Gold Drops More Than 2%; Cidara Therapeutics Stock Soars
U.S. Stock Market Performance: U.S. stocks showed mixed results, with the Dow Jones falling 0.44%, while the NASDAQ and S&P 500 rose by 0.59% and 0.27%, respectively. Utilities shares increased slightly, but communication services stocks dropped by 1%.
Notable Company Performances: Spire Inc's shares fell over 2% after reporting larger-than-expected quarterly losses, while Cidara Therapeutics saw a 105% surge in shares following Merck's acquisition announcement.
Commodities Update: Oil prices rose by 1.9% to $59.81, while gold and silver prices fell by 2.2% and 5%, respectively. Copper also saw a decline of 1.1%.
Global Market Trends: European shares declined, with the STOXX 600 down 1.54%, and Asian markets mostly closed lower, highlighted by Japan's Nikkei 225 dropping 1.77%.
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- Earnings Growth: Spire reported adjusted earnings of $1.77 per share for Q1 2026, a 32% increase from $1.34 a year ago, primarily driven by solid execution in its Gas Utility business and new rates, demonstrating operational reliability during extreme weather conditions.
- Capital Expenditure Plans: The company’s capital expenditures totaled $230 million in Q1, mainly directed at Gas Utility operations, with 2026 CapEx expected to be $809 million, consistent with its $11.2 billion ten-year capital plan, indicating ongoing investment in future growth.
- Acquisition Progress: Spire confirmed it is on track to close the acquisition of Piedmont Tennessee in Q1 2026, which is expected to contribute $5.65 to $5.85 per share in 2027, further strengthening the company's market position.
- Regulatory Developments: New rates in Missouri will take effect in October, alongside a $30.3 million revenue increase request under the Infrastructure System Replacement Surcharge, with rate updates expected by May, reflecting the company's proactive approach to regulatory compliance.
- Gas Utility Growth: Spire Inc. reported adjusted earnings of $103.9 million for Q1 2026 in its Gas Utility segment, a 33.5% increase from $77.8 million in the prior year, primarily driven by new rate implementations and Infrastructure System Replacement Surcharge revenues, showcasing the company's effective strategy in enhancing customer value.
- Gas Marketing Optimization: The Gas Marketing segment achieved adjusted earnings of $4.5 million, up 104.5% from $2.2 million year-over-year, reflecting the company's success in portfolio optimization, which further strengthens its competitive position in the market.
- Midstream Revenue Increase: Midstream adjusted earnings reached $12.7 million, a 5.8% increase from $12.0 million in the previous year, mainly due to additional revenue from Spire Storage's increased capacity, despite facing higher depreciation and interest expenses.
- Financing Strategy Advancement: During the first fiscal quarter, Spire completed $900 million in Junior Subordinated Notes and plans to finance the Tennessee acquisition with $825 million in Senior Notes, indicating a proactive approach in capital investment and acquisitions that is expected to drive sustainable growth in the future.
- Strong Earnings Beat: Spire's Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $1.77 exceeded expectations by $0.13, reflecting robust performance that boosts investor confidence and market positioning.
- Significant Revenue Growth: The company reported Q1 revenue of $762.2 million, marking a 13.9% year-over-year increase and surpassing market expectations by $38.31 million, indicating positive business expansion and demand.
- Guidance Affirmation: Spire affirmed its adjusted EPS guidance range for fiscal 2026 at $5.25 to $5.45, alongside a 2027 range of $5.65 to $5.85, demonstrating strong confidence in future performance.
- Long-Term Capital Strategy: The company outlined an ambitious $11.2 billion decade-long capital plan with a targeted EPS growth of 5% to 7%, positioning Spire for sustained growth, particularly as its Tennessee acquisition approaches completion.
- Earnings Preview: Major companies including Pfizer (PFE), PayPal (PYPL), Merck (MRK), and PepsiCo (PEP) are set to report earnings before the market opens on Tuesday, which is expected to influence market sentiment.
- Diverse Earnings Releases: In addition to these key players, Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (EPD) and nearly 30 other companies are also slated to release earnings, indicating heightened market activity.
- Investor Focus: Investors will closely monitor these earnings reports to assess company performance and future outlooks, which could impact stock market trends, especially in the current economic climate.
- Earnings Season Calendar: Seeking Alpha's full earnings season calendar will assist investors in tracking important earnings release dates, enabling better investment decision-making.
- Redemption Announcement: Spire Inc. has notified holders of its 5.90% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock of its intent to redeem all 10,000 shares on February 13, 2026, at a price of $25 per share, indicating the company's strategy to optimize its capital structure.
- Dividend Payment Schedule: The company has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.36875 per share, payable on February 17, 2026, to holders of record as of January 26, 2026, which enhances investor confidence and demonstrates commitment to shareholder returns.
- Redemption Price Composition: The redemption price consists of the Base Redemption Amount and all accrued unpaid dividends up to the redemption date, reflecting the company's commitment to fulfilling its financial obligations to shareholders and reinforcing its market reputation.
- Obligation Release: Following the redemption, the company will have no further obligations regarding dividends or other amounts on the redeemed shares, marking a significant step in capital management that may provide greater flexibility for future investments and growth.
- Earnings Announcement: Spire (SR) is set to announce its Q1 2023 earnings on February 3rd before market open, with a consensus EPS estimate of $1.61, reflecting a 20.1% year-over-year increase, which could enhance investor confidence.
- Revenue Expectations: Analysts project Spire's revenue to reach $723.89 million, an 8.2% year-over-year growth, and achieving this would further solidify its position in the energy market and drive future growth.
- Historical Performance Review: Over the past two years, Spire has exceeded EPS estimates 38% of the time and revenue estimates 63% of the time, indicating the company's stable performance and profitability in the market.
- Expectation Revision Dynamics: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen one upward revision and two downward adjustments, while revenue estimates have experienced one upward and one downward revision, reflecting a cautious market outlook on Spire's future performance.








