Finance
Palo Alto Networks Reports $3.41 Billion in Fiscal Q4 Revenue, Above Analyst Estimates, and Says It Has Acquired AI Agent Startup Console
The company beat Wall Street's adjusted revenue and profit estimates for the quarter ended July 31, posted a $282 million GAAP net loss, and disclosed a deal for agentic AI platform Console on undisclosed terms.
Boeing and Engineers' Union SPEEA Resumed Contract Talks Aug. 31 After Members Rejected Offer; Contracts Expire Oct. 6
SPEEA's roughly 17,000 Boeing engineers and technical workers voted down a four-year offer their own negotiators had recommended, and authorized a strike that could not legally begin before Oct. 7.
China's Official Manufacturing PMI Rises to 49.8 in August, a Second Month Below 50
The National Bureau of Statistics reported a 0.6-point increase from July that still left the index under the 50 line, while a separate private survey of smaller exporters showed expansion at 51.5.
SLB Agrees to Buy German Cooling Maker Kelvion for $3.4 Billion in Cash Plus $0.7 Billion in Debt
The Houston-based oilfield-services company said on August 31 it will buy Kelvion from Apollo-managed funds and Triton-advised funds, in a deal it values at about 11 times Kelvion's estimated 2026 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.
Gold Rose About 10% in August Through Aug. 28, Then Fell 3.2% After Fed Chair Warsh's Jackson Hole Speech
Gold closed Friday, Aug. 28 near $4,454 an ounce — its strongest month since January — after a one-day drop that followed hawkish remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, and it remains more than $1,100 below the record set Jan. 28.
McKesson Signs Agreement to Buy Precision Medicine Group for About $2.25 Billion
The drug distributor said on August 25, 2026 that it will fold the Maryland-based clinical-research and drug-commercialization firm into its Oncology & Multispecialty segment, pending regulatory clearance.
Ulta Beauty Reports 8.9% Second-Quarter Sales Growth and Raises Full-Year Outlook
The beauty retailer said quarterly net sales reached $3.04 billion for the period ended August 1 and lifted its fiscal 2026 sales and profit forecasts; the stock fell after hours as gross margin slipped and second-half guidance implied slower growth.
Consumer Confidence Index Reads 89.4 in August; New-Home Sales Ran at a 607,000 Annual Rate in July
The Conference Board's index slipped 0.8 points to its lowest level since January, while the Census Bureau put July new-home sales 10.5% below June — a change the agency flagged with a margin of error wide enough to include no change at all.
Vanguard Agrees to Buy Advisor Custody Platform Altruist; Terms Undisclosed, Reported at $4 Billion to $4.6 Billion
Vanguard said on August 26 that it will acquire Altruist, a technology and custody platform used by about 6,000 independent financial advisors, with closing expected later this year subject to regulatory approval.
Gap Inc. Posts 2% Sales Drop and a $417 Million Tariff-Refund Gain, Raises Profit Outlook; Shares Rise About 14%
The company beat adjusted profit estimates, missed on revenue, named a new Old Navy CEO, and booked a large one-time benefit from tariff refunds ordered after the Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs.
Marvell Shares Close Down 10.3% After Fiscal Q2 Beat and Raised Fiscal 2028 Revenue Outlook
Marvell reported record quarterly revenue of $2.739 billion and lifted its fiscal 2028 forecast to about $18 billion, but investors focused on gross-margin guidance and on when the Google chip agreement starts adding meaningful revenue.