Apollo Global Management, Inc. is a private equity firm specializing in investments in credit, private equity and real estate markets. The firm's private equity investments include traditional buyouts, recapitalization, distressed buyouts and debt investments in real estate, corporate partner buyouts, distressed asset, corporate carve-outs, middle market, growth capital, turnaround, bridge, corporate restructuring, special situation, acquisition, and industry consolidation transactions. The firm provides its services to endowment and sovereign wealth funds, as well as other institutional and individual investors. It manages client focused portfolios. The firm launches and manages hedge funds for its clients. It also manages real estate funds and private equity funds for its clients. The firm invests in the fixed income and alternative investment markets across the globe. Its fixed income investments include income-oriented senior loans, bonds, collateralized loan obligations, structured credit, opportunistic credit, non-performing loans, distressed debt, mezzanine debt, and value oriented fixed income securities. The firm seeks to invest in chemicals, commodities, consumer and retail, oil and gas, metals, mining, agriculture, commodities, distribution and transportation, financial and business services, manufacturing and industrial, media distribution, cable, entertainment and leisure, telecom, technology, natural resources, energy, packaging and materials, and satellite and wireless industries. It also focuses on clean energy, sustainable industry, climate solutions, energy transition, industrial decarbonization, sustainable mobility, sustainable resource use, and sustainable real estate. It seeks to invest in companies based in across Africa, North America with a focus on United States, and Europe. The firm also makes investments outside North America, primarily in Western Europe and Asia. It employs a combination of contrarian, value, and distressed strategies to make its investments. The firm seeks to make investments in the range of $75 million and $1500 million. The firm seeks to invest in companies with Enterprise value between $750 million to $2500 million. The firm conducts in-house research to create its investment portfolio. It seeks to acquire minority and majority positions in its portfolio companies. Apollo Global Management, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in New York, New York with additional offices in North America, Asia, India and Europe.

Apollo Global Management looks like a high-quality but not cheap financial asset, with a notable gap between the scale of the business and its current profitability. Revenue and assets have grown over recent periods, while the cash position remains strong, supporting balance sheet resilience and the ability to withstand market volatility. At the same time, the current P/E is almost five times higher than the industry median, and P/B is also above the market, which limits re-rating potential and calls for caution in the forecast. P/S and P/FCF look more moderate, but not low enough to fully offset the expensive P/E and weak return on capital. Profitability in terms of ROE, ROA, ROI, and return on tangible equity is noticeably below industry levels, and their year-over-year trend has deteriorated compared with stronger figures from the previous year. Net income and net margin have also declined, with TTM net income looking weaker than in previous quarters, indicating instability in bottom-line earnings. Operating margin remains positive and does not look critical, but the decline in operating income relative to stronger periods tempers the assessment. The debt burden, as measured by debt/equity, looks moderate and better than the industry median, although the increase in long-term debt over the year adds caution. Liquidity, as shown by the current ratio, is formally good, but a zero quick ratio for this type of business profile highlights the nature of the working capital structure and does not justify aggressive optimism. Dividend yield is rising, which supports the investment case for an income investor, but on its own it is not enough to offset weak capital efficiency. Overall, the fundamentals support a moderately negative adjustment: the business is large, profitable, and has a strong balance sheet, but the valuation already prices in a lot, and the quality of capital returns has not yet earned the premium in price.

Apollo Global Management, Inc. (New)

Сильный индекс, значительно упал. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, significantly down. The bulls are confused.

Сильный индекс, без изменений. Рынок на стороне быков.

Strong index, flat. The market is on the bulls' side.

Средний индекс, незначительно вырос. Отток средств из лонгов на высоком уровне.

Medium index, slightly up. Outflow of funds from longs at a high level.

A large and financially stable APO is growing in scale, but it is expensive on a P/E basis and shows weak returns on capital, so the valuation looks slightly stretched.

The following companies are expected to report earnings prior to market open on 10/06/2026. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases.
RPM International Inc. (RPM)is reporting for the quarter ending August 31, 2026. The chemical company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 7 analysts that follow the stock is $1.95. This value represents a 3.72% increase compared to the same quarter last year. RPM missed the consensus earnings per share in the 4th calendar quarter of 2025 by -14.89%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2027 Price to Earnings ratio for RPM is 16.64 vs. an industry ratio of 21.00.
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW)is reporting for the quarter ending August 31, 2026. The food company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 5 analysts that follow the stock is $0.59. This value represents a 20.27% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year LW has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 2nd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 40.32%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2027 Price to Earnings ratio for LW is 14.25 vs. an industry ratio of 30.00.
Apogee Enterprises, Inc. (APOG)is reporting for the quarter ending August 31, 2026. The glass products company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 2 analysts that follow the stock is $0.59. This value represents a 39.80% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. APOG missed the consensus earnings per share in the 4th calendar quarter of 2025 by -0.97%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2027 Price to Earnings ratio for APOG is 12.03 vs. an industry ratio of 13.60.

Pre-Market Earnings Report for October 6, 2026 : RPM, LW, APOG

Among the underlying components of the S&P 500 index, we saw noteworthy options trading volume today in Apollo Global Management Inc (new (Symbol: APO), where a total of 23,626 contracts have traded so far, representing approximately 2.4 million underlying shares. That amounts to about 92.7% of APO's average daily trading volume over the past month of 2.5 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $120 strike put option expiring January 15, 2027, with 8,016 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 801,600 underlying shares of APO. Below is a chart showing APO's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $120 strike highlighted in orange:
Coinbase Global Inc (Symbol: COIN) options are showing a volume of 75,228 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 7.5 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 74% of COIN's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 10.2 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $210 strike call option expiring September 25, 2026, with 7,805 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 780,500 underlying shares of COIN. Below is a chart showing COIN's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $210 strike highlighted in orange:
And Capital One Financial Corp (Symbol: COF) options are showing a volume of 25,191 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 2.5 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 73% of COF's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 3.5 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $210 strike call option expiring October 16, 2026, with 10,014 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 1.0 million underlying shares of COF. Below is a chart showing COF's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $210 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for APO options, COIN options, or COF options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Further APO Research:

Notable Thursday Option Activity: APO, COIN, COF

(RTTNews) - Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO), an asset manager, said on Thursday that Apollo-managed funds have agreed to sell around 30% minority stake in Miller Homes Limited, a British private house builder, to Daiwa House Company Limited (DWH.F, 1925.T), a Japanese construction company.
"The strategic investment by Daiwa House will support the continued profitable growth of Miller Homes, providing additional resources and global construction and real estate expertise as the company expands its multi-tenure model and progresses towards its target of delivering 7,000 new homes per year," Apollo said.
The transaction is expected to close later this year. Post transaction, Apollo Funds will remain as the controlling shareholder in the company.

Apollo Funds To Sell 30% Stake In Miller Homes To Daiwa House

Investors in Apollo Global Management Inc (new (Symbol: APO) saw new options become available today, for the December 2028 expiration. One of the key inputs that goes into the price an option buyer is willing to pay, is the time value, so with 833 days until expiration the newly available contracts represent a possible opportunity for sellers of puts or calls to achieve a higher premium than would be available for the contracts with a closer expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the APO options chain for the new December 2028 contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $130.00 strike price has a current bid of $21.80. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $130.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $108.20 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of APO, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $132.53/share today.
Because the $130.00 strike represents an approximate 2% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 67%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 16.77% return on the cash commitment, or 7.35% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Apollo Global Management Inc (new, and highlighting in green where the $130.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $150.00 strike price has a current bid of $23.50. If an investor was to purchase shares of APO stock at the current price level of $132.53/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $150.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 30.91% if the stock gets called away at the December 2028 expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if APO shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Apollo Global Management Inc (new, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing APO's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $150.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $150.00 strike represents an approximate 13% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 46%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 17.73% boost of extra return to the investor, or 7.77% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 37%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 38%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 252 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $132.53) to be 37%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Further APO Research:

December 2028 Options Now Available For Apollo Global Management (APO)

Apollo Global Management, Inc. APO continues to expand its alternative investment platform, supported by strong organic asset under management (AUM) growth. The company’s AUM witnessed a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.6% from 2022 to 2025, with the growth trend continuing in the first half of 2026. Total AUM reached $1.05 trillion as of June 30, 2026, up 25% year over year, reflecting robust capital formation and continued growth in Asset Management and Retirement Services.
AUM Growth Trend
Image Source: Apollo Global Management, Inc.
Apollo’s ability to consistently attract capital remains a key driver of its AUM expansion. The company generated $298 billion of gross inflows over the last 12 months, including $220 billion from Asset Management and $78 billion from Retirement Services. Strong fundraising across institutional and global wealth channels, along with robust Retirement Services inflows, should continue to support growth across the platform.
As of June 30, 2026, fee-generating AUM increased 34% year over year to $858 billion, supporting Apollo's ability to generate recurring fee income. The increase was driven by strong capital formation across institutional and global wealth channels, continued fundraising across credit and equity strategies, and growth in Retirement Services.
Strategic acquisitions further strengthened Apollo’s long-term AUM growth prospects. In February 2026, Apollo entered into a strategic partnership with Schroders to develop next-generation wealth and retirement investment solutions for institutional and wealth clients across the U.K. and the U.S., creating opportunities to expand client reach and attract incremental assets. In September 2025, Apollo acquired Bridge Investment Group Holdings Inc. to broaden its real estate investment capabilities and enhance its ability to attract and retain institutional and wealth-management capital, supporting sustained AUM growth over the long haul. Though recent private-market concerns, including valuation opacity, liquidity constraints, and slower exit activity, could weigh on investor sentiment and near-term AUM growth, Apollo’s strong capital formation and expanding capabilities should support long-term AUM expansion.
Continued growth in fee-generating and perpetual capital AUM should strengthen recurring fee income and enhance earnings stability. Further, management’s plans to scale its private equity business could help total AUM approach $1.5 trillion by 2029, making sustained AUM growth a key driver of Apollo’s earnings trajectory. For 2026 and 2027, APO’s earnings are projected to rise 5.13% and 22.22%, respectively.
Earnings Estimate
AUM Performance of APO’s Peers
Ameriprise Financial AMP has been witnessing solid growth in its AUM/assets under administration (AUA) balance. Over the five years (2020-2025), total AUM/AUA recorded a CAGR of 9%, supported by strong advisor recruitment, record advisor productivity, rising adoption of fee-based solutions and favorable asset flows. The momentum continued in the first half of 2026, with AUM/AUA reaching a record $1.81 trillion as of June 30, 2026.
Ameriprise’s robust AUM/AUA base supports long-term earnings growth by expanding its pool of fee-generating client assets across its diversified wealth management and asset management businesses.
Similarly, KKR & Co. KKR has been witnessing strong growth in its AUM balance, driven primarily by robust fundraising and the continued expansion of its investment platform. Over the five years (2020-2025), total AUM recorded a CAGR of 24.2%, with the growth momentum continuing in the first half of 2026. As of June 30, 2026, total AUM was $796.5 billion, while fee-paying AUM reached $638.4 billion.
KKR’s expanding AUM and fee-paying AUM base supports long-term earnings growth by increasing the pool of capital that generates recurring management fees across its private equity, credit, real assets and other investment strategies.
APO Price Performance & Zacks Rank
The company’s shares have gained 22.9% in the past six months compared with the industry’s 13.2% rise.
Price Performance
Currently, APO carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Can Apollo's Expanding AUM Base Drive Long-Term Earnings Growth?

Key Points
Big oil companies Exxon and Chevron offer above-average dividend yields backed by long dividend growth track records.
Energy Midstream companies Enbridge and Enterprise Products Partners currently offer higher yields and have multi-decade records of dividend growth.
Some midstream companies come with additional tax complexities that investors need to consider before opting for their higher payouts.
Energy stocks are a go-to source for many investors seeking dividend income. The trailing 12-month yield of energy stocks in the S&P 500 is currently over 4%, more than three times higher than the index's overall average of around 1%. However, yields vary within the energy sector. Right now, midstream companies pay better than big oil.
Here's a look at the differing yields and growth profiles of each side of the barrel.
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Big oil can pay big dividends
ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX) are two of the world's largest oil companies. They're also leading dividend stocks. Exxon has increased its payment for 43 straight years (fewer than 5% of S&P 500 companies have achieved this), while Chevron has 39 years of annual dividend increases under its belt. Both oil stocks currently offer above-average dividend yields: Chevron's is around 3.5%, while ExxonMobil's is over 2.5%.
The oil giants are in a strong position to continue growing their dividends. Exxon's 2030 plan would see it deliver 13% earnings growth and double-digit cash flow growth, with even higher per-share growth driven by its share repurchase program, assuming constant margins and pricing relative to 2024. Meanwhile, Chevron expects to deliver more than 10% annual free cash flow growth through 2030, assuming oil averages $70 a barrel. Both companies are working to enhance their strategies. Exxon is bidding on Shell's U.S. chemicals assets while Chevron is looking to expand into Iraq. They should have plenty of fuel to continue increasing their high-yielding dividends.
The midstream side of the barrel can pay even better
Most energy midstream companies currently offer even higher yields than those big oil giants. For example, Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD) currently yields around 5.8%, while Enbridge (NYSE: ENB) yields slightly less at 5.5%. Others in the sector have lower yields, with Williams and Kinder Morgan closer to Exxon and Chevron's range at 2.8% and 3.7%, respectively. Tax complexity can contribute to the higher yields offered by some midstream companies, as Enterprise is a master limited partnership (MLP), while Enbridge is a Canadian corporation.
Many midstream companies have strong dividend growth records. Enbridge has increased its dividend for 31 straight years (in Canadian dollars), while Enterprise has raised its distribution for 28 consecutive years. Both companies should have the fuel to continue growing their payouts. Enterprise currently has $6.5 billion of major capital projects under construction that should enter service through early 2029. Meanwhile, Enbridge has a massive 41 billion Canadian dollars ($29.6 billion) in secured projects in its backlog that it expects to finish through the early 2030s. It recently enhanced its strategy by purchasing Salt Creek Midstream's crude gathering business for $600 million and securing CA$2.7 billion ($1.4 billion) in funding from private equity giants KKR and Apollo to support Westcoast pipeline expansions in Canada.
Verdict: Midstream wins if tax complexity isn't a concern
The energy midstream sector offers higher current yields than big oil, especially among MLPs and Canadian companies. So, if income is your sole aim, and you're fine with dealing with the tax complexities (MLPs send Schedule K-1 Federal tax forms, while there's a 15% withholding tax on Canadian dividends paid on shares held in a regular brokerage account), they're the better side of the barrel to buy right now.
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Big Oil vs. Midstream: Which Side of the Barrel Pays Better Right Now?

Tuesday, September 1, 2026
The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Toyota Motor Corp. (TM), CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) and Welltower Inc. (WELL), as well as two micro-cap stocks Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. (BRBS) and Franklin Financial Services Corp. (FRAF). The Zacks microcap research is unique as our research content on these small and under-the-radar companies is the only research of its type in the country.
These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today.
You can see all of today’s research reports here >>>
Ahead of Wall Street
The daily 'Ahead of Wall Street' article is a must-read for all investors who would like to be ready for that day's trading action. The article comes out before the market opens, attempting to make sense of that morning's economic releases and how they will affect that day's market action. You can read this article for free on our home page and can actually sign up there to get an email notification as this article comes out each morning.
You can read today's AWS here >>> Pre-Market Futures Lower to Start September
Today's Featured Research Reports
Toyota Motor’s shares have outperformed the Zacks Automotive - Foreign industry over the past year (+1.6% vs. -19.4%). The company is well positioned to benefit from rising hybrid adoption, with expanding HEV sales, higher electrified vehicle penetration and continued investments in next-generation battery capacity supporting long-term demand.
Toyota Motor’s growing value-chain businesses, including financing and connected services, provide stable recurring earnings, while a higher fiscal 2027 sales outlook and manufacturing expansion in key markets reinforce growth prospects.
However, the investment case is tempered by expectations for lower fiscal 2027 operating income due to higher labor, depreciation and R&D costs. Persistent weakness in China, elevated leverage and Middle East uncertainty also pose risks. Thus, the stock warrants a cautious stance.
(You can read the full research report on Toyota Motor here >>>)
Shares of CrowdStrike have outperformed the Zacks Security industry over the past year (+123.5% vs. +90.2%). The company remains supported by sustained cybersecurity demand as enterprises consolidate tools on Falcon and expand adoption through Falcon Flex. AI security, cloud, identity and next-generation SIEM broaden the platform opportunity, while recurring subscriptions, partner reach and cash generation support continued investment and cross-sell.
Record net new ARR and deeper Flex adoption point to healthy demand and improving customer expansion. At the same time, fiscal 2027 revenue growth remains below CrowdStrike’s earlier hypergrowth years, while sales, R&D and stock-based compensation remain elevated.
Competitive pricing and macro-sensitive sales cycles could also slow bookings or constrain margins. These offsets balance the company’s expanding platform and improving operating leverage, supporting a Neutral stance.
(You can read the full research report on CrowdStrike here >>>)
Welltower’s shares have outperformed the Zacks REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry over the past year (+42.9% vs. +14.1%). The company’s investment case remains balanced. Favorable senior housing demographics, limited new supply and continued occupancy gains support pricing and operating leverage, while the Welltower Business System may extend margin expansion over time.
Capital deployment remains focused on seniors housing, and ongoing outpatient medical sales are reshaping the portfolio toward rental housing for aging seniors. Low leverage and ample liquidity provide funding flexibility, and the higher dividend reflects confidence in cash flow durability.
Offsetting these positives, competition and partner concentration remain relevant, interest expense is elevated, and the pace of acquisitions and dispositions raises execution risk. The Neutral view reflects attractive structural growth alongside transaction, financing and concentration risks.
(You can read the full research report on Welltower here >>>)
Shares of Blue Ridge have outperformed the Zacks Banks - Northeast industry over the past year (+36.8% vs. +24.7%). This microcap company with a market capitalization of $349.79 million sees its investment case increasingly tied to its proposed HomeTrust combination, which would expand regional scale and deliver meaningful earnings-per-share accretion once cost savings are realized.
The shift toward community banking is gaining traction, supported by loan growth, lower brokered funding and ample liquidity. Cost rationalization is improving operating leverage. However, earnings remain constrained by a smaller earning-asset and fee-income base, while core funding growth is yet to support the lending recovery.
Rising nonperforming loans, reduced capital flexibility and merger execution risks warrant attention. The valuation suggests investors are assigning meaningful value to the turnaround and merger prospects, leaving less room for setbacks and making sustained earnings, credit quality and integration progress important for further upside.
(You can read the full research report on Blue Ridge here >>>)
Franklin Financial Services’ shares have outperformed the Zacks Banks - Northeast industry over the past year (+36.5% vs. +24.7%). This microcap company with a market capitalization of $278.75 million has its investment case rests on a large commercial real estate franchise supported by disciplined concentration management and targeted remediation of isolated problem credits.
A growing core deposit base and an improved funding mix are lowering funding costs, supporting loan growth and strengthening liquidity without greater reliance on wholesale borrowings. These trends, along with expense discipline, are improving margins, profitability and operating leverage. Wealth management provides recurring fee income and revenue diversification.
Strong capital generation, tangible book value growth and a well-capitalized balance sheet support continued expansion and shareholder distributions. While commercial real estate credit quality requires monitoring, improving watch-list trends, higher specific reserves and ample liquidity provide safeguards.
(You can read the full research report on Franklin Financial Services here >>>)
Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD), Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO) and United Therapeutics Corp. (UTHR).
Mark Vickery
Senior Editor
Note: Sheraz Mian heads the Zacks Equity Research department and is a well-regarded expert of aggregate earnings. He is frequently quoted in the print and electronic media and publishes the weekly Earnings Trends and Earnings Preview reports. If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, please click here>>>
Today's Must Read
Featured Reports
Revenue Growth Supports Apollo (APO) Amid Rising Expenses
Per the Zacks analyst, Apollo's strong revenue growth, driven by Asset Management and Retirement Services, supports its financials. However, rising expenses may pressure profitability.
United Therapeutics (UTHR) Gains From Tyvaso & Pipeline; Risks Remains
UTHR's progress in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is encouraging. Rising competition and generic pressure on marketed products concern the Zacks analyst.
Renewable Growth, Data-Center Demand and LNG Support AES Corp. (AES)
Per the Zacks analyst, AES will benefit from renewable expansion, contracted demand and data-center growth. Portfolio transition and LNG exposure should support long-term growth.
Diversified Businesses Aid UFP Industries (UFPI) Amid Weak Housing
Per the Zacks analyst, UFP Industries is gaining from a diversified portfolio, acquisitions and cost-control efforts. However, weak residential construction and lumber price volatility are concerns.
Alaska Air (ALK) Benefits From on Air Travel Demand, Labor Costs Ail
The Zacks Analyst is impressed with the fact that increased air-travel demand is aiding Alaska Air's top-line performance. Escalated labor and airport costs weigh on bottom-line growth.
Bath & Body Works' (BBWI) Consumer First Formula to Support Growth
Per the Zacks analyst, Bath & Body Works' Consumer First Formula is expected to support sustainable growth as digital gains, product innovation and wider distribution gain momentum.
AMN Healthcare (AMN) Gains From Workforce Demand and Technology
Per the Zacks analyst, improving travel nursing & allied staffing demand, MSP relationships and technology investments support growth, while declines in some segments and pricing pressures remain risk
New Upgrades
Strong HIV Franchise, Cancer Drug Trodelvy Fuel Gilead (GILD)
Per the Zacks analyst, Gilead's strong momentum in HIV franchise and breast cancer drug Trodelvy drive growth for the company. However, the Cell therapy franchise is facing challenges.
Etsy (ETSY) Gains From AI Personalization and Rising Engagement
Per the Zacks analyst, Etsy's AI-driven personalization, growing mobile engagement and stronger Gen Z and Millennial reach support marketplace growth and shareholder returns.
Credit Sales, Solid Balance Sheet Aid Bread Financial (BFH)
Per the Zacks analyst, Bread Financial is set to grow on strong credit sales aided by solid consumer spending. Moreover, its healthy balance sheet should drive long-term growth.
New Downgrades
Debt, Long Equipment Lead Times & Rising Costs to Hurt Archrock (AROC)
Per the Zacks analyst, debt, long equipment lead times, Permian exposure, softer aftermarket demand and rising costs increase execution risk, limiting Archrock's earnings visibility and flexibility.
Weakness in Europe & Challenges in Specialty Segment Ail LKQ
Per the Zacks analyst, LKQ slashed full-year 2026 organic growth guidance to a 1% to 3% decline due to weakness in its European business. Profitability in Specialty also remains a concern.
Optimum (OPTU) Plagued by Weak Demand in Residential Business
Per the Zacks analyst, declining broadband and video subscribers in the residential business will likely impact Optimum's top line. High debt burden remains a concern.
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
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Top Research Reports for Toyota Motor, CrowdStrike & Welltower

Key Points
Oneok is buying Brazos Midstream's Permian Midland gathering and processing assets in a deal valued at more than $4.4 billion.
It's funding the acquisition through a $9 billion minority investment with Apollo, which will also enable it to repay $5 billion in debt.
The dual deals will accelerate earnings growth and its deleveraging strategy, putting it in a stronger position to grow its high-yielding dividend.
Oneok (NYSE:OKE) is buying Brazos Midstream's Permian Midland Basin assets for over $4.4 billion. It's funding the deal through a $9 billion minority equity investment from funds managed by Apollo (NYSE:APO). These two deals will have major implications for the pipeline giant's roughly 4.5%-yielding dividend in the coming years.
Here's a look at Oneok's needle-moving acquisition and unique financing arrangement.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Image source: Getty Images.
Drilling down into the deal
Oneok is buying Brazos Midstream's Permian Midland natural gas gathering and processing assets for over $4.4 billion in cash. The acquired assets will include 700 miles of gathering infrastructure and 1.2 billion cubic feet per day of processing capacity following the completion of the Cassidy II plant in the third quarter of next year. The assets span 600,000 dedicated acres secured by long-term, fixed-fee contracts with an average of 12 years remaining with producers that include ExxonMobil and Diamondback Energy. The assets are highly complementary to Oneok's existing position and will double its processing capacity in the Midland Basin. The deal will strengthen its integrated Permian-to-Gulf Coast strategy by expanding its scale in the rapidly growing Permian Midland Basin, while adding long-term, fee-based contracted growth with leading producers.
The pipeline company is funding the deal with a unique structure. Private equity giant Apollo and its affiliates are making a $9 billion minority equity investment in Oneok through a Class B interest. Oneok will use the additional funds to retire $5 billion in debt, enabling it to reduce its leverage ratio to around 3.25 times next year. The Apollo investment carries an internal rate of return (IRR) capped at 7% for the first nine years, with all the value created above the cap flowing to shareholders. This investment has a lower cost of capital than Oneok's stock, and it offers the option to redeem it in the future.
While this deal structure is unique, this isn't the first time Apollo has used it to help a public company fund its investment strategy. Real estate giant Realty Income (NYSE:O) agreed to a very similar deal with Apollo earlier this year. Apollo made a $1 billion investment for a 49% stake in a joint venture holding 500 existing retail properties. Apollo's investment in Realty Income has a capped IRR of 6.875%, and the REIT can redeem it in the future. This investment provided Realty Income with low-cost capital to make new investments to support its growing high-yielding monthly dividend. It also provides a repeatable framework for future investments.
Why this matters for Oneok's dividend
The deal for Brazos Midland and the financing arrangement with Apollo will enhance Oneok's financial profile and growth trajectory. The pipeline company expects the acquisition to be immediately accretive to its earnings and free cash flow per share. The energy company noted in the press release announcing these agreements that the "acquisition increases momentum toward the high end of ONEOK's mid- to high-single-digit adjusted EBITDA growth target over the next five to seven years." Meanwhile, the funding will accelerate its deleveraging timeline and more than achieve its previous leverage target without needing to issue common equity. That will give it additional financial flexibility to support its growing backlog of organic expansion opportunities, especially in the Permian Basin.
Oneok also noted that the deals will accelerate its "flexibility to increase capital returns to shareholders, including through potential dividend increases and share buybacks." The company was already targeting 3% to 4% annual dividend growth. That would further build on its legacy of more than 30 years of dividend stability and growth. While Oneok hasn't increased its dividend every year, it has nearly doubled its payout since 2014, significantly outpacing its pipeline-stock peers.
However, the deal doesn't guarantee that Oneok will increase its payout or accelerate its current dividend growth plan. It still needs to execute its expansion strategy, including closing these deals (which it expects to occur in the fourth quarter) and completing its current slate of expansion projects within reasonable timelines and budgets.
A potentially winning transaction combo
Oneok is making a needle-moving acquisition funded with a non-dilutive investment from Apollo, which will also help it reduce debt. While it's using a unique funding strategy, it's in good company, with Realty Income recently completing a similar deal with Apollo. These transactions will put Oneok in the position to return more cash to investors in the future, potentially through even faster dividend growth. As a result, it should enhance Oneok's appeal to income investors.
Should you buy stock in Oneok right now?
Before you buy stock in Oneok, consider this:
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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $437,097!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,355,077!*
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Matt DiLallo has positions in Realty Income. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Realty Income. The Motley Fool recommends Oneok. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

This 4.5%-Yielding Pipeline Stock Just Made a $4.4 Billion Acquisition. Here's What It Means for the Dividend.

Key Points
The disposal has an estimated transaction value of approximately $639,000.
The transaction reduced the reporting owner's total direct and indirect equity stake by 1%.
The filing details a direct sale of 3,000 shares and a gift of 1,534 shares, while 25,035 shares remain held indirectly through the 2025 Martin Kelly Gift Trust.
Chief Financial Officer Kelly Martin disposed of 4,534 shares of Apollo Global Management (NYSE:APO) on Aug. 14, 2026, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summary
Transaction value
$639,000
Shares traded
4,534
Shares sold
3,000
Shares gifted
1,534
Post-transaction shares
421,568
Post-transaction shares (directly held)
396,533
Post-transaction value
$59.3 million
Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($140.84); post-transaction value based on Aug. 14, 2026, market close ($140.76).
Key questions
How does this transaction impact the CFO's overall equity alignment with the company?
Following the 1% reduction in total holdings, the CFO continues to hold nearly 397,000 shares directly, a figure that includes 304,581 restricted stock units (RSUs) that vest in installments based on continued service.
What is the nature of the indirect holdings disclosed in this filing?
The officer maintains an indirect stake of 25,035 shares through the 2025 Martin Kelly Gift Trust, an entity for which members of the officer's immediate family are beneficiaries and over which the officer exercises sole voting and investment control.
What has been the performance of the equity leading up to this disposal?
As of the Aug. 14, 2026, transaction date, the stock has generated a one-year total return of 0.06%, while the execution price of $140.84 per share was marginally above the market close on the same day.
Company Overview
Share Price (as of market close 2026-08-14)
$140.76
Market Capitalization
$81.9 billion
Revenue (TTM)
$35.6 billion
Net Income (TTM)
$1.8 billion
Company Snapshot
Apollo Global Management operates as a diversified investment management platform with substantial assets under management across credit, private equity, and real estate asset classes, generating revenue through management fees, performance allocations, and realized investment gains.
The company's business model centers on deploying capital across multiple investment strategies while charging institutional and individual investors management fees and performance-based compensation, thereby capturing value across the investment lifecycle.
Apollo serves a global institutional investor base including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, and high-net-worth individuals seeking exposure to alternative asset classes and differentiated investment strategies.
Apollo Global Management represents a leading alternative asset manager with $81.9 billion in market capitalization and $35.6 billion in TTM revenue, positioning the firm among the largest independent investment managers globally. The company leverages its scale and operational expertise across credit, private equity, and real estate to generate consistent management fees while capturing performance-based upside through carried interest and realized investment returns. Apollo's competitive differentiation derives from its diversified exposure to asset classes, institutional-grade investment capabilities, and established relationships within the alternative investment ecosystem.
What this transaction means for investors
The Apollo stock price has been essentially flat over the last 12 months, up just 0.5%. In comparison, the S&P 500 has climbed 19.8%. That means the sale of 3,000 shares and the gifting of 1,534 shares occurred during a period with neither gains nor losses in the stock over the last year. What this looks like is more of a routine sale, not something shareholders need to read too much into. Martin still holds 396,533 shares directly and 25,035 shares indirectly. That shows continued alignment with the company's success as a shareholder.
While the stock price hasn't moved much over the past 12 months, analysts remain generally bullish on Apollo. Of the 23 who cover the stock, 74% rate it as a buy, while 26% rate it as a hold. From that group of analysts, the median one-year price target is $157. Based on today's price, that would represent a 14.9% gain. The highest price target in that group is $173, representing a 26.6% gain. The lowest price target in that group is $130, which would represent a 4.8% loss.
Should you buy stock in Apollo Global Management right now?
Before you buy stock in Apollo Global Management, 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 Apollo Global Management 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 $440,710!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,335,252!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 978% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 213% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 31, 2026.
Jack Delaney 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.

Apollo Global Management CFO Kelly Martin Disposes of 4,534 Shares

Nvidia NVDA) stock has surged more than 7% on Thursday after the AI chip giant delivered another blockbuster quarterly report yesterday evening and, more importantly, gave Wall Street considerably more confidence that its extraordinary growth can extend well into next year.
Ahead of the report, several key questions surrounded Nvidia's Q2 results: whether its Vera Rubin platform was ramping on schedule, if gross margins could remain near 75%, and how much of the massive AI infrastructure buildout Nvidia would ultimately have to finance itself.
The answers were mostly encouraging, although investors still have a few risks to weigh before chasing today's rally.
Nvidia Crushes Q2 Expectations and Raises the Growth Bar
Nvidia posted Q2 revenue for its current fiscal 2027 of $96.22 billion, soaring 106% from $46.74 billion in the prior year quarter and comfortably topping estimates of $91.79 billion.
Adjusted net income came in at $53.95 billion, or earnings of $2.22 per share, up 120% year over year and beating Q2 EPS expectations of $2.09 by 6%. Data Center sales were the standout once again, jumping 117% to a record $89 billion.
Even more impressive was Nvidia’s outlook. The chip giant expects Q3 revenue of $108 billion, plus or minus 2%, with no Data Center compute sales from China included in that forecast.
Management also offered a preliminary expectation for roughly 70% revenue growth in fiscal 2028, despite anticipating that supply will remain constrained through the end of that reporting year.
That longer-term outlook arguably provided the biggest catalyst for today's rally, as Wall Street had been bracing for a much steeper slowdown in Nvidia's growth rate.
To that point, its Q3 revenue forecast came in above analyst consensus estimates of $102 billion (Current Qtr below), while the FY28 preliminary revenue forecast is well ahead of Zacks current projections of $553.24 billion or 42% growth.
Vera Rubin Is Becoming Nvidia's Next Growth Engine
The Vera Rubin ramp also provided the confirmation investors were looking for.
Production shipments began earlier this month, and Nvidia says it has already received purchase orders from every major hyperscaler, AI cloud provider, and system original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
Management expects Vera Rubin to account for roughly 20% of Data Center revenue in Q3 and believes it could become the fastest product ramp in Nvidia's history.
This suggests Nvidia is transitioning from its Blackwell platform to its next-generation AI architecture without the growth pause investors might normally expect during a major product cycle.
Gross Margins Are the Biggest Near-Term Blemish
Profitability remains exceptional, but this was one area where the report was less reassuring.
Nvidia maintained a 75% gross margin in Q2, but management expects it to slip to roughly 74% in Q3 and bottom between 71% and 72% in Q4 as surging memory prices increase system costs. Nvidia expects margins to settle around 72%-73% in FY28, with planned price increases beginning to provide some relief early next year.
Considering Nvidia's staggering revenue growth, these margins remain enviable. Still, investors should no longer assume that mid-70% gross margins are guaranteed as increasingly complex AI systems push component costs higher.
Over the trailing twelve months (TTM), Nvidia’s 74% gross margin has impressively outpaced the S&P 500’s 53% average and has topped its Zacks Semiconductor-General Industry average of 72%
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Is Nvidia Shifting the AI Financing Burden?
Nvidia's balance sheet remains formidable. The company finished Q2 with roughly $99 billion in cash and marketable debt and equity securities, while generating $24.1 billion in operating cash flow during the quarter.
However, Nvidia is deploying significant amounts of capital across its ecosystem. Non-marketable securities rose to more than $51 billion from $22 billion at the beginning of the fiscal year, while the company purchased $15.8 billion of equity securities during Q2 alone. Its supply and capacity commitments also surged from $119 billion last quarter to roughly $279 billion as Nvidia locks down memory and manufacturing capacity for future demand.
That said, Nvidia appears to be finding ways to bring much deeper pockets into the AI buildout. Its partnerships with major investment firms Apollo Global Management APO), BlackRock BLK), Blackstone BX), Brookfield Asset Management BAM), Goldman Sachs GS) and KKR KKR) are intended to mobilize more than $500 billion of third-party capital for AI infrastructure, creating independent pools of financing for Nvidia customers.
That could gradually shift more of the burden away from Nvidia's own balance sheet, although investors should continue monitoring its guarantees, strategic investments, and other commitments as the AI spending boom grows larger.
Monitoring Nvidia’s Valuation
Despite today's rally, Nvidia stock is still trading at just under 24X forward earnings following its impressive Q2 EPS beat.
Furthermore, upward earnings estimate revisions after such a strong report and outlook could quickly make Nvidia’s valuation even more appealing. Notably, NVDA is trading near its decade-low forward P/E of 20X and at a nearly 50% discount to its 10-year median of 45X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
And if you're wondering, NVDA’s return over the last decade is near a staggering 14,500%
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Bottom Line: Should Investors Chase the NVDA Rally?
There is considerably more to like about Nvidia following Q2 earnings. The company crushed expectations, issued strong Q3 guidance, provided surprisingly bullish FY28 commentary, and offered concrete evidence that Vera Rubin is already becoming its next major revenue engine.
Margin pressure and Nvidia's enormous financial commitments prevent the story from being completely risk-free, and investors don't necessarily have to chase a 7% one-day spike. Still, the rally appears fundamentally supported rather than simply driven by post-earnings enthusiasm.
Most importantly, NVDA now sports a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), reflecting a favorable earnings-estimate revision outlook.
For long-term investors, Nvidia's valuation still looks surprisingly reasonable relative to its growth trajectory, making pullbacks particularly attractive and today's post-earnings rally difficult to bet against.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Apollo Global Management, Inc. (New)

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