Daily ideas
Verizon grew service revenue 2.8% and lifted its adjusted EBITDA margin to a record 40.1% in Q2 2026; Q3 results will show whether phone net adds hold without subsidies.

3M grew adjusted organic sales 5.4% in Q2 2026 with a 24.9% adjusted margin and raised guidance; Q3 results will show whether 8.2% industrial growth outlasts backlog conversion.

Lockheed Martin posted Q2 2026 sales of $20.06 billion and a record $230.4 billion backlog; Q3 results will show whether the missile ramp lifts sales without diluting margin.

RTX grew second-quarter sales 14% to $24.7 billion and raised 2026 EPS guidance to $7.10-$7.25; Q3 must show Collins profit and free cash flow keeping pace.

Surgical-robot maker Intuitive grew Q2 2026 revenue 19% to $2.89 billion as U.S. da Vinci procedure growth slowed to 12%; Q3 will test whether that is deferral or maturity.

Capital One earned $5.81 adjusted in Q2 2026 on a $662 million reserve release as card charge-offs fell; Q3 results must show whether releases continue and costs start to turn.

Netflix grew Q2 2026 revenue 13% to $12.56 billion at a 33.4% operating margin; Q3 results will show whether a full quarter of US pricing stops the slide in UCAN growth.

GE Aerospace grew Q2 adjusted revenue 24% to $12.6 billion as margin fell 130 bps; Q3 results will show whether parts supply or airline demand caps services growth.

Danaher grew Q2 core revenue 3.0% with adjusted EPS of $1.94 and debt at $26.6 billion after Masimo; Q3 must show whether mid-teens bioprocessing orders turn into revenue.

Coca-Cola grew organic revenue 6% in Q2 2026 on 5% unit case volume and raised full-year guidance; Q3 results will show whether volume-led growth survives tougher comparisons after the World Cup.

Levi Strauss grew Q2 fiscal 2026 revenue 8% to $1.56 billion with a 62.7% gross margin; Q3 results will show whether its 4%-5% growth guide is caution or cooling demand.

Regions Financial lifted second-quarter net interest income 2.3% to $1.277 billion at a 3.66% margin; third-quarter results will show if the guided 2% gain comes from repricing or costlier borrowing.

IDT's fiscal Q3 revenue rose 5% to $315.7 million and Adjusted EBITDA 13% to $37.5 million; Q4 results will show whether legacy cost cuts still cover shrinking gross profit.

Applied Digital booked only $99.8 million of base rent in fiscal 2026 against 1,410 MW of signed AI data center leases; Q1 shows whether Polaris Forge 1's second building pays rent.

Conagra Brands ended fiscal 2026 with net sales down 2.9% to $11.28 billion and a 23.9% gross margin; Q1 fiscal 2027 tests whether frozen volumes hold before price increases land.

Cracker Barrel's comparable restaurant traffic fell 6.7% in fiscal Q3 2026 as adjusted EBITDA slipped to $40.3 million; Q4 results test whether the recovery holds against a tougher summer base.

BETA Technologies posted Q2 2026 revenue of $14.7 million against a $109.8 million adjusted EBITDA loss; Q3 results turn on whether H500A certification finally gets a date.

Fifth Third earned $0.83 per diluted share in Q2 2026 on $1.861 billion of adjusted expense after absorbing Comerica; Q3 results will show whether cost synergies lower expense or fund reinvestment.
Steel Dynamics earned $3.69 per share in Q2 2026 on record steel shipments and guided Q3 to $5.34-$5.38; the results show whether lagging contract prices widen steel spreads that far.
Snap-on's Q2 2026 sales rose 4.7% to $1,235.1 million with EPS of $4.96, but only C&I grew profit; Q3 results will test whether quick-payback tools and the C&I rebound can hold margin.
