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Affirm Launches AI Underwriting Model, Sees 3.4% More Completed Purchases
Affirm Holdings is launching a new transformer-based machine learning model for real-time credit underwriting at U.S. checkouts, drawing on 14 years of its own transaction and repayment data to analyze the order and timing of events across a consumer's credit history. In initial testing, the model approved applications the previous system would have declined, including consumers with limited credit histories and no FICO scores, and those incremental approvals produced 3.4% more completed purchases than the control group, with the loans performing better than a comparable expansion under the previous model. Affirm says the model is built to deliver fast and explainable decisions, and the release does not provide a dollar estimate of the financial impact. The company frames the launch as expanding approvals without simply lowering credit standards, with the financial benefit depending on how the early results scale. Affirm shares have risen 58.2% over the past six months compared with the industry's 20.2% growth, and the stock trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 4.1X versus the industry average of 4.2X.
Intermex Falls 5.2% for Third Day as Investors Await Western Union Deal Update
International Money Express dropped 5.2% and fell for a third straight day as investors wait for an update on its planned $500 million sale to Western Union. Shares of Intermex have declined 11% this week on no new apparent news, and the stock is now trading at its lowest since Aug. 13, the day before a New York regulator approved the transaction in what investors initially thought was the final approval needed for the deal to close. The companies also announced the same day that they received a letter from the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation suspending the approval extension previously granted on July 31. Some people have told Seeking Alpha that Western Union has been conducting meetings with investors this week, which may be the reason for Intermex's decline. Western Union and Intermex did not immediately respond to Seeking Alpha's email request for comment. Western Union agreed to buy Intermex for $16 per share in cash last August.
Cass: TL Linehaul Rates Jump 11.3% in August as Freight Shipments Turn Positive
Truckload linehaul rates rose 11.3% year over year in August while freight shipments turned positive for the first time in three and a half years, according to data from Cass Information Systems. The Cass TL linehaul index, which tracks rates excluding fuel and accessorial surcharges, marked its 20th consecutive year-over-year increase and its largest gain since June 2022, and was up 70 basis points from July. Freight shipments recorded by Cass increased 2.1% year over year, the first such increase after 42 months of declines, and were 5.6% higher sequentially in August, or up 5% seasonally adjusted. Cass' expenditures index, which measures total freight spend including fuel, surged 18.7% year over year and rose 5.8% from July, or 6% seasonally adjusted, driven by the positive inflection in shipments and diesel prices that were up 46% year over year and 10% sequentially. The report said the sequential increase in linehaul rates was in line with expectations and noted that even as spot rates slow with modest sequential declines, the much larger contract market is adjusting higher, adding that the freight bottom is probably in and growth should continue, though modestly. Cass, a provider of payment management solutions, processes $37 billion in freight payables annually on behalf of customers.
Coincheck to Temporarily Restrict Transfers to New Addresses from September 15
Cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck announced on September 10 that it will restrict transfers of crypto assets to newly registered destination addresses for a certain period, starting September 15. The measure applies to all destination addresses newly registered on or after September 15, which will be unable to receive transfers for a set period after registration, but transfers to addresses already registered are unaffected and can be used as before. Once the restriction period passes, transfers become possible, but the exchange will not accommodate shortening or early lifting of the period, and the specific duration is not being disclosed for security reasons. The measure follows a joint request made on August 6 by the National Police Agency and the Financial Services Agency to the Japan Crypto-Asset Exchange Association to strengthen measures to prevent fraud, amid the spread of social media-based investment fraud and romance scams. The Financial Services Agency is calling for advance registration of withdrawal destination addresses and a ban on withdrawals for a certain period after registration, as well as restrictions on external withdrawals after fiat currency deposits or crypto asset purchases, setting withdrawal limits based on customer attributes, strengthening monitoring of transaction and access environments, and establishing a system to promptly restrict transactions even at night or on holidays when suspicious activity is detected.
EXL President Vivek Jetley Departs to Lead Hexaware Technologies
ExlService Holdings, Inc., a global data and AI company, announced that Vivek Jetley, president and head of Insurance, Healthcare and Life Sciences, will depart effective October 26, 2026, to become Chief Executive Officer of Hexaware Technologies Limited. Jetley will continue in his current role during the transition. Chairman and CEO Rohit Kapoor praised Jetley's nearly 20 years of contributions, including building analytics capabilities and leading insurance and healthcare businesses. Jetley expressed pride in his work and commitment to a smooth handover. EXL, headquartered in New York with about 68,000 employees, emphasized its deep leadership bench and continued execution of its data and AI strategy.
Innodata is increasingly turning research and innovation into a commercial growth engine, strengthening its position across the AI model-development lifecycle. The company has established an early position in agentic reinforcement learning, securing a program for personalization of long-horizon agents that is now scaling, along with another focused on reinforcement-learning environments for computer-use tasks. It also released two public AI benchmarks and introduced the first stage of its AI Cyber Training Suite, comprising 12 datasets and evaluation systems. Innovation is improving economics, with a 49% adjusted gross margin in the second quarter of 2026, revenues surging 58% year over year to $92.1 million, and adjusted EBITDA jumping 92% to $25.4 million. Innodata reiterated its 2026 revenue-growth outlook of at least 40%, excluding several potentially large programs not yet incorporated into guidance. The company faces competition from TaskUs and Accenture, but differentiates through proprietary research and reusable datasets. Shares have soared 26.9% in the past six months, and earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 have moved up to $1.18 and $1.67 per share, respectively.
Coincheck Partners with French DFNS to Build Custody Infrastructure for Domestic Financial Institutions
Coincheck Group announced on August 31 that it has entered into a strategic partnership with DFNS, a wallet infrastructure company headquartered in Paris, France. The aim is to support the construction of institutional-grade digital asset custody infrastructure for domestic financial institutions. Going forward, the two companies will collaborate on introducing DFNS's technology into Coincheck, subject to regulatory requirements and the signing of a final contract. DFNS provides digital asset wallet infrastructure for banks and fintech companies, and its Wallet-as-a-Service (WaaS) handles private key management, transaction approval, and governance management on a single platform, supporting over 100 blockchains. In addition to cloud-based SaaS, it also supports on-premise deployment, allowing financial institutions to manage key information within their own country to meet regulatory requirements. Coincheck is also advancing its wallet business for individuals, and in May, the joint venture "au Coincheck Digital Assets" with KDDI and au Financial Holdings was launched, with a non-custodial wallet as its core business, expected to be offered around the summer of 2026. Unlike the individual-focused approach, the partnership with DFNS aims to support the construction of custody infrastructure used by financial institutions such as trust banks, as Coincheck Group expands its business into institutional investor services and digital asset infrastructure.
Affirm Holdings reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings of $4.62 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 33 cents by 1,300% and rising from 20 cents a year ago. Revenues of $1.17 billion grew 33% year over year and surpassed the consensus mark of $1.11 billion. The results were driven by robust Gross Merchandise Volume growth, higher transactions, strong repeat customer engagement, and increased interest income, with rapid growth in Affirm Card adoption and merchant activity also supporting performance. However, elevated operating expenses and higher provision for credit losses partly offset gains, while the bottom line benefited from a $1.45 billion income tax benefit related to the release of a valuation allowance on domestic deferred tax assets. As of June 30, 2026, active merchants totaled 570,800, up 50% year over year, and GMV increased 36% to $14.1 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $13.4 billion. For the first quarter of fiscal 2027, Affirm expects GMV of $13.7-$14.0 billion and revenues of $1.19-$1.22 billion, and for fiscal 2027, it expects GMV of more than $64 billion.
Affirm Reports Most Profitable Quarter Ever, Promotes Executives
Affirm Holdings reported its most profitable quarter ever in fiscal Q4 2026, even without a tax allowance release, and announced the promotions of Pat Suh to SVP and GM of Global Markets and Michael Linford to President. CEO Max Levchin said the core business is thriving and that he will focus on developing next-generation products and services. The company highlighted strong growth in Pay-in-X, with a 41% increase, and noted that its Affirm Card transactions are 30% offline. Management expressed confidence in the U.K. market and discussed ongoing initiatives such as Affirm Edge and the Affirm Money Account. CFO Rob O'Hare provided guidance for fiscal 2027, expecting a GAAP tax rate in the mid- to high 20% range and consistent revenue less transaction costs.
Affirm Beats Q4 Estimates but CEO Warns on Gas Prices
Affirm Holdings posted a fiscal fourth quarter that beat Wall Street expectations, with revenue rising 33% to $1.17 billion and gross merchandise volume up 36% to $14.1 billion, but CEO Max Levchin cautioned that higher gas prices are squeezing the consumers driving that growth. Active consumers grew 21% to 27.8 million, and the Affirm Card's active users more than doubled to 5.2 million. Credit quality improved, with the 30-day delinquency rate falling to 2.5%. The company also extended its Shopify partnership into Australia. Despite the strong results, the stock barely moved, and analysts remain split, with Morgan Stanley keeping a neutral rating while Susquehanna raised its price target to $110.
Affirm COO says business firing on all cylinders after strong quarter
Affirm's stock is gaining after the company topped fiscal fourth quarter earnings expectations, with COO Michael Linford, who was named the company's next president, saying the business is "firing on all cylinders." The company posted its 11th consecutive quarter of over 30% GNV growth, with revenue less transaction costs growing 39% year over year and exceeding its percentage of GNV target. Linford highlighted strong unit economics and operating leverage, with GAAP operating income up over 6 percentage points and adjusted margins above 30%. He expressed optimism about the consumer, citing stable credit trends and employment, and noted the company's expansion with Shopify in Australia and the UK, while acknowledging that international markets will take time to become meaningful. Regarding the abandoned $50 billion PayPal acquisition by Advent and Stripe, Linford declined to comment, saying Affirm is focused on its own opportunities.
Affirm Holdings reported fiscal fourth-quarter results that topped Wall Street expectations on revenue and transaction volume, sending its stock up roughly 7% on Friday. Revenue rose 33% to $1.17 billion in the three months ended June 30, beating the $1.11 billion analyst estimate, while gross merchandise volume climbed 36% to $14.1 billion, exceeding the $13.39 billion forecast. Adjusted operating income reached $353 million, a 30% margin, and GAAP operating income was $147 million, a 12.6% margin. For the full fiscal year, GMV hit $50.2 billion and revenue $4.26 billion. Active consumers grew 21% to 27.8 million, and the Affirm Card drew 5.2 million active consumers, up 125%. The 30-day delinquency rate improved to 2.5%. The company also announced a partnership with Shopify to bring Shop Pay Installments to Australia. For fiscal Q1 2027, Affirm expects revenue of $1.19 billion to $1.22 billion and GMV of $13.7 billion to $14.0 billion, and for the full year, GMV above $64 billion with an adjusted operating margin above 30.5%. CEO Max Levchin noted that rising gas prices are pushing more consumers toward Affirm's service, and President Michael Linford highlighted eleven straight quarters of GMV growth above 30%.
Innodata's 49% Margin May Signal New AI Growth Benchmark
Innodata Inc. reported a standout second quarter of 2026, with revenues surging 58% year over year to $92.1 million, marking its 12th consecutive quarter of annual growth. Adjusted gross margin expanded to 49% from 43% a year ago and 47% in the prior quarter, standing nine percentage points above the company's 40% target. The improvement was driven by a richer business mix, including high-value pretraining programs and off-the-shelf datasets, which Innodata can monetize across multiple customers. Adjusted EBITDA jumped 92% year over year to $25.4 million, with a margin of 27.5%. Customer concentration eased, with the largest customer accounting for 37% of second-quarter revenues, down from 56% in the first quarter, while a Big Tech customer increased its contribution to 34%. Management reiterated its forecast for at least 40% revenue growth in 2026, noting that several potential large programs remain outside current guidance. While quarterly margins could fluctuate with project mix, the 49% margin may prove to be a new benchmark rather than a peak.
PayPal Plunges on Failed Buyout; Affirm, Gap Surge Premarket
PayPal shares plunged nearly 16% premarket after Bloomberg reported that buyout firm Advent and payment processor Stripe decided not to pursue a takeover, which would have been one of the largest leveraged buyouts. Meanwhile, Affirm jumped 13% after reporting $1.17 billion in revenue for its fiscal fourth quarter, beating the LSEG estimate of $1.11 billion, and issued first-quarter revenue guidance above estimates. Gap popped nearly 15% after announcing Michael Francis will become CEO of Old Navy starting Nov. 2, succeeding Haio Barbeito, and reported second-quarter adjusted earnings of 52 cents per share, topping the 48-cent consensus. Elastic N.V. surged over 17% after its full-year guidance exceeded expectations, with adjusted EPS forecast between $3.29 and $3.37 versus the $3.24 estimate. Marvell Technology dropped nearly 8% despite guiding current-quarter adjusted earnings to $1.10 per share plus or minus 5 cents, above the $1.07 estimate, but its gross margin guidance of 57.5% to 58.5% came in below the StreetAccount consensus of 58.5%. Rubrik fell over 5% after its non-GAAP gross margin of 81% missed the 81.7% estimate, despite beating on earnings and revenue. Autodesk declined nearly 4% after its third-quarter adjusted EPS guidance of $3.04 to $3.09 fell short of the $3.14 consensus.
Affirm sets fiscal 2027 revenue less transaction costs at 4.16%
Affirm Holdings reported its most profitable quarter ever, excluding a tax allowance release, and announced leadership promotions as CEO Max Levchin shifts focus to products for fiscal 2028-2029. CFO Rob O'Hare addressed why the fiscal 2027 revenue less transaction costs outlook is at 4.16% versus the previously discussed 3.25% to 4% range, citing debt market execution and a stable funding mix. The company expects a mid- to high-20% run-rate GAAP tax rate but warns of volatility. Levchin emphasized product breadth beyond point-of-sale BNPL, including a card, an account, and a business purchase version, and said new initiatives will surface in fiscal 2028-2029. Management reiterated underwriting discipline, noting growth would slow before credit deterioration.
Affirm, the buy now, pay later company, delivered strong fiscal second-quarter results, beating Wall Street's revenue and profit expectations, and its stock rose 7.3% to $84.31 in after-hours trading. Revenue for the quarter came in at $1.17 billion, up 33% year over year and 5.2% above analyst estimates of $1.11 billion. GAAP earnings per share were $4.62, significantly above the consensus estimate of $0.35. The company also guided for third-quarter revenue of $1.21 billion at the midpoint, which is 3.6% above what analysts were expecting. Affirm's pre-tax profit for the quarter was $169.1 million, representing a 14.5% margin.
Affirm shares jump 8.5% after Q4 earnings and strong guidance
Affirm Holdings shares jumped 8.5% in after-hours trading Thursday after the buy now, pay later lender reported fiscal Q4 earnings that included a nearly $1.5 billion tax benefit and issued strong guidance for fiscal 2027 and Q1. The company posted GAAP EPS of $4.77, up from $0.30 in the prior quarter, and total net revenue of $1.17 billion, beating the $1.11 billion consensus. Gross merchandise volume climbed to $14.1 billion, exceeding the $13.4 billion Visible Alpha consensus, and active consumers rose 20% year over year to 27.8 million. Affirm also named Michael Linford, previously chief operating officer, as co-president, while Libor Michalek continues as president. For fiscal 2027, the company expects GMV of more than $64 billion, compared with $50.2 billion in fiscal 2026, and an adjusted operating margin above 30.5%.
Affirm and Shopify Launch Shop Pay Installments in Australia
Affirm has expanded its global partnership with Shopify to launch Shop Pay Installments in Australia, offering Australian merchants and shoppers a flexible pay-over-time option with no late fees. The service, powered exclusively by Affirm, lets eligible shoppers split purchases into fortnightly or monthly payments, choosing between interest-free or interest-bearing plans with upfront disclosure. Since its 2021 launch, Shop Pay Installments has facilitated billions of dollars in purchases across the US, Canada, and the UK, becoming one of Shopify's most popular payment options. The launch marks Affirm's return to Australia, with the company underwriting each transaction individually and charging no late fees, account fees, or compounding interest. Shopify's Australian merchants can enable the feature in a few clicks through the Shopify admin dashboard, potentially boosting conversion and basket sizes, as over 90% of Affirm purchases in North America come from repeat customers.
Coincheck Completes Registration as Electronic Payment Instruments Trading Business
Cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck announced on August 27 that it has completed registration as an electronic payment instruments trading business under the Payment Services Act. This makes it the second registered business in Japan, following SBI VC Trade. Coincheck plans to handle USDC, a US dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Circle, with the specific start date for handling yet to be determined. The electronic payment instruments trading business is a system established under the revised Payment Services Act that took effect in June 2023, and this registration is necessary to conduct the intermediary and management of stablecoins as a business.
Affirm Card Business Surges 146% Ahead of Earnings
Affirm Holdings Inc. is entering its earnings report with its Affirm Card business showing explosive growth, reaching $2.13 billion in volume for recent quarters, up 146% year over year, with active card users rising to 4.4 million and card penetration hitting 17% of Affirm's active client base. The company is moving into everyday spending through partnerships with Google Pay, Apple Pay and Stripe, with wallet volume of $1.7 billion over the trailing 12 months and transactions per user growing 50% to 6.7 yearly. Affirm reported GAAP operating profitability for the first time as a public company in its most recent quarter, and investors now want to see if faster card usage can translate into sustainable profitability growth without hurting credit performance. Wall Street forecasts quarterly EPS of around $0.35, management has guided transaction volume of around $13.15 billion to $13.45 billion, and Oppenheimer recently lifted its price target to $100 from $87, suggesting Affirm might post results at or above the high end of projections.
CoStar Weakest, EXL Strongest in Q2 Data Services Earnings
CoStar Group was the weakest performer among nine data and business process services stocks tracked in the second quarter, while EXL led the group with the biggest analyst estimate beat and highest full-year guidance raise. CoStar reported revenues of $925 million, up 18.4% year over year and in line with expectations, but delivered the weakest guidance update and weakest full-year guidance update among its peers. EXL posted revenues of $594.8 million, up 15.6% year over year and beating estimates by 3.5%, with full-year revenue guidance also above expectations. Equifax reported revenues of $1.7 billion, up 10.6% year over year and in line with estimates, but slightly missed full-year EPS guidance. TransUnion reported revenues of $1.31 billion, up 14.9% year over year and beating estimates by 1.8%, while ADP reported revenues of $5.47 billion, up 6.8% year over year and beating estimates by 0.7%. As a group, revenues beat consensus estimates by 1% while next quarter's revenue guidance was 1.3% below, and share prices are up 7.8% on average since the latest earnings results.
Data Harbor Releases 2026 Interim Report, Net Profit of 85.8831 Million Yuan, Up 1.09% Year-on-Year
Data Harbor released its 2026 interim report on August 22, 2026. The company's total operating revenue was 782 million yuan, and net profit attributable to the parent company was 85.8831 million yuan, an increase of 924,600 yuan compared with the same period last year, achieving four consecutive years of growth and a year-on-year increase of 1.09%. Net cash inflow from operating activities was 436 million yuan, up 7.27% year-on-year. The company's latest asset-liability ratio was 53.94%, a decrease of 4.21 percentage points from the same period last year; the latest gross margin was 29.29%, an increase of 0.30 percentage points year-on-year; the latest ROE was 2.54%, and diluted earnings per share was 0.10 yuan. The number of shareholders was 153,100, and the top ten shareholders held 392 million shares, accounting for 45.44% of the total share capital.
WEX shares have climbed 15.4% since the company reported second-quarter 2026 results that beat Zacks Consensus Estimates on both earnings and revenue. Adjusted earnings were $5.35 per share, up 35.4% year over year and 5.3% above estimates, while revenue rose 14.2% to $753.5 million. The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $2.86 billion to $2.90 billion and adjusted earnings guidance to $19.68 to $20.08 per share. WEX also repurchased about $60 million of shares during the quarter and said most adjusted free cash flow will go toward buybacks in the near term.
Conduent Collaborates with Google Cloud on GenAI-Powered eDiscovery
Conduent Incorporated announced it is expanding its enterprise AI strategy by collaborating with Google Cloud and integrating Google's Gemini models into its Viewpoint platform. The collaboration introduces Enhanced Review, a GenAI-powered capability that applies user-defined protocols to identify relevant content, detect legal issues, and surface high-risk documents early in the review process. Conduent says the integration can reduce document-intensive analysis effort by 30 to 60 percent while improving accuracy, auditability, and defensibility. The solution can be deployed as SaaS on Google Cloud, on-premises, or through managed services, with planned expansion into contract analytics and investigations.
Innodata Targets U.S. Federal AI Evaluation Market
Innodata Inc. is expanding its AI data-engineering and evaluation capabilities into the U.S. federal market, potentially opening a new growth avenue beyond frontier AI labs and large technology companies. Management sees growing demand from government agencies to evaluate, benchmark, and red-team increasingly capable AI models, and the company is already in discussions with government participants and agencies about potential partnerships. Innodata highlighted its representation in the TradeWinds marketplace as an advantage for federal procurement, and it released two public benchmarks in the second quarter designed to identify failure modes that conventional leaderboards miss. The company is also demonstrating its AI model for drone and small-object detection, which exceeded prior state-of-the-art benchmarks by 6.45%, to the government. Innodata faces competition from Palantir Technologies and Booz Allen Hamilton, which have strong federal relationships and overlapping AI assurance and red-teaming services, but management believes its frontier-lab-developed benchmarking and evaluation expertise provides differentiation. Innodata has not disclosed federal contract values or a revenue target, making near-term contribution difficult to quantify, though the runway appears meaningful. Shares of Innodata have gained 37.5% in the past six months, and the stock trades at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 41.45, above the industry average, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 sales and earnings implies year-over-year growth of 42.1% and 28.1%, respectively.
EXL closes new $1 billion senior secured credit facility
EXL announced the closing of a new $1 billion senior secured credit facility with PNC Bank as administrative agent and a syndicate of lenders. The five-year agreement includes a $400 million term loan and permits revolver borrowings of up to $600 million, with an accordion feature allowing expansion equal to the greater of $470 million or 100% of EBITDA for the trailing four quarters. The facility increases EXL's borrowing capacity from the previous limit of $600 million and provides greater covenant flexibility to support the company's business strategy. Chief Financial Officer Maurizio Nicolelli said the expanded debt capacity gives the company flexibility to pursue targeted mergers and acquisitions while continuing to return capital to shareholders under its $500 million share repurchase authorization. Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase Bank, and TD Bank acted as joint lead arrangers on the transaction.
Broadridge Stock Rises on Partnerships and Dividend Hike
Broadridge Financial Solutions shares have climbed 11.9% over the past month, outpacing the industry's 5.1% gain and the S&P 500's 4.1% advance. The company's collaboration with Payward Services extends proxy voting and shareholder communications to eligible xStocks holders, bridging traditional shareholder rights with blockchain-based ownership across more than 500 tokenized assets. Broadridge also expanded its agreement with Raiffeisen Bank International to deploy BRx Match, which will help CRISP manage a projected fourfold increase in transaction volumes across 14 markets. The board increased the annual dividend by 12% to $4.36 per share, declared a quarterly dividend of $1.09 per share, and authorized a new $1.5 billion share repurchase program. However, total operating costs rose 8.4% year over year in fiscal 2026, and the company faces intense competition from financial technology and business process service providers.
Adesso SE Reports 13% Revenue Growth and Confirms Full-Year Guidance
Adesso SE reported first-half 2026 revenue of EUR794.3 million, up 13% year-over-year, and confirmed its full-year guidance for revenue growth of 9% to 16%, translating to EUR1.6 to EUR1.7 billion. EBITDA improved 21% to EUR45.8 million, with the EBITDA margin rising to 5.8% from 5.4% a year earlier, driven by strong organic sales growth and a disproportionately lower increase in other operating expenses. Earnings per share were minus EUR0.87 for the first half, impacted by a EUR3.4 million extraordinary write-off at subsidiary Material One, while net debt increased by EUR12 million to EUR1,055 million. The company's acquisition of Omnius, an AI-driven claims management solution, is expected to enhance its insurance portfolio with efficiency gains of 35% and a 4 percentage point improvement in claims ratio. Adesso SE also noted that utilization has significantly improved since May, with July recording the strongest utilization since 2024, indicating a positive trend for the second half.
Chuanfa Lomon's 2026 Interim Report Shows Net Profit of 226 Million Yuan, Down 5.39% Year-on-Year
Chuanfa Lomon released its 2026 interim report, with net profit attributable to the parent company at 226 million yuan, a decrease of 5.39% compared with the same period last year. The company's total operating revenue was 5.397 billion yuan, up 14.82% year-on-year, achieving growth for three consecutive years. Net cash outflow from operating activities was 71.011 million yuan, an increase of 423 million yuan in net inflow compared with the same period last year. The company's latest asset-liability ratio was 55.74%, gross margin was 14.59%, and diluted earnings per share was 0.12 yuan.
Chuanfa Lomon's Baizhu Phosphate Mine Delays Production Resumption After Accident, Expected to Cut Net Profit by About 45 Million Yuan
Sichuan Development Lomon Co., Ltd. announced that the Baizhu phosphate mine under its wholly-owned grandchild company Hubei Lomon Phosphorus Chemical had its production resumption postponed from the originally planned August 15, 2026 to October 15, 2026, due to a general roof fall accident. The accident caused one minor injury and one death. The company said the accident did not affect the phosphate mineral resources and is not expected to have a major impact on ongoing production and operations. According to preliminary estimates, the delayed resumption is expected to reduce current-period revenue by about 136 million yuan in total, accounting for about 1.4 percent of audited revenue in 2025, and reduce current-period net profit by about 45 million yuan, accounting for about 10.9 percent of audited net profit attributable to the parent company in 2025. The company said it will urge Hubei Lomon to resume production as soon as possible and continue to strengthen safety production management and supervision, while the related impact and resumption timing remain uncertain.
Conduent reported second quarter 2026 results in line with expectations and updated full-year guidance to reflect the divestitures of its transit and tolling businesses. Revenue was $531 million, down 11.9% year-over-year, while adjusted EBITDA was $16 million, down from $23 million a year earlier. The company announced the sale of its transit business to Modaxo and its tolling business to Quarterhill, expecting approximately $234 million in gross proceeds plus a 7% equity stake in Quarterhill, and plans to use the majority of proceeds to reduce debt. Conduent also updated its 2026 revenue guidance to a range of $2.15 billion to $2.25 billion and adjusted EBITDA guidance to between $140 million and $170 million. CEO Harsha Agadi highlighted progress on cost savings, portfolio optimization, and AI initiatives, including the Conni digital assistant resolving 86% of employee inquiries without human intervention.
Chuanfa Longmang first-half net profit 226 million yuan, down 5.39% year on year
Chuanfa Longmang disclosed its 2026 half-year report. In the first half, net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was 226 million yuan, down 5.39% year on year. Total operating revenue for the same period was 5.397 billion yuan, up 14.82% year on year, with basic earnings per share of 0.12 yuan. The revenue growth was mainly due to the consolidation of Tianbao Company, which brought additional revenue.
Chuanfa Lomon Delays Baizhu Phosphate Mine Resumption to October 15
Chuanfa Lomon announced that the Baizhu phosphate mine under its wholly-owned grandchild company, Hu Lin Company, has been shut down for rectification following a roof fall accident, with the resumption date postponed from the originally planned August 15 to October 15. The delay is expected to reduce current-period revenue by 136 million yuan, accounting for about 1.4 percent of 2025 revenue, and reduce net profit by 45 million yuan, accounting for about 10.9 percent of 2025 net profit attributable to the parent company. The company stated that this matter will not have a material impact on its continuing operations.
Chuanfa Lomon's first-half revenue rises nearly 15% year on year
Chuanfa Lomon disclosed its 2026 interim report. The company achieved operating revenue of 5.397 billion yuan, up 14.82% year on year. Non-GAAP net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was 256 million yuan, up 7.36% year on year. As of the end of the reporting period, the company's total assets were 22.953 billion yuan, up 14.05% from the beginning of the year. Net assets attributable to shareholders of the listed company were 9.67 billion yuan, up 0.60% from the beginning of the year. The company is mainly engaged in the research, development, production and sales of industrial-grade monoammonium phosphate, feed-grade dicalcium phosphate, fertilizer series products, iron phosphate and lithium iron phosphate, gradually forming an industrial pattern with the core phosphorus chemical business as the center and the incremental new energy materials business developing in coordination. Deyang Chuanfa Lomon, one of the core carriers of the new energy materials segment, posted a profit of 39.8569 million yuan in the first half, turning from a loss to a profit year on year.
EnerSys, Sabre, HighPeak Energy rise on strong results
Several companies made notable moves this week on earnings and outlook news. EnerSys rose 5.7% on Thursday after reporting first-quarter fiscal 2027 results with strong earnings growth and guidance above Wall Street expectations. Sabre gained 6.3% on Thursday after posting strong second-quarter 2026 results, raising its full-year profitability outlook, and revealing new client wins. Corning fell 2.7% on Monday after reports that key customer Apple scrapped its planned all-glass 20th-anniversary iPhone model, raising concerns about future demand for specialty glass. HighPeak Energy rose 5.4% on Tuesday after reporting second-quarter 2026 results that surpassed Wall Street expectations, driven by surging crude oil prices and disciplined capital expenditures.
Genpact reported second-quarter revenue of $1.34 billion, up 7.1% year over year and 0.8% above analyst expectations, yet its stock has fallen 6.7% since the report to $33.75. The company also beat EPS estimates and raised its full-year guidance for Advanced Technology Solutions revenue growth to at least 25%, the highest guidance raise among the eight business process outsourcing and consulting stocks tracked. Huron Consulting Group posted the strongest results, with revenue of $475 million, up 15.4% year over year and 3.2% above expectations, and its stock rose 23.8% to $150.24. Concentrix was the weakest performer, reporting revenue of $2.46 billion, up 1.9% year over year and in line with expectations, while missing next-quarter EPS guidance and slightly missing full-year revenue guidance, leaving its stock flat at $25. TaskUs reported revenue of $308.9 million, up 5% year over year and 3.9% above expectations, with its stock up 9.1% to $6.90. FTI Consulting reported revenue of $993.5 million, up 5.3% year over year and meeting expectations, but missed EPS estimates significantly and its stock fell 10.5% to $152.60.
Shift4 lowered its full-year revenue guidance to $2.51 billion at the midpoint from $2.55 billion, a 1.8% decrease, even as second-quarter revenue rose 34% year over year to $1.30 billion, beating analyst estimates of $1.24 billion. Adjusted EPS of $1.32 beat estimates of $1.24, and adjusted EBITDA of $284 million beat estimates of $278.2 million, but full-year adjusted EPS guidance of $5.25 at the midpoint missed analyst estimates by 5.5%. CEO Taylor Lauber attributed the quarter's gains to resilient payments activity at major sporting events, continued momentum in international markets, and a diversified presence across hospitality, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Management acknowledged ongoing travel disruptions in the Middle East but said strong U.S. to Europe travel and better-than-expected trends in restaurant and lodging sales mitigated the impact. CFO Christopher Cruz noted a more conservative capital allocation approach in Q2 due to seasonal cash consumption and ongoing investment needs, while Lauber said substantial investment in sales teams and infrastructure will weigh on 2026 margins, with economic benefits expected to annualize in 2027.
Adyen Could Be 23% Undervalued After Results and Two Acquisitions
Adyen is back in focus after first half 2026 results, a higher net revenue growth forecast for 2026, and its first acquisitions in two decades: loyalty provider Talon.One and billing specialist Orb. The latest move in Adyen's share price, up 16.4% over the last day and 28.0% over the past month, follows the higher forecast and the two acquisitions. On Simply Wall St metrics, Adyen trades on a P/E of 31.5x, more than double the peer average of 15.3x and well above the European diversified financial industry average of 10.6x, and also above an estimated fair P/E of 23.8x. However, the SWS DCF model points in the opposite direction, showing the shares trade at about a 23.4% discount to an estimated future cash flow value of €1,382.18.
International Money Express jumps 35% after New York approves Western Union deal
International Money Express soared 35% in after-hours trading after the New York Department of Financial Services approved its $500 million sale to Western Union. The regulator, in partnership with the New York State Attorney General’s Office, secured commitments from Western Union to maintain services for communities throughout New York after acquiring International Money Express. The NYDFS was the last regulator needed to win approval for the sale, which Western Union agreed to last August at $16 per share in cash. Western Union CFO Matt Cagwin said the company is modeling a September 1 close for the deal.
Adyen NV reported first-half 2026 net revenue of EUR1.3 billion, up 19% year-over-year, or 21% on a constant currency basis. Processed volume reached EUR804 billion, and EBITDA rose 18% to EUR642 million, with an EBITDA margin of 49%, or 50% excluding one-time transaction costs. The company added 249 net new employees, bringing total FTEs to 5,020, and expects full-year net revenue growth of 21% to 23% on a constant currency basis, with EBITDA margin about 1 percentage point lower than 2025 due to acquisition dilution. Adyen also highlighted strategic acquisitions of Talon.One and Orb, new products like Intelligent Money Movement and Adyen Agentic, and high-profile customer wins including OpenAI.