In partnership with

Today is Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

The Early Bird Index today is 85.05.

New to this newsletter? Sign up here

Why Cava Keeps Winning 🥙

Cava Group $CAVA ( ▼ 2.22% ), the fast-casual restaurant chain serving Mediterranean food, served up strong financial earnings on Tuesday that boosted the stock by 7.33% in after-hours trading.

Financials: Cava reported earnings of 20 cents per share in the past quarter and revenue of $434.4 million. Both were better than expected.

Powering the Story: Revenue surged 32.2% year-over-year as same restaurant sales grew 9.7% and guest traffic jumped by 6.8%. And the company boosted its same restaurant sales outlook for 2026.

Quote: “Amid today's broader macroeconomic environment and geopolitical uncertainty, our first quarter results reflect our position as a clear industry leader and our ability to meet the moment for the modern consumer.” - CEO Brett Schulman.

Early Bird’s Nest Egg Gains: Cava’s brand appears to be resonating with consumers who want fast-casual food that feels healthier, higher quality, and more differentiated than typical quick-service options.

Final Thoughts: Cava was already having a strong year with a 29.02% gain in the stock price.

3 Backdoor Plays Before the SpaceX IPO

SpaceX is reportedly valued north of $350B — the biggest pre-IPO story of the decade.

But you don't have to wait for the listing to position yourself.

We've identified 3 publicly-traded companies with direct exposure to SpaceX's growth — names you can buy today in your regular brokerage account.

From the satellite supplier embedded in Starlink's hardware to a defense contractor sitting on a multi-year Falcon 9 deal, these are the tickers Wall Street is quietly accumulating ahead of the listing.

Grab the full breakdown in our free SpaceX IPO Playbook, including target levels, risk tiers, and the one name our analysts think has the most upside.

Notables

Notable Earnings Today: Nvidia (Nasdaq: NVDA), Target (NYSE: TGT), Analog Devices (Nasdaq: ADI), V.F. Corp (NYSE: VFC), e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF), Intuit (Nasdaq: INTU), Lowe's (NYSE: LOW), Urban Outfitters (Nasdaq: URBN), Arcos Dorados (NYSE: ARCO), Hasbro (Nasdaq: HAS), Nordson (Nasdaq: NDSN), GDS Holdings (Nasdaq: GDS), TJX (NYSE: TJX), StepStone Group (Nasdaq: STEP),  Enersys (NYSE: ENS), Belite Bio (Nasdaq: BLTE), Dorian LPG (NYSE: LPG), Perion Network (Nasdaq: PERI), Roivant Sciences (Nasdaq: ROIV), Star Bulk Carriers (Nasdaq: SBLK), ZIM Integrated Shipping Services (NYSE: ZIM).

Notable IPOs Today: Lincoln International, Inc. (NYSE: LCLN), AMASS Brands Inc. Common Stock (Nasdaq: AMSS), Optimi Health Corp. Common Shares (Nasdaq: OPTH), QDRO Acquisition Corp. Class A Ordinary Shares (Nasdaq: QADR), Research Alliance Corporation III Class A Ordinary Shares (Nasdaq: RACC), RRE Ventures Acquisition Corp. Class A Ordinary Shares (Nasdaq: RREV).

Notable Equity Crowdfunding Campaigns Ending Today: N/A.

Notable Economic Events Today: Crude Oil Inventories (10:30 a.m. ET), FOMC Meeting Minutes (2:00 p.m. ET).

Toll Brothers' Luxury Market Boost

Homebuilder Toll Brothers $TOL ( ▼ 2.23% ) jumped 2.30% in after-hours trading on Tuesday after posting good financial earnings results.

Financials: Toll Brothers reported earnings of $2.72 per share in the past quarter and revenue of $2.5 billion. Both were better than expected.

Powering the Story: The housing market has been awful recently, but the luxury market is keeping Toll Brothers in business. Its average home price now exceeds $1 million. The company is also raising its financial outlook.

Final Thoughts: Shares of Toll Brothers are still in the red this year.

Roblox’s First Stock Buyback

Roblox $RBLX ( ▼ 5.39% ) announced its first stock buyback on Tuesday, offering to buy up to $3 billion worth of its shares. The stock jumped 2.83% in after-hours trading.

Final Thoughts: Roblox is trying to recover after its stock began 2026 with a 45% decline.

The 2026 Stock Market Playbook: 63 AI Prompts for Investing in Robots, Energy, and the New Economy
The 2026 Stock Market Playbook: 63 AI Prompts for Investing in Robots, Energy, and the New Economy
Stop guessing and start prompting. This practical guide provides 63 high-impact AI chatbot prompts specifically designed for the 2026 industrial economy. From stress-testing investment narratives t...
$4.99 usd

Leapfrogging the Competition: How Google Is Starting to Win the A.I. Race (New York Times)

Thank you for reading!

Forward to a friend and tell them to sign up here.

Pick winning stocks: Upgrade to Early Bird Prime.

Become a smarter investor: Get Early Bird Exclusives

Want more investing tips? Listen to the podcast.

Show Your Support: Buy Me a Coffee.

Questions or comments? Hit reply to reach out.

The contents of Early Bird are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. They do not constitute trade or investment recommendations, and they are not financial or legal advice. Readers are encouraged to consult licensed professionals for personalized guidance regarding their financial or legal situations.

Reply

Avatar

or to participate

Early Bird