
Is BigBear.ai Stock (BBAI) a Good Buy After the Q2 Setback?
Elevate Your Investing Strategy:
Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence.
For context, BigBear.ai delivers AI-powered decision support solutions, mainly serving the U.S. defense, intelligence, and federal government sectors.
BigBear.ai Misses Expectations in Q2
In Q2, the company's revenue fell by 18% year-over-year to $32.5 million, missing analyst projections of $40.59 million. It was primarily due to reduced activity on select U.S. Army programs.
On the earnings side, BigBear.ai reported an adjusted loss of $0.71 per share, marking a steep miss compared to the consensus forecast for a $0.06 loss.
Wall Street Stays Bullish on BBAI
Despite the disappointing results, Wall Street analysts expressed support for BBAI stock, choosing to look past short-term challenges.
Analyst Scott Buck at H.C. Wainwright reiterated his Buy rating but trimmed his price target from $9 to $8. Buck argued that Q2 results weren't surprising given similar delays affecting other defense companies. He expects revenue visibility to improve as the business approaches 2026 and sees BigBear.ai benefiting long-term from the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' which boosts investment in its core areas. He also highlighted that the company ended Q2 2025 with over $390 million in cash, providing flexibility for reinvestment and acquisitions.
Similarly, five-star-rated analyst Jonathan Ruykhaver of Cantor Fitzgerald maintained a Buy rating and raised his price target to $6 from $5 per share. Ruykhaver pointed to meaningful progress in key areas, including enhancements to core products and improved balance sheet strength. Notably, the company's backlog rose 42.9% year-over-year to $380 million, suggesting healthy demand and improved revenue visibility. Overall, he views the expanding backlog and ongoing strategic initiatives as key factors supporting his Buy rating and a higher price target.
Is BBAI a Good Stock to Buy?
On TipRanks, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on BBAI stock, based on two Buys and one Hold assigned in the last three months. The average BigBear.ai share price target is $5.75, which implies a downside of 0.17% from current levels.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Twenty years ago, my research exposed one of the biggest corporate scandals in U.S. history: It taught me that fraud is everywhere, just waiting to be revealed
Twenty years ago, I published a paper that helped uncover one of the largest corporate scandals in U.S. history. More than 100 public companies were implicated, dozens of executives resigned or faced criminal charges, and billions in earnings had to be restated. I never intended to be a whistleblower. I was simply doing what academics are trained to do: ask questions, follow the data, and let the evidence speak. But what the evidence revealed was staggering: executives at hundreds of companies were manipulating stock option grant dates to enrich their executives at the expense of shareholders. The practice became known as backdating. Now, on the 20th anniversary of that research, I see troubling parallels emerging in other corners of the financial world. A pattern too precise to be chance My journey into this murky corner of corporate behavior began with a desire to understand how executive compensation influenced firm decisions. While analyzing large datasets of compensation and stock prices, I noticed something peculiar: stock option grants often coincided with recent dips in the company's share price. Too often. The pattern was statistically improbable. It was as if executives had a crystal ball, repeatedly receiving options at the most opportune moment. But the truth was more mundane—and more troubling. Companies were retroactively selecting grant dates that coincided with low stock prices, effectively locking in instant, unearned gains. This allowed executives to buy shares at a discount while maintaining the illusion that they had to earn the discount by lifting the stock price. The simplicity of the scheme What made the fraud so insidious was its simplicity. Backdating didn't require complex financial engineering or elaborate cover-ups. It was a quiet manipulation of paperwork—choosing a date in the past when the stock price was low and pretending that was the day the options were granted. That simplicity likely contributed to its spread. There's evidence that individuals on multiple boards passed along the practice. But even isolated executives and directors could easily conceive the scheme, much like someone backdating a check to make it appear they paid a bill on time. Hidden in plain sight What struck me most was that backdating went unnoticed for at least a decade. It was a silent epidemic of opportunism. The option grant data was public. Thousands of participants were involved. Surely some auditors must have seen isolated traces of the fraud. But no one connected the dots. My research, combined with a timely nudge, eventually prompted the SEC to launch targeted investigations. Journalists followed, including a team at The Wall Street Journal with the time, resources, and incentives to pursue the story. Their work earned the paper its first Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. Parallels in other scandals I've since seen parallels of backdating in other financial scandals. For example, backdating is not the only fraud that depends on simply picking prices from the past. Bernie Madoff's infamous Ponzi scheme used fabricated trades based on stale prices. Remarkably, Madoff's investors accepted these reports for years, despite the implausibility of the returns. Similarly, the mutual fund late-trading scandal allowed favored clients to illegally trade mutual funds late in the evening at stale prices from the end of the trading day. These cases show how much easier it is to perform well when you can reach back in time and choose a favorable moment to act. Today, I worry that similar dynamics may be unfolding in private equity. Many funds report valuations based on internal or third-party estimates shortly after acquiring assets. These valuations often appear inflated—sometimes even acknowledged as such by the firms themselves. Yet these funds are increasingly included in pension portfolios, exposing everyday investors to risks—and potentially fraud—they may not fully understand. The paradox of corporate fraud That's the paradox of corporate fraud: it's both obvious and invisible. The data is often there. The patterns are detectable. But with silent perpetrators, the deception persists. What gives me hope is that our tools for detecting fraud are more powerful than ever. We have better data, sharper analytical methods, and a growing community of skeptical citizen watchdogs. Because the next scandal won't be stopped by regulators alone. It will be stopped by someone who notices a pattern, asks a question, and refuses to look away. The opinions expressed in commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune. This story was originally featured on Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data


Business Insider
3 hours ago
- Business Insider
Seeking Up to 11% Dividend Yield? Analysts Pick 2 Dividend Stocks to Buy
The stock markets hit a low in April, and have since shown a tremendous rebound – but can it last? That's the question investors are wrestling with now, and it seems they are getting some pointers from Barry Bannister, chief equity strategist at Stifel. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Bannister believes that the stock rebound – fueled by the AI boom, and the rush of capital spending as companies moved to get ahead of tariffs during the first half of the year – is simply not sustainable, noting that the S&P 500 is trading at a historically high valuation. 'Valuation doesn't matter until it does,' Bannister says, and adds that he can see the S&P 500 index falling as low as 5,500, for a drop of nearly 15%. Despite this downbeat outlook, Bannister is not recommending that investors get out of the market. He's recommending, instead, that investors make defensive moves to seek protection from a turndown. That outlook will naturally push investors' attention toward high-yield dividend stocks. These represent the classic defensive play, and for good reason. Dividends offer investors a steady income stream, and high-yield dividends guarantee a sound return well above the rate of inflation. Against this backdrop, we've opened up the TipRanks database to take a look at two dividend stocks that the analysts are picking out as Buys. These are dividend stocks offering yields as high as 11%, a solid return by any standard. Let's give them a closer look. Ellington Financial (EFC) The first stock we'll look at here, Ellington Financial, is a REIT, a real estate investment trust. These companies operate through strategic investments, mainly in real properties, mortgages, and mortgage-related assets, in both the residential and commercial spheres. Ellington's particular strategy involves building a diverse investment portfolio, made up of both residential and commercial mortgage loans, along with residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities, as well as other assets, including consumer loans, collateralized loan obligations, and various mortgage-related and non-mortgage-related securities and derivatives. Ellington's main goal in building this portfolio is to generate returns for its stockholders – in the company's words, 'attractive risk-adjusted total returns.' Ellington's strategy is opportunistic, targeting remunerative investments, but the company takes a defensive posture as well, investing across a wide range of sectors to capitalize on disparate strengths in its portfolio and making risk management a key part of its activities. As of June 30 this year, Ellington Financial had a total of $16.1 billion in assets under management. This portfolio is managed by an experienced team – the company's portfolio managers average 30 years of industry experience. These features of Ellington's business, its focus on shareholder returns and the long experience of its management team, have helped the company to cement a reputation as a high-quality dividend payer. The company's dividend features a high yield, as well as a monthly payment schedule. The last declaration, made on August 7 for a September 30 payment, was for 13 cents per common share. That dividend annualizes to $1.56 per share and gives a powerful forward yield of 11.5%. In its 2Q25 financial report, Ellington listed its quarterly adjusted distributable earnings as $45 million, or 47 cents per share. This was more than enough to fully cover the dividend, which currently comes to 39 cents per quarter. Covering this stock for Piper Sandler, following the Q2 print, analyst Crispin Love laid out a clear case for investors to go long on EFC: 'Ellington posted a beat this quarter with strength in both its credit and Longbridge strategies. In April around the market volatility, Ellington saw opportunities to deploy capital in its core credit strategies and also saw attractive opportunities in securities. Following the volatility, EFC was able to complete six securitizations in the quarter, which is a record for the company. The company also experienced success from its loan originator platforms, and we would not be surprised to see more partnerships and equity stakes over the intermediate term. Specifically, if there is GSE reform it could limit Fannie and Freddie's footprint and provide opportunities for Ellington to grow further in the non-QM space which is an area of expertise. Management was positive on the forward earnings trajectory and continued coverage of the $0.39 dividend.' These comments back up Love's Overweight (i.e., Buy) rating, and his $14.50 price target implies a gain of 5.5% in the next 12 months. But with the dividend yield included the upside can reach 17%. (To watch Love's track record, click here) There are 7 recent analyst reviews on record for Ellington, and the 5-to-2 split, favoring Buys over Holds, supports a Moderate Buy consensus rating. The Street's average target of $14.25 is the same as Love's. (See EFC stock forecast) LPG) Our world runs on energy, and the next company on our list here, Dorian LPG, is a leading carrier of that energy. Dorian is an owner/operator of very large gas carriers, VLGC vessels, which are the largest ocean-going carriers of liquefied petroleum gas, an important fuel in the world economy. The core of Dorian's business is its fleet of ships. The company maintains a modern fleet of VLGCs, with the oldest ship dating back to 2007. Most of the company's vessels were launched much more recently, in 2015, and the newest vessels in the fleet were launched in 2023. The vessels have an average age of 8 years, and their aggregate carrying capacity is some 2.1 million cubic meters of LPG. Dorian owns 21 of its ships, and operates the others on charter agreements. Most of the ships in Dorian's fleet are flagged in the Bahamas, although several are flagged in Liberia, Madeira, or Panama. The company is headquartered in Connecticut and has offices in Copenhagen and Athens. The international office footprint, and varying flags, are also common on the world's oceangoing cargo carriers. Dorian finished its last quarter, fiscal 1Q26 (June quarter), with just over $278 million in cash and liquid assets. The company pays an irregular dividend, meaning it has no obligation to pay out, or to maintain dividend payments at any level; while this poses risks for investors, it also allows the company to adjust the dividend to keep them affordable. That said, Dorian has been paying out dividends since 2021, and has not missed a quarterly payment in that time. The most recent dividend, declared on August 1 for payment on the 27th, set the rate at 60 cents per share. This dividend annualizes to $2.40 per common share, and gives a forward yield of 8%. On the financial side, Dorian generated $84.2 million in total revenues during its fiscal first quarter, a total that was down 26% year-over-year and fell shy of analyst expectations by $2.3 million. Additionally, adj. EPS of $0.27 missed the Street's forecast by $0.34. Despite the weak report, Jefferies analyst Omar Nokta remains bullish on the stock, writing: 'Dorian reported softer than expected fiscal 1Q26 results mainly due to higher G&A and higher drydocking costs, and also slightly lower than expected revenues… We view this earnings miss as a one-off… VLGC spot rates have strengthened materially and are at 2025 highs, setting up a very strong upcoming result next quarter and potentially a higher dividend… The company remains dedicated to returning capital to shareholders, and its shares trade at a discount to our NAV valuation of $33.80/sh… Dorian is our top pick in the LPG space, and we remain constructive on the name.' The 5-star analyst rates LPG shares as a Buy, and gives them a price target of $35, pointing toward a one-year gain of 16.5%. (To watch Nokta's track record, click here) There are only 2 recent analyst reviews on file for Dorian, but both are positive, giving the stock its Moderate Buy consensus rating. The shares are priced at $30.06, and the $33 average price target implies a 10% upside potential on the one-year horizon. (See LPG stock forecast) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks' Best Stocks to Buy, a tool that unites all of TipRanks' equity insights.


Business Insider
3 hours ago
- Business Insider
The Week That Was, The Week Ahead: Macro & Markets, August 17, 2025
Everything to Know about Macro and Markets Stocks ended the week on a soft note, still managing to lock in back-to-back weekly gains. The S&P 500 (SPX) rose 0.94% for the week, and the Nasdaq-100 (NDX) inched up 0.43%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was the standout, delivering a weekly gain of 1.74%. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. A Week of Contrasts After a red Monday, all three major indexes reached all-time highs on Tuesday. This followed in-line CPI data, which bolstered bets that the Fed would deliver its first rate cut of 2025 in September – traders have priced in nearly a 100% chance of a 25-bps easing. Stocks extended gains on Wednesday: the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit new ATHs again amid remarks from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging a 50-bps cut based on downward revisions in payroll data. Wall Street analysts began forecasting up to three cuts this year, citing a softer labor market, limited tariff pass-through to consumer prices, and the appointment of Trump's temporary Fed board pick. But those forecasts were questioned Thursday when PPI, which tracks wholesale price trends, came in hotter than expected, denting sentiment and clouding the Fed outlook. Other economic reports pulled markets in opposing directions: July's industrial production was lackluster – although not recession-bellwether weak – while retail sales beat forecasts, underscoring resilient consumer demand despite high borrowing costs. Meanwhile, the UoM consumer sentiment unexpectedly slipped and inflation expectations rose, muddying the outlook for Fed cuts in September. On Friday, the Dow's gains were dominated by UnitedHealth's surge following Berkshire Hathaway's disclosure of a large stake in the embattled healthcare giant. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq's advances were tempered by tech weakness amid cautious corporate outlooks and persistent tariff concerns, particularly in semiconductors. This week featured leadership rotation: healthcare and small-caps rose, while semiconductors and tech lagged under the weight of inflation and trade worries. With mixed inflation and consumer data re-injecting uncertainty into the Fed policy outlook, all eyes now turn to Jackson Hole. Jerome Powell's speech on August 22 is the marquee event, expected to instantly influence markets. A dovish tone could broaden the rally, boosting small caps, rate-sensitive areas, and tech. A hawkish stance – highlighting inflation risks or caution – could trigger sharp corrections and volatility, especially in growth and rate-sensitive sectors. Adaptability, Profitability, and Capex Economic data remains mixed – but corporate signals are broadly bullish, despite overbought pockets and uneven strength. As Benjamin Graham famously said, 'in the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine.' Prices may swing on sentiment or episodic events, but over time, earnings growth is what ultimately matters. On that front, Q2 2025 earnings have been compelling: over 90% of companies have reported, with average EPS growth near 11% year-over-year – versus expectations of 3-4% at the quarter's start. This follows a similar pattern seen in Q1 season. In the second quarter, 84% beat expectations, surprising by an average of 9%. U.S. companies' adaptability – particularly in counteracting tariff shocks – is helping shield both the economy and equity markets. Notably, S&P 500 forward 12-month EPS estimates are now at record highs, driven largely by tech megacap profitability and reinvestment. AI capex alone has contributed more to GDP growth in H1 2025 than consumer spending. While over the long term, consumer demand has been the undisputed engine of growth – megacaps' AI and cloud investment plans signal continued acceleration of their role in fueling the expansion. The sterling Q2 earning-growth results have broadly dispelled investor fears over trade policies weighing on the economy and corporate performance. FactSet reports that 'recession' mentions in earnings calls dropped nearly 70% from Q1 2025, hitting their lowest levels since 2005. Polymarket's 2025 recession odds plunged from over 65% in May to 12%, signaling there's no longer a belief that levies on imports mean a recession is imminent. Tariffs still get airtime, even if much less than in Q1 – but the C-suite and market participants now see them as manageable. Factors such as lower energy prices and decelerating housing-related inflation are further diluting the tariff impact. Strategists now expect any tariff impact on inflation to be delayed and muted, with economic growth holding relatively firm. Stocks That Made the News ▣ UnitedHealth (UNH) soared over 22% on the week after Berkshire Hathaway ($BRK.B) disclosed a new stake in the beaten-down healthcare provider. Warren Buffett's conglomerate acquired 5.04 million UNH shares valued at $1.57 billion. ▣ Applied Materials (AMAT) plunged 13% despite delivering record performance last quarter, as the chip equipment provider offered weaker-than-expected guidance amid weak China demand, stalled export license approvals, and uneven orders. Despite the near-term challenges, the company remains optimistic about mid-single-digit growth for fiscal 2025, driven by investments in U.S. manufacturing and advancements in semiconductor technology. ▣ Intel (INTC) was on the winning side of the semi trade, popping by over 22% on the week following reports that the Trump administration was mulling the potential for the government to take a stake in the embattled company to aid domestic chip manufacturing expansion. ▣ Palantir Technologies (PLTR) declined after Andrew Left, head of short-selling firm Citron Research, said he was betting against the company in light of its lofty valuation, which he called 'absurd.' ▣ Amazon (AMZN) rallied as analysts applauded analysts applauding its expansion into free same-day grocery delivery nationwide for Prime members. Evercore ISI said that this expansion deepens Amazon's customer engagement by strengthening a high-frequency purchase category into the Prime ecosystem, increasing stickiness and customer lifetime value. ▣ Oracle (ORCL) also bucked the down trend on Friday, rallying on news of expanded partnership with Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google Cloud. Under the collaboration, Oracle will integrate Google's Gemini AI models into Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). This allows Oracle's enterprise customers to access Google's Gemini AI capabilities – including multimodal understanding, coding assistance, and workflow automation – via OCI services, enhancing productivity and workflow automation. The deal – similar to one that Oracle struck with Elon Musk's xAI back in June – is expected to significantly broaden Oracle's AI offerings, advancing its strategy of offering a menu of AI options rather than trying to push its own technology exclusively. The Q2 2025 earnings season is winding down, but several notable releases are still scheduled for this week. These include: Palo Alto Networks (PANW), Home Depot (HD), Medtronic (MDT), Keysight Technologies (KEYS), TJX Companies (TJX), Lowe's (LOW), Analog Devices (ADI), Target (TGT), Walmart (WMT), Intuit (INTU), Workday (WDAY), and Ross Stores (ROST).