To your income,
Tim Plaehn
Chief Income Strategist, Investors Alley
Today’s editorial pick for you
Plug Power Beats Expectations as Its Turnaround Gains Momentum
Posted On Aug 11, 2026 by Ian Cooper
Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG) is giving investors a reason to pay attention again. After years of heavy losses, falling revenue, and concerns about its cash position, the hydrogen company is showing signs that its turnaround plan may finally be working. Its latest second-quarter results beat Wall Street expectations, the company raised its 2026 revenue outlook, and margins improved sharply.
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Plug Power reported second-quarter revenue of $178.3 million, above the $168.76 million analysts had expected. Its adjusted loss was also smaller than expected, at $0.07 per share compared with an estimated loss of $0.08. The company also raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth forecast to between 15% and 16%, up from its previous guidance of 13% to 15%.
In addition, we should note that the revenue beat was the improvement in profitability.
Plug Power’s gross margin moved to approximately breakeven in the second quarter. That compares with a negative 31% margin in the same quarter last year and a negative 13% margin in the first quarter of 2026. The company also cut operating expenses by about 50% year over year, bringing them down to $62 million.
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Plug Power has been working on a major turnaround called Project Quantum Leap. The plan focuses on reducing costs while shifting the business toward areas that could produce better returns. One important area is electrolyzers, which are machines used to produce hydrogen.
According to The Motley Fool, Plug Power’s electrolyzer revenue grew from $9.2 million in 2025 to $40.8 million in 2026. The company has also been building its electrolyzer business through deals in Europe and Canada.
Its material-handling business is showing improvement as well. During the second quarter, Plug Power deployed 1,666 GenDrive fuel-cell units, a 125% increase from 739 units a year earlier.
Service revenue rose 82% year over year to $30 million, while fuel revenue increased about 15% to $39 million.
These improvements matter because Plug Power needs more than revenue growth. It needs a business that can eventually generate sustainable profits and cash.
Could Plug Power Be Profitable by 2028?
This is where the story gets interesting.
Plug Power has said it expects to reach positive EBITDAS in the fourth quarter of 2026. The company is also targeting positive operating income in 2027 and full profitability in 2028.
If those targets are achieved, Plug Power could look dramatically different by 2028.
Instead of being viewed mainly as a hydrogen company that continually burns cash, it could become a more efficient business with growing revenue, better margins and a clearer path to profitability. That is the bullish case.
The Big Risks Remain
Oppenheimer’s decision to maintain a “Perform” rating after the earnings report is a reminder that Wall Street is not ready to declare victory.
Plug Power’s results were better than expected, but the company remains unprofitable. Oppenheimer also highlighted continued profitability challenges and the company’s weak gross margin on a trailing basis.
Debt is another concern. The Motley Fool points out that Plug Power has spent years relying on borrowing and issuing new shares to support the business. The company also faces significant interest and repayment costs.
What Does This Mean?
Plug Power’s latest results are encouraging, but they do not prove that the turnaround is complete. The company is moving in the right direction. Revenue beat expectations, guidance increased, gross margins improved to roughly breakeven, and operating expenses fell sharply.
At the same time, Plug Power is still losing money and faces debt, cash-flow and industry challenges. That makes the stock an interesting turnaround story, but also a risky one.
Today’s editorial pick for you
Hims & Hers Stock: Why Q2 Earnings Sent Shares Lower
Posted On Aug 11, 2026 by Chris Markoch
Hims & Hers Health (NYSE: HIMS) delivered a Q2 2026 earnings report that split the room. Shares fell roughly 7% in after-hours trading, even as the company posted its strongest revenue growth in over a year. The reaction shows how much investor psychology now shapes this stock.
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Revenue jumped nearly 40% year over year to more than $753 million. Subscribers grew by 300,000, pushing the total base to almost 3 million. Management raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to a range of $3.1 billion to $3.3 billion, signaling confidence in the growth trajectory.
But the sell-off tells a different story. Adjusted gross margin slipped to 64% as branded weight-loss products and international expansion changed the revenue mix. Free cash flow turned negative, landing at $68 million for the quarter. The company also absorbed roughly $81 million in acquisition, restructuring, and FTC-related legal costs.
Add in elevated short interest above 30%, and it’s clear the market is still working through how to value Hims & Hers. This is a company simultaneously proving its growth story and testing investor patience on profitability. That tension is likely to define trading in the stock over the coming weeks.
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The bull case for Hims & Hers starts with subscriber momentum. The company added 300,000 net new subscribers in Q2, bringing total subscribers to nearly 3 million. That’s a 19% year-over-year increase, and it’s happening across a broadening set of specialties rather than relying on one core product.
Revenue growth of 38% year over year is the headline number bulls will point to first. At $753 million for the quarter, revenue per average subscriber also climbed to $92 monthly, up from $80 in the prior quarter. That combination of more subscribers and more revenue per subscriber is exactly what long-term investors want to see.
Management didn’t just meet expectations. They raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $3.1 billion–$3.3 billion, implying growth of 32% to 41% for the year. International revenue grew roughly 17x year over year, driven by acquisitions like Zava and Eucalyptus. Hers alone is on track to surpass $1 billion in annual revenue this year.
The company’s balance sheet remains strong, with over $840 million in cash and short-term investments. That gives management flexibility to keep investing in new specialties, AI-powered personalization, and international expansion without near-term liquidity concerns. For bulls, this quarter confirms the growth story for Hims & Hers is intact and possibly accelerating.
Margins and Cash Flow Raise Near-Term Questions
The bear case centers on what growth is costing the company right now. Adjusted gross margin fell to 64% in Q2, down from prior quarters. The shift toward branded weight-loss products and international markets is pressuring profitability even as revenue expands.
Free cash flow turned negative for the quarter, coming in at a negative $68 million. Operating cash flow was also negative, at roughly negative $36 million. This marks a notable reversal from the positive cash generation investors had grown accustomed to seeing.
One-time costs added further pressure. The company incurred approximately $81 million combined in acquisition, restructuring, and FTC-related legal costs during the quarter. Adjusted EBITDA margin compressed to just 8%, down sharply from the 13-16% range seen in earlier 2025 quarters.
Management also flagged that international operations may remain near breakeven as the company continues investing for scale. That’s a reasonable long-term strategy, but it means bears can point to a widening gap between top-line growth and bottom-line results. Combined with short interest above 30%, skepticism about near-term execution remains firmly in place.
Chart Reflects Hims & Hers Stock Caught Between Two Narratives
The technical picture mirrors the fundamental tension in this report. HIMS shares have spent much of 2026 rebuilding after a steep decline from 2025 highs above $60. The stock recently reclaimed its 200-day moving average near $29.64, a bullish technical signal.
The MACD indicator shows momentum fading slightly heading into earnings, with the signal line beginning to curl lower. That suggests the recent rally was losing steam even before the after-hours drop. A 7% decline would likely test that reclaimed 200-day support level in the sessions ahead.
Perception Versus Fundamentals Will Decide What’s Next
Hims & Hers just delivered one of its strongest growth quarters, and the market punished it anyway. That gap between headline numbers and stock reaction is the story here. Investors aren’t questioning whether the company can grow. They’re questioning what that growth currently costs.
The bull case rests on subscriber momentum, raised guidance, and a balance sheet built for continued investment. The bear case rests on compressed margins, negative free cash flow, and elevated one-time costs eating into profitability. Both cases are supported by the company’s real numbers from this report.
With short interest above 30%, sentiment remains a wildcard. How management addresses margin pressure on the next call may matter more than this quarter’s revenue beat. For now, the stock’s reaction suggests investors are prioritizing near-term profitability over long-term growth potential.
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