Automatic Data Processing, Inc. engages in the provision of cloud-based human capital management (HCM) solutions worldwide. It operates in two segments, Employer Services and Professional Employer Organization (PEO). The Employer Services segment offers strategic, cloud-based platforms, and human resources (HR) outsourcing solutions. This segment's offerings include RUN Powered by ADP, a software platform for small business payroll, HR management, and tax compliance administration; ADP Workforce Now, a HCM solution used across mid-sized and large businesses to manage employees; and ADP Vantage HCM, a solution for HR management, benefits administration, payroll services, time and attendance management, and talent management. The PEO Services segment provides HR and employment administration outsourcing solutions under ADP TotalSource name to businesses through a co-employment model. The segment also provides employee benefits, protection and compliance, talent engagement, expertise, comprehensive outsourcing, and recruitment process outsourcing services. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Roseland, New Jersey.

ADP appears to be a high-quality but already expensive business: the company’s profitability and margins are noticeably above the industry average, but the market valuation already reflects much of that. P/E is roughly in line with the median, while P/S and P/B are significantly above industry benchmarks, indicating a premium for stability and high margins rather than clear undervaluation. P/FCF is also above average, though not extreme, so free cash flow supports the valuation but does not provide much cushion for further upside. In terms of trend, the multiples have risen in recent periods, meaning the market has been paying more for the same business, which usually limits re-rating potential. ADP’s strength lies in its very high ROE, high ROI, and consistently strong operating and net margins, which remain elevated from period to period. At the same time, ROA has edged down slightly, suggesting that asset efficiency is no longer improving and has instead stabilized at a good level. Revenue, earnings, and operating income remain large and profitable overall, but the latest data points show unevenness rather than an acceleration in growth. Debt load is moderate in absolute terms, but debt/equity has increased, and the current ratio is around 1.05 while the quick ratio is zero, which looks weaker for a company of this quality. Dividend yield is low, although it has increased slightly, so the dividend factor only modestly supports the investment case. Overall, the fundamentals confirm ADP’s resilience and quality more than they suggest a strong multiple expansion. For an investor, this means the fair valuation should be cautious: the business deserves a premium to the industry, but the current P/S and P/B levels already look generous. Therefore, it makes sense to slightly lower the target, while still recognizing the company’s high quality and taking into account the limited room for revaluation and the increased balance sheet risks.

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

Сильный индекс, значительно упал. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, significantly down. The bulls are confused.

Сильный индекс, незначительно вырос. Рынок не поддерживает быков.

Strong index, slightly up. The market does not support the bulls.

Слабый индекс, незначительно вырос

ADP remains a high-margin and profitable business, but its expensive P/S and P/B ratios, rising debt, and weak liquidity limit revaluation potential.

ADP ADP stock has risen 26.4% over the past six months, beating the industry and the Zacks S&P 500 Composite's returns of 11.3% and 13.8%, respectively.
6-Month Share Price Performance
TheZacks Consensus Estimate for ADP’s fiscal 2027 revenues is set at $23.3 billion, implying 6% year-over-year growth. For fiscal 2028, the consensus estimate is $24.6 billion, suggesting a 5.6% uptick from the preceding year’s actual.
For EPS, the consensus mark for fiscal 2027 is pegged at $12.26, indicating 10.3% year-over-year growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2028 EPS is pegged at $13.4, suggesting 9.3% growth.
Factors That Augur Well for ADP’s Success
Solid Bookings & High Retention: ADP’s new Employer Services (ES) bookings for fiscal 2026 exceeded $2.2 billion, marking 6% year-over-year growth. The company ended the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 on a stronger note, supported by the Small Business portfolio, Employer Services HR outsourcing, and the enterprise and international businesses. Contributions from Lyric, the WorkForce Suite and global payroll offerings acted as vital driving forces, supported by high seller productivity achieved through AI-driven tools like The Zone.
ES retention came in strong at 92.1% for fiscal 2026, beating the company’s expectations and touching the guidance roof. AI investments improved accuracy, directly supporting client retention. High ES bookings, supported by a solid retention rate, create a strong revenue pipeline, limiting churn.
AI-Fueled Margin Expansion: During the fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings release, CFO Peter Hadley mentioned that the company is pleased with the productivity gains realized following the AI implementation in service tools and product innovation. The operational productivity gained through these investments was one of the cornerstones in driving a year-over-year expansion of 60 basis points (bps) in ES margins for fiscal 2026. We expect margins to expand as AI continues to raise ADP’s operational prowess, which is in line with management expecting an adjusted EBIT margin expansion of 70-90 bps for fiscal 2027.
Shareholder-Friendly Actions: ADP has maintained a consistent record of returning capital to shareholders through dividends and repurchases. In fiscal 2024, the company paid out dividends of $2.18 billion, which rose to $2.4 billion and $2.63 billion in fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026, respectively. The company also repurchased $2.08 billion in shares in fiscal 2026. These distributions were supported by $5.4 billion in operating cash flow, reinforcing the durability of its capital-return capacity. Such actions not only attract income-seeking investors but also raise investors’ morale by enhancing the bottom line.
Risks Faced by ADP
Bleak Employment Growth Limits Revenues: In fiscal 2026, U.S. pay per control increased 1%. Management anticipates the growth rate to be flat to 1% for fiscal 2027. We expect these modest employment-growth expectations to limit the upside in employee-linked revenues, mainly in mid-market and enterprise ES.
PEO Margin Weakness: ADP’s PEO margins dipped 100 bps in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 due to faster growth in zero-margin pass-through revenues and higher workers’ compensation and selling expenses. Management expects PEO margins to contract further in fiscal 2027, with zero-margin pass-throughs rising faster than overall PEO revenues. Therefore, continued PEO margin pressure could offset margin gains partially elsewhere in the business.
Expected Retention Drag: For fiscal 2027, management expects a 10-30-bps drag in ES retention from its unchanged 92.1% in fiscal 2026. Management’s expectation is grounded in assuming a small pullback in retention based on the near-record levels that the company operates at across its business and potential out-of-business rates to increase in the down market. If retention falls as expected, then it could affect the revenue pipeline created by the company’s solid bookings.
ADP’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider
The company currently has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks from the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector are Arista Networks ANET and Amkor Technology AMKR, each currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Arista Networks has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 22.7%. ANET delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 8.9%, on average.
Amkor Technology has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 31.2%. AMKR delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 43.6%, on average.
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Here's Why Investors Must Hold ADP Stock in Their Portfolios Now

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Match Group (MTCH). Shares have added about 11.2% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.
But investors have to be wondering, will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Match Group due for a pullback? Well, first let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent catalysts for Match Group Inc. before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late.
Match Group Q2 Earnings & Revenues Miss Estimates, Sales Decline Y/Y
Match Group reported second-quarter 2026 earnings of 92 cents per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.15%.
Revenues were $853 million, down 1% year over year, and lagging the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $856 million by 0.34%. The quarter reflected improving engagement trends at Tinder and continued expansion at Hinge.
MTCH’s Q2 Operating Metrics Details
The company’s key operating metrics showed mixed momentum, with total payers declining 6% year over year to 13.3 million, while revenue per payer (RPP) increased 6% to $21.13. Tinder’s user trends improved, while Hinge continued to deliver strong growth through product innovation and international expansion.
MTCH Improves Tinder Engagement Trends
Tinder direct revenues were $457.5 million in the second quarter, down 1% year over year and down 2% on a foreign exchange-neutral basis.
Payers declined 5% to 8.5 million, while RPP increased 4% to $17.90. Adjusted EBITDA was $233 million, down 5% year over year, with a 50% margin.
The company continued investing in Tinder’s product turnaround. Management highlighted improvements in recommendation algorithms, Trust and Safety initiatives, and new features designed to create lower-pressure ways for users to connect. Tinder’s daily active users declined 4% year over year in the quarter, representing the best performance in 10 quarters.
Match Group Sees Hinge Growth Continue
Hinge remained a major growth contributor, with direct revenues rising 22% year over year to $203.5 million. Revenues increased 20% on a foreign exchange-neutral basis, supported by a 17% increase in payers to 2 million and a 4% rise in RPP to $33.11.
Match Group noted that Hinge’s global monthly active users increased 13% year over year, driven by expansion markets. The company continued broadening Hinge’s international presence, entering six new European countries and four additional countries in Latin America during the quarter.
The business is still expected to reach $1 billion in revenues in 2027, with growth expected to come from product innovation, international expansion and additional monetization opportunities.
MTCH Reports Segment Pressure From E&E
Everyone Everywhere (E&E) direct revenues were $178.9 million, down 17% year over year and down 17% on a foreign exchange-neutral basis. Payers declined 21% to 2.7 million, while RPP increased 4% to $22.24. Adjusted EBITDA was $54 million, up 69%, and at a 30% margin.
The company continued restructuring the portfolio, with E&E now including Azar and Pairs. Management said the segment is benefiting from shared capabilities across Match Group, including Trust and Safety, recommendation algorithms, centralized marketing and consumer research.
The company expects E&E revenue trends to remain pressured by the Azar app redesign while maintaining a focus on improving the long-term health of the portfolio.
Match Group’s Q2 Operating Details
Total operating expenses declined 9% year over year to $608 million in the second quarter. Cost of revenues decreased 16% year over year, helped by alternative payment savings, while general and administrative expenses declined 22%, driven by lower headcount-related costs and legal expenses.
Adjusted EBITDA was $331 million, up 14% year over year, representing an adjusted EBITDA margin of 39%, which expanded approximately 500 basis points from 33% in the year-ago quarter.
MTCH’s Balance Sheet and Cash Flow
As of June 30, 2026, Match Group had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $584 million compared with $1.02 billion as of March 31, 2026. The decline primarily reflected the use of $424 million in cash to repay the company’s 0.875% exchangeable senior notes due in June 2026.
Long-term debt, including current maturities, stood at $3.6 billion as of June 30, 2026. Match Group ended the quarter with trailing twelve-month gross leverage of 2.7x and net leverage of 2.2x. The company’s $500 million revolving credit facility remained undrawn as of June 30, 2026.
Match Group generated $370 million in operating cash flow and $353 million in free cash flow in the second quarter. It also repurchased 7.3 million shares for $245 million and paid $91 million in dividends during the period.
MTCH Provides Q3 & 2026 Outlook
For the third quarter of 2026, Match Group expects revenues of $885 million to $895 million, representing a year-over-year decline of 2% to 3%. Adjusted EBITDA is projected at $330 million to $335 million, implying a 10% year-over-year increase at the midpoint.
For full-year 2026, management expects revenues to be near the midpoint of its previously issued guidance range on an as-reported basis and at or above the midpoint on a foreign exchange-neutral basis. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be at or above the high end of prior guidance, with margin expected to exceed the company’s 37.5% target.
The company expects Tinder direct revenues to decline in the low-single-digit percentage range for the year, an improvement from its previous outlook. It also expects free cash flow to be at the high end of its prior guidance range.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?
In the past month, investors have witnessed a upward trend in estimates revision.
The consensus estimate has shifted 11.67% due to these changes.
VGM Scores
Currently, Match Group has a nice Growth Score of B, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with a D. However, the stock has a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the top 40% for value investors.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
Estimates have been broadly trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. It comes with little surprise Match Group has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). We expect an above average return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry Player
Match Group belongs to the Zacks Internet - Software industry. Another stock from the same industry, Automatic Data Processing (ADP), has gained 4.1% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended June 2026.
ADP reported revenues of $5.47 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +6.8%. EPS of $2.64 for the same period compares with $2.26 a year ago.
ADP is expected to post earnings of $2.78 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +11.7%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for ADP. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of D.
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Why Is Match Group (MTCH) Up 11.2% Since Last Earnings Report?

Thursday, September 3rd, 2026
Lots of information hits the tape this Thursday morning, as we see shifts based on early-morning commentary, along with key monthly and weekly data. Pre-markets are modestly mixed following an up-trading day Wednesday. The Dow is up another +250 points, the S&P 500 is +10, the Nasdaq is -14 points at this hour and the small-cap Russell 2000 is +7.
Fed Governor Chris Waller, offering his insights this morning in a Reuters “NEXT Newsmaker” interview, said that he expects the Fed will keep interest rates steady going forward as long as progress on inflation continues to be made. On the other hand, if tariff risks and other factors keep the inflation picture from improving, then a rate hike would be back on the table.
Bond yields seemed to react to this statement, lowering on the 10-year to +4.75% and the 2-year to +4.33%. Spot oil prices remain high — WTI at $92 per barrel (/bbl) and Brent crude at $96/bbl — as hostilities continue between the U.S. and Iran. We remain off the April and May highs, but significantly higher than the early July lows.
Key will be the next Inflation Rate report from the August Consumer Price Index (CPI), due a week from tomorrow. Last time around, we saw a still-high +3.7% headline inflation rate, with a much more agreeable +2.5% on the core print. It would appear much is resting on the shoulders of this upcoming report in determining the Fed’s next move. Keep in mind, however, President Trump’s selection of Fed Chair Kevin Warsh strongly suggests there is a bias toward not raising rates from the committee head.
Weekly Jobless Claims Remain in Good Range
Initial Jobless Claims for last week reached +206K, slightly above the +205K projected but below the upwardly revised +204K the previous week. We can see the tight band these numbers continue to sustain, but it is now the fifth week at +200K new claims or higher.
Continuing Claims were also very consistent: 1.779 million was a bit higher than the downwardly revised 1.771 million the prior week — again, seemingly refusing to reach the 1.8 million threshold, which itself would continue to indicate a healthy labor market environment. As it happens, we haven’t been above 1.8 million longer-term jobless claims in 10 weeks.
So far this “Jobs Week,” we’ve seen slightly lower-than-expected job openings in the July JOLTS report Tuesday and a mere +38K filled jobs in the private sector from August ADP ADP (below the +45K analysts were looking for), and basically in-line on weekly jobless claims. Tomorrow’s Employment Situation report will hopefully show a bounceback from a loss of -23K jobs in July to +53K last month.
Trade Deficit Deepens, Productivity In-Line
Also this morning, the U.S. Trade Balance showed a deficit of -$88.6 billion in July, a slight improvement over the -$90 billion anticipated. However, it is the deepest deficit since the all-time low -$133 billion in March of 2025, and a sizable drop from the improved revision to -$71.2 billion revision for June.
Finally, Q2 non-farm Productivity figures are out this morning. The headline came in at +1.4%, in-line with expectations. Meanwhile, Q2 Unit Labor Costs were slightly below estimates: +1.2% versus +1.3%. Nothing will move the stock market trading needle from this data, but it is important to keep these numbers in minds when considering the overall health of the economy.
What to Expect from the Stock Market Today
As always, we’ll keep an eye on the Strait of Hormuz and the White House to see what, if anything, is being done about ending the Iran war. The last thing anyone in this country wants is $100/bbl oil. Also, Canada’s tariffs on U.S. imports are scheduled for next Tuesday — the day after Labor Day. Will any negotiations transpire ahead of this deadline to keep the trade war from escalating?
Aside from Waller’s comments this morning, this afternoon we look toward comments from Fed Presidents Beth Hammack (Cleveland) and Austan Goolsbee (Chicago) at an online summit called “Connecting Communities.” Will they back up Waller’s comments about keeping interest rates steady so long as inflation rates do?
Questions or comments about this article and/or author? Click here>>
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This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.
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Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports

Big Morning for News: Jobless Claims, Fed Speakers, Trade Deficit

Key Points
They rose on increased hopes that the Fed won't raise interest rates.
Numerous gold and silver stocks were swept up in a sympathy rally.
SSR Mining (NASDAQ: SSRM) has been quite an up-and-down stock so far in 2026. That's due in large part to the often dramatic swings in spot gold and silver prices, which hit all-time highs early in the year before a variety of factors dragged them down.
Now, they might be on the upswing, and investors piled into SSR Mining shares on Wednesday to send them to an over 5% gain.
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SSR had no fresh news of its own to report; its equity defied gravity due to the global buy-in for precious metals generally.
This occurred largely because of a jobs report, of all things. Wednesday morning, Automatic Data Processing released the latest edition of its monthly payroll report. This found that private employers in the U.S. had added around 38,000 jobs in August.
That sounds positive on the surface, but it's under the consensus estimate of 48,000 -- according to a poll of economists by news agency Reuters -- and the revised July growth figure of 46,000.
This effectively cooled worries about interest rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve, which seemed to rise last week with Fed chair Kevin Warsh's recent remarks at a conference. Higher interest rates reduce demand for non-interest-bearing investments like precious metals; conversely, if it seems rates won't rise, investors become more bullish on such assets.
Where gold and silver go, so goes...
While the performance of a company involved in the production and sale of precious metals depends on numerous factors, it can't escape the influence of prices. When these are rising, market players are positive about its prospects, and the reverse is true in times of price weakness.
Given that inflation is the major economic worry for most Americans -- including, crucially, Fed officials -- I think it'll continue to be the primary driver of prices for gold, silver, and other highly prized metals. Inflationary pressures remain in our economy, so if anything, I believe interest rates will rise. That doesn't bode well for prices, and by extension, the trajectory of stocks like SSR.
Should you buy stock in SSR Mining right now?
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Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Founded in 1993 in Alexandria, VA., by brothers David and Tom Gardner, The Motley Fool is a multimedia financial-services company dedicated to building the world's greatest investment community. Reaching millions of people each month through its website, books, newspaper column, radio show, television appearances, and subscription newsletter services, The Motley Fool champions shareholder values and advocates tirelessly for the individual investor. The company's name was taken from Shakespeare, whose wise fools both instructed and amused, and could speak the truth to the king -- without getting their heads lopped off.

Why SSR Mining Stock Was a Winner on Wednesday

Key Points
The quartet are now members of its board of directors.
This coincided with a small rally in spot precious metals prices.
An intake of experienced mining industry veterans into the boardroom and rising precious metals prices were the twin catalysts propelling Hycroft Mining (NASDAQ: HYMC) stock to a satisfying gain on Wednesday. The gold and silver specialist's equity closed the day more than 7% higher.
Boost to the board
Shortly after market close on Tuesday, Hycroft announced the appointment of four new individuals to its board of directors, effective that day. Each is a seasoned executive in the precious metals industry, adding significant heft and expertise to the board, which now comprises nine individuals.
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The group comprises Richard O'Brien, the former CEO of fellow precious metals miner Newmont, current AngloGold Ashanti Macelo Godoy, onetime president of America for Freeport McMoRan Josh Olmstead, and Blake Rhodes, who served as Newmont's general counsel.
This influx of experts coincided with a rally in gold and silver prices, ignited on Wednesday morning by an influential jobs report. This was Automatic Data Processing's monthly payroll data digest, which indicated job growth was quite a bit lower in August than in the preceding month. It also fell short of market expectations.
With this suggestion of a softening economy, many began speculating that the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) might be less eager to raise interest rates. Precious metals prices had been slumping in recent days on worries that hikes were increasingly likely.
Gold, silver, and other high-value metals don't pay interest tied to rates, so demand for them tends to rise when rates aren't increasing.
Rate concerns
The expansion of Hycroft's board to accommodate more experts is unquestionably a positive development, and the company deserves a stock price bump simply because of it.
As for precious metals prices, that's more of a question mark.
While the ADP report is influential and important, it's far from the only thing impacting Fed rate decisions. What's far more critical is inflation. So if it remains a problem, with or without meaningful job growth, we can surely count on rate increases. All investors active with precious metals holdings should regularly monitor inflation for this reason.
Should you buy stock in Hycroft Mining right now?
Before you buy stock in Hycroft Mining, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Hycroft Mining wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
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Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Founded in 1993 in Alexandria, VA., by brothers David and Tom Gardner, The Motley Fool is a multimedia financial-services company dedicated to building the world's greatest investment community. Reaching millions of people each month through its website, books, newspaper column, radio show, television appearances, and subscription newsletter services, The Motley Fool champions shareholder values and advocates tirelessly for the individual investor. The company's name was taken from Shakespeare, whose wise fools both instructed and amused, and could speak the truth to the king -- without getting their heads lopped off.

Why Hycroft Mining Stock Zoomed More Than 7% Higher Today

Key Points
All factors being equal, lower rates mean higher demand for non-interest-bearing assets.
That's why gold, silver, and other popular metals were rising.
Precious metals prices jumped higher on Tuesday, and many stocks tied to these commodities rose in sympathy. One notable example was Goldgroup Mining (NYSEMKT: GORO), a Canadian company that focuses on everyone's favorite yellow metal. Its shares closed the day's trading session nearly 8% higher.
A precious rally
Gold, silver, and other high-value metals have been volatile so far this year, and on Tuesday, they moved in the right direction. As of late afternoon, the spot gold price had crept up by more than 1%, reversing a general slump that had been in effect across the preceding days.
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A major catalyst in this was the monthly private payroll data release by Automatic Data Processing. The always-influential report, which is regularly monitored by many economists and analysts, found that such payrolls rose less than expected in August -- by 38,000 jobs.
That didn't come close to the 48,000 predicted by economists polled by news agency Reuters. It also fell well short of the revised July total of 46,000.
Lower-than-expected payroll growth indicates economic softness, which in turn makes interest rate hikes less likely. In turn, this increases the appeal of investments not tied to interest rates -- like gold, silver, platinum, and their ilk.
Boat on a rising tide
So Goldgroup's Tuesday bump wasn't because of any proprietary news from the company, and it was entirely in character for a gold stock when the economic winds blow a certain way.
Personally, I think that inflation -- America's current No. 1 economic worry -- will play a more significant part in the decision to adjust rates than anything else. Gold bugs should keep watching how it develops.
Should you buy stock in Goldgroup Mining right now?
Before you buy stock in Goldgroup Mining, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Goldgroup Mining wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $435,803!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,334,577!*
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Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Founded in 1993 in Alexandria, VA., by brothers David and Tom Gardner, The Motley Fool is a multimedia financial-services company dedicated to building the world's greatest investment community. Reaching millions of people each month through its website, books, newspaper column, radio show, television appearances, and subscription newsletter services, The Motley Fool champions shareholder values and advocates tirelessly for the individual investor. The company's name was taken from Shakespeare, whose wise fools both instructed and amused, and could speak the truth to the king -- without getting their heads lopped off.

Why Goldgroup Mining Stock Soared on Wednesday

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR). Shares have added about 10.6% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Palantir Technologies due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.
PLTR Beats Q2 Earnings Estimates
Palantir Technologies delivered another exceptional quarter, with second-quarter 2026 results comfortably surpassing Wall Street expectations.
Revenues reached $1.94 billion, increasing 92.8% year over year and 19% sequentially, while beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.81 billion by 7.2%.
Earnings per share came in at 41 cents, up from 16 cents a year ago, representing 156.3% year-over-year growth, while rising from the previous quarter's 34 cents (20.6% sequential growth). EPS also exceeded the consensus estimate of 35 cents by 17.1%.
Commercial Business Remains PLTR’s Primary Growth Engine
Commercial revenue climbed to $945 million, increasing 109.7% year over year and accounting for nearly 49% of total quarterly revenue. Government revenue reached $990 million, rising 79% from the prior-year quarter and representing about 51% of total sales.
The company's U.S. operations remained the biggest contributor to growth. U.S. revenues totaled $1.57 billion, representing more than 81% of company-wide revenue, reflecting exceptionally strong customer demand for enterprise AI deployments.
Large contract activity remained particularly robust. During the quarter, the company closed 220 deals worth at least $1 million, reflecting increasing adoption of its Artificial Intelligence Platform across commercial enterprises and government agencies.
Margins and Cash Flow Highlight PLTR’s Operational Strength
The company's rapid revenue expansion was accompanied by outstanding profitability. Adjusted gross margin remained exceptionally high at 86%, highlighting the scalability of Palantir's software platform. Adjusted operating margin expanded to 62%, among the highest across enterprise software companies.
Cash generation remained equally impressive. Cash from operations totaled $1.216 billion, while adjusted free cash flow reached approximately $1.22 billion during the quarter. These figures translate into an adjusted free cash flow margin of roughly 63%, illustrating Palantir's ability to convert revenue growth into substantial cash generation.
The company ended the quarter with $9.2 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term U.S. Treasury securities, providing considerable financial flexibility to fund product development and future expansion initiatives.
While management acknowledged that gross margin experienced modest pressure from assuming cloud-hosting responsibilities for a government customer, executives indicated that the move should improve implementation speed and strengthen long-term customer relationships.
Bookings Show Demand Remains Exceptionally Strong
Beyond reported revenue, forward-looking indicators also strengthened. Total contract value bookings reached $3.4 billion, reflecting another record quarter for customer commitments.
Net dollar retention stood at 157%, demonstrating that existing customers continue expanding their usage significantly after initial deployments.
Total remaining deal value increased to $13.1 billion, while remaining performance obligations reached $4.9 billion, providing strong visibility into future revenue growth.
These metrics suggest that Palantir's current momentum is not solely driven by recent contract wins but is increasingly supported by long-term customer expansion.
AI Platform Expands PLTR’s Competitive Position
Palantir's product strategy increasingly revolves around enabling enterprises to deploy AI models while maintaining full ownership over their data, workflows and operational knowledge.
Management emphasized that customers increasingly prioritize flexibility, allowing organizations to benchmark different AI models and replace them whenever necessary without becoming dependent on a single provider.
This positioning appears to resonate strongly with enterprises seeking greater control over rapidly evolving AI technologies. Rather than competing directly on foundation models, Palantir continues focusing on the software layer that integrates, manages and operationalizes AI across organizations.
Management also highlighted growing demand from customers that initially adopted Foundry but are now expanding toward broader AI deployments across multiple business functions.
Management Raises Guidance Again
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from the quarter was management's increased confidence in future growth. For the third quarter of 2026, Palantir expects revenues between $2.16 billion and $2.164 billion, implying another sequential increase of roughly 12% from the second quarter. Adjusted income from operations is projected between $1.292 billion and $1.296 billion.
Management also substantially increased full-year guidance. Revenues are now expected between $8.15 billion and $8.158 billion, up from the previous outlook of $7.65$7.662 billion. The midpoint of the guidance therefore increased by nearly $500 million, representing one of the company's largest upward revisions. The company also lifted its U.S. commercial revenue forecast to more than $3.424 billion compared with the earlier expectation exceeding $3.224 billion.
Adjusted operating income guidance increased to $4.889-$4.897 billion, while adjusted free cash flow guidance rose to $4.5-$4.7 billion, reinforcing management's confidence that profitability will continue improving alongside revenue growth.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?
In the past month, investors have witnessed a upward trend in estimates revision.
The consensus estimate has shifted 10.74% due to these changes.
VGM Scores
Currently, Palantir Technologies has a nice Growth Score of B, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. Following the exact same course, the stock was allocated a score of F on the value side, putting it in the fifth quintile for this investment strategy.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
Estimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. It comes with little surprise Palantir Technologies has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). We expect an above average return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry Player
Palantir Technologies belongs to the Zacks Internet - Software industry. Another stock from the same industry, Automatic Data Processing (ADP), has gained 4.8% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended June 2026.
ADP reported revenues of $5.47 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +6.8%. EPS of $2.64 for the same period compares with $2.26 a year ago.
For the current quarter, ADP is expected to post earnings of $2.78 per share, indicating a change of +11.7% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
ADP has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) based on the overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions. Additionally, the stock has a VGM Score of D.
Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.
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Why Is Palantir Technologies (PLTR) Up 10.6% Since Last Earnings Report?

Pre-market futures are mostly up but mildly mixed at this hour, minutes following the latest jobs report release, and after three-straight days of major indexes closing in the red. The Dow is +125 points at this hour, the S&P 500 is +5, the Nasdaq -33 points and the small-cap Russell 2000 +4.
The blue-chip Dow is currently led by Apple AAPL after its transition from CEO Tim Cook to former Apple Hardware VP John Ternus, and Chevron CVX as Venezuelan oil becomes available and the U.S. and Iran continue to trade blows in and around the Strait of Hormuz. The WTI spot oil price is $89 per barrel (/bbl) at this hour, with Brent crude up to $94/bbl.
Jobs Week Continues: ADP Sees +38K New Jobs Filled
It’s so far been an underwhelming “Jobs Week” — following yesterday’s less-than-expected 7.2 million job openings for July’s JOLTS report, this morning’s private-sector payrolls from Automatic Data Processing ADP reached only +38K new jobs filled for August. This is below the +47K anticipated and the unrevised +44K from the prior month; in fact, it’s the weakest tally since January.
Services carried the full load of new private-sector hires: +48K, versus a loss of -10K from Goods-producing jobs. Small firms (sub-50 employees) hired the most, +23K, followed by large businesses (more than 500 employees) with +13K. Medium-sized companies hired +8K.
By sector, Education/Healthcare led, unsurprisingly, with +45K new hires in August. This was followed by Leisure/Hospitality at a distant second: +16K, and Construction third, +12K. Professional/Business Services lost -16K positions and Manufacturing -17K. We haven’t seen negative jobs gains from ADP in over a year, but the overall labor market looks pretty flat over the past three years.
Friday’s non-farm payrolls from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is projected to grow by +53K jobs in August, which would be a solid bounce-back from the negative -23K in July. It would also be the first move up in the past five months of BLS jobs data. While these figures have been a bit more volatile month over month, we still look pretty flat going back to the start of 2025: +23K new jobs have been created per month, on average, since that time.
What to Expect from the Stock Market Today
After today’s open, Factory Orders for July come out. These are expected to rebound to +0.7% from a disappointing -0.3% reported for June. At 2pm, the Fed puts out its latest Beige Book — an economic summary from each of its 12 districts, released eight times per year.
Also, just when you thought earnings season was over, Broadcom AVGO reports quarterly results after today’s close. They will be joined by Hewlett-Packard Enterprises HPE, cloud storage major Snowflake SNOW and Calvin Klein/Tommy Hilfiger parent PVH Corp. PVH, among others.
Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) : Free Stock Analysis Report
PVH Corp. (PVH) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Soft Private Payrolls Data for August

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026
Pre-market futures are mostly up but mildly mixed at this hour, minutes following the latest jobs report release, and after three-straight days of major indexes closing in the red. The Dow is +125 points at this hour, the S&P 500 is +5, the Nasdaq -33 points and the small-cap Russell 2000 +4.
The blue-chip Dow is currently led by Apple AAPL after its transition from CEO Tim Cook to former Apple Hardware VP John Ternus, and Chevron CVX as Venezuelan oil becomes available and the U.S. and Iran continue to trade blows in and around the Strait of Hormuz. The WTI spot oil price is $89 per barrel (/bbl) at this hour, with Brent crude up to $94/bbl.
Jobs Week Continues: ADP Sees +38K New Jobs Filled
It’s so far been an underwhelming “Jobs Week” — following yesterday’s less-than-expected 7.2 million job openings for July’s JOLTS report, this morning’s private-sector payrolls from Automatic Data Processing ADP reached only +38K new jobs filled for August. This is below the +47K anticipated and the unrevised +44K from the prior month; in fact, it’s the weakest tally since January.
Services carried the full load of new private-sector hires: +48K, versus a loss of -10K from Goods-producing jobs. Small firms (sub-50 employees) hired the most, +23K, followed by large businesses (more than 500 employees) with +13K. Medium-sized companies hired +8K.
By sector, Education/Healthcare led, unsurprisingly, with +45K new hires in August. This was followed by Leisure/Hospitality at a distant second: +16K, and Construction third, +12K. Professional/Business Services lost -16K positions and Manufacturing -17K. We haven’t seen negative jobs gains from ADP in over a year, but the overall labor market looks pretty flat over the past three years.
Friday’s non-farm payrolls from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is projected to grow by +53K jobs in August, which would be a solid bounce-back from the negative -23K in July. It would also be the first move up in the past five months of BLS jobs data. While these figures have been a bit more volatile month over month, we still look pretty flat going back to the start of 2025: +23K new jobs have been created per month, on average, since that time.
What to Expect from the Stock Market Today
After today’s open, Factory Orders for July come out. These are expected to rebound to +0.7% from a disappointing -0.3% reported for June. At 2pm, the Fed puts out its latest Beige Book — an economic summary from each of its 12 districts, released eight times per year.
Also, just when you thought earnings season was over, Broadcom AVGO reports quarterly results after today’s close. They will be joined by Hewlett-Packard Enterprises HPE, cloud storage major Snowflake SNOW and Calvin Klein/Tommy Hilfiger parent PVH Corp. PVH, among others.
Questions or comments about this article and/or author? Click here>>
Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
PVH Corp. (PVH) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

ADP Brings +38K Private-Sector Jobs in August

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF (Symbol: GSPY) where we have detected an approximate $112.3 million dollar outflow -- that's a 13.1% decrease week over week (from 20,275,000 to 17,625,000). Among the largest underlying components of GSPY, in trading today T-Mobile US Inc (Symbol: TMUS) is up about 1.4%, Automatic Data Processing Inc. (Symbol: ADP) is up about 0.5%, and General Dynamics Corp (Symbol: GD) is lower by about 0.2%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the GSPY Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of GSPY, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, GSPY's low point in its 52 week range is $34.35 per share, with $42.8501 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $42.19. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Further GSPY Research: