NEW YORK — Charles Barkley unleashed sharp criticism of the San Antonio Spurs after they squandered a 29-point lead in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals, calling their second-half collapse some of the “dumbest basketball” he had ever seen as the New York Knicks completed a historic comeback victory.
The Knicks erased the massive deficit to win 107-106 on OG Anunoby’s tip-in with 1.2 seconds left, taking a 3-1 series lead. On “Inside the NBA,” Barkley did not hold back in his assessment of San Antonio’s late-game execution.
“We saw the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization,” Barkley said. “They had a 25-point lead, took eight straight threes. Like they thought that was some of the most mismanaged stupid basketball.”
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The Spurs built a commanding 81-52 lead in the third quarter but went cold, shooting just 3 for 17 from three-point range in the second half. Barkley highlighted the lack of clock management and poor shot selection as the Spurs failed to protect their advantage.
Historic Comeback Caps Dramatic Night
The Knicks’ rally is the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, surpassing the previous mark of 24 points. It was the second-largest playoff comeback ever, behind only the LA Clippers’ 31-point rally in 2019.
Jalen Brunson led New York with 36 points, while Anunoby finished with 33 and delivered the game-winner. Victor Wembanyama had 24 points and 13 rebounds for the Spurs but shot 9-for-25 from the field. De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell also scored in double figures, but the team’s second-half collapse proved costly.
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Spurs coach Mitch Johnson expressed disappointment. “We got on our heels — we missed some shots. It’s disappointing, to say the least.”
Wembanyama acknowledged the team’s lack of hunger in the second half. “I can’t really explain it right now. We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half.”
Inside the NBA Reaction
Barkley’s blunt critique resonated with viewers, with many agreeing the Spurs’ decision-making in the third quarter was puzzling. The Hall of Famer noted the Spurs’ repeated three-point attempts without regard for the clock, even while holding a large lead.
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Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and the rest of the panel joined in the discussion, with the broadcast capturing the shock of fans and analysts alike at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks’ resilience turned a potential blowout into one of the most memorable games in Finals history.
Series Outlook Shifts Dramatically
The Knicks now hold a 3-1 lead and can clinch the championship in Game 5 on Saturday in San Antonio. A victory there would end New York’s title drought since 1973. The Spurs must win the next three games to claim the title, a daunting task against a motivated Knicks squad playing with home-court momentum in the series.
The physical nature of the series continued, with several flagrant fouls called on both sides. Wembanyama faced heightened defensive attention, while Brunson’s leadership and clutch play proved decisive once again.
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Fan and Cultural Reaction
Madison Square Garden erupted as the final seconds ticked away, with fans singing “Don’t Stop Believin’” long after the game ended. Celebrities including Taylor Swift were in attendance, adding to the electric atmosphere of a night that will be remembered for years.
Social media exploded with reactions to both the comeback and Barkley’s fiery commentary. The moment has already become one of the most discussed in recent NBA history, highlighting the drama and unpredictability of playoff basketball.
Broader Context of the Finals
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The 2026 NBA Finals have delivered compelling storylines, pitting the resilient Knicks against a young, talented Spurs team led by the generational talent Wembanyama. The series has featured strong individual performances and tactical battles, with Game 4 standing out as one of the most memorable.
For the Knicks, the comeback reinforces their identity as a never-quit group that has overcome significant obstacles throughout the postseason. For the Spurs, the loss represents a painful learning experience in their first Finals appearance in years.
As the series shifts back to San Antonio, the Spurs will look to regroup and extend the series, while the Knicks aim to close it out on the road. Game 5 promises another intense chapter in what has become a hard-fought and entertaining NBA Finals.
Charles Barkley’s passionate breakdown captured the frustration many felt watching the Spurs’ collapse. His comments, while blunt, reflect the high standards expected at this level of competition. The NBA world will be watching to see how both teams respond as the championship race reaches its critical stage.
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The Knicks’ historic Game 4 victory has shifted momentum dramatically. With a 3-1 lead, New York is one win away from ending a long championship drought, while San Antonio faces an uphill battle to keep their title hopes alive. The coming games will test the resilience and character of both franchises in what has already become a memorable Finals series.
I’m Rob Isbitts, founder of Sungarden Investment Publishing. I run the new investing group Sungarden Investors Club, a community dedicated to navigating the modern investment climate with humility, discipline, and a non-traditional approach to income investing. I’ve been charting investments since the 1980s, and I spent decades an an investment advisor and fund manager before semi-retiring in 2020. Now, this investing group is my focus. The markets tells us a story…we just have to listen! I teach subscribers how to do that.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of RAMZ either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
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Mumbai: India’s key stock gauges advanced more than 1% on Wednesday amid expectations that the recent sharp selloff in South Korea’s SK Hynix and Samsung could trigger a rotation of overseas fund flows into locally listed technology companies.
The Nifty rose 264 points, or 1.1%, to close at 24,250. The Sensex rose 888 points, or 1.2%, to 77,654.
Elsewhere in Asia, China advanced 0.4% and Hong Kong rose 2%, while South Korean Kospi slumped 6%,Taiwan dropped 3.8% and Japan fell 1.5%. The pan-Europe index Stoxx 600 was down 0.3% as of press time.
“The massive correction seen in the Kospi, and artificial intelligence and chip-making stocks is now expected to trigger a shift in flows from AI-focused stocks toward the Indian IT sector, and this has fuelled investor optimism,” said Rajesh Palviya, head of research, Axis Securities.
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The Kospi is now down nearly 19% and Taiwan has fallen 11% in the past week. SK Hynix has slipped 26.7% and Samsung Electronics Co is down 22.5%.
Palviya also said Nifty’s positioning was light on the first day of the new series, which, along with strong rollover activity, easing crude oil prices, a stronger rupee and expectations of relative peace in West Asia, boosted investor sentiment. Nifty’s India Volatility Index (VIX), the fear gauge, fell 4.4% to 12.01 on Wednesday, indicating relief among traders. Out of the total 4,425 stocks traded on the BSE, 2,533 advanced and 1,705 fell at close.
Agencies
Nifty Support Seen Higher “The entire month of July has seen market moves driven by crude oil prices. The markets rallied on Wednesday, supported by the decline in crude prices toward the $85 a barrel mark, along with stock-specific action, as most Q1 results have been broadly in line, with no major negative surprises,” said Sunny Agrawal, head of research at SBI Securities.
In higher beta assets, the Nifty Midcap 150 gained 0.8% and Nifty Small-cap 250 rose 1.3%.
Palviya said that since the Nifty managed to close decisively above the 24,200 level on Wednesday, its support has now moved higher to the 24,000-24,100 zone. “As long as the index holds above this range, it could move toward 24,350-24,400 in the near term,” he said. Foreign portfolio investors net bought shares worth ₹2,982 crore. Domestic institutions were buyers to the tune of ₹998 crore.
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President Trump unveils a $22 billion renovation plan for Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport, aiming to transform it from the ‘worst’ to the ‘best.’
President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveiled plans and renderings Wednesday for a $22.5 billion overhaul of Washington Dulles International Airport.
The project — developed with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and United Airlines — will add or renovate more than 5 million square feet at the airport, located about 25 miles west of downtown Washington, D.C., according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
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“This transformation is another step in our ongoing efforts to make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful again,” Trump said Wednesday from the Oval Office.
DOT said the multiyear project will create thousands of jobs, generate billions of dollars in economic activity and allow Dulles to accommodate hundreds of additional flights.
A rendering shows a proposed entrance at Washington Dulles International Airport. DOT said the multiyear project will create thousands of jobs. (U.S. Department of Transportation)
The plan calls for replacing Concourses C and D, adding gates and expanding the airport’s AeroTrain service, according to DOT.
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It also includes upgrades to security screening, baggage handling, parking and pedestrian walkways.
Under the plan, travelers would also see more seating and lounges, including additional United Club space and one of the world’s largest United Polaris Lounges.
A new central walkway would make it easier for passengers to move between concourses, while another pedestrian route would connect travelers to a new U.S. Customs facility.
Officials said the improvements would eventually allow Dulles to phase out its mobile lounges, also known as “people movers,” which transport passengers across the airport.
A rendering shows another proposed exterior view of the Dulles airport modernization.
“We are going to get rid of the people movers,” Duffy said from the Oval Office. “… These are like elevated busses. … And they’re slow, and people are angry about them.”
DOT said it selected the plan after reviewing more than 30 proposals submitted following a December 2025 request for ideas to modernize the airport.
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Construction will take place in phases over several years while Dulles remains open.
The $22.5 billion investment marks a significant increase from the $7 billion previously allocated for the airport’s modernization, according to DOT.
The project will be funded through municipal bonds, according to Reuters. Duffy said that United and other participating airlines will also contribute to the cost.
A rendering shows a proposed interior space at Washington Dulles International Airport. (U.S. Department of Transportation)
“So it’s going to be bonded for $22.5 billion,” Duffy said. “United is going to partake in part of the payment. But the airlines who participate in the project are going to pay for it.”
Duffy noted the project still requires “some permitting” but that officials hope to begin construction as early as next spring.
Modernization work on the airport is already underway. The first section of the new Concourse E is expected to open later this year with 14 United gates, direct AeroTrain access and new passenger lounges, DOT said.
Shares of Manhattan Associates surged 26.70% in Wednesday morning trading, climbing $44.90 to $213.07, after the supply chain software company reported record second-quarter results driven by strong growth in its cloud subscription business.
The Atlanta-based company reported second-quarter revenue of $297.8 million, up 9.3% from $272.4 million in the same period a year earlier and ahead of the consensus analyst estimate of roughly $293.7 million. Cloud subscription revenue, the segment investors have watched most closely as a signal of the company’s transition away from legacy licensing and services, climbed 26% year over year to $126.7 million. Services revenue came in at $133.0 million for the quarter.
On the earnings side, Manhattan Associates reported non-GAAP adjusted diluted earnings per share of $1.39, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $1.34 and improving from $1.31 reported in the second quarter of 2025. GAAP diluted earnings per share, however, declined to 85 cents from 93 cents a year earlier, with net income falling to $50.4 million from $56.8 million over the same period, a divergence that reflects differences between the company’s adjusted and unadjusted accounting measures.
The company’s remaining performance obligations, a metric that reflects contracted future revenue not yet recognized, grew 23% year over year to reach $2.5 billion as of June 30, according to the company’s earnings release. Manhattan Associates said the quarter marked its third consecutive period of record bookings, a trend executives described as reflecting sustained business momentum and effective execution of the company’s go-to-market strategy.
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Company leadership highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence capabilities in driving the quarter’s results. Manhattan Associates said the introduction of AI-related features across its supply chain and omnichannel commerce platforms has become a meaningful differentiator in customer conversations, contributing directly to both deal activity and the company’s broader sales pipeline growth.
The company maintained an active share buyback program during the quarter, repurchasing 874,029 shares for a total of $125.0 million. Manhattan Associates ended the quarter with $186.1 million in cash and generated $90.7 million in cash flow from operations during the three-month period, according to its financial disclosures.
Manhattan Associates’ stock had already shown strength heading into the earnings report, rising 9.8% over the month prior to the release, alongside an average analyst price target of $185.45 compared with the stock’s pre-earnings price of $151.67. The magnitude of Wednesday’s rally, however, significantly exceeded the roughly 10% to 11% gains the stock initially posted in after-hours trading following the results, suggesting that additional buying interest developed as investors had more time to digest the details of the report and the strength of the underlying cloud growth trends.
Wednesday’s surge continues a broader pattern for Manhattan Associates, whose stock has repeatedly posted double-digit single-session gains following past quarterly reports when cloud revenue growth has exceeded expectations. The company posted a similar roughly 10% jump following its first-quarter 2025 results, when cloud revenue grew 21% year over year and the company subsequently raised its full-year guidance for that fiscal year.
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The company’s five-year historical sales growth rate stands at approximately 12.7% annually, according to recent analysis, though some market observers have noted that growth has moderated somewhat in more recent periods, with annualized revenue growth of roughly 6.3% over the trailing two years running below the longer five-year trend. Analysts have said that pattern reflects a broader dynamic within the enterprise software sector, where growth rates for even strong-performing companies have generally cooled from the elevated pace seen during and immediately following the pandemic-era surge in cloud software adoption.
Manhattan Associates provides supply chain management and omnichannel commerce software used by large retailers, logistics companies and other enterprises to manage complex inventory, fulfillment and distribution operations. The company has positioned its ongoing shift toward cloud-based subscription offerings as central to its long-term growth strategy, arguing that the recurring revenue model provides greater predictability and higher long-term customer value compared with the company’s legacy on-premises software licensing business.
Despite Wednesday’s sharp gain, the stock remains well below its most recent highs reached earlier in the year, having traded as much as 34% below those peak levels amid a period of broader volatility across software and technology stocks tied to shifting investor sentiment around enterprise software valuations and growth expectations more broadly.
Investors are likely to continue monitoring Manhattan Associates’ cloud revenue growth trajectory and the pace of its remaining performance obligations expansion in the coming quarters as key indicators of whether the company can sustain the kind of momentum reflected in Wednesday’s results, particularly as the broader enterprise software sector continues to navigate questions about the durability of growth rates following the initial post-pandemic acceleration in cloud adoption across the industry.
MGP Ingredients, Inc. (MGPI) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 29, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
Julie Francis – CEO, President & Director Brandon Gall – CFO & Treasurer
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Conference Call Participants
Seamus Cassidy – TD Cowen, Research Division Marc Torrente – Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Research Division Sean McGowan – ROTH Capital Partners, LLC, Research Division Mitchell Pinheiro – Sturdivant & Co., Inc., Research Division Benjamin Klieve – The Benchmark Company, LLC, Research Division
Presentation
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Operator
Good morning and welcome to the MGP Ingredients Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call with Julie Francis, President and CEO, and Brandon Gall, CFO. [Operator Instructions] Please also note this event is being recorded today.
In addition, this call may involve certain forward-looking statements. The company’s actual results could differ materially from any forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including the risk factors described in the company’s annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC. The company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made during the call, except as required by law.
This call will contain references to certain non-GAAP measures, which the company believes are useful in evaluating the company’s performance. A reconciliation of these measures to the most comparable GAAP measures is included in today’s earnings release, which was issued this morning before the markets opened and is available at www.mgpingredients.com. At this time, I would like to turn the call over to Julie Francis, President and CEO of MGP Ingredients. Please go ahead.
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Julie Francis CEO, President & Director
Good morning. I’d like to thank you all for joining us today on our second quarter 2026 earnings call. For the second quarter, sales came in at $124.4 million, down versus the prior year as expected. Adjusted EBITDA of $27.6 million and adjusted basic EPS of $0.72 also declined versus the second quarter of last year. However, both of these
Shares of telehealth company Hims and Hers Health fell sharply Wednesday after the Federal Trade Commission sued the company, alleging it misled consumers about privacy protections, billing practices and subscription cancellations.
The FTC, joined by Los Angeles County and Utah, alleged Hims and Hers shared users’ sensitive health information with online advertising platforms including Meta Platforms and Snap Inc. through tracking technologies embedded on its website. The agency said the company’s practices were inconsistent with promises it made to protect users’ health data.
The FTC also accused Hims and Hers of charging customers for prescriptions before they have spoken with a healthcare provider. The agency alleges many customers are billed after completing an intake form rather than after a consultation with a medical professional.
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The regulator further alleges the company made it difficult for users to cancel subscriptions.
Hims and Hers denied the allegation in a post on X, saying the lawsuit “disregards substantial evidence” provided during the FTC’s nearly three-year investigation into the company and “contorts the law to try to manufacture claims.”
The company said it is confident in its position and will “vigorously defend” itself.
The lawsuit comes as Hims and Hers has emerged as one of the largest telehealth providers in the fast-growing market for weight loss medications. The company offers virtual appointments and prescriptions for treatments including weight loss drugs, erectile dysfunction, hair loss and mental health medications, which are shipped directly to consumers.
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The investigation by the FTC dates back to October 2023. CNBC has reported on several probes into Hims and Hers’ business practices, including its Super Bowl ad and compounded weight loss drugs.
In April, the FTC formally communicated the findings of its probe started in 2023 to the company and settlement discussions began. In May, Hims and Hers disclosed a $15 million probable-loss accrual related to the matter, warning the final cost could be materially higher. The company said it made a settlement offer without admitting wrongdoing.
Wednesday’s lawsuit escalates that dispute, with regulators pushing new claims.
Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us, and welcome to the Benchmark Electronics Q2 2026 Earnings Call. [Operator Instructions]
I will now hand the conference over to Paul Mansky, Benchmark Investor Relations. Please go ahead.
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Paul Mansky Investor Relations & Corporate Development Officer
Thank you, Piercy, and thanks, everyone, for joining us today for Benchmark’s Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Call. With us today are David Moezidis, our President and CEO; and Bryan Schumaker, our CFO.
After the market closed, we issued an earnings release pertaining to our financial performance for the second quarter of 2026, along with a presentation, which we will reference on this call. Both are available under the Investor Relations section of our website. This call is being webcast live, a replay of which will be available approximately 1 hour after we conclude.
The company has provided a reconciliation of our GAAP to non-GAAP measures in the earnings release as well as in the appendix to the presentation. Please take a moment to review the forward-looking statements disclosure on Slide 2 of the presentation.
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During our call, we will discuss forward-looking information. As a reminder, any of today’s remarks which are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties as described in our press releases and SEC filings. Actual results may differ materially from these statements. Benchmark undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
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