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I have covered Micron several times in the past. And each time, the headline has been some variation of the same theme.The numbers keep getting bigger and bigger, the analyst targets keep moving higher, and of course, the artificial intelligence (AI) memory supercycle keeps defying the skeptics who expected it to slow down. This time, it looks like it matters even beyond Micron itself.Micron Technology (MU) reports fiscal third-quarter 2026 earnings on June 24 after the close. MU closed June 22 at $1,211.38, up 6.82% on the session and up 324.61% year to date, according to Yahoo Finance. In fact, it’s the third-best-performing S&P 500 stock in 2026 behind only SanDisk (SNDK) and Western Digital (WDC), according to Slickcharts. Nvidia and Micron have emerged as the biggest drivers of tech-sector earnings growth. Based on FactSet data as of May 8, excluding the two companies would cut the Information Technology sector’s blended earnings growth rate from 50.7% to 28.5%.Also Read: Micron Technology Inc. Latest News and StoriesWhat analysts expect from Micron in Q3 fiscal 2026Wall Street’s consensus for Q3 fiscal 2026 calls for revenue of approximately $35 billion and adjusted EPS of $20.57, according to FactSet. Many analysts, including Morningstar’s William Kerwin, expect a healthy beat above even those figures.The company’s own guidance, issued in March, called for revenue of $33.5 billion at the midpoint, gross margins of approximately 81%, and non-GAAP EPS of $19.15. More Micron:Micron stock draws aggressive target reset from 5-star analystMicron gets aggressive stock price target from veteran analystRoundhill CEO spots major shift for Micron stockThe sequential jump from Q2’s $23.86 billion to those targets would represent one of the fastest revenue accelerations any large-cap semiconductor company has ever produced. If the print lands at the $35 billion consensus level, Micron will have beaten its own guidance by nearly $1.5 billion in a single quarter.Micron’s net income for calendar years 2026 and 2027 is projected to rank second only to Nvidia across the entire PHLX Semiconductor Index, according to Morningstar. That is not the profile of a cyclical memory company. That is something closer to a structural AI infrastructure play.One metric from Micron matters most: HBMI have been saying this across most of the Micron pieces I have written. The headline revenue number matters less than the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) story.High-bandwidth memory is the product that ships alongside every advanced AI accelerator. Nvidia’s H200, GB200, and the forthcoming Blackwell Ultra all require HBM stacked on the package. HBM revenue crossed $1 billion in Q2 for the first time in Micron’s history, according to the company. What Wall Street needs to see on Wednesday, June 24, is acceleration from that milestone. Not just confirmation that HBM demand exists, but also evidence that Micron’s share in the HBM ecosystem is expanding and that pricing is holding.Related: Micron ties its future to Anthropic in supply dealThe Anthropic strategic agreement announced on June 22 is a meaningful signal in that direction. The deal spans memory and storage AI architecture design, a multi-year supply agreement covering Micron’s data center portfolio, and a strategic investment in Anthropic’s Series H funding round. “Our compute strategy depends on getting every layer of the stack right, and memory and storage are central to how efficiently we can train and serve Claude,” said Anthropic co-founder and chief compute officer Tom Brown.That is not vendor language but a frontier AI lab publicly linking its infrastructure strategy to Micron’s product roadmap.

Micron is the third-best-performing S&P 500 stock in 2026 behind only SanDisk (SNDK) and Western Digital (WDC).Bloomberg via Getty Images

What analysts say about Micron, and the range of targets, tells its own storyThe analyst revision cycle around Micron heading into June 24 is unlike anything I have seen on a single semiconductor name. Within the past month, targets have essentially doubled or tripled across the board.This includes Needham at $1,550, UBS at $1,625, Stifel at $1,500, TD Cowen at $1,500, Aletheia Capital at $1,600, Wedbush at $1,300, Bernstein at $1,300, Citi at $1,200, and Wolfe Research at $1,250, according to TheStreet.Related: Micron gets aggressive stock price target from veteran analystThe common thread across all of them is the same argument TD Cowen analyst Krish Sankar made in my previous Micron coverage, when he raised his target to $1,500 from $660: The role of memory in AI is structural, not cyclical. DRAM content per AI server is growing. HBM supply remains constrained. Pricing power is extending further into 2027 than any analyst modeled six months ago, according to TheStreet.Why the June 24 print matters well beyond MicronThe implications of the June 24 report extend across the entire AI semiconductor trade. Micron’s Q3 results will either validate or complicate the narrative that AI infrastructure spending is sustaining at levels that justify the extraordinary valuations across the sector.If Micron beats revenue, delivers HBM commentary that signals continued supply tightness and pricing strength, and guides Q4 above the current $38 to $40 billion consensus expectations, Nvidia, AMD, and the broader memory ecosystem all benefit from the confirmation. If the guidance disappoints or management sounds cautious on the HBM pricing trajectory, the ripple effect runs in the other direction.My read of the setup is that the Anthropic deal, the analyst target revisions, and the sequential revenue trajectory from Q2 all point toward a beat. But let’s not forget that guidance is what moves this stock, not the quarter itself. That is the number I will be watching on the evening of June 24.Related: Micron stock draws aggressive target reset from 5-star analyst

Target has increasingly leaned on exclusive launches and strategic partnerships to stand out in a retail market where consumers have more options and discretionary spending remains uneven.Over the past several years, the company has expanded beyond traditional private-label growth by introducing collaborations designed to create shopping occasions, strengthen customer engagement, and encourage purchases across multiple categories.Now, Target is introducing a new partnership that extends beyond apparel and aligns with back-to-school and college move-in season, a major spending period for retailers.The move also reflects a broader industry trend, in which brands are competing to become lifestyle destinations rather than places consumers visit for a single purchase. Target debuts a new collection with Hollister Co.Target (TGT) is partnering with the Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) brand Hollister Co. to launch The Hollister Collection at Target beginning June 28, 2026.The release marks the first-ever collaboration between the two brands and the first time Hollister has entered the home and décor category. This first drop in the multi-season partnership includes nearly 60 products across men’s and women’s apparel, bedding, and dorm-focused essentials. The collection will be available online through both brands’ websites, in most Target stores, and in select Hollister locations. The timing coordinates with increased back-to-school demand and college-preparation spending, according to the company’s announcement.”As we expand beyond apparel to meet their evolving lifestyle needs, partnering with Target was a natural fit,” said Abercrombie & Fitch Co. CEO Fran Horowitz in a statement. “By combining the comfort and versatility Hollister is known for with Target’s expertise in designing affordable dorm and home items, this collection helps us reach more customers during important new beginnings.”The collection features:Bedding in twin/twin XL and full/queen sizes, including comforters and sheet sets priced from $34.95 to $64.95.Accessories such as throw blankets, decorative pillows, study-themed items, and weighted plushies priced from $19.95 to $39.95.Apparel, including fleece tops and bottoms, sleepwear, and lounge pieces for men and women in sizes XS-XL, priced from $24.95 to $49.95.”Whether guests are refreshing a bedroom, heading to campus or creating a space that feels uniquely their own, this collection makes it easy to bring comfort, personality and great design home – all at the incredible value guests expect from Target,” said Target Senior VP of Home Merchandising Mara Sirhal in a statement.Additional product releases are planned ahead of the holiday season and again in spring 2027.Target continues leaning into collaborations and exclusive productsThe partnership follows another notable move earlier this year when Target brought back designer Isaac Mizrahi as the company’s first-ever Creative Director at Large, reviving a partnership that began more than two decades ago.Target has long used collaborations to differentiate itself from competitors while making trend-driven and lifestyle products more accessible to mainstream shoppers.Some of the retailer’s earlier limited-time launches became highly visible moments for the brand and helped establish collaborations as a recurring part of its merchandising strategy rather than one-off events.Previous partnerships have included designers like Diane von Furstenberg, Missoni, Jason Wu, Zac Posen, and Lilly Pulitzer. The company has also developed multi-year partnerships with brands such as Kendra Scott, Levi Strauss & Co., and Ulta Beauty.Retail analysts have pointed to exclusive launches as one way large retailers can reduce direct product comparisons, encourage repeat visits, and create differentiation in markets where competition remains intense.These partnerships can also support cross-category purchasing by encouraging customers to combine apparel, home, beauty, and seasonal purchases into a single shopping trip.”The right partnerships create a whole that is much greater than the sum of the parts, by connecting and leveraging each party’s key strengths all while creating a better value proposition for each business’s customers,” said analysts at L.E.K Consulting.At the same time, Target has continued investing in owned and exclusive brands, which have become a significant contributor to performance. According to Target, its portfolio of more than 40 owned brands generates over $30 billion in annual sales and accounts for nearly one-third of the company’s total revenue.That scale illustrates how exclusive assortments have become a larger strategic priority rather than a supplemental merchandising tool.

Target is launching yet another high-profile collaboration.David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Target’s recent results suggest merchandising investments may be supporting performanceTarget’s latest financial results indicate that merchandising initiatives and value positioning may be helping drive customer engagement.During the first quarter of fiscal 2026:Comparable traffic increased 4.4% across stores and digital channelsNet sales climbed 6.7% year over yearComparable sales rose 5.6%All six core merchandising categories delivered growthIn the company’s latest earnings call, Target CEO Michael Fiddelke stated the company’s focus on disciplined execution and sustainable growth over short-term performance gains.”We’re writing a new chapter for Target, defined by disciplined choices and a clear articulation of our unique role in retail,” said Fiddelke.Categories such as apparel and home goods typically carry stronger margins than many essential categories, making assortment strategy and product differentiation increasingly important as retailers seek profitable growth while maintaining customer loyalty.Even so, leadership remains cautious. Consumer sentiment continues to fluctuate amid broader economic uncertainty, and Target has emphasized maintaining operational flexibility rather than accelerating expansion too quickly despite signs of improvement.Why collaborations remain an important retail growth strategyTarget’s latest partnership also reflects broader changes across the retail industry.While Target has recently shown signs of momentum, Hollister faces a more uneven operating environment.During the first quarter of fiscal 2026, Hollister reported flat year-over-year net sales and a 2% decline in comparable sales. According to the company, softer demand in Europe and the Middle East weighed on results, while performance remained stronger across the Americas.That backdrop helps explain why partnerships continue to attract attention across retail.According to McKinsey & Company’s State of Fashion 2026 report, industry growth is expected to remain in the low single digits as brands navigate macroeconomic volatility, tariff pressures, and more cautious consumer spending.In this environment, brand recognition alone is becoming less reliable as a growth driver. Retailers are increasingly using collaborations and exclusive collections to generate consumer interest, attract new audiences, expand into adjacent categories, and differentiate in crowded markets.Here’s some of my previous coverage on collaborations:Nordstrom brings back fashion brand after 25-year U.S. shutdownAritzia brings back iconic fashion brand after shutdownH&M brings back popular designer collab after 20 years Higher-income consumers remain particularly valuable because their discretionary spending has historically been more resilient during periods of economic uncertainty and can contribute disproportionately to profitability.Still, the strategy requires balance. Expanding further into lifestyle categories may strengthen Target’s brand positioning, but the company must avoid weakening the affordability and convenience that remain central to its identity and relationship with shoppers.Whether The Hollister Collection becomes a meaningful long-term growth driver remains unclear, but the launch signals that Target is once again placing greater emphasis on design, exclusivity, and lifestyle positioning as part of its broader retail strategy.Related: Grocery chain pays $40 million fine in pricing scandal deal

Chevron (CVX) and Microsoft (MSFT) announced a 20-year power purchase agreement on June 22 to build a natural gas-fired power plant in West Texas dedicated to supplying electricity to a Microsoft data center campus. The project, named Project Kilby, sits on more than 2,000 acres in Reeves County near the city of Pecos, deep in the Permian Basin. Bloomberg was first to report the deal.The arrangement is one of the largest between a U.S. oil major and a hyperscaler, and it builds on an exclusivity agreement the two companies reached with investment firm Engine No. 1 in late March. It also lands at a moment when access to reliable electricity has become the most pressing constraint in the AI infrastructure race, ahead of chips, permits, or construction timelines.Project Kilby: what the 20-year Chevron-Microsoft power deal coversProject Kilby is designed as a behind-the-meter installation, meaning the power plant sits co-located with the data center rather than feeding into the public ERCOT grid. That setup gives Microsoft a direct, dedicated power supply that bypasses Texas’s main grid entirely. At full build-out, the facility is expected to generate approximately 2.67 gigawatts of capacity, enough to power roughly 2 million homes, Chevron said. A majority of that output will come from large GE Vernova turbines, with additional capacity supplied by Solar Turbines, a subsidiary of Caterpillar.More AI:Goldman Sachs has blunt message for AI stock investorsMicrosoft CEO sends a blunt warning on AI and the tech ecosystemThe next AI infrastructure race has nothing to do with chipsThe project will be built in phases, with first power targeted for 2028 and development extending through the 2030s. Chevron has not officially disclosed a cost estimate, but people familiar with the deal put the initial phase at roughly $7 billion, QZ reported. Engine No. 1 holds an option to take on half the project’s ownership and contribute a matching share of the capital. Chevron expects to make a final investment decision by the end of 2026.Why Chevron is turning Permian stranded gas into Microsoft’s AI electricityThe choice of the Permian Basin for Project Kilby is deliberate. West Texas produces enormous volumes of natural gas as a byproduct of oil extraction, and local pipeline capacity consistently runs short of what operators pull out of the ground. When takeaway capacity fills up, producers have to flare the excess, burning it off and collecting nothing for it. That dynamic depresses local gas prices and keeps a significant energy source from being used productively.By siting the power plant close to Chevron’s existing Permian production, Project Kilby converts what would otherwise be flared gas into baseload electricity for one of the most power-hungry computing campuses in the country. Chevron said that gives the project a built-in cost advantage. The company is targeting mid-teen returns and expects Project Kilby to generate cash flow independent of oil and gas price cycles.”AI is reshaping the global economy, and abundant, affordable, reliable energy is essential to fueling that transformation,” Jeff Gustavson, Chevron’s president of New Energies, said in a statement.Beyond the returns, Chevron said Project Kilby is expected to generate more than $10 billion in state and local tax revenue for Texas and support nearly 2,000 jobs. For an energy company making a case to investors that it can grow outside commodity cycles, those numbers carry weight.

Beyond the returns, Chevron said Project Kilby is expected to generate more than $10 billion in state and local tax revenue for Texas and support nearly 2,000 jobsSprecher/Getty Images

What the Chevron and Microsoft data center deal means for CVX and MSFT investorsFor Chevron investors, Project Kilby is the clearest sign yet that the company is trying to build a revenue stream that does not move with oil prices. A 20-year contract with Microsoft is the kind of long-duration, fixed arrangement that energy companies typically have to pursue in infrastructure or utilities, not upstream production. If the AI buildout continues driving electricity demand, Chevron could use Kilby as a template for additional deals.CVX shares were up roughly 0.9% in premarket trading after the announcement, Schaeffer’s Investment Research reported, a modest move for a stock that had lost nearly 12% over the prior month.For Microsoft, Project Kilby is another data point in a capital spending story that keeps getting larger. Azure cloud revenue grew 40% year over year in Q3 FY2026 earnings and AI revenue hit a $37 billion annual run rate. Microsoft’s commercial remaining performance obligation, which represents booked revenue not yet recognized, stood at $627 billion. Securing 2.67 gigawatts of dedicated power in West Texas is the kind of infrastructure move that supports those numbers continuing to grow.The broader signal from this deal is that the AI economy has moved well past software ambition. It now requires securing land, locking in energy supply, and making 20-year commitments to physical infrastructure. Chevron and Microsoft are two very different companies putting serious capital behind the same bet: that demand for AI compute will be large enough, and durable enough, to justify arrangements built to last decades.Related: Chevron CEO sends blunt message on oil, economy

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why do shoppers love it?Whether it’s time to replace your years-old, flat pillows or you need extras for a guest room, you can’t go wrong with an Amazon shopper-loved option that’s backed by thousands of reviews. Especially when you can get them at an affordable price.The set of two Beckham Hotel Collection Standard Bed Pillows is currently on sale for $60 thanks to a 25% off discount, which equals only $30 apiece. But hurry, this Amazon Prime Day deal won’t last long considering these pillows always sell out while marked down. More than 177,000 shoppers have given the set a five-star rating and over 10,000 have left rave reviews with many claiming that they are “the best pillows ever.”All you need is a Prime membership to take advantage of this limited-time deal and if you aren’t already signed up, don’t sweat, you can still become a member. Not only will you be able to shop this deal, but you’ll unlock access to the entire Prime Day shopping event plus fast, free shipping among other perks. Beckham Hotel Collection Standard Bed Pillows, $60 (was $80) at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

Shop at AmazonDetails to knowThese pillows are ideal for hot sleepers since they feature a soft, breathable cover and are made using a down-alternative filling that’s plush and lightweight. It offers all the same benefits as real goose feathers like ample amounts of support and fluffiness without the negative effects. You won’t wake up to a mess of feathers everywhere and they won’t poke and prod your face as you sleep. Unlike traditional down pillows, these can be washed in the washing machine to ensure a thorough clean every time. Just toss them in on a gentle cycle and dry them on a low heat setting and they’ll come out looking as good as new. Make sure to give them a good fluff before placing them back on your bed.Related: Walmart’s bestselling $110 boho comforter set is just $36Why do shoppers love it?People love these pillows so much that they’re adding multiple sets to their carts, we don’t blame them. One shopper described the pillows as “absolute heaven” and added, “we love them so much we ordered two additional sets! Just the right amount of support and softness.”Now is the time to see what the hype is all about surrounding the Amazon-famous Beckham Hotel Collection Standard Bed Pillows while they’re 25% off during Prime Day.