SUCCESS

The Rays won their first six games of a nine-game trip by sweeping Seattle and Colorado despite losing another starting pitcher and an infielder.

Hezly Rivera defended her all-around title at the 2026 U.S. Championships on Sunday in Phoenix, coming from behind to defeat teammate Claire Pease. With her win, Rivera joins an elite club of Team USA gymnasts.

Burger King is back in second place.The chain has passed Wendy’s to become the second-largest US burger brand by systemwide sales, a spot it lost six years ago. McDonald’s still holds first place by a wide margin.The change showed up in the latest earnings from parent company Restaurant Brands International (QSR), and it gave investors a clear read on how far the turnaround has come.For anyone who owns QSR stock, or is thinking about it, the report offers something useful. It shows what a well-run comeback looks like, and it shows where the rest of the company still falls short.How Burger King retook the No. 2 spot from Wendy’sThe two chains have moved in opposite directions for two years.Wendy’s has now posted lower US same-store sales for six straight quarters, including a 7% drop in the second quarter. Burger King has gone the other way, with US same-store sales up in each of the last five quarters.More Consumer Stocks:Starbucks CEO silently repeats Chipotle’s playbookAlbertsons stock in hot water after sobering revealNike stock could suffer because of JPMorgan verdictBurger King’s US same-store sales rose 8.5% in the second quarter, CNBC reported. That result beat McDonald’s, which grew just 0.8%, and it towered over Wendy’s decline.The credit goes to a plan the company started in September 2022. Burger King committed $400 million to a program called “Reclaim the Flame,” according to StockTitan.What Burger King actually changed to win customers backThe money went to three things.The first was food. Burger King upgraded core items, including new buns and better mayo on the Whopper, to bring back customers who had drifted away.The second was the kitchen. The company spent on digital tools and equipment to speed up drive-thru lines and cut order mistakes.The third was the buildings. Burger King co-invested with strong franchisees to remodel old stores and take over locations from operators who went bankrupt.That last point matters for investors. A cleaner, faster restaurant lifts sales per location, and higher sales per location is what pulled Burger King past Wendy’s.

Burger King’s US sales rose 8.5% in the second quarter, helping it pass Wendy’s for the No. 2 spot.Manuel Milan / Getty Images

Inside Restaurant Brands’ second-quarter numbersRestaurant Brands earned an adjusted $1.07 per share, beating the $1.03 that Wall Street expected, CNBC reported. Revenue came in at $2.52 billion, up about 4.5% from a year earlier.Companywide same-store sales rose 3.8%, and systemwide sales grew 6.4%, according to a Restaurant Brands press release.Here is how the four burger players compared on US same-store sales for the quarter:Q2 2026 US same-store salesBurger King: +8.5%McDonald’s: +0.8%Tim Hortons (Canada): +0.1%Wendy’s: -7.0%Popeyes: -5.2%One brand carried the quarter. The others stayed flat or fell.Why QSR stock slipped even after a strong quarterThe stock did not rally on the news.QSR shares slipped about 1.6% in Thursday trading, even with the earnings beat, Yahoo Finance reported. The stock closed at $73.89 on Thursday, August 7.The reason sits in the rest of the portfolio. Popeyes posted a 5.2% drop in US same-store sales, its sixth straight quarter of decline. Related: Coca-Cola absorbs margin hit for expansion in key marketTim Hortons grew just 0.1% in Canada.So investors saw one brand doing the heavy lifting while two others struggled. That mix explains the muted reaction.The company also kept returning cash. Restaurant Brands handed $435 million back to shareholders through dividends and buybacks in the quarter, according to Investing.com.The Popeyes problem QSR still has to fixPopeyes is the clearest drag on the company right now. The chain is in its worst sales slump in more than two decades. Its rapid growth after the 2019 chicken sandwich launch left many kitchens hard to run, and some large operators fell into bankruptcy, which forced store closures.Management has a fix underway called “Easy to Love,” aimed at full US rollout by the end of 2026. The plan simplifies the menu, adds automation to speed up cooking, and introduces modern digital ordering systems.CEO Josh Kobza told investors he expects Popeyes same-store sales to start growing again in the second half of 2026, CNBC reported.Until that happens, Popeyes will keep pulling down the company’s overall growth rate.Wendy’s cut its dividend, and that changes the comparisonWendy’s did not just lose a ranking. It changed how it pays shareholders.In the same week, Wendy’s withdrew its full-year 2026 outlook and cut its quarterly dividend in half, from 14 cents to 7 cents per share, Bloomberg reported. New CEO Bob Wright said the company is not performing at its potential, but is building a turnaround plan.That matters for income investors weighing the two stocks. A dividend cut signals that a company needs to protect cash, while Restaurant Brands raised its payout for an 11th straight year, Investing.com reported.QSR pays a quarterly dividend of $0.65 per share. At the recent price of close to $74, that works out to a yield of about 3.5%.How QSR stock stacks up against McDonald’s and Wendy’s for investorsThe three burger stocks now sit in very different places.Wendy’s trades cheap, but the low price comes with a cut dividend and a withdrawn forecast, so the discount reflects real trouble rather than a bargain. McDonald’s trades at a premium and offers stability, but its 0.8% US sales growth shows little near-term momentum.Restaurant Brands sits in the middle. Building on the Burger King recovery, it offers faster growth than McDonald’s, plus a dividend that is still rising, unlike Wendy’s.Three things QSR investors should watch next:Whether Popeyes returns to positive same-store sales in the second half, as management promised.Whether Tim Hortons can move beyond flat growth in Canada.Whether Burger King holds its lead over Wendy’s, since Wendy’s is now planning its own recovery.What the quarter means if you own, or are eyeing, QSRThe main takeaway is simple. Burger King is no longer the company’s weak spot, and that removes a long-standing worry for shareholders.But one strong brand does not represent the whole company. Total returns will stay capped until management applies the Burger King playbook to Popeyes and Tim Hortons.If you already own QSR, the dividend and the Burger King recovery give you reasons to hold. If you are looking to buy, the second-quarter Popeyes report is the number to watch, because that is where the next leg of growth has to come from.None of this is a promise of gains. A recovery at one brand can stall, and beef and chicken costs can squeeze franchisee profits. The Burger King turnaround shows the company can fix a struggling brand. Now it has to prove it can do that twice more.Related: Coca-Cola keeps beating its rivals, and Wall Street noticed

How did burrito pricing spark a right-wing media civil war? A look at the ecosystem’s divide over affordability.

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 we love this dealNow that summer is here, we’re thinking of all the ways to upgrade our outdoor spaces. Patio sets are a favorite, as they’re the perfect spots to sit and gather with friends and family. But if you have more room to spare, or want an outdoor piece that’s sole purpose is for relaxation, consider adding an outdoor swing glider to your patio makeover shopping list.The Costway 3-Seater Patio Swing Glider is an adorable choice that offers not just style, but also comfort as it comes with a built-in canopy. It’s on sale for only $88 with a Walmart deal. That’s a total of $91 in savings and 51% off its regular price of $179.Costway 3-Seater Patio Swing Glider with Canopy, $88 (was $179) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?If you think an outdoor rocking chair is soothing, just wait until you experience the relaxation effect of a patio swing. On top of a gentle rocking motion that could lull anyone to sleep, this outdoor must-have features a soft cushion with thick foam padding and a removable Oxford fabric cover. The seat is 51 inches long with a backrest that’s 18 inches high, with more than enough space to fit up to three people or one person who wants to curl up and lounge or nap outside. Unlike some other patio swings, this glider comes with a built-in canopy that can protect you from the sun. It’s made of polyester that’s fade-resistant and drizzle-proof, keeping you safe from both the sun and light rain. Plus, it has a knob that can adjust the angle of the canopy.Complete with an A-shaped metal frame, this set is sturdy and durable. It’s made from powder-coated metal tubing that’s rustproof, and its spring hooks and non-slip foot pads make it extra secure. But as durable as it may be, it’s best to pair it with a furniture cover during harsher spring and summer rainy days to keep it in tip-top shape. The patio swing is available in seven colors. Our favorite has to be the green-and-white striped variation, as it’s a fun pattern that will pop in any outdoor space.Related: Walmart is selling an all-weather 3-piece patio set for just $67Details to knowDimensions: 67.5 inches long by 43.5 inches wide by 60.5 inches high.Canopy dimensions: 64.5 inches long by 47 inches wide.Colors: Seven.Weight capacity: Up to 500 pounds.”This has become my favorite piece of outdoor furniture,” one reviewer said. “It’s comfortable and sturdy enough for my elderly mother to sit on it and get up from it without assistance.” They added that they like how the adjustable canopy ensures they’re protected from the sun, and they’re thinking about getting another one.Shop more dealsCostway Loveseat Patio Swing Glider with Canopy, $79 (was $129) at WalmartArlopu 3-Seater Porch Swing with Convertible Canopy, $171 (was $320) at WalmartGartoo 3-Seater Outdoor Patio Swing with Converting Canopy, $110 at WalmartThe Costway 3-Seater Patio Swing Glider with Canopy is a cute and stylish outdoor upgrade, but act fast before this deal goes away.

U.S. stock-index futures were little changed on Sunday, after new demands from Iran raised fresh doubts about the Strait of Hormuz reopening anytime soon and as investors await key inflation data later this week.

For much of the last two years, Wall Street’s primary concern about enterprise software has been the commoditization of workplace applications by artificial intelligence. If AI assistants can write code, summarize meetings, manage projects and automate procedures, why would organizations pay high fees for traditional software platforms?Investors got an entirely different answer in Atlassian’s most recent quarterly earnings.The manufacturer of Jira, Confluence, and other workplace communication software reported another solid earnings report that outperformed Wall Street estimates and gave bullish guidance, Barron’s noted. More crucially, executives viewed AI as a consumer adoption enabler, not a threat to their company model.The results point to a developing trend in corporate software: Organizations already at the heart of workplace productivity might be among the largest winners from AI, not the biggest losers.Investors reacted similarly, pushing Atlassian shares significantly higher after earnings as analysts re-evaluated both growth estimates and the company’s long-term AI promise.AI feels less like a replacement for Atlassian’s products and more like a feature being built into them, allowing customers to automate operations while staying inside the company’s software ecosystem. That dynamic could become one of the largest competitive advantages for enterprise software companies in the coming few years.The market’s reaction suggests investors increasingly agree with that assessment, according to Business Insider.Atlassian says AI is helping expand its enterprise opportunityThe headline stats were stunning all by themselves.Revenue and profitability beat analyst estimates, and management provided projections pointing to ongoing demand from enterprise clients in an uncertain macroeconomic climate.But perhaps the largest takeaway was the management’s remark regarding artificial intelligence.More AI:Nvidia just made a move Wall Street wasn’t ready forMicrosoft just took sides in AI policy fightOpenAI just disclosed something genuinely alarmingRather than portraying AI as a disruptive force that may put pressure on pricing or lower demand for software, executives described it as another capacity that made Atlassian’s products more useful to customers.AI-powered features continue to roll out across Jira, Confluence, and other cloud services to automate documentation, software development workflows, and project management chores.That matters because Atlassian’s business relies so strongly on being deeply embedded in customer processes, Investing.com confirmed. With each new AI capability, switching costs rise, and the company drives more adoption of the platform.The message to investors was important.While a lot of software equities have traded the last two years on the premise that generative AI might ultimately squeeze margins and erode competitive moats, Atlassian’s results imply the reverse is happening.As firms invest more substantially in AI, they seem willing to invest more heavily in platforms that can organize work around these artificial intelligence systems.

Atlassian’s quarter may force Wall Street to rethink software.Bloomberg / Getty Images

Wall Street may be rethinking the enterprise software tradeAtlassian’s earnings are coming at a pivotal moment for software investors.For months, analysts have been arguing about whether AI agents could lower demand for many office software subscriptions.Recent reports from a variety of corporate software firms have instead shown organizations continuing to spend aggressively on productivity platforms while at the same time ramping up their AI expenditures.Those trends are not incompatible.If anything, AI might increase the need for centralized collaboration software, since enterprises would need a common platform to coordinate employees, projects, and autonomous agents.Key takeaways from Atlassian’s earningsAtlassian reported quarterly revenue and earnings above Wall Street expectations, Reuters reported.Management highlighted continued enterprise demand across its software platform.AI features are expanding across Jira, Confluence, and other cloud products.Executives described AI as an opportunity to strengthen customer adoption, rather than replace existing software.Investors responded positively, sending shares sharply higher following the earnings report.Analysts increasingly view enterprise AI as complementary to established software platforms instead of disruptive to them.That stance gives firms like Atlassian a chance to monetize AI with premium capabilities without giving up the subscription economics that investors love.The company’s cloud-first strategy also lets it deliver AI capability more quickly than many traditional software competitors.There’s still some macroeconomic uncertainty, but Atlassian increasingly appears like an infrastructure provider for enterprise AI adoption, not a victim of it.That difference could become increasingly crucial for investors evaluating which software businesses are best positioned for the next wave of AI spending.Rather than validating the bear argument, Atlassian’s last quarter may have punctured one of Wall Street’s most persistent preconceptions about enterprise software.Related: Meta weighs drastic workforce decision after $135 billion guide

The Toronto Blue Jays’ superstar slugger was the focus of the prime minister as the team fails to meet expectations.

Two days before Argus Research spoke, investors were heavily selling SpaceX (SPCX) stock.The company had just posted its first earnings report as a public firm, and the market focused on one number: how much SpaceX is spending on artificial intelligence. The stock fell. Then Argus looked at the same report and reached the opposite conclusion.On August 7, the firm upgraded SpaceX to Buy from hold. The market had been treating AI spending as a problem. Argus decided it was the reason to own the stock.Shares responded fast. SPCX rose 15.8% in a single session, closing at $133.11.For investors, the difference in views raises a practical question. When a stock drops on the same news that makes one firm bullish, who is reading it correctly, and what should you do about it?What the Argus upgrade actually says about SpaceX stockArgus analyst Steven Silver moved SpaceX to Buy and set a $160 price target, according to CNBC.That target sits well above where the stock trades now. From the $133.11 close on August 7, $160 implies room to rise further.Silver’s reasoning is direct. He said he is encouraged by the fast payback on SpaceX’s AI spending, because the company is adding computing capacity quickly.More SpaceX Stock:JPMorgan resets SpaceX price target after earningsJim Cramer sees the writing on the wall for SpaceX investorsSpaceX wins $1.6 billion Space Force launch contractThe $160 target values SpaceX at about 20 times its estimated 2027 revenue, TipRanks reported. Argus expects that revenue to reach $110 billion in 2027.That is a high multiple. It only holds if SpaceX keeps growing at the pace it just showed.Why SpaceX’s AI spending scared the market firstSpaceX spent $18.4 billion on capital projects in the second quarter. About $15.83 billion of that went to AI infrastructure, far above what analysts had modeled, CNBC reported.Wall Street had estimated roughly $13 billion. The real figure was much larger, and management signaled similar spending ahead.SpaceX is pouring cash into data centers and computing power now, and the payoff comes later.When a company spends that far ahead of its earnings, investors worry the returns may never catch up. That fear drove the sell-off.The AI segment still lost money in the quarter. Its operating loss was about $1.3 billion.

Argus upgraded SpaceX to buy days after the market sold the stock off on its AI spending.NurPhoto / Getty Images

How Argus reads the same numbers differentlyArgus did not get new data. It weighed the numbers already released and judged the spending as an investment that is working.The key figure is a comment from SpaceX finance chief Bret Johnsen. He said the company is getting less than a one-year payback on some of its AI computing spending, according to Benzinga.A one-year payback means the money spent on a data center is earned back within about 12 months. That is fast for infrastructure this large.The demand behind it is real. SpaceX signed $14.1 billion in new cloud contracts during the quarter, then added $6.7 billion more early in the third quarter.Its AI revenue rose 247% from a year earlier, to about $2.56 billion. Customers already include Google and Anthropic.The revenue growth that supports the bull caseBehind the AI debate is a business growing quickly.SpaceX reported second-quarter revenue of $7.81 billion, up 92% from a year earlier. That beat the $6.93 billion analysts expected. Its net loss narrowed to $541 million.Starlink, the satellite internet service, remains the engine. It posted a $1.66 billionoperating profit in the quarter and now serves 12 million subscribers across more than 160 markets.Related: SpaceX stock defies latest Wall Street forecastsThe company projects an annualized revenue rate approaching $100 billion by the end of 2026.Elon Musk moved his $1 trillion annual revenue goal forward to 2030 from 2031.Those are targets, not results. But the quarter gave the bulls, including Argus, a concrete reason to believe the growth is arriving.SpaceX stock since its IPOSpaceX went public on June 12 at $135 a share. It climbed above $225 within its first week, then fell for five straight weeks.Since the public offering SPCX is down about 17%. The stock sits well below its June high of $225.64, which is also its 52-week high.The broader market went the other way. The S&P 500 is up about 13% for the year, as of early August.So a buyer of SPCX at the IPO is still losing money on that trade, while a buyer of an index fund has made a gain.That gap is exactly what Argus is betting will close.What still has to happen for the $160 target to workAn upgrade is a forecast, not a guarantee. Several things must go right for SpaceX to reach $160.Four things the bull case needsAI revenue keeps scaling. The $2.56 billion needs to keep climbing to justify the spending.The AI segment turns profitable. It reached positive adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), but still loses money on an operating basis.Selling pressure fades. On August 6, a lockup ended and freed 911.5 million insider shares, more than doubling the tradable float.Spending stays disciplined. Full-year capital spending is tracking toward roughly $65 billion.Other firms remain more cautious. Piper Sandler holds a neutral rating with a $140 target, citing valuation and the end of the share lockup.What investors should take from the Argus callArgus’s upgrade is not a guarantee that SpaceX stock will climb back up soon.It tells you that at least one experienced firm sees SpaceX’s AI spending as a good move, and it puts a target of $160 on that view.However, the stock is volatile, and more shares will keep unlocking through December. That means further price swings are likely, regardless of what the long-term outcome may be.A practical approach lies in these two questions:First, do you believe SpaceX can turn its spending into profit over several years? Second, is today’s price a reasonable entry point given the possibility of more near-term selling?Argus answered yes to the first. The second is a decision only you can make.Related: Peter Schiff says SpaceX is a warning for hyped stocks

Imagine the correct Republican outcry if the Democrats honored one of their own with unilateral taxing power on the richest Americans?