New unemployment filings dropped for a second straight week, pointing to a labor market that stays steady even as hiring cools, giving the Federal Reserve room to focus on inflation. But a separate report showed the goods trade deficit widening to its largest in over a year, a reminder that the growth story beneath the calm jobs data is more complicated.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell by 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 203,000 for the week ended August 22, the Labor Department said, below the 208,000 economists expected and a second straight weekly decline. Claims have spent the year in a tight 189,000–230,000 band and are now near the low end, signaling that employers aren’t shedding workers even if they aren’t hiring aggressively. Despite a surprise dip in July payrolls, unemployment edged down again to a historically low 4.1%.
Continuing claims, a rough proxy for how hard it is to find new work, fell 18,000 to 1.778 million, the lowest in a month. That week also aligned with the survey period for the August payrolls report, giving it extra weight.
Some analysts argue the picture is steadier than the official figures imply. Private data from payroll processors and labor-market analytics firms point to a job market in better balance than the choppier government numbers suggest, with modest but consistent private hiring roughly at the pace needed to keep unemployment flat.
A stable labor market frees the Fed to keep leaning against inflation, which has run above its 2% target for 65 consecutive months. That’s the backdrop as policymakers gather in Jackson Hole, where Chair Kevin Warsh delivers a closely watched keynote Friday, under pressure to address whether inflation is still a threat.
He isn’t short on colleagues sounding the alarm. Three voting members dissented last month against holding rates at 3.50%–3.75%, and the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge held at 3.7%. Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid called inflation stubborn and sticky; Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee named it his top worry.
The goods trade deficit widened to $118.8 billion in July from $101.4 billion in June, the largest since March 2025, when importers front-loaded ahead of “Liberation Day” tariffs. It’s an awkward figure for a White House leaning on tariffs to shrink the gap.
Exports slipped 2.9% to $199.4 billion, dragged by an 11.2% drop in industrial goods. Imports climbed 3.7% to $318.2 billion, powered by an 11.3% surge in capital-goods imports tied to the AI buildout. Oxford Economics’ Matthew Martin expects that demand to persist into 2027. But the near-term cost is to GDP, with trade likely a drag for a fourth straight quarter, an estimated one-point hit in Q3 after subtracting 1.14 points in Q2.
Two reports, two signals. Jobs data says the foundation is intact, giving the Fed cover to focus on prices; trade data says the AI boom lifting markets is also weighing on output. Warsh’s Friday remarks are the next place to look.
VNCE Will Own OVO’s Operating Business and a 5% Stake in OVO’s Intellectual Property Alongside Authentic Brands Group and OVO Co-Founder Aubrey “Drake” Graham
Transaction Expected to be Accretive to VNCE in Fiscal 2027
VNCE Expects to Deliver Second Quarter Fiscal 2026 Results At the High End of Guidance
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Vince Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: VNCE) (“VNCE” or the “Company”), a global retail platform today announced it has completed the acquisition of the operating business of October’s Very Own (“OVO”), a globally recognized lifestyle brand. VNCE now will own and operate OVO’s business as OVO’s core apparel and retail licensee, marking the first expansion of its multi-brand platform strategy beyond Vince, and will build on OVO’s existing operations using its scale and infrastructure to support the brand’s next phase of growth.
This transaction also further deepens VNCE’s partnership with Authentic Brands Group (“Authentic”), a global entertainment platform, who has acquired a majority stake in OVO’s intellectual property (“OVO IP”). A portion of the proceeds from the sale of OVO IP will be used to strengthen OVO’s balance sheet and support VNCE’s growth strategy for the business. This transaction combines Authentic’s brand management expertise with VNCE’s proven capabilities in merchandising and operating ready-to-wear brands, creating a new revenue stream for VNCE. As part of this expanded partnership, VNCE will own 5% of the OVO IP and has entered into a long-term license agreement for use of the OVO IP.
This transaction advances VNCE’s strategy to diversify its revenue and earnings by leveraging its platform and operating expertise. This transaction is expected to:
Provide VNCE access to the fast growing global streetwear market.
Fuel OVO’s U.S. growth by:
Store and e-commerce expansion by leveraging VNCE’s scale and infrastructure.
Launch OVO’s wholesale business through VNCE’s established wholesale relationships with key national department store partners.
Optimize OVO’s operations while design and creative functions for each brand remain separate.
Give VNCE the Canadian-based infrastructure to open Vince stores and expand e-commerce and wholesale.
Founded by Aubrey “Drake” Graham, Oliver El-Khatib, and Noah “40” Shebib, OVO has established itself as one of the most recognized brands in contemporary streetwear. Known for its distinctive owl logo and black-and-gold aesthetic, the brand has built its reputation on collaboration-led product drops and a close connection to its customer base. OVO currently operates 12 stores across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, in addition to its e-commerce platform.
“We are thrilled to welcome OVO into our portfolio and to partner with Drake and Authentic in building on the brand’s strong foundation to support its next phase of growth,” said Brendan Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer of VNCE. “This transaction also deepens our relationship with Authentic Brands Group, a partner supporting our multi-brand platform strategy to broaden our portfolio of brands, business models, and distribution channels, and drive long-term value for all stakeholders. We are committed to preserving the authenticity and meaningful customer relationships that have driven OVO’s success to date.”
“We are proud to welcome OVO to Authentic and to expand our partnership with VNCE, whose operating expertise makes them an ideal partner to grow the business,” said Jamie Salter, Founder and Executive Chairman of Authentic. “Together, we see significant opportunity to introduce OVO into new categories, channels, and markets while staying true to the creative vision and community that have made the brand so special. The success we’ve had partnering with VNCE gives us great confidence in their stewardship of OVO’s business and we look forward to exploring future opportunities to utilize the VNCE platform.”
“We’re just a couple kids from Toronto who started something we believed in, here we are 20 years later, same kids with bigger dreams. Authentic and VNCE are the perfect partners to help us continue to grow,” said Drake.
Transaction Details
Under the terms of the transaction, Authentic formed a new subsidiary which holds OVO’s IP, under which Authentic owns 51%, Drake owns 44%, and VNCE owns the remaining 5%. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of OVO’s IP was used to strengthen the balance sheet of OVO’s operating business, which VNCE then acquired. VNCE remains well-capitalized, with a strong balance sheet that supports both this transaction and its continued growth in the Vince business.
VNCE and Authentic have entered into a license agreement granting VNCE the exclusive right to use OVO’s IP to manufacture and sell licensed apparel worldwide, in exchange for payment of a royalty fee to Authentic.
VNCE’s acquisition includes all of OVO’s existing operating companies, assets and liabilities, including its retail stores, e-commerce platform, and wholesale relationships across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. VNCE will retain OVO’s existing team and continue to operate the business from its Toronto headquarters as it builds out the brand’s next phase of growth.
Vince and OVO will maintain separate brand operations and creative teams, with VNCE serving its contemporary customer and OVO continuing to serve its streetwear audience.
Second Quarter Fiscal 2026 Outlook
Based on continued momentum in the business, VNCE expects to deliver Q2 fiscal 2026 results at the high-end of its prior guidance ranges, excluding any benefit from tariff refunds.
These amounts are based on currently available information and are subject to change, including potential adjustments related to customary financial closing procedures and period-end accruals for the fiscal quarter ending August 1, 2026.
The Company plans to share more on its results when its report its second quarter fiscal 2026 results by September 15, 2026.
DISCLOSURES REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This document, and any statements incorporated by reference herein, contain forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include the statements under “Transaction Details” and “Second Quarter Fiscal 2026 Outlook” above as well as statements regarding, among other things, our current expectations about possible or assumed future results of operations of the Company and are indicated by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “plan,” “target,” “project,” “forecast,” “envision” and other similar phrases. Although we believe the assumptions and expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these assumptions and expectations may not prove to be correct and we may not achieve the results or benefits anticipated. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of actual results, and our actual results may differ materially from those suggested in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control, including, without limitation: the expected effects of the acquisition of OVO’s existing operations, assets and liabilities (the “OVO Acquisition”) on the Company; our ability to integrate OVO with the Company, changes to and unpredictability in the trade policies and tariffs imposed by the U.S. and the governments of other nations; general economic conditions; our ability to maintain adequate cash flow from operations or availability under our revolving credit facility to meet our liquidity needs; restrictions on our operations under our credit facilities; our ability to improve our profitability; our ability to maintain our larger wholesale partners; our ability to accurately forecast customer demand for our products; our ability to maintain the license agreement relating to the Vince brand with ABG Vince; ABG Vince’s expansion of the Vince brand into other categories and territories; ABG Vince’s approval rights and other actions; our ability to realize the benefits of our strategic initiatives; our ability to make lease payments when due; our ability to open retail stores under favorable lease terms and operate and maintain new and existing retail stores successfully; our operating experience and brand recognition in international markets; our ability to remediate the identified material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting; our ability to comply with domestic and international laws, regulations and orders; increased scrutiny regarding our approach to sustainability matters and environmental, social and governance practices; competition in the apparel and fashion industry; our ability to attract and retain key personnel; seasonal and quarterly variations in our revenue and income; the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights relating to the Vince brand; the extent of our foreign sourcing; our reliance on independent manufacturers; our ability to ensure the proper operation of the distribution facilities by third-party logistics providers; fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of raw materials; the ethical business and compliance practices of our independent manufacturers; our ability to mitigate system or data security issues, such as cyber or malware attacks, as well as other major system failures; our ability to adopt, optimize and improve our information technology systems, processes and functions; our ability to comply with privacy-related obligations; our status as a “controlled company”; our status as a “smaller reporting company”; and other factors as set forth from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including those described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We intend these forward-looking statements to speak only as of the time of this release and do not undertake or revise them as more information becomes available, except as required by law.
About Vince Holding Corp.
Vince Holding Corp. is a global retail platform that operates the Vince brand women’s and men’s ready-to-wear business. Vince, established in 2002, is a leading global luxury apparel and accessories brand best known for creating elevated yet understated pieces for everyday effortless style. Vince Holding Corp. operates 42 full-price retail stores, 12 outlet stores, and its e-commerce site, as well as through premium wholesale channels globally. Please visit www.vince.com for more information.
About October’s Very Own
October’s Very Own (OVO) is a Canadian lifestyle brand led by CEO Drex Jancar and founded by Aubrey “Drake” Graham, Oliver El-Khatib, and Noah “40” Shebib. OVO offers premium apparel and accessories and is known for its distinctive owl logo and black-and-gold aesthetic. The brand has grown into a globally recognized enterprise with 12 flagship stores and a worldwide e-commerce presence.
About Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a global brand and entertainment platform that owns and invests in iconic intellectual property and cultural assets. It accelerates brands through a set of specialized businesses that combine powerful storytelling, premium content, unforgettable live experiences and global commerce. Through a network of more than 1,700 best-in-class licensees and strategic partners across 150 countries and expansive distribution, Authentic’s brands drive more than $38 billion in annual systemwide retail sales worldwide.
Authentic’s diversified portfolio spans more than 50 brands and reaches nearly one billion social media followers. Its roster includes Reebok, Champion, Shaquille O’Neal, David Beckham, Kevin Hart, Sports Illustrated, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, Marilyn Monroe, GUESS, Care Bears, Aéropostale, Nautica, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, Nine West, Brooks Brothers, Juicy Couture, Vince Camuto, Izod, Van Heusen, Dockers, Ted Baker, Hart Schaffner Marx, Vince, OVO, Barneys New York, Judith Leiber, Quiksilver, Spyder, Billabong, Volcom, Roxy, RVCA, DC Shoes, Prince, Sperry and Hunter.
CULVER CITY, Calif., Aug. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Snail, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNAL) (“Snail Games” or the “Company”), a leading independent global developer and publisher of interactive digital entertainment, showcased a broad portfolio of established intellectual properties, internally developed titles, major content launches, and upcoming releases during the first day of Gamescom 2026.
Snail Games CEO, Hai Shi, officially unveiled 9 Yin Sutra: Wuxia, an internally developed AAA title expanding the universe inspired by the Company’s Age of Wushu. The Age of Wushu IP now serves as the foundation for two creative universes: 9 Yin Sutra: Wuxia and 9 Yin Sutra: Immortal. While both titles originate from the same underlying IP, the games are being developed as distinct interpretations of that universe. 9 Yin Sutra: Wuxia draws more heavily from historical Wuxia traditions and represents the closest sequel to Age of Wushu, while 9 Yin Sutra: Immortal offers a more fantastical take on the fast-growing cultivation genre. This differentiated approach is intended to broaden the creative potential of the IP while providing each title with its own unique identity, setting, tone, and gameplay experience. Players can watch the Gamescom 2026 official announcement trailer and wishlist 9 Yin Sutra: Wuxia and 9 Yin Sutra: Immortal.
Snail Games also showcased For The Stars, another internally developed AAA title, through a new gameplay trailer and exclusive demos for members of the media attending Gamescom. The demos provided media with an opportunity to experience the game ahead of its broader release and offered additional insight into the title’s development.
The Company views internally developed titles For The Stars, 9 Yin Sutra: Wuxia, and 9 Yin Sutra: Immortal as an important component of its broader portfolio strategy, providing opportunities to develop new intellectual properties and expand existing franchises through proprietary development capabilities.
Snail Games also highlighted continued investment in its established portfolio. PixARK is officially launching its premium Terracrypt DLC, adding 200+ hours of new content to the survival sandbox experience. While ARK: Survival Ascended is launching a major ARK: Astraeos update alongside a new trailer, further expanding the ARK ecosystem.
Bellwright was featured at Gamescom with a new playable demonstration. The demo provides an early look at planned traversal features. The continued development of community inspired features is intended to expand player loyalty as the title progresses.
And Honeycomb: The World Beyond received an exclusive Gamescom showcase ahead of its September 8 launch. Gamescom attendees were given access to the latest playable demo, providing an opportunity to experience the game ahead of release. Players unable to attend Gamescom will also have an opportunity to experience the new demo, which is scheduled to become available on August 31, ahead of the game’s official launch.
Snail Games’ first day at Gamescom highlighted a portfolio strategy built around multiple avenues of growth: extending successful intellectual properties, launching new premium content, developing new titles internally, and expanding access through additional platforms and player experiences.
For creators interested in collaborations please contact [email protected].
About Snail, Inc. Snail, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNAL) is a leading global independent developer and publisher of interactive digital entertainment for consumers around the world, with a premier portfolio of premium games designed for use on a variety of platforms, including consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. For more information, please visit: https://snail.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “expect,” “should,” “plan,” “intend,” “may,” “predict,” “continue,” “estimate” and “potential,” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of Snail Games’ business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, plans and objectives. Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this press release and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s strategy of expanding established intellectual properties while investing in internally developed games and new experiences; the differentiated approach broadening the creative potential of the IP while providing each title with its own distinct identity, setting, tone, and gameplay experience; internally developed titles being an important component of Snail Games’ broader portfolio strategy; providing opportunities to develop new intellectual properties and expand existing franchises through proprietary development capabilities; continuing investment in the Company’s established portfolio; planned traversal features for Bellwright; launching Honeycomb: The World Beyond on September 8; the new demo becoming available on August 31; Snail Games’ portfolio strategy being built around multiple avenues of growth: extending successful intellectual properties, launching new premium content, developing new titles internally, and expanding access through additional platforms and player experiences; and assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Further information on risks, uncertainties and other factors that could affect Snail Games’ financial results and business include Snail Games’ ability to develop new intellectual properties and expand existing franchises through its proprietary development capabilities; Snail Games’ ability to incorporate traversal features for Bellwright, crossplay integration across Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation and launch Honeycomb: The World Beyond and its new demo as planned; Snail Games’ ability to achieve multiple avenues of growth by extending successful intellectual properties, launching new premium content, developing new titles internally, and expanding access through additional platforms and player experiences; Snail Games’ ability to retain its key employees or maintain its Nasdaq listing; and the risks that are included in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) from time to time, including its annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed, or to be filed, with the SEC. You should not rely on these forward-looking statements, as actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements as a result of such risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to Snail Games, and Snail Games does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
Investor Contact: John Yi and Steven Shinmachi Gateway Group, Inc. 949-574-3860 [email protected]
PLANTATION, Fla., Aug. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alliance Entertainment Holding Corporation (Nasdaq: AENT), a premier distributor, logistics provider, and omnichannel fulfillment partner to the entertainment and pop culture collectibles industry, supplying more than 340,000 unique SKUs across physical media, video games, toys, licensed merchandise, and exclusive collectibles to over 35,000 retail and e-commerce storefronts, will hold a conference call on Thursday, September 10, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its results for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026. A press release detailing these results will be issued prior to the call.
Alliance Entertainment Chief Executive Officer Jeff Walker, Chief Financial Officer Amanda Gnecco, and Executive Chairman Bruce Ogilvie will host the conference call, which will be followed by a question-and-answer session. A presentation will accompany the call and can be viewed during the webcast or accessed via the investor relations section of the Company’s website here.
To access the call, please use the following information:
Date:
Thursday, September 10, 2026
Time:
4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time
Toll-free dial-in number:
1-877-407-0784
International dial-in number:
1-201-689-8560
Conference ID:
13762431
Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. An operator will register your name and organization. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact RedChip Companies at 1-407-644-4256.
A telephone replay of the call will be available approximately three hours after the call concludes and can be accessed through October 10, 2026, using the following information:
Toll-free replay number:
1-844-512-2921
International replay number:
1-412-317-6671
Replay ID:
13762431
About Alliance Entertainment
Alliance Entertainment (NASDAQ: AENT) is a premier distributor and fulfillment partner for the entertainment and pop culture collectibles industry. With more than 340,000 unique in-stock SKUs – including over 57,300 exclusive titles across compact discs, vinyl LPs, DVDs, Blu-rays, and video games – Alliance offers the largest selection of physical media in the market. Our vast catalog also includes licensed merchandise, toys, retro gaming products, and collectibles, serving over 35,000 retail locations and powering e-commerce fulfillment for leading retailers. Alliance also owns and operates proprietary collectibles brands, including Handmade by Robots™, a stylized vinyl figure line featuring licensed characters from leading entertainment franchises, and Alliance Authentic™, a premium platform for authentic, certified, and individually numbered entertainment collectibles. In addition, Alliance operates Endstate Authentic, a dedicated NFC-enabled authentication and digital product identity platform supporting authenticated collectibles, resale, and brand protection. Leveraging decades of operational expertise, exclusive sourcing relationships, and a capital-light, scalable infrastructure, Alliance connects fans and collectors to the products, franchises, and experiences they value across formats and generations. For more information, visit www.aent.com.
For investor inquiries, please contact:
Dave Gentry RedChip Companies, Inc. 1-800-REDCHIP (733-2447) 1-407-644-4256 [email protected]
Total Revenue Growth of 0.9% in Fourth Quarter 2026
Continued expansion of Lucky Strike brand with 159 current Lucky Strike locations
Continued efforts to deploy capital efficiently, driving long-term returns
RICHMOND, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Lucky Strike Entertainment (NYSE: LUCK), one of the world’s premier owner/operators of location-based entertainment, today provided financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of fiscal year 2026, which ended on June 28, 2026.
Quarter Highlights:
Total revenue increased 0.9% to $303.9 million versus 4Q25
Same-Store Revenue decreased 2.5% versus 4Q25
Net loss of $26.2 million versus net loss of $74.7 million in 4Q25
Adjusted EBITDA of $74.1 million versus $88.7 million in 4Q25
Fiscal Year Highlights:
Revenue increased 3.7% to $1,245.3 million versus the prior year
Same Store Revenue decreased 0.2% versus the prior year
Net loss of $35.8 million versus prior year net loss of $10.0 million
Adjusted EBITDA of $333.2 million versus prior year of $367.7 million
Added six locations during the fiscal year, five through acquisitions and one new build. Additionally, closed five underperforming locations
Total locations in operation as of August 27, 2026, were 366
“Fiscal 2026 marked a meaningful step forward for our business, with our strongest same-store sales performance in years and clear momentum across many of our key revenue streams,” said Thomas Shannon, Founder and CEO. “Importantly, that momentum is broadening. Cumulative organic growth was positive through the first eleven months of the fiscal year, with June driving the full-year decline. Leagues grew and accelerated through the spring, food remained strongly positive, retail bowling continued to grow, and Events turned positive in late spring for the first time in years and remained positive throughout the summer. It is the strongest sustained performance we have seen from that business in a long time.”
“June temporarily interrupted that progress. The first World Cup on American soil in a generation drew millions of consumers to their screens on nights they would typically be out, resulting in sharply negative comps for the month and pulling an otherwise positive quarter and year slightly below zero. We believe it is important to distinguish that temporary disruption from the underlying health of the business. Trends improved immediately following the World Cup Final, and this headwind will not repeat next summer. At our waterparks, a cool and wet start to the summer pressured attendance, but strong pricing and disciplined cost management helped protect profitability.”
“Waterparks represented the biggest operational step forward for us this summer. A year ago, we directly managed only a couple of parks. This summer, we operated a diverse portfolio, including our newest park in Los Angeles, and the organization executed exceptionally well. Per-capita spending increased meaningfully, labor costs declined as we aligned staffing more closely with demand, and both revenue and profitability grew substantially year over year. Importantly, the majority of the summer earnings contribution will be recognized in our September quarter.”
“I have described our business as a coiled spring, and that is exactly how we see it. We are pairing operating momentum with a structurally more disciplined approach to capital allocation. Capital expenditures are down approximately $80 million from their fiscal 2024 peak, and we expect to continue reducing capital spending as we further rationalize the portfolio and complete several existing investment programs. That creates a clear path to meaningfully higher free cash flow and accelerated deleveraging as earnings improve. As we enter fiscal 2027, our guidance is intentionally prudent and reflects the way we are approaching the current environment. We believe the combination of operating momentum, declining capital intensity and financial discipline positions us to deliver profitable growth, stronger free cash flow and a meaningfully improved balance sheet.”
Fiscal Year 2027 Guidance
We remain focused on delivering sustainable, profitable growth and creating meaningful long-term shareholder value. Our strategy is centered on accelerating revenue growth, expanding operating cash flow, and driving higher free cash flow per share through earnings growth and disciplined capital allocation. Looking ahead, our outlook reflects continued organic revenue growth, targeted investments in marketing and technology to strengthen our platform, and incremental contributions from our waterparks in FY27. Together, these initiatives position us to generate stronger cash flow, improve returns on invested capital, and build a more durable earnings growth profile.
Total Revenue Growth:
3% to 5%
Total Revenue:
$1,280M to $1,310M
Adjusted EBITDA:
$340M to $360M
Capital Expenditures:
Approximately $90M
Dividend Declaration
On August 27, 2026, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.06 per share of common stock for the first quarter of fiscal year 2027. The dividend will be payable on September 22, 2026, to stockholders of record on September 8, 2026.
Investor Webcast Information
Listeners may access an investor webcast hosted by Lucky Strike Entertainment. The webcast and results presentation will be accessible at 9:00 AM ET on August 27, 2026, in the Events & Presentations section of the Lucky Strike Entertainment Investor Relations website at https://ir.luckystrikeent.com/.
About Lucky Strike Entertainment
Lucky Strike Entertainment is one of the world’s premier location-based entertainment platforms. With over 360 locations across North America, Lucky Strike Entertainment provides experiential offerings in bowling, amusements, water parks, and family entertainment centers. The Company also owns the Professional Bowlers Association, the major league of bowling and a growing media property that boasts millions of fans around the globe. For more information on Lucky Strike Entertainment, please visit IR.LuckyStrikeEnt.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Some of the statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that involve risk, assumptions, and uncertainties, such as statements of our plans, objectives, expectations, intentions, and forecasts. These forward-looking statements reflect our views with respect to future events as of the date of this release and are based on our management’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts, projections, assumptions, beliefs, and information. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct. All such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control, and could cause future events or results to be materially different from those stated or implied in this document. It is not possible to predict or identify all such risks. These risks include, but are not limited to: our ability to design and execute our business strategy; changes in consumer preferences and buying patterns; our ability to compete in our markets; the occurrence of unfavorable publicity; risks associated with long-term non-cancellable leases for our locations; our ability to retain key managers; risks associated with our substantial indebtedness and limitations on future sources of liquidity; our ability to carry out our expansion plans; our ability to successfully defend litigation brought against us; failure to hire and retain qualified employees and personnel; cybersecurity breaches, cyber-attacks and other interruptions to our and our third-party service providers’ technological and physical infrastructures; catastrophic events, including war, terrorism and other conflicts; public health emergencies and pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, or natural catastrophes and accidents; fluctuations in our operating results; economic conditions, including the impact of increasing interest rates, inflation and recession; and other factors described under the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) by the Company on August 27, 2026, as well as other filings that the Company will make, or has made, with the SEC, such as Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this press release and in other filings. We expressly disclaim any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To provide investors with information in addition to our results as determined under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”), we disclose Same Store Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA as “non-GAAP measures”, which management believes provide useful information to investors because each measure assists both investors and management in analyzing and benchmarking the performance and value of our business. Accordingly, management believes that these measurements are useful for comparing general operating performance from period to period, and management relies on these measures for planning and forecasting of future periods. Additionally, these measures allow management to compare our results with those of other companies that have different financing and capital structures. These measures are not financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for revenue or net income as calculated in accordance with GAAP, and may not be comparable to a similarly titled measure reported by other companies. Our fiscal year 2027 guidance measures (other than revenue) are provided on a non-GAAP basis without a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP measure because the Company is unable to predict with a reasonable degree of certainty certain items contained in the GAAP measures without unreasonable efforts. For the same reasons, the Company is unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information. Such items include, but are not limited to, acquisition-related expenses, share-based compensation, and other items not reflective of the company’s ongoing operations.
Same Store Revenue represents total Revenue less Non-Location Related Revenue, Revenue from Closed Locations, Service Fee Revenue, if applicable, and Acquired Revenue. Adjusted EBITDA represents Net Income (Loss) before Interest Expense, Income Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization, Impairment and Other Charges, Share-based Compensation, EBITDA from Closed Locations, Foreign Currency Exchange Loss (Gain), Asset Disposition Loss (Gain), Transactional and other advisory costs, System modernization costs, changes in the value of earnouts, and other.
The Company considers Same Store Revenue as an important financial measure because it provides comparable revenue for locations open for the entire duration of both the current and comparable measurement periods.
The Company considers Adjusted EBITDA as an important financial measure because it provides a financial measure of the quality of the Company’s earnings. Other companies may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do, which might limit its usefulness as a comparative measure. Adjusted EBITDA is used by management in addition to and in conjunction with the results presented in accordance with GAAP. We have presented Adjusted EBITDA solely as a supplemental disclosure because we believe it allows for a more complete analysis of results of operations and assists investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP.
Nvidia posted another blowout quarter, but the number turning heads inside the report wasn’t the headline figure. It was how much of that growth is now tied to a single, increasingly inseparable partner: SpaceX.
Nvidia reported fiscal second quarter revenue of $96.2 billion, up 106% year over year, with Data Center sales reaching $89.0 billion, up 117%. Strong as those numbers are, the more interesting story sits in the guidance and buildout plans layered underneath them, specifically the expanding role SpaceX now plays in Nvidia’s roadmap.
On the earnings call, CFO Colette Kress confirmed that Nvidia’s next-generation Vera CPU is already shipping to its earliest customers, with SpaceX’s AI unit, SpaceXAI, among the first in line. Kress said Nvidia expects Vera to be deployed across every major hyperscaler, neocloud, AI lab, and system OEM, with shipments already underway to lead partners including Oracle, SpaceXAI, and, starting this quarter, Amazon.
Nvidia does not disclose customer-level revenue, so SpaceX’s exact contribution has to be estimated from outside analysis. Deepwater Asset Management’s Gene Munster estimated on social media that SpaceX now accounts for roughly 5% of Nvidia’s overall revenue, up from around 3% last quarter. He noted that Nvidia appears to have reclassified SpaceX’s revenue out of its AI, Clouds, Industrials, and Enterprise category and into its Hyperscaler category, a shift he attributed to SpaceX’s plan to bring 8 gigawatts of compute capacity online next year, putting it in the same tier as Meta and Amazon. Applied to Nvidia’s $96.2 billion in quarterly revenue, that 5% estimate works out to nearly $5 billion tied to SpaceX. It’s worth noting this figure is an outside analyst’s estimate, not a number Nvidia itself has confirmed.
The relationship goes beyond chip orders. Nvidia also highlighted that SpaceXAI will adopt its Vera CPU to power the agentic AI workloads behind Grok, xAI’s chatbot, handling code execution and data processing so that Nvidia’s GPUs can stay focused on core AI compute. SpaceXAI president Mike Nicolls said Vera gives the company the CPU performance and memory bandwidth needed to manage that orchestration and data load at scale.
Perhaps the most striking development is where some of this hardware is headed next. Earlier this week, the two companies confirmed plans for a space-optimized Vera Rubin NVL72 rack-scale system, designed to launch aboard SpaceX’s first-generation Starmind satellite in the fourth quarter of 2027, with a larger-scale version planned for 2028. The satellite’s AI1 design carries a 120-kilowatt compute payload, peaking at 150 kilowatts, effectively taking Nvidia’s data center hardware into orbit.
Taken together, the picture is one of two companies becoming increasingly dependent on each other in different directions. For Nvidia, SpaceX has become both a major terrestrial customer and the delivery vehicle for putting its chips in space. For SpaceX, Nvidia’s hardware is becoming the computing backbone behind its AI ambitions, from Earth-based data centers to orbital compute payloads.
Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Equity Research Analyst, Digital, Media & Technology , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
George Proost, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
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Q2 results. Second-quarter revenue of $7.8 million declined 23% year over year and came in 11% below our $8.8 million estimate. The shortfall was concentrated among demand-side platform customers, with spending falling to zero from $2.5 million in the prior-year quarter. Excluding DSP customers, revenue grew 3% in the quarter and 5% year-to-date, suggesting the core managed-campaign business is roughly stable even as the reported line contracts.
Gross margin held with disciplined spending. Gross profit of $2.7 million represented 34% of revenue, down modestly from 35% a year ago and flat with the first quarter. Operating expenses of $5.6 million declined 7% year over year. The adjusted EBITDA loss widened to $2.3 million from $1.5 million a year earlier, well short of our $0.35 million loss estimate, and management’s second-half breakeven target now looks difficult to reach.
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The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, the inflation measure the Federal Reserve targets most closely, rose 3.7% year over year in July, up from 3.6% in June, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday, coming in a touch stronger than economists had expected. Core PCE, which strips out volatile food and energy prices and is viewed as the cleaner read on underlying inflation pressure, held at 3.3% year over year, showing no improvement from the prior month.
This is the exact data release we flagged as pivotal heading into Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s upcoming Jackson Hole speech, and it landed on the more hawkish side of the range economists had modeled. The result directly conflicts with earlier reports that had shown consumer price inflation cooling over the prior couple of months, reinforcing just how genuinely unresolved the inflation picture remains heading into the fall.
The Fed has held its policy rate steady in a range of 3.50% to 3.75% since December. Warsh has publicly committed to bringing inflation back to target, but has offered no clear signal on whether he believes that can happen without additional rate increases, and Wednesday’s data does nothing to support the case that it will happen on its own. Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, put it bluntly, the United States still has an inflation problem, and argued the latest data buys Warsh some time to wait and assess, but that he will need to be considerably clearer about what specific conditions would actually prompt him to raise rates.
Markets moved quickly to reprice the odds. Fed funds futures now reflect roughly a 44% probability of a September rate hike, up from about 36% just before this report, and traders are now fully pricing in that the Fed will have raised its policy rate by year end.
For companies operating below the $2 billion market cap threshold, this shift in rate expectations carries direct and immediate consequences. Small and microcap businesses typically carry considerably more variable-rate debt than large cap companies, meaning every incremental increase in the probability of a Fed hike translates into a real, measurable increase in borrowing costs across this segment of the market. This report also sharpens the stakes for Warsh’s Jackson Hole address, which now arrives with markets meaningfully more convinced a hike is coming than they were just days ago, making his tone and language around this data the most consequential signal small cap investors will get before the Fed’s actual September decision.
Mark Reichman, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Natural Resources, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
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Flat is advancing rapidly. Tectonic is executing a five-rig, 40,000-meter drilling program at its flagship Flat Gold Project, with the primary objective of supporting a maiden NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate at Chicken Mountain in early 2027. The program is also targeting higher-grade mineralization and testing additional district-scale targets. The Chicken Mountain–Alpha Bowl system has already been traced for approximately 3.3 kilometers.
Black Creek is emerging as a second gold center. Tectonic released assay results from three holes drilled at the Black Creek target, including two reverse circulation and one diamond drill hole. Hole CMR26-152 returned 5.09 g/t gold over 21.34 meters, including 17.34 g/t over 6.10 meters. Hole CMR26-153 intersected a broader interval of 1.89 g/t over 57.91 meters, including 2.75 g/t over 38.10 meters, with higher-grade intervals of 6.31 g/t over 7.62 meters and 3.89 g/t over 6.10 meters. Diamond hole CMD26-041 returned 3.26 g/t over 5.06 meters and a deeper interval grading 16.73 g/t over 2.22 meters, including 29.91 g/t over 1.22 meters. Importantly, both RC holes ended in mineralization, indicating that the system remains open thus providing clear targets for deeper follow-up drilling.
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Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Equity Research Analyst, Digital, Media & Technology , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Jacob Mutchler, Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Q4 profitability improves despite softer revenue. Fiscal fourth quarter revenue declined 7% to $321.7 million from $345.1 million in the prior-year period, while adj. EBITDA increased to $11.9 million from $2.7 million. Operating cash usage also improved sharply to $3.3 million from $37.5 million a year earlier, highlighting the company’s improving cash conversion.
Healthcare Services emerges as a key earnings driver. Healthcare Services generated Q4 revenue of $193.5 million and adj. EBITDA of $12.1 million, with SelectRx membership of approximately 109,000. Importantly, prescription utilization continues to increase even as membership growth moderates, while the Olathe facility provides capacity for more than 200,000 members and meaningful opportunity for additional operating leverage.
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This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
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Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Equity Research Analyst, Digital, Media & Technology , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Jacob Mutchler, Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Q2 Results. GDEV reported Q2 revenue of $93.6 million, down 22%, and adj. EBITDA of $20.1 million, only down 7% year over year. Notably, the year-over-year revenue decrease was primarily driven by a decline in bookings. As illustrated in Figure #1 Q2 Results, both revenue and adj. EBITDA missed our estimates of $115 million and $26 million, respectively, though adj. EBITDA proved far more resilient than revenue.
Marketing discipline held margins. That resilience was largely due to lower selling and marketing expenses, which fell 38% to $32.7 million from $52.5 million, lifting the adj. EBITDA margin to roughly 21% from 18% even as revenue declined. The reduction stems from the company’s more disciplined strategy for user acquisition, which focuses on higher-value cohorts rather than volume.
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Volato Group (NYSE American: SOAR), which built its business around AI-powered software for aviation and operates the Vaunt private aviation membership marketplace, has signed a definitive agreement to merge with Alignment Engine, an Ohio-based AI infrastructure company, in a transaction valuing Alignment Engine at approximately $500 million. Volato will remain the publicly traded parent company once the deal closes, but the combination represents a complete transformation of what the company actually does, pivoting from aviation technology toward data centers, high-performance computing, and AI infrastructure.
The centerpiece of the deal is Alignment Engine’s powered industrial campus in Ohio, which currently has 154 megawatts of available power with total planned capacity of 480 megawatts. Volato intends to use that infrastructure to support high-performance GPU compute and networking for AI training and inference, along with other compute-intensive workloads, positioning the combined company to lease or operate data center capacity for AI customers rather than continuing to build aviation software.
This transaction did not appear out of nowhere. In June, Volato secured a $2.2 million strategic investment led by Catheter Precision specifically to strengthen its balance sheet while it evaluated acquisition and merger opportunities in AI infrastructure, data infrastructure, compute, and power generation. That investment came shortly after Volato terminated a previously announced transaction with a different party, and the company disclosed at the time it had already received two unsolicited, non-binding letters of intent related to AI data center and power generation opportunities. This merger with Alignment Engine appears to be the outcome of that broader strategic search.
Investors need to weigh this deal with real care. Volato is transforming from a small, aviation-focused company with no meaningful prior track record in data center development or operation into an AI infrastructure platform almost overnight. Alignment Engine’s power capacity is genuine and substantial, but having available power is only one piece of what it actually takes to build, finance, and operate a functioning data center campus at scale, additional capital for construction, cooling infrastructure, customer contracts, and specialized operational expertise all still need to come together. The company’s own recent history, including a terminated prior transaction and a small bridge investment just to fund due diligence on opportunities like this one, reflects a business still very much in transition rather than one with established execution in this space.
That said, the strategic logic behind the pivot is consistent with the broader data center construction boom we detailed in a recent cornerstone piece on this exact theme, where power availability has become one of the single largest bottlenecks constraining new AI infrastructure development nationally. A company with 154 megawatts already available, rather than merely planned, is positioning itself around a genuine scarcity in that buildout. Whether Volato can successfully execute on that opportunity, rather than simply owning the right raw materials, will be the real test in the months ahead.
Trade talks between the United States and Canada collapsed over the weekend, prompting Washington to impose 50% tariffs on a wide range of Canadian goods, including furniture, dairy products, electrical equipment, and plywood. Canada’s Finance Department responded Tuesday with its own retaliatory tariffs. Markets, notably, barely flinched. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all posted modest gains Tuesday, and the Russell 2000 advanced as well, suggesting investors are treating this escalation as manageable rather than systemically threatening, at least for now.
What makes this dispute genuinely interesting from a market perspective is not what got tariffed, it is what deliberately did not. Crude oil, one of the largest categories of trade flowing between the two countries, was left entirely out of the new 50% tariffs, and neither government appears eager to bring it into the fight.
Why Oil Is the One Line Neither Side Wants to Cross
The scale of that exemption is significant. The United States buys roughly 90% of all Canadian crude exports, worth approximately CA$126 billion of Canada’s CA$140 billion total in 2025, while Canada supplies roughly 63% of all US crude imports. That dependence reflects decades of physical infrastructure investment rather than a relationship either country could quickly unwind. Alberta’s oil sands produce heavy bitumen, and US refiners, particularly across the Midwest and Gulf Coast, spent billions of dollars building capacity specifically configured to process that heavier crude. Meanwhile, America’s own shale boom has made it the world’s largest oil producer, but that production is overwhelmingly light, sweet crude, creating a structural mismatch where the US exports large volumes of its own light oil while importing millions of barrels of heavier Canadian crude every single day.
Canada, for its part, has limited ability to simply redirect that oil elsewhere. The expanded Trans Mountain pipeline gives Alberta producers new access to Pacific coast export markets, but its roughly 890,000 barrel-per-day capacity is dwarfed by the nearly 3.9 million barrels shipped south to the US daily. President Trump acknowledged this interdependence directly in public comments this week, pointing to Canada’s own reliance on US infrastructure to move electricity, oil, and gas between its own provinces, a reference to cross-border pipeline routes like Enbridge’s Line 5, which carries Canadian oil through Wisconsin and Michigan before crossing back into Ontario. That mutual physical dependence is precisely why energy has remained exempt even as tariffs on nearly everything else have escalated sharply.
If oil were eventually pulled into this dispute, the consequences would ripple in multiple directions. US refiners, as the importers of record, would bear the tariff directly and would likely respond by demanding steeper discounts from Canadian producers, while also passing at least some of the higher input costs through to consumers at the pump, directly reversing the gas price relief seen earlier this summer. Canadian producers would face the opposite squeeze, a shrinking pool of buyers willing to pay full price for barrels with nowhere else to go at comparable volume.
For investors tracking the small and microcap space, this dispute carries two distinct layers of exposure. Companies with direct supply chain exposure to the newly tariffed categories, furniture, dairy, electrical components, and building materials like plywood, are facing real, immediate cost pressure right now. Energy-adjacent companies, meanwhile, are watching a very different, still-hypothetical risk: what happens if this trade fight eventually escalates into the one category both governments have so far treated as off-limits. Markets shrugging off Tuesday’s escalation suggests investors currently believe that line will hold. Whether it actually does may prove to be the more consequential question heading into the fall, particularly with the Fed’s Jackson Hole speech still ahead and the Treasury’s bond market intervention already testing how much stress the system can absorb at once.
