Author: Lekha Gupta

On Tuesday, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) kicked off the first-quarter 2026 earnings season with results that beat Wall Street expectations, driven by strong revenue growth and resilient consumer activity.

The bank reported net income of $16.5 billion, or $5.94 per share, up 17% from a year earlier. Adjusted earnings per share also came in at $5.94, surpassing analyst estimates of $5.45.

Managed net revenue rose to $50.5 billion, topping expectations of $49.2 billion.

Earnings Details

Net interest income, excluding Markets, increased 3% year over year to $23.3 billion, supported by higher deposit balances and increased revolving balances in card services.

Noninterest revenue, excluding Markets, climbed 14% to $15.7 billion, driven by asset management fees, auto lease income, and stronger payments and investment banking activity.

Markets revenue jumped 20% to $11.6 billion.

Loan and Deposit Growth

The firm posted a return on equity of 19% and a return on tangible common equity of 23%.

Average loans grew 11% year over year and 2% sequentially, while average deposits increased 7% year over year and 1% from the prior quarter.

Provision for credit losses was $2.51 billion. Net charge-offs totaled $2.3 billion, down slightly, while the net reserve build stood at $191 million.

JPMorgan returned $4.1 billion in common dividends, or $1.50 per share, and repurchased $8.1 billion in stock during the quarter.

Balance Sheet and Capital

The bank ended the quarter with a Common Equity Tier 1 ratio of 14.3% under the standardized approach.

Total loss-absorbing capacity stood at $572 billion, and the supplementary leverage ratio was 5.6%.

Book value per share rose 8% to $128.38, while tangible book value increased 8% to $108.87.

Management Commentary

Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon said, “The U.S. economy remained resilient in the quarter, with consumers still earning and spending and businesses still healthy.”

Dimon said the economy’s resilience is being supported by multiple tailwinds, including stronger fiscal stimulus, deregulation benefits, rising AI-led investment and the Federal Reserve’s asset purchases.

However, he cautioned that risks are becoming more complex, citing geopolitical conflicts, volatile energy prices, trade uncertainty, large global deficits and high asset valuations.

While the outcomes remain uncertain, he stressed that these factors are meaningful and underscore the need to prepare for a wide range of scenarios.

“While we cannot predict how these risks and uncertainties will ultimately play out, they are significant and they reinforce why we prepare the Firm for a wide range of environments,” he said.

During the earnings call, CFO Jeremy Barnum said the bank has about $50 billion in private credit exposure within a broader $160 billion exposure to non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs).

He also noted that the persistent U.S. GSIB surcharge is a drag on international competitiveness. At the same time, consumer spending growth continues to outpace last year’s levels, while client engagement and investment banking pipelines remain strong.

Barnum added that developments in the Middle East could affect deal timing and execution. Looking ahead, he said the bigger concern would be how a future credit cycle stress might ripple through the broader financial system.

Segment Performance

Consumer & Community Banking posted net income of $5.0 billion, up 12%, on revenue of $19.6 billion.

Commercial & Investment Bank profit surged 30% to $9.0 billion, with revenue rising 19% to $23.4 billion, led by strength in Markets and Banking & Payments.

Asset & Wealth Management reported net income of $1.8 billion, up 12%, as assets under management reached $4.8 trillion.

Outlook

JPMorgan expects fiscal 2026 net interest income of about $103 billion, or $95 billion excluding Markets.

The firm also projects a card services net charge-off rate of roughly 3.4%.

JPM Price Action: JPMorgan Chase shares were down 0.05% at $313.51 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) said Monday its board has approved an additional $500 million for its share repurchase program, lifting the total authorization to $1.5 billion.

Boosts Share Buyback

The company has already repurchased 413,130 shares of its Class A common stock at an average price of $364.57 per share, totaling $150.6 million under the existing program.

“We repurchased $150.6 million of shares following our record Q4 FY26, as we see a growing disconnect between our improving momentum fueled by AI tailwinds and our current valuation,” said Burt Podbere, CrowdStrike’s CFO.

“We have increased our share repurchase authorization to $1.5 billion to opportunistically return value to shareholders as we progress toward our goal of reaching $20 billion in ending ARR by FY36.”

Recent Earnings

Last month, CrowdStrike reported fourth-quarter results that topped Wall Street expectations. Revenue rose to $1.31 billion, slightly ahead of analyst estimates of about $1.30 billion, according to Benzinga Pro. Adjusted earnings came in at $1.12 per share, also beating consensus forecasts of $1.10 per share.

Annual recurring revenue (ARR) climbed 24% year over year to $5.25 billion, driven by $330.7 million in net new ARR added during the quarter.

Looking ahead, the company guided for fiscal 2027 revenue in the range of $5.87 billion to $5.93 billion, compared with estimates of $5.86 billion. It expects full-year adjusted earnings of $4.78 to $4.90 per share, roughly in line with consensus estimates of $4.82 per share.

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $499.91. Recent analyst moves include:

• Wolfe Research: Upgraded to Outperform (Target $450.00) (March 30)
• RBC Capital: Outperform (Maintains Target to $550.00) (March 17)
• Morgan Stanley: Upgraded to Overweight (Raises Target to $510.00) (March 10)

CRWD at $401.69 Above 20-Day, 100-Day SMA

At $401.69, the stock is currently trading above its 20-day and 100-day simple moving averages (SMA), suggesting a bullish short-term trend. Specifically, it is trading 10.2% above its 20-day SMA and 5.1% above its 100-day SMA, indicating strong upward momentum in both the short and intermediate term.

The stock has shown a 12-month performance of 23.05%, reflecting a solid upward trajectory over the past year. Currently, it is positioned within the 52-week range, which has a high of $566.90 and a low of $298.00, suggesting that it is trading closer to the mid-range of its yearly performance.

• Key Resistance: $452.00 — This level may act as a barrier for further upward movement.
• Key Support: $342.50 — This level could provide a safety net for buyers if tested.

CRWD ETF Weights: CIBR 6.85%, BUG 5.66%

• First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF (NASDAQ:CIBR): 6.85% Weight
• Amplify Cybersecurity ETF (NYSE:HACK): 4.57% Weight
• Global X Cybersecurity ETF (NASDAQ:BUG): 5.66% Weight

Significance: Because CRWD carries such a heavy weight in these funds, any significant inflows or outflows for these ETFs will likely force automatic buying or selling of the stock.

CRWD Price Action: CrowdStrike Holdings shares were down 0.69% at $396.37 at the time of publication on Monday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ:HOOD) shares are trading higher premarket on Wednesday after the company disclosed a share buyback authorization.

Stock Buyback

On Tuesday, the company’s board approved a new share repurchase program authorizing up to $1.5 billion in share buybacks.

This program replaces the previous authorization, incorporating any unused capacity and adding more than $1.1 billion in additional repurchase capacity.

While the program has no set expiration, management expects to execute it over roughly three years starting in the first quarter of 2026.

Also, Robinhood Markets disclosed that it had appointed Shiv Verma as Chief Financial Officer, effective Feb. 6, 2026.

Investments in Stripe, ElevenLabs

Last week, the company announced investments in Stripe and ElevenLabs through its Robinhood Ventures Fund I (NYSE:RVI).

Robinhood Ventures Fund I has invested approximately $14.6 million in Stripe and nearly $20 million in ElevenLabs, reflecting its strategy to support innovative companies in fintech and AI.

February 2026 Operating Data

Crypto Notional Trading Volumes were $25.0 billion (up 74% year-over-year), including Robinhood App Notional Trading Volumes of $9.4 billion (down 35% year-over-year). Bitstamp Notional Trading Volumes were $15.6 billion.

Total Platform Assets at the end of February were $314 billion (down 3% from the end of January 2026, up 68% year-over-year).

At the end of the fourth quarter, Robinhood’s cash and equivalents balance totaled $4.3 billion.

Robinhood Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $136.59. Recent analyst moves include:

• Mizuho: Outperform (Lowers Target to $110.00) (Mar. 13)
• Cantor Fitzgerald: Overweight (Lowers Target to $100.00) (Feb. 17)
• Mizuho: Outperform (Lowers Target to $135.00) (Feb. 17)

Price Action: HOOD shares are up 3.47% at $71.48 premarket at the last check on Wednesday.

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On Thursday, Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) and Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE:LEU) announced a partnership to deploy artificial intelligence software to support Centrus’ multi-billion-dollar expansion of uranium enrichment capacity in the United States.

The collaboration will apply Palantir’s Foundry and Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) to integrate data systems and improve operational efficiency across Centrus’ uranium enrichment plant expansion in Piketon, Ohio. Early work since the partnership began in late January has already identified nearly $300 million in potential cost savings and efficiency gains.

Centrus said the AI-driven platform will help optimize project controls, engineering, manufacturing execution, supply chains, and regulatory compliance while connecting classified and unclassified operational environments.

Centrus is currently the only U.S.-owned company enriching uranium and aims to expand domestic capacity as the U.S. seeks to reduce reliance on foreign, state-owned enrichment providers that dominate the global market.

Executives Highlight Strategic Impact

“Centrus has developed and proven America’s most advanced uranium enrichment technology, and this expansion marks the moment when we scale it for commercial deployment,” said Centrus President and CEO Amir Vexler. “The nearly $300 million in savings we have identified to date are only the beginning.”

Palantir executives Joanna Peller and Tom McArdle said the partnership will connect Centrus’ manufacturing ecosystem through a unified data framework to accelerate production timelines and improve decision-making.

The companies plan to showcase the collaboration at Palantir’s AIPCon 9 event.

Technical Analysis

Centrus Energy shares have increased 169.87% over the past 12 months, demonstrating strong long-term momentum. Currently, the stock is trading 0.3% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) but is 25.6% below its 100-day SMA, indicating a potential struggle in the medium term.

The RSI is at 42.60, which is considered neutral territory, suggesting that the stock is neither overbought nor oversold. Meanwhile, MACD is at -15.6511, with the signal line at -17.8432, indicating a bullish crossover as the MACD is above the signal line.

The combination of neutral RSI and bullish MACD suggests mixed momentum, indicating that traders should watch for potential shifts in direction.

• Key Resistance: $217.00
• Key Support: $183.50

Earnings & Analyst Outlook

Centrus Energy is slated to provide its next financial update on May 6, 2026 (estimated).

• EPS Estimate: 57 cents (Down from $1.07)
• Revenue Estimate: $81.38 million (Up from $73.10 million)
• Valuation: Forward P/E of 356.4x

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $205.63. Recent analyst moves include:

• UBS: Neutral (Lowers Target to $195.00) (Mar. 5)
• Citigroup: Neutral (Lowers Target to $225.00) (Feb. 18)
• JP Morgan: Neutral (Lowers Target to $242.00) (Feb. 5)

Top ETF Exposure

• Global X Uranium ETF (NYSE:URA): 4.83% Weight
• VanEck Uranium & Nuclear ETF (NYSE:NLR): 4.32% Weight
• SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF (NYSE:XME): 6.35% Weight

Significance: Because LEU carries such a heavy weight in these funds, any significant inflows or outflows for these ETFs will likely force automatic buying or selling of the stock.

LEU Price Action: Centrus Energy shares were down 0.82% at $198.70 during premarket trading on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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SSR Mining Inc. (NASDAQ:SSRM) shares surged Wednesday after the company agreed to sell its 80% stake in the Çöpler Mine in Türkiye to Cengiz Holding A.S. for $1.5 billion in cash.

Cengiz Holding will pay a $100 million deposit, credited toward the purchase price at closing. The agreement also includes a $50 million reciprocal break fee and allows either party to terminate the deal, subject to the fee.

Details

The company expects to use the cash proceeds from the transaction to fund ongoing business reinvestment, capital returns, and growth initiatives that enhance value.

The transaction is anticipated to close in the third quarter of 2026, providing the company with substantial liquidity to pursue further growth opportunities.

Additionally, the company is undertaking a strategic review of the remaining operations in Türkiye, including its 20% earned interest in the Hod Maden development project.

This strategic decision aligns with the company’s long-term vision of optimizing its asset portfolio and maximizing returns for investors.

Technical Analysis

The stock is currently trading 5.2% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) and 12.4% above its 100-day SMA, indicating a strong upward trend. Over the past 12 months, shares have increased by 18%, and they are currently positioned closer to their 52-week highs than lows.

The RSI is at 55.32, which is considered neutral territory, suggesting the stock is neither overbought nor oversold. Meanwhile, MACD is at 0.10, above its signal line at 0.05, indicating bullish momentum for the stock.

The combination of neutral RSI and bullish MACD suggests mixed momentum, indicating potential for further upward movement if positive sentiment continues.

• Key Resistance: $34.00
• Key Support: $30.00

Earnings & Analyst Outlook

Looking further out, the next major catalyst for the stock arrives with the May 5, 2026, earnings report.

• EPS Estimate: 82 cents (Up from 29 cents)
• Revenue Estimate: $628.15 million (Up from $316.62 million)
• Valuation: P/E of 15.6x (Indicates fair valuation)

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Hold Rating with an average price target of $23.99. Recent analyst moves include:

• UBS: Buy (Raises Target to $37.00) (Feb. 18)

SSRM Price Action: SSR Mining shares were up 11.46% at $32.24 at the time of publication on Wednesday. The stock is trading near its 52-week high of $32.60, according to Benzinga Pro data.

On Friday, AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $5.08 (+2% year over year), beating the analyst consensus estimate of $4.85.

Sales of $6.929 billion missed the consensus estimate of $7.200 billion. Revenues declined 4% year over year (Y/Y) owing to lower unit sales of both new and used vehicles.

Quarterly gross profit fell 2% Y/Y to $1.214 billion, and same-store gross profit declined 4% Y/Y to $1.188 billion owing to lower vehicle unit sales and profit per unit.

Adjusted operating income dipped 7% Y/Y to $335.1 million in the quarter.

AutoNation exited the quarter with cash and equivalents worth $58.6 million. Inventory at the end of the quarter was $3.405 billion.

In the quarter, the company bought back 1.7 million shares of common stock for $350 million or $209 per share.

The company repurchased $785 million of its shares in 2025, resulting in a 10% reduction in shares outstanding.

Segment Performance

AutoNation reported a same-store unit sales decline of 10% Y/Y for New Vehicle Retail and 5% Y/Y for Used Vehicle Retail.

Unit volumes for new vehicles faced tough Y/Y comparison and were impacted by higher sales earlier in 2025 related to tariffs and the expiration of government incentives for battery electric vehicles.

After-sales delivered same-store top-line growth and record gross profit growth of 4% Y/Y each. Same-store gross profit fell due to lower vehicle unit sales and profit per unit.

Customer Financial Services posted total unit profitability growth of 8% in the quarter.

Management Commentary

“We are pleased to report another quarter of strong performance with record gross profit in After-Sales and unit profitability in Customer Financial Services. For the full year, we grew unit volume for both new and used vehicles, increased revenues across all our business lines and grew gross profit for After-Sales, Customer Financial Services and Used vehicles,” said Mike Manley, CEO of AutoNation. 

“AutoNation Finance continued to scale, growing the portfolio to $2.2 billion while improving profitability and funded status. AutoNation’s multiple revenue streams, flexible cost structure, cash flow generation, and investment grade balance sheet position us to continue delivering strong results and deploying capital to generate attractive shareholder returns.”

AN Price Action: AutoNation shares were up 2.96% at $210.06 during premarket trading on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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Microchip Technology Incorporated (NASDAQ:MCHP) stock rose Tuesday after the semiconductor company disclosed that it now expects fiscal third-quarter revenue to come in above prior expectations.

Third-Quarter Guidance

On Monday, Microchip said it now expects third-quarter fiscal 2026 net sales of approximately $1.185 billion for the period ending December 31, 2025.

The revised outlook exceeds the company’s original guidance range of $1.109 billion to $1.149 billion issued on November 6, 2025, as well as a December 2 update that pointed to the high end of that range.

Also Read: Microchip Customers Still Holding Back On Chip Orders, Rebound Coming In 2026 Says Analyst

Last month, the company also raised its third-quarter adjusted earnings per share guidance to 40 cents, up from a prior range of 34 cents to 40 cents, bringing expectations in line with consensus estimates.

Management Commentary

Steve Sanghi, Microchip Technology’s CEO and president, said the company is seeing a broad-based recovery across most end markets as inventory corrections ease both in distribution channels and among direct customers, with new design wins beginning to move into production.

“We continue to experience a fairly broad-based recovery in most of our end markets driven by progress we have made in inventory correction in distribution as well as direct customers, and with new customer designs turning to production,” Sanghi said, adding that booking activity remained strong in the December quarter despite the holiday season.

He noted that the company entered the March quarter with a significantly stronger starting backlog than it had at the start of the December quarter.

Sanghi also highlighted progress on Microchip’s turnaround efforts, saying the company has advanced on most elements of its nine-point recovery plan and broader strategic initiatives. “We have made substantial progress on most elements of our nine-point recovery plan as well as our strategic initiatives,” he said.

He added that internal inventory levels have fallen meaningfully, which should help reduce inventory write-offs, while preparations are underway to ramp factory output in the March quarter, a move expected to lower under-utilization charges.

Microchip plans to release its fiscal third quarter 2026 financial results on February 5, 2026.

MCHP Price Action: Microchip Technology shares were up 4.31% at $69.95 during premarket trading on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Read Next:

• Europe’s $1.2 Billion STMicroelectronics Deal Aims To Secure Future Tech

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