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Leidos and investment firm Altaris have completed their previously announced transaction to form a scaled U.S.-based joint venture for advancing security screening at airports, borders and critical infrastructure worldwide. Operating under the Analogic brand, the new company combines complementary security screening technologies, engineering expertise and advanced manufacturing capabilities, and Leidos will retain a significant minority ownership stake in it, maintaining its interests in a critical national security market. Leidos Chief Executive Officer Tom Bell said the joint venture creates an American innovator with the technology, talent and scale to address rapidly evolving global security screening needs, and that its launch sharpens the company's focus on the growth engines driving its NorthStar 2030 strategy. In parallel with the mission of the Analogic joint venture, Leidos will continue its work across the broader aviation ecosystem, including modernizing airports and air traffic systems. Leidos, headquartered in Reston, Virginia, reported annual revenues of approximately $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026, while Analogic is headquartered in Salem, New Hampshire, and Altaris manages $9+ billion of equity capital.

Truepic announced in September 2026 that its image and video authentication tools are now integrated into Verisk's ClaimSearch platform, allowing claims professionals to trigger authenticated visual evidence requests directly after a fraud alert and automate parts of the investigation workflow. The integration brings tamper-resistant, fraud-checked images and video into insurers' existing systems, potentially making Verisk's claims and fraud solutions more useful in day-to-day claims handling. The tie-up slots into Verisk's broader AI automation narrative alongside its ongoing rollout of tools such as XactAI and Premium Audit AI, which the company hopes will support subscription pricing power and offset pressure from softer transaction-based revenue tied to catastrophe activity. Verisk's narrative projects $3.8 billion in revenue and $1.3 billion in earnings by 2029, requiring 6.6% yearly revenue growth and a roughly $0.4 billion earnings increase from $885.5 million today, with a $234.76 fair value implying 43% upside. The key risk remains that insurers cutting data and analytics budgets could slow adoption of Verisk's expanding AI tools.

Sellafield Ltd. has selected an Amentum-led joint venture, OneAxIoM, as preferred supplier for its Projects and Asset Care Execution framework, a US$2.78 billion (£2.1 billion) program covering full lifecycle services for spent fuel management and related facilities. The framework carries an initial nine-year term with an optional six-year extension. Once contract terms are finalized, the preferred supplier status would deepen Amentum's presence in complex nuclear asset care, potentially broadening its long-cycle revenue base and reinforcing its capabilities in high-specification engineering and project delivery. The selection follows Amentum's up to US$406 million GBE N owner's engineer role for the UK small modular reactor program, underlining how much of the company's story now rests on long-duration nuclear and infrastructure work. Amentum's narrative projects $15.1 billion in revenue and $532.2 million in earnings by 2029, requiring 2.2% yearly revenue growth and about a $328 million earnings increase from $204.0 million today.

Charles River Associates raised its fiscal 2026 constant-currency revenue outlook to $805-$820 million from $785-$805 million, citing a healthy project pipeline. The guidance came alongside second-quarter fiscal 2026 results in which operating income rose 19.3% year over year to $23.5 million and operating margin expanded to 11.2% from 10.6%. Adjusted EBITDA increased 15.3% to $26.8 million, with margin improving to 12.7% from 12.4%, while adjusted net income rose 9% to $13.9 million. Revenue growth was broad-based: Legal & Regulatory services rose 10.1% and Management Consulting grew 25.5%, with Energy, Finance, Forensic Services, Intellectual Property, Life Sciences and Risk, Investigations & Analytics each posting double-digit growth, and the Antitrust & Competition Economics practice delivering its sixth consecutive record quarter. North American revenues rose 8.7% while international operations advanced 32.9%. On capital returns, the company repurchased 309,000 shares for $49.3 million at an average price of $160 per share in the first half of fiscal 2026 and paid $7.4 million in dividends and dividend equivalents, and its board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.57 per share in August 2026.

Leidos has appointed Jeff McElfresh, AT&T's chief operating officer, to its board of directors effective October 1. McElfresh's career at AT&T spans more than 30 years, and he currently oversees the company's $250 billion nationwide advanced connectivity infrastructure transformation, an expertise Leidos said aligns with its core digital work and expanding energy infrastructure business. In prior roles at AT&T he oversaw cybersecurity, data management, and labs, and before joining AT&T he began his career as a defense tech engineer on aerospace and maritime projects. His appointment increases the Leidos board to 11 members, and he will serve on the board's Corporate Governance and Ethics and Technology and Information Security committees. Board Chair Bob Shapard said McElfresh's experience and leadership will strengthen the board's independent oversight, while CEO Tom Bell said he looks forward to working with him as Leidos advances its NorthStar 2030 growth strategy.

FTI Consulting has appointed Christina Morris as a Senior Managing Director in its Healthcare Risk Management & Advisory practice, part of the firm's Forensic and Litigation Consulting segment. Based in Washington, D.C., Morris brings more than 25 years of experience helping global pharmaceutical and life sciences organizations modernize risk, regulatory compliance and quality operations, including work redesigning business processes and operating models through artificial intelligence, automation and process orchestration. In her new role, she will help clients apply automation, data, AI and business process management to strengthen compliance, reduce operational risk, improve audit readiness and build more resilient operating models. Before joining FTI Consulting, Morris was a Managing Director at a Big Four firm leading technology-driven transformation initiatives focused on AI, GenAI, hyperautomation and intelligent platforms, and she has held senior positions at Hoverstate, FrontierBPM and EY, with more than 10 years in the healthcare and life sciences industry. FTI Consulting has more than 8,100 employees in 32 countries and territories as of June 30, 2026, and generated $3.8 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2025.

UL Solutions Inc. launched a certification program for liquid cooling subassemblies that target powerful chips directly in AI data centers and other high-density computing systems. The Northbrook, Illinois-based company said the program evaluates eligible liquid-filled parts and subassemblies that move coolant through information and communication technology equipment, including cold plates, manifolds and quick disconnects. UL Solutions uses UL 4501, the Outline of Investigation for Safety, Performance and Interoperability of Liquid-Filled Components and Assemblies Used in Liquid Cooling Systems, to assess coolant compatibility, pressure and leak integrity, durability, liquid flow, interoperability, production controls and installation requirements. President and CEO Jennifer Scanlon said the certification helps IT equipment manufacturers demonstrate product performance and safety while giving data center operators greater confidence during integration, and Milan Dotlich, vice president and general manager of Data Center Solutions, said independent evaluation of liquid cooling components can help organizations deploy advanced computing systems with greater confidence. The company noted that global data center electricity use is expected to more than double between 2024 and 2030, and that cooling can account for up to 40% of a data center's energy use.

Leidos has introduced UpHold Effect Agentic SOC Automation, an agentic AI capability that uses AI agents around the clock to help security operations center teams identify threats requiring immediate action amid a deluge of cyber alerts. The capability is a feature within UpHold Effect, Leidos' offering for agentic cyber response and part of the UpHold product suite, and it works across an organization's existing security tools to investigate alerts, gather information and recommend next steps rather than requiring agencies to replace their existing systems. Customers determine how much authority the AI receives based on mission, risk tolerance and governance requirements, and recommendations and actions create auditable records showing what the AI observed, concluded and proposed or did. A FedRAMP Class D High deployment option is available, and the capability can also provide a pathway toward Department of war Impact Level 4 and 5 environments with appropriate government sponsorship. Steve Hull, president of Leidos Digital, said cyber teams need to keep pace with threats without giving up control, and that the capability can take on more of the investigative workload while giving agencies the flexibility to decide when AI recommends an action and when it is allowed to act. Leidos, headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 50,000 global employees, reported annual revenues of approximately $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026.

J.P. Morgan upgraded Bureau Veritas to "overweight" from "neutral" and raised its December 2027 price target to €34 from €28, citing faster organic growth and increased merger and acquisition activity. The inspection and certification company's shares closed at €26.57 on Sept. 28, according to the brokerage note dated Sept. 29. J.P. Morgan expects organic revenue growth of 6.8% in 2027 and 6.6% in 2028, above Bloomberg consensus estimates of 5.9% and 5.8%, respectively, with data-centre services expected to contribute about 1 percentage point to organic growth in 2027. The bank said 2026 should mark a trough in the company's growth cycle after project delays and disruption linked to the Middle East conflict, and it raised its 2027 revenue and earnings-per-share forecasts by 2% and 1.7%, respectively, while leaving 2026 estimates broadly unchanged. J.P. Morgan also pointed to scope for increased M&A after last week's capital markets day, where management raised its target leverage range to 1.5-2.0 times net debt to EBITDA, estimating Bureau Veritas could have more than €1 billion of excess cash available for acquisitions in 2027 within that framework.

FTI Consulting has appointed José Claudio Treviño as a Senior Managing Director and Leader of its Mexico Risk & Investigations practice, expanding the firm's financial crime, forensic investigations, ethics and compliance, and anti-corruption services across Mexico and Latin America. Treviño brings more than 23 years of experience in anti-bribery and corruption compliance, internal and external fraud matters, FCPA and UK Bribery Act issues, third-party risk management, and pre- and post-acquisition due diligence. He previously was a Partner in Deloitte's Spanish Latin America Forensic & Financial Crime practice, held senior forensic consulting leadership roles at KPMG Mexico, and served as head of Anti-Bribery & Corruption, Financial Crimes Compliance for HSBC in Mexico. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Forensic Interviewer and sits on the boards of the Instituto Mexicano de Mejores Prácticas Corporativas and the Asociación Mexicana de Integridad y Compliance. FTI Consulting has more than 8,100 employees in 32 countries and territories as of June 30, 2026, and generated $3.8 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2025.

Toshiya Kakiuchi, president of Mirairo, the company behind the digital disability certificate "Mirairo ID," has indicated a policy of expanding overseas the system for digitizing disability certificates that it has established in Japan. Mirairo ID has more than 650,000 users, and in April 2026 the company released "Mirairo Career," a service that serves as a connecting point between people with disabilities and companies. On July 1, 2026, the legally mandated employment rate for people with disabilities at general employers will be raised from 2.5% to 2.7%, increasing the importance of creating points of contact between companies and people with disabilities. Kakiuchi explained that the company will first build a system allowing people with disabilities visiting Japan to use Mirairo ID, targeting roughly the top 10 countries by inbound visitor numbers, and will then make it usable in each country. He noted that Japan established its disability certificate system in the 1940s and that Japan is about the only country able to pursue precise digitization through cooperation between the public and private sectors. He said that with an eye on the global market of people with disabilities, estimated at 1 billion to 1.6 billion, the effort is also important as the company aims to move from the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market to the Prime Market.

Leidos Holdings has picked up a fresh U.S. Army award of up to US$127 million for its ARTEMIS airborne intelligence platform, extending operations in Europe and potentially other regions through 2027. Leidos Holdings shares trade at US$123.61 after a 30 day share price decline of about 10%, though the 90 day share price return of roughly 21% and a 3 year total shareholder return close to 39% suggest longer term momentum has been stronger than the recent pullback. The most followed narrative for Leidos Holdings points to a fair value of $156.60, implying the stock is 21% undervalued against the last close of $123.61, a framework that uses a discount rate of 8.06% and links expected earnings, margin pressure, and contract risk into a single view of future cash flows and required return. That view assumes expected revenue growth of about 5.4% a year and a forecast profit margin near 7.6%. The story could be knocked off course if U.S. federal contract spending slows, or if acquisition integrations drag on profitability and cash generation.

TransUnion reaffirmed its third quarter and full year 2026 earnings and revenue guidance while confirming that long-serving Chief Financial Officer Todd Cello will step down at year end. The credit reporting group described the planned CFO change as a personal decision by Cello, who has been with the business for 29 years, including nine as finance chief, and management said the leadership shift is not expected to affect operations, long term financial targets or capital allocation plans. The reaffirmed outlook has landed against a tough tape for TransUnion, with the share price down 20.55% over the past month and the year to date share price return lower by 18.95%, even as the stock faces removal from the FTSE All-World Index. TransUnion closed at $67.54, while the most followed narrative pegs fair value at roughly $96.57, implying a sizeable valuation gap. With technology modernization and operational transformation investments ending in 2025, management projects free cash flow conversion to rise significantly from 70% in 2025 to 90%+ in 2026, providing a catalyst for future shareholder returns through buybacks, acquisitions, or reinvestment.

TransUnion completed substantial migrations of U.S. credit customers to its OneTru platform during the first half of 2026 while accelerating new product introductions across its global operations. The migration is a key milestone under the company's 2026 enterprise priorities, and the faster pace of product launches globally signals closer alignment of technology investments with growth objectives. U.S. Markets revenues increased 11%, driven by U.S. Financial Services and Emerging Verticals, while International organic revenues on a constant-currency basis advanced 6%, supported by high-single-digit growth in India and the U.K., and Canada delivered 10% growth. Following its first-half performance, TransUnion raised its 2026 guidance and now anticipates at least high-single-digit organic constant-currency revenue growth for the third consecutive year, along with double-digit adjusted diluted EPS growth, though it continues to factor market uncertainty into its expectations. The company expects continued OneTru adoption and new product introductions to support financial performance, free cash generation and shareholder returns in the second half of the year.

UL Solutions Inc. announced a new certification program for medium-voltage solid-state power units, an emerging technology designed to deliver electricity more directly and efficiently to the data center systems powering AI. The program, based on UL 2877, the Outline for Investigation for Power Supplies, Medium Voltage, gives manufacturers a defined process to demonstrate that this equipment meets safety requirements before it is used in data centers. The units convert medium-voltage alternating current from the electric grid directly into the lower-voltage direct current used by data center systems, reducing the number of AC-to-DC conversion steps and supporting the transition from traditional 400-volt alternating current power systems to emerging 800-volt direct current power systems. Evaluations cover electrical protection, insulation, grounding, enclosures, safety interlocks, wiring and product markings, as well as performance under high temperatures, excessive electrical loads, voltage spikes and short circuit current testing. Jennifer Scanlon, president and CEO of UL Solutions, said manufacturers need a clear safety certification path for these key innovations, and Jeff Smidt, senior vice president of Industrial Testing, Inspection and Certification, said independent certification gives data center operators and code authorities clearer information when evaluating this new technology.

RELX PLC has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), a rating driven by an upward trend in earnings estimates. For the fiscal year ending December 2026, the company is expected to earn $1.93 per share, unchanged from the year-ago reported number, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has risen 1% over the past three months. The upgrade places RELX in the top 20% of the more than 4,000 stocks covered by the Zacks Rank system, which assigns its Strong Buy rating to only the top 5% and its Buy rating to the next 15%. Zacks said the rating change reflects an improving earnings outlook that could lift the stock in the near term.

UL Solutions Inc. has introduced the first certification pathway for prefabricated power distribution assemblies used in modular data centers, and Schneider Electric has achieved the first certification under the new program. The certification was earned under UL 2140, the Outline of Investigation for Prefabricated Power Distribution Assemblies, a framework that evaluates integrated power assemblies, commonly known as open power skids, which can combine switchboards, uninterruptible power supplies, batteries and related electrical equipment on a common skid before delivery to a project site. The program evaluates the complete factory-built assembly and its interconnected components for compliance with applicable United States National Electrical Code requirements and UL Standards for equipment safety, with follow-up services at the manufacturing location to assess whether certified products continue to meet the requirements established during certification. Schneider Electric's prefabricated power assemblies, built in a controlled factory environment where major equipment is installed, secured and interconnected before shipment, cover models PFMPQ-DLR-FIL, PFMPQ-DLR-FIL-R, PFMPQ-DLR-MOC, PFMPQ-DLR-MOC-R and PFMPQ-DLR-SCA. UL Solutions president and CEO Jennifer Scanlon said the certification pathway helps manufacturers, hyperscalers and developers gain confidence that integrated power systems have been independently evaluated for safety while supporting the speed and scalability needed to bring new capacity online, and Schneider Electric executive vice president Manish Kumar called the industry-first recognition a validation of the safety of the company's Power Skids.

Equifax announced the launch of Healthcare Report Credential ID, an automated screening solution designed to streamline healthcare credentialing verification and employment decisioning. The solution provides primary source verification of healthcare professional license and certification data alongside Equifax identity information, helping healthcare facilities accelerate provider onboarding and better safeguard patient safety. The company cited projected shortages of more than 106,000 physicians and 267,000 registered nurses in 2027, which are expected to grow in the next decade, as a driver for automated verifications that can put qualified professionals to work faster. Bart Lautenbach, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Talent Solutions at Equifax Workforce Solutions, said the administrative burden of manual verifications can stall the start dates of critical patient-facing hires. Healthcare Report Credential ID provides license and certification verification information in a consumer report governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, delivering data including license type, status, and expiration date where available, and checks applicant identity information against the requested license or certification and Equifax identity data to potentially assist with fraud detection. The product joins a suite of Equifax solutions for the pre-hire process, including employment and education verifications and criminal background check tools.

Leidos has won a U.S. Army contract worth up to $127 million to continue operating surveillance aircraft that gather intelligence for military commanders in Europe and other regions. The award covers the Airborne Reconnaissance and Targeting Exploitation Multi-Mission Intelligence System, or ARTEMIS, and extends operations in the U.S. European Command area through summer 2027, with two additional option years that also allow the system to support missions in other regions. Leidos has supported ARTEMIS operations since 2020, supplying the aircraft, mission systems, flight operations and support services under a contractor-owned, contractor-operated arrangement. ARTEMIS is based on a modified Bombardier Challenger 650 business jet equipped with military intelligence and sensing systems, initially deployed as a technology demonstrator and since developed into a high-altitude ISR platform capable of operating in multiple theaters. The latest award was made through the Army's Common Hardware Systems-6, or CHS-6, contract vehicle, which is used by the Army, other U.S. military branches and federal agencies to acquire command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance hardware and related services. For Leidos, the ARTEMIS award adds to its portfolio of airborne ISR, sensing and defense technology programs, areas the company has identified as part of its NorthStar 2030 growth strategy.

Leidos will continue providing the Airborne Reconnaissance and Targeting Exploitation Multi-Mission Intelligence System, known as ARTEMIS, for the U.S. Army under a new contract valued at up to $127 million. The award extends ARTEMIS airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations within the U.S. European Command area of responsibility through the summer of 2027, with two additional option years. Leidos has supported the mission since 2020, delivering a Contractor-Owned, Contractor-Operated capability built around a modified Bombardier Challenger 650 aircraft, including the aircraft, mission systems, flight operations, and support services. Jason McCarthy, Leidos senior vice president for Airborne and Mission Solutions, said ARTEMIS combines the flexibility of commercial aircraft with military-grade sensing to deliver timely intelligence wherever commanders need it. The contract was awarded through the Army's Common Hardware Systems-6 next-generation prime contract for rapid procurement of C5ISR hardware solutions and services, and Leidos said the award advances its NorthStar 2030 strategy by expanding its Defense Tech and Mission and Digital Solutions portfolio.

UL Solutions launched Retail Total Access on August 24, a software platform giving retailers a unified view of testing, inspection, and audit data. The launch followed the company's August 4 second-quarter report, which showed revenue of $816 million, up 5.2% from $776 million a year earlier, with organic growth of 6.6% and adjusted EBITDA up 11.2% to $219 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 140 basis points to 26.8%, while net income more than doubled to $254 million largely on a one-time gain from selling the Employee Health and Safety software unit. UL Solutions has not disclosed pricing, customer counts, or revenue targets for Retail Total Access, and said its features will continue to evolve and be released over time. Hedge fund ownership fell to 29 funds from 36 in the prior quarter, and the stock trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 24.33 as of September 21.

ICF International has been named an OpenAI Select Partner, a move the company says highlights its role in helping government and commercial clients adopt advanced AI tools while maintaining a focus on governance, risk controls and human-centered design. The partnership builds on the launch of the ICF Fathom AI platform, which the company positions as a scalable, margin-accretive technology suite that can be deployed across commercial, state, and future international clients. ICF International closed at $85.21, while the most followed narrative anchors fair value at $124, a gap framed around AI, consulting depth, and contract visibility. The share price is up 32.03% over the past 90 days but down 4.27% over 30 days, and its 1 year total shareholder return has declined 9.82%. The bullish case still depends on continued government contract flow and smooth integration of deals, both of which can quickly disappoint if priorities or synergies slip.

Equifax is projected to post an 8.3% year-over-year increase in third-quarter 2026 earnings, with full-year 2026 and 2027 earnings expected to rise 11.8% and 17.7% respectively, according to Zacks Investment Research. Revenue is anticipated to grow 10.9% in 2026 and 9.6% in 2027. In the second quarter of 2026, Workforce Solutions segment revenues rose 7% year over year to $705.4 million, including Verification Services revenues of $607.6 million, up 7%, while the company signed about $300 million in state-government agreements, comprising roughly $100 million of new business and $200 million of renewals. Equifax's Vitality Index reached 16% in the second quarter of 2026, above its 15% full-year goal, and management doubled expected AI-driven run-rate savings for 2026-2028 to $150 million from $75 million. International revenues increased 8% year over year on a reported basis to $383.1 million, led by Asia Pacific, where revenues rose 17% to $99.7 million. Equifax carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), while TrueBlue and Trane Technologies each hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Mistras Group has agreed to be acquired by investment firm H.I.G. Capital in an all-cash deal carrying an $866M enterprise value, including debt. Under the terms, Mistras shareholders will receive $20.35 per share in cash for each share of common stock they own, a premium of 8% to the company's 30-day volume-weighted average share price and 13% to its 90-day volume-weighted average share price. Once the transaction closes, Mistras shares will no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock gained 3.3% in pre-market trading Friday on the news.

Jacobs Solutions reported Q2 revenues of $2.42 billion, up 8.3% year on year, the fastest growth among the seven government and technical consulting stocks tracked, though full-year EPS guidance came in merely in line with analysts' estimates. SAIC posted the group's biggest estimate beat, with revenues of $1.88 billion up 6.3% year on year and 7.1% above consensus, alongside beats on EPS and full-year EPS guidance. Amentum was the weakest performer, reporting revenues of $3.49 billion, down 2% year on year and 2.2% short of expectations, with a significant EPS miss. Booz Allen Hamilton recorded revenues of $2.8 billion, down 4.2% year on year and 0.5% below expectations, but still beat on EPS, while UL Solutions reported revenues of $816 million, up 5.2% and in line with expectations, also beating on EPS. As a group, the seven stocks' revenues matched consensus and share prices have fallen 3% on average since the latest results.

Leidos Holdings secured an $875 million contract extension to support and modernize networks serving more than 650,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel worldwide. The agreement covers network services and infrastructure supporting the Navy Marine Corps Intranet, ONE-Net and Marine Corps Enterprise Network, enhancing secure connectivity for military operations across global locations. The award aligns with the company's NorthStar 2030 strategy, which focuses on digital modernization, cybersecurity and mission-critical technology solutions, and should provide additional revenue visibility while reinforcing Leidos' role in critical defense IT programs. Shares of Leidos have lost 29.7% in the past year compared with the industry's 17.7% decline, and the stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

The Department of the Navy has awarded Leidos $875 million for the second option year of the Next Generation Enterprise Network Service Management, Integration and Transport contract, keeping more than 650,000 U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel securely connected worldwide. Under the award, Leidos manages more than 425,000 devices at more than 2,500 sites around the globe, handling all aspects of user support, operations and IT transformational activities on the Navy Marine Corps Intranet, the Outside the Continental United States Navy Enterprise Network and the Marine Corps Enterprise Network. Steve Hull, president of Leidos Digital, said military and civilian personnel rely on these networks to communicate, make decisions and carry out missions that protect the nation and its allies. Since being awarded the contract in 2020, Leidos has introduced automation that delivers patches to network devices 93% faster and accelerates patching across the enterprise by 94%. DJ LeGoff, a retired Navy captain and the Navy and Marine Corps portfolio leader at Leidos, said the results reflect the team's round-the-clock dedication. The award supports Leidos' NorthStar 2030 strategy and its focus on digital modernization, cyber capabilities and mission software.

Red Violet Inc. reported second-quarter 2026 results for the period ended June 30, with revenue rising 23% to $26.7 million and net income nearly doubling to $5 million. Gross profit climbed 29% to $20.2 million, lifting gross margin to 76% from 72%, while adjusted EBITDA jumped 48% to $11.2 million and adjusted net income rose 58% to $7.2 million. Operating cash flow increased 42% to a record $10.6 million for the quarter, and the company added a record 447 new IDI customers, ending with 10,869 on the platform, while its FOREWARN product reached 443,173 users and 660 REALTOR Associations under contract. In August, Red Violet closed an underwritten public offering of 1,916,667 shares, including 250,000 shares from the underwriters' full exercise of their option, generating net proceeds of about $109.0 million, which together with existing funds gives it over $160 million in cash and no debt. The company repurchased 74,500 shares by June 30 at an average of $41.87 per share and had $15.5 million left on its buyback authorization, while diluted earnings came in at $0.34 and adjusted diluted earnings at $0.50 versus $0.51 on a basic basis.

Zacks Investment Research added five stocks to its Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) List for September 11th. RCM Technologies, a national provider of business, technology and resource solutions in information technology and professional engineering to corporate and government customers, saw its Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings rise 13.3% over the last 60 days. Healthcare Services Group, which provides housekeeping, laundry, linen, facility maintenance and food services to the health care industry, posted a 12.9% increase in its consensus estimate for current-year earnings over the same period. Bloomin' Brands, the casual dining restaurant company with a portfolio of differentiated restaurant concepts, recorded a 10.1% gain in its current-year earnings estimate, while Argan, an engineering and construction firm operating through wholly owned subsidiaries across power generation, industrial construction and teledata infrastructure, saw a 6.7% increase. Globus Medical, a medical device company that develops and commercializes healthcare solutions for patients with musculoskeletal disorders, rounded out the list with a 5.3% rise in its current-year earnings estimate over the last 60 days.

RCM Technologies, Inc. closed down 2.9% at $39.12, a smaller decline than the S&P 500's 0.59% loss, while the Dow fell 0.6% and the Nasdaq dropped 0.65%. The company is expected to report earnings per share of $0.63 for its upcoming quarter, a 50% increase from the same quarter a year earlier, on revenue of $85.78 million, up 22.04% year over year. For the full fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $3.07 per share and revenue of $359.88 million, representing growth of 22.8% and 12.67%, respectively. Over the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has risen 16.59%, and RCM Technologies currently carries a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). The stock trades at a forward P/E of 13.12, below its industry's average of 17.81, while its Staffing Firms industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 168, placing it in the bottom 32% of more than 250 industries.