Bloom Energy and Dave & Buster’s have been highlighted as Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – April 17, 2026 – Zacks Equity Research shares Bloom Energy BE as the Bull of the Day and Dave & Buster’s PLAY as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Ford Motor Co. F, Tesla, Inc. TSLA and General Motors Co. GM.
Here is a synopsis of all five stocks.
Bloom Energy is the sole provider of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) to datacenters in this historic AI infrastructure buildout that traditional behind-the-meter power grids cannot support.
Even as gas turbine generators from GE Vernova and Caterpillar work to fill the gaps, they have quickly become sold-out through 2028.
That leaves Bloom in the sweet spot of the demand curve not just for datacenters, but also manufacturing, oil & gas, large utilities, healthcare, telecom, education, retail and other commercial and industrial sectors.
Fast, Clean, Reliable, Scalable
Bloom proprietary solid oxide technology converts fuel — natural gas, biogas, or hydrogen — into electricity without combustion, resulting in low or no CO2 emission, and zero water demands.
Generating about 300kW of power each, combined in multiple modules the Energy Servers can create a reliable always-on micro-grid.
I’ve written about Bloom extensively since we bought shares for my TAZR Trader portfolio in September near $70. Here was an update in late January…
Bloom Energy leads in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) for stationary on-site power, targeting data centers with efficient, grid-independent generation depand partners with Brookfield Corporation to supply datacenters with fast, clean, agile energy.
Bloom also recently inked a $2.65 billion deal with American Electric Power to provide fuel cells. I originally bought Bloom Energy shares in September because they had a chance to double revenues in under two years just like Generac did from 2020-2022 to $4.5 billion. Bloom Energy is projected to grow the topline by 38% this year to cross $2.6 billion.
(end of Jan notes)
In March, while tensions over Iran were rising, the AI infrastructure trade took a breather as oil prices and supply chain worries multiplied.
This sent BE shares below my suggested buy range of $130-140. On March 30th, I told my TAZR Trader group to grab more below $120. That proved to be a precision strike as the stock only stayed there for a few hours.
Oracle Re-Ups Their Orders
On April 13, the company announced a massive expansion of its partnership with Oracle to power the tech giant’s AI data center buildout.
Under the new master services agreement, Oracle plans to procure up to 2.8 gigawatts of Bloom’s SOFC systems, with an initial 1.2 gigawatts already contracted.
Some excerpts from the press release will highlight the potential of this deal and more to come for Bloom…
The expanded partnership underscores Bloom’s capability to provide fast, reliable power suited for AI workloads, which require rapid, load-following support that traditional grids were not designed to deliver. Bloom’s systems are built to support higher-density AI workloads more efficiently, with a technology platform aligned to emerging standards such as 800 V dc.
“By rapidly deploying Bloom’s reliable, efficient fuel cell energy, we are quickly meeting the demands of our customers across the United States,” said Mahesh Thiagarajan, executive vice president, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. “Together, Bloom and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure are building the power foundation and AI infrastructure to accelerate American AI leadership.”
This agreement builds on the companies’ existing partnership and reflects a broader shift toward distributed, onsite generation as a critical component of modern digital infrastructure. Bloom’s modular fuel cell systems can be deployed far faster than traditional power solutions, enabling customers to accelerate time-to-power and reduce project risk. Last year, Bloom Energy delivered a fully operational fuel cell system to Oracle in just 55 days — more than a month ahead of the anticipated 90-day deployment schedule.
Revenue and Profit Estimates on the Rise
In just the few business days of collecting updated analyst estimates since the announcement, the Zacks Revenue consensus for 2026 has risen to $3.25 billion, representing over 60% annual growth.
And the Zacks EPS consensus has climbed to $1.38, for an 80%+ advance. I expect both the top and bottom lines to keep adjusting upwards for the next week as all the analyst models are reworked and submitted.
One thing to keep in mind is how far behind Wall Street analysts have been on this one-of-a-kind growth story. Jefferies and Bank of America stand out as they maintained sub-$40 price targets in Q4 of 2025 and only raised them conservatively even as new deals rolled in like that with AEP.
But after this news, the Jefferies analyst felt compelled to raise their PT to $187 from $97 in what could be assessed as a reluctant mea culpa.
So while we wait once again for the Street to catch up, if you don’t own any Bloom Energy shares, I suggest buying now under $210. You could look to add to your position on a partial gap fill below $200.
Disclosure: Kevin Cook owns BE shares for the Zacks TAZR Trader portfolio.
Dave & Buster’s has been consistently in the cellar of the Zacks Rank for years now.
I recall writing about it in 2024 when the stock was in the $60s and $50s.
My colleague Shaun Pruitt took up the task in October when shares were around $18.
Here’s what he wrote on October 6…
Despite rumors, Dave & Buster’s is not closing down and is actually expanding with new locations under construction and strategic growth plans in place.
However, this transition has taken a toll on investor sentiment as Dave & Buster’s has had a slow recovery from pandemic-related struggles and a more inflation-conscious consumer. Trying to navigate a challenging operating environment, Dave & Buster’s stock has drifted toward new multi-year lows at under $20 a share.
Profitability Collapse & Cautious Outlook
Coming off a disappointing Q2 report, the decline in Dave & Buster’s profitability is more concerning due to a cautious outlook from its new CEO, Tarun Lal, who took over in May of 2024. Acknowledging strategic missteps and operational inefficiencies, Lal’s remarks have suggested a long road to recovery, which has further weighed on investor confidence.
This comes as Dave & Buster’s reported Q2 EPS of $0.40 last month, which plummeted from $1.12 per share in the comparative quarter and missed expectations of $0.88 by a grizzly 54%. Furthermore, Dave & Buster’s has missed EPS expectations in three of its last four quarterly reports with an average earnings surprise of -18.68%.
Highlighting Dave & Buster’s profitability collapse, Q2 net income was down 67% to $11.4 million versus $40.3 million a year ago. Dave & Buster’s EBITDA margins dropped to 23.3% from 27.2% in Q2 2024, attributed to rising operating costs and stagnant revenue.
(end of Shaun Pruitt article excerpts)
Two Quarters Later, the Decline is Worse
On March 31, PLAY delivered their Q4 FY’26 report with these highlights…
>>PLAY reported a Q4 loss of 35 cents per share, missing estimates and down from 66 cents EPS a year ago.
>>Revenues fell 0.9% to $529.6M as entertainment sales dropped 6.6% on weaker gaming demand.
>>Comparable sales declined 3.3%, while higher costs and weather disruptions pressured margins.
You can read more in this report: Dave & Buster’s Q4 Earnings & Revenues Miss Estimates, Down Y/Y
Subsequent to these data points and management commentary, analysts slashed their full year FY’27 estimates (began February), driving the Zacks EPS Consensus from a profit of 47-cents to a LOSS of 80-cents — representing an annual decline of 167%.
Next year’s forecasts were also flipped from profit to loss.
Bottom line: PLAY might be a fun place to take the family or watch a ball game with friends, but there’s no joy for your money here. The Zacks Rank will let you know when it’s play time again.
Additional content:
Why Is Ford Integrating Its EV Unit into Global Manufacturing Now?
Ford Motor Co. is restructuring its standalone electric vehicle division and will see the departure of Doug Field, its chief EV, digital and design officer, next month, after nearly five years leading its software-defined EV efforts.
Instead of appointing a new external leader, Ford is integrating its EV, digital and design operations into a global manufacturing unit under COO Kumar Galhotra. The newly formed Product Creation and Industrialization unit will function as an end-to-end organization focused on delivering an extensive rollout of products, software and services.
Meanwhile, Alan Clarke, head of the Advanced Electric Vehicle Development team behind the Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, has been promoted to vice president of Advanced Development Projects, with the California-based team continuing under a revised reporting structure. The upcoming vehicle, a midsize pickup based on Ford’s UEV platform and scheduled for release next year, was well positioned to carry forward within the new division.
Per Ford’s CEO Jim Farley, the new structure is designed to accelerate operations, reduce complexity and improve the quality and efficiency of digital experiences and vehicles.
Ford has aligned restructuring moves to achieve an 8% adjusted EBIT margin by 2029. The company also plans to refresh 80% of its North American lineup and 70% of its global lineup by volume by 2029, transition 90% of vehicles to updated electrical architectures with over-the-air capabilities by 2030 and offer electrified powertrains across roughly 90% of its global nameplates by that time. F carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
F’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
Ford has outperformed the Zacks Automotive-Domestic industry and its peer Tesla, Inc., but underperformed its arch-rival General Motors Co. in the last six months. Its shares have gained 6.6% against the industry’s decline of 6.4%. Tesla has lost 10.8%, while General Motors has gained 33.2% in the same period.
From a valuation perspective, F appears undervalued. Going by its price/sales ratio, the company is trading at a forward sales multiple of 0.29, lower than the industry’s 3.22. Tesla is trading at a forward sales multiple of 13.97, while General Motors is trading at 0.38.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ford’s 2026 EPS has moved up 7 cents in the past 90 days. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for F’s 2027 EPS has moved up 3 cents in the past 60 days.
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#1 Semiconductor Stock to Buy (Not NVDA)
The incredible demand for data is fueling the market’s next digital gold rush. As data centers continue to be built and constantly upgraded, the companies that provide the hardware for these behemoths will become the NVIDIAs of tomorrow.
One under-the-radar chipmaker is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. It specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don’t build. It’s just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.
See This Stock Now for Free >>
Ford Motor Company (F) : Free Stock Analysis Report
General Motors Company (GM) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (PLAY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Bloom Energy Corporation (BE) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
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