Key Takeaways
- Microchip Technology (MCHP) significantly raised its Q3 FY26 guidance, now expecting net sales and EPS at the high end of prior expectations, with revenue growth implying 12% year-over-year expansion and strong bookings through November.
- CrowdStrike (CRWD) reported robust Q3 2025 earnings, surpassing revenue estimates with $1.23 billion and adjusted EPS of 96 cents, and issued an optimistic forecast for Q4 and the full fiscal year.
- Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL) announced a major strategic move to acquire Celestial AI for $3.25 billion, aiming to enhance its optical connectivity solutions for AI and cloud data centers, following strong Q3 2025 earnings that beat analyst predictions.
- Starbucks (SBUX) declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.62 per share, reinforcing its commitment to returning value to shareholders.
- The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has backed the Texas Supreme Court's plan to dismantle the American Bar Association's (ABA) monopoly over bar admissions, potentially ushering in significant changes to legal education and licensure.
The technology sector is demonstrating significant strength, with several key players reporting strong financial performance and strategic initiatives. Semiconductor companies Microchip Technology (MCHP) and Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL) are leading the charge, alongside cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike (CRWD).
Microchip Technology (MCHP) has notably revised its financial outlook for the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, anticipating net sales and non-GAAP EPS to hit the high end of its previous guidance. The company now projects consolidated net sales of approximately $1.149 billion for the December 2025 quarter, indicating roughly 12% year-over-year growth and about 1% sequential growth. This positive adjustment is attributed to strong bookings activity that persisted through November, with backlog filling better than expected and growing nicely into the March 2026 quarter. Non-GAAP EPS is now expected to be around $0.40.
In the cybersecurity space, CrowdStrike (CRWD) delivered impressive results for Q3 2025, reporting revenue of $1.23 billion, surpassing analyst estimates of $1.21 billion. The company's adjusted earnings per share reached 96 cents, exceeding the estimated 94 cents. Looking ahead, CrowdStrike provided an optimistic Q4 revenue guidance of $1.29 billion to $1.30 billion and adjusted EPS guidance of $1.09 to $1.11, both at or above consensus estimates. The full fiscal year revenue guidance was also raised to $4.80 billion to $4.81 billion.
Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL) made headlines with its announcement to acquire Celestial AI for approximately $3.25 billion, a strategic move aimed at bolstering its optical connectivity solutions for next-generation AI and cloud data centers. This acquisition follows a strong Q3 2025 earnings report where Marvell exceeded expectations, posting revenue of $2.074 billion against an estimated $2.068 billion, and adjusted EPS of $0.76 compared to an estimated $0.73. The company also indicated higher-than-prior expectations for data center revenue growth in the upcoming year.
Beyond the tech sector, Starbucks (SBUX) announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.62 per share, payable on February 27, 2026, to shareholders of record on February 13, 2026. This increase from its previous $0.61 per share dividend reflects an annualized rate of $2.48 per share.
In a significant legal and regulatory development, the U.S. FTC has expressed support for the Texas Supreme Court's plan to end the American Bar Association's (ABA) long-standing monopoly over bar admissions. This initiative by the Texas Supreme Court proposes to amend Rule 1 of the Texas Rules Governing Admission to the Bar, allowing the state to directly oversee the approval of law schools rather than solely relying on ABA accreditation. Proponents suggest this could foster greater competition and innovation in legal education.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.