July 15, 2026

This week’s Stifel Bits is being brought to you by our
CIO Office summer interns. Enjoy!

The Appetizer

“I didn’t know that at the World Cup, the 5th of July is actually the first of April – it’s ‘April Fools’ [Day].”

• Belgium Men’s National Team Head Coach Rudi Garcia, reacting after U.S. Soccer’s Folarin Balogun’s red card was overturned, reportedly following a phone call from the U.S. President to the FIFA President.

Now, on to the numbers. Drum roll, please …

• 66: The number of hot dogs Joey “Jaws” Chestnut ate in 10 minutes to win his 18th Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest title.
• 49%: The percentage of adults under age 30 who say they lived with a parent in 2025, up from 37% in 2019.
• 200: The number of consecutive hours Figure’s humanoid robots operated while processing 250,000 packages without failure.
• 52 years: The age of Bangkok’s famous “forever soup,” a beef broth continuously simmered and replenished at Wattana Panich since 1974.
• 44 days: The time it took Grand Canyon River guide Kelsey Pfendler to complete a 2,300-mile ocean-rowing journey.

Dig In
Earnings Season

Second quarter earnings season is about to begin, and it arrives at an interesting moment. Companies are expected to grow earnings by roughly 24% year over year – a remarkably strong pace. What makes this even more unusual is that analysts have actually raised their expectations as the quarter progressed, reversing the typical trend of downward revisions. Corporate outlooks have been encouraging as well, with more companies raising guidance than cutting it.

The results will roll out in a telling order. Banks kick things off in mid-July, providing an early read on consumer health, credit conditions, and the broader economy. The large technology companies follow later in the month, with investors focused on whether massive investments in artificial intelligence are beginning to translate into real business results. Nvidia – the company many view as the face of the AI boom – will close out the season in late August.

The catch is that expectations are already very high, leaving little room for disappointment. This earnings season will be an important test for markets, as investors look for evidence that AI-related spending is generating real business benefits. Strong earnings and positive outlooks could reinforce optimism, while earnings misses, more cautious guidance, or renewed tensions in the Middle East could weigh on sentiment and increase volatility.

To learn more, read our latest Sight|Lines.

Weekly Specials

A rare copy of the Declaration of Independence just turned up in an unlikely place – tucked away with old British naval records, spotted by a sharp-eyed volunteer archivist. Printed just days after the original, it’s one of only 11 known copies in existence, and the only one ever found outside the United States. Not bad for a document that spent centuries hiding in plain sight.

An $11 billion bank merger has uncovered a surprisingly fierce debate: what counts as real chili. Not every merger battle plays out in the boardroom. Since Cincinnati-based Fifth Third agreed to acquire Dallas-based Comerica, employees have been sparring over beans, spaghetti, and whose regional recipe reigns supreme. Synergies, apparently, do not extend to the lunch menu.

A dog walker in Buenos Aires turned his daily route into a World Cup parade. After Argentina’s win over Cape Verde, Nahuel Meneghini dressed his pack of 13 dogs in the national team’s jerseys and led them through the city. The result: a very good boy brigade that drew photos, smiles, and cheers from fans along the way.

Corporate Lunch

Solstice Advanced Materials is buying Element Solutions, expanding into AI infrastructure and data center cooling. The AI boom needs air conditioning!

Google is backing German startup Proxima Fusion, chasing Europe’s first commercial fusion plant. Basically, betting on the sun in a box.

Toyota will spend $3.6 billion moving Tacoma truck production from Mexico to San Antonio, creating about 2,000 jobs. Made in America, one pickup truck at a time.

Smucker’s $5 billion bet on Hostess was meant to supercharge snacks but brought write-downs and weak demand instead. The Twinkie may outlast the payoff.