the company’s autonomous driving progress. Shares fell in individual sessions tied to concerns over August sales data and continued competitive pressure from Chinese rival BYD, which has continued posting strong overseas sales growth. At the same time, Tesla shares have jumped on positive developments, including a widely publicized, if ultimately unsuccessful, robotaxi ride attempted by a Tesla brand ambassador that failed to derail the stock’s broader upward momentum in the days preceding this week’s event.

Tesla separately disclosed a recall earlier this month affecting roughly 3 million vehicles in China tied to door handle safety and driver monitoring system concerns, though that development does not appear to have significantly weighed on the stock’s performance heading into Thursday’s Cybercab launch.

Wall Street’s broader attention to Thursday’s event comes amid a notably positive overall trading session for U.S. equities, with major indexes advancing following Wednesday’s rebound from a three-day losing streak. Tesla’s outsized gain has significantly outpaced the broader market’s advance Thursday, reflecting the stock’s particular sensitivity to news specifically tied to its autonomous vehicle ambitions relative to the rest of its business.

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As the Cybercab event unfolds in Austin later Thursday, investors and analysts will be watching closely for details on production timelines, pricing, and the pace at which Tesla plans to scale the Cybercab within its existing robotaxi network, along with any additional updates on the safety record and regulatory status of the company’s broader Full Self-Driving technology. With Tesla’s next quarterly earnings report expected on Oct. 20, the company’s execution on the promises outlined during Thursday’s event is likely to remain a central focus for investors evaluating Tesla’s valuation and growth trajectory heading into the final months of 2026.

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lululemon Q2: Why I'm Not Touching This Even After The 19% Drop

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lululemon: A Generational Buy At These Levels

lululemon Q2: Why I'm Not Touching This Even After The 19% Drop

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New tenant being sought for iconic Cardiff nightspot venue

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Following the closure of Henry’s Cafe Bar Propatir has been appointed to market the building

Henry’s in Cardiff.

What was one of Cardiff’s best known nightspots, Henry’s Cafe Bar, is being marketed to attract a new operator. The owner of the building on Park Place is looking to secure a new tenant after owner of Henry’s, Stonegate Group, opted not to enter into a new lease. Henry’s, close to the New Theatre, was one of the best known night venues in Cardiff having operated at the location for 30 years. Stonegate, which is the largest pub company in the UK, took over the venue when it acquired the entire bar portfolio of Tattershall Castle Group in 2015. Henry’s closed back in February.

The empty building, which is owned by an undisclosed private landlord, extends to 25,000 sq ft, of which Henry’s occupied around 13,100 sq ft on the ground and basement levels.

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Henry’s

Cardiff-based and recently established real estate investment and asset management firm Propatir, set up by Alex James, has been appointed to market the property. While at an early stage they have received strong interest from bar and restaurant firms, as well as from boutique and service apartment operators with a view to leasing the entire building from the landlord – subject to planning approval and refurbishment. While a challenging market for the UK hospitality sector, there are strong sub-sectors including private equity backed Irish bar operators and those catering for a mainly student market. Mr James said: “This is a prime opportunity to refresh a celebrated piece of Cardiff’s nightlife history. Leasing this iconic Park Place venue provides you with a fully fitted bar and restaurant within a character rich space boasting over 30 years of patron loyalty. This well-located hospitality venue captures strong, diverse footfall from local offices, students, and tourists alike, positioning your business precisely where Cardiff comes to celebrate, shop, and enjoy the theatre.” Mr James began his career with DTZ (now Cushman & Wakefield) before joining Knight Frank where he held senior roles including global capital markets partner and head of private client advisory. He has advised on real estate investment transactions with a value of more than $3bn..

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Snowflake Shares Rocket 20% As Q2 Earnings Beat And Guidance Raise Fuel One Of Its Biggest Rallies Since IPO

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Snowflake Stock Surges 35 Percent on Strong AI-Driven Earnings, Raising

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Shares of Snowflake Inc. surged Thursday, climbing $63.00, or 20.60%, to $368.84, after the cloud data platform company delivered second-quarter results that blew past Wall Street expectations and raised its full-year outlook, marking one of the biggest single-day rallies in the company’s history as a public company.

Snowflake reported adjusted earnings per share of 62 cents for its fiscal second quarter, well ahead of the 45-cent consensus estimate compiled by analysts. Total revenue reached $1.55 billion, topping the $1.48 billion Wall Street had projected and representing 35% growth year over year. The results, released after market close Wednesday, immediately sent shares surging in extended trading, with the stock climbing as much as 22% to 24% in after-hours and premarket activity ahead of Thursday’s regular session.

Product revenue, the company’s primary growth metric that excludes its smaller services business, totaled $1.49 billion, up 37% from a year earlier. That figure marked the company’s third consecutive quarter of accelerating product revenue growth, directly countering investor concerns heading into the report that enterprise cloud spending, and Snowflake’s growth trajectory alongside it, might be beginning to slow.

Snowflake reported a net loss of $191.7 million, or 55 cents per share, for the quarter, an improvement from the $297.9 million net loss, or 89 cents per share, the company posted during the same period a year earlier.

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Company executives pointed to strong adoption of Cortex, Snowflake’s suite of artificial intelligence tools, as a key driver behind the quarter’s results. The company specifically highlighted growth in Cortex Code, an AI coding agent that Snowflake said now has 9,100 customer accounts, an increase of more than 2,000 accounts added during the quarter alone.

Alongside the earnings beat, Snowflake issued guidance for the current quarter and full fiscal year that exceeded analyst projections. Executives said they expect $1.59 billion in product revenue for the fiscal third quarter, ahead of the $1.5 billion consensus estimate compiled by FactSet. The company also raised its full-year product revenue guidance to $6.1 billion, implying growth of roughly 36% for the year, and forecast an adjusted operating margin of 14.5%, up from just 10% the prior year and ahead of the company’s earlier guidance of 13.5%.

Bank of America analyst Koji Ikeda highlighted the significance of the accelerating product revenue trend in a note to clients following the results.

“The key debate into the print was whether Product revenue could keep accelerating,” Ikeda wrote. “It did, and [fiscal third quarter] guidance implies further acceleration.”

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Analyst sentiment toward Snowflake has remained overwhelmingly positive following the results. Of the 52 analysts currently covering the stock, 46 maintain a buy or strong buy rating, according to data from LSEG, reflecting broad confidence in the company’s growth trajectory even after Thursday’s sharp move higher.

Thursday’s rally pushed Snowflake shares well beyond their prior 52-week high of $341.95, resetting market expectations for the stock heading into the remainder of the company’s fiscal year. Snowflake shares had already climbed 39% year to date heading into Wednesday’s earnings report, significantly outpacing the roughly 12% gain recorded by the broader S&P 500 index over the same period. Thursday’s additional surge extends that outperformance considerably further.

If the stock’s gains held through Thursday’s regular trading session at levels comparable to its after-hours move Wednesday night, the rally would represent the fourth-largest single-session jump in Snowflake’s history as a public company, according to data reviewed following the earnings release. Snowflake first went public in 2020 in what was, at the time, the largest software initial public offering in history.

The results follow a period of significant momentum for Snowflake shares throughout 2026, with the stock having already climbed roughly 88% between March and August, driven by strong adoption of the company’s AI-focused product suite and previous rounds of raised revenue growth forecasts. That rally had cooled somewhat in the days immediately preceding Wednesday’s earnings report, with shares pulling back roughly 4% amid a broader selloff affecting software stocks and growing investor caution over whether Snowflake could sustain its accelerating growth trajectory heading into the print.

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Headquartered in Bozeman, Montana, Snowflake operates what it describes as an AI Data Cloud platform, allowing organizations to consolidate enterprise data into a single, centralized source that can be analyzed, shared and used to build custom data applications and AI-powered tools. The company’s technology has increasingly positioned it as a key infrastructure provider for enterprises building out AI capabilities, a dynamic that has helped sustain investor enthusiasm for the stock even as some other segments of the software industry have faced more skeptical scrutiny from Wall Street this year.

Snowflake’s remaining performance obligations, a closely watched measure of contracted future revenue that reflects the durability of the company’s customer backlog, have continued to grow alongside the company’s reported quarterly results, reinforcing analyst confidence in Snowflake’s ability to sustain its current growth trajectory over the coming quarters. The company’s net revenue retention rate, a metric measuring how much existing customers are increasing their spending over time, has also remained a closely tracked indicator of the underlying health of Snowflake’s customer relationships.

Executives discussed the quarter’s results with analysts during a conference call held Wednesday evening following the earnings release, addressing questions about the durability of the company’s AI-driven growth, the trajectory of its Cortex product suite, and the company’s updated guidance for the remainder of its fiscal year.

With Thursday’s rally, Snowflake has firmly reestablished itself among the strongest-performing large-cap software stocks of 2026, even as questions remain among some market watchers about the sustainability of a rally that has now pushed the stock to trade at a significant premium relative to broader software industry valuation benchmarks. For now, Wall Street’s reaction to Wednesday’s results has been overwhelmingly positive, with the combination of an emphatic earnings beat, an unexpected acceleration in product revenue growth, and a meaningful raise to full-year guidance giving investors renewed confidence in Snowflake’s position at the center of enterprise AI infrastructure spending heading into the final months of the year.

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