Rocket Companies Inc

Rocket Mortgage, part of Rocket Companies, announced in late September 2026 that it will become the first lender to adopt VantageScore 4.0 as its preferred credit scoring model for eligible loans. The rollout is set to default to VantageScore 4.0 across eligible Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and VA loans, a move that could broaden the pool of qualified borrowers. The announcement comes as Redfin data showed over one in five U.S. home sellers recently reduced asking prices amid shifting housing conditions. Rocket Companies' narrative projects $13.6 billion in revenue and $2.9 billion in earnings by 2029, requiring 9.9% yearly revenue growth and about a $2.4 billion earnings increase from $471.0 million today. Some of the most optimistic analysts were expecting revenue to reach about US$14.7 billion and earnings US$3.3 billion.

Rocket Companies' Rocket Mortgage unit, the largest U.S. mortgage lender, said it will become the first lender to use VantageScore 4.0 as its preferred credit scoring model on all eligible loans, sending shares up 2.58% at the open. Starting in the fourth quarter, Rocket will default to VantageScore for mortgages delivered to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, VA home loans and other eligible products. Rocket said roughly four months of testing showed VantageScore helped more clients qualify while cutting credit scoring costs, and that it has pulled 1.4 million credit reports this year using both VantageScore and FICO, with borrowers who saved money under VantageScore saving an average of $1,600 at closing. The model can factor in rent and utility payments where they appear in credit files, allowing it to score some consumers with thin credit histories, and CEO Jay Bray credited FHFA Director Pulte for encouraging the use of multiple scoring models. Investment-property, second-home, home equity, FHA and jumbo loans will stay on FICO for now, and Rocket's broker channel, Rocket Pro, will offer both scores.

ValueAct Capital disclosed in its second-quarter 13F filing that it increased its positions in Amazon.com and Rocket Companies, two of the firm's largest disclosed holdings. The fund added 57,100 Amazon shares, bringing its stake to 2.94 million shares valued at about $701.1 million at quarter-end. Its addition to Rocket was much larger: ValueAct purchased 13.45 million shares, raising its position by nearly 48% to 41.67 million shares, a stake valued at approximately $656.3 million as of June 30. Rocket Companies, best known for its Rocket Mortgage online lending business, is down about 33% so far this year and is evolving into a broader homeownership platform following its acquisitions of Redfin and Mr. Cooper. About 70% of Rocket's revenue is recurring or less sensitive to interest rates, though the company remains exposed to a weak housing market, with the 30-year fixed mortgage rate climbing for four straight weeks to nearly 7%, its highest level since January 2025.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to accept VantageScore 4.0 credit scores from all mortgage origination lenders, effective immediately. VantageScore 4.0 uses 400% more data than legacy credit scores, making it more predictive and helping identify more qualified borrowers, including approximately 33 million additional U.S. adults, nearly 5 million of whom are mortgage-ready. The FHFA's approval is expected to save over $930 million in the first year, according to a study by Deep Future Analytics. VantageScore 4.0 has already been adopted by Rocket Mortgage, the Federal Housing Administration, the Federal Home Loan Banks, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and as of August 31, 2026, it has been used for over 9% of all mortgages securitized by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac since May 1, 2026.

Rocket Companies reported record quarterly market share in both purchase and refinance and its most profitable quarter in four years during the second quarter of 2026, despite a challenging housing market. Adjusted revenue was $2.8 billion, near the midpoint of guidance, while adjusted EBITDA margin expanded to 28% from 26% in the first quarter and adjusted diluted EPS rose to $0.16. Purchase market share reached 6.2%, up from 5.5% in the fourth quarter, and refinance share hit 14.3%, up from 12.2%. The company said more than 70% of revenue now comes from recurring or less rate-sensitive businesses, and it expects third-quarter adjusted revenue between $2.5 billion and $2.7 billion, implying continued share gains.

Rocket Companies reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of US$2,784 million, more than doubling from US$1,451 million a year earlier, and swung to a net income of US$230 million from a US$2 million loss. For the first half of 2026, revenue reached US$5,725 million and net income totaled US$527 million, driven by record purchase and refinance market shares and early cost synergies from the Mr. Cooper and Redfin acquisitions. Management disclosed that Mr. Cooper synergies hit an annualized US$100 million in the second quarter, with a target of US$400 million by year-end.

Rocket Companies is the strongest strategic fit to acquire Opendoor Technologies, according to an analysis by 24/7 Wall St. Rocket already services $2.1 trillion in loans through Redfin and Mr. Cooper, and Opendoor's cash-offer engine and mortgage-attach potential would complete its stack. Opendoor has a $999 million cash pile against a market cap near $3.6 billion, with new CEO Kaz Nejatian reporting that aged inventory has collapsed from 51% to 10% of listings. Other potential acquirers include Zillow, which retreated from iBuying in 2021 but has strong cash flow, and CoStar Group, which has $1.27 billion in cash and an aggressive M&A record. No deal talks have been reported, and the analysis is an exercise in strategic logic.

UnitedHealth shares surged more than 7% in premarket trading after the health insurance giant reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and hiked its full-year earnings outlook. The company posted adjusted earnings of $6.38 per share on revenue of $112.03 billion, exceeding analyst forecasts of $4.90 per share and $110.85 billion, respectively. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing fell 4% despite beating earnings estimates, as it raised full-year capital expenditures to between $60 billion and $64 billion and announced an additional $100 billion investment in Arizona. AtaiBeckley soared 34.5% after Eli Lilly agreed to acquire the psychedelic drugmaker for $2.8 billion, or $6.75 per share in cash, with up to an additional $2.50 per share contingent on milestones. GE Aerospace dropped 4% even after topping second-quarter expectations with adjusted earnings of $2.02 per share on revenue of $12.63 billion and raising its full-year guidance. United Airlines declined more than 3% as softer-than-expected third-quarter guidance of $2.50 to $3.50 per share overshadowed an earnings beat, and the carrier also flagged $6 billion in added fuel costs. J.B. Hunt Transport Services gained nearly 7% after reporting earnings of $1.73 per share, beating estimates by 18 cents, while revenue of $3.5 billion was in line with expectations. AeroVironment rose nearly 2% following an upgrade to outperform at Raymond James, and Rocket Companies added 2% after Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $19.

U.S. pending home sales rose 1.3% from a week earlier to their highest level since the first half of May during the four weeks ending July 5, according to a new report from Redfin. The uptick was partly driven by a temporary dip in mortgage rates, with the weekly average falling to 6.43% on July 2, the lowest in six weeks, which pushed the median monthly housing payment down to $2,598. However, rates have since rebounded, with the daily average climbing to 6.68% on July 8. The median sale price increased 2.2% year over year to $408,808, just about $500 shy of the all-time high, while new listings fell 2.5% week over week to their lowest level since January.

Benchmark initiated coverage of Rocket Companies with a Buy rating and a $21 price target on June 30, citing favorable mortgage rates and the potential for Rocket to become one of the two leading real estate portals over the next decade. The brokerage believes housing platforms that combine artificial intelligence, vertical integration, and the ability to convert intent into transactions will win the industry competition, giving Rocket a major advantage over traditional providers. Rocket has demonstrated openness to industry partnerships to advance its goals and reduce risks, while also seeking to expand market share across purchase and refinancing segments. The stock is up more than 20% over the past month and is held by 112 hedge funds, with Slate Path Capital holding a 4.9% stake in its reported equity portfolio.

The thrifts and mortgage finance industry reported mixed first-quarter results, with aggregate revenues beating analyst estimates by 4.2% but next-quarter guidance coming in 6.6% below expectations. PennyMac Financial Services posted revenues of $583.1 million, up 10.8% year-on-year and 5.7% above estimates, though it missed on net interest income and tangible book value per share. Rocket Companies was the standout performer with revenues of $2.82 billion, a 108% increase that exceeded estimates by 2% and drove the fastest growth among peers. Franklin BSP Realty Trust was the weakest, with revenues of $60.39 million missing estimates by 17.4% alongside misses on net interest income and EPS. Other notable results included Columbia Financial, which beat revenue estimates by 9.1% with $66.18 million, and Arbor Realty Trust, which surpassed revenue expectations by 3.5% but saw the slowest revenue growth in the group.

WaFd Bank reported first-quarter revenues of $198.3 million, up 10.5% year on year and 4% above analyst expectations, with beats on net interest income and EPS. The broader group of 12 thrifts and mortgage finance stocks tracked delivered mixed results, with aggregate revenues beating consensus by 4.2% but next-quarter guidance coming in 6.6% below estimates. Rocket Companies posted the fastest revenue growth at 108% to $2.82 billion, while Franklin BSP Realty Trust had the weakest quarter, missing revenue estimates by 17.4%. Ellington Financial achieved the largest analyst estimate beat at 55.1% on revenues of $171.3 million, and Northwest Bancshares edged past expectations with a 0.8% revenue beat to $175.1 million.

ON Semiconductor shares plummeted 23.7% after the company announced it will acquire Synaptics in an all-stock deal valued at nearly $7 billion. Rocket Companies gained 1.5% after NASA said the company will provide launch services for two missions researching the Sun's energy input into Earth. Sandisk tumbled 10.5% and Seagate Technology fell 12.2% amid a broader tech decline.

Finance of America Companies shares jumped 11.8% to close at $24.21 in the last trading session, driven by heavy volume. The rally followed improved investor sentiment after a landmark bipartisan affordable housing bill advanced in the U.S. House and moved to President Donald Trump for final approval, which could boost mortgage-related stocks. The company is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.12 per share, a year-over-year increase of 103.6%, on revenues of $89.1 million, down 49.8% from the prior-year quarter. Consensus earnings estimates have remained unchanged over the past 30 days, and the stock carries a Zacks Rank #3, or Hold. Rocket Companies, another stock in the Zacks Financial - Mortgage & Related Services industry, closed 1.5% higher at $15 and has returned 2.6% over the past month.

A new Redfin-commissioned survey finds that 79% of U.S. residents support tax breaks for first-time homebuyers and 77% back policies to make homes more affordable. The Ipsos poll of 4,000 adults in May 2026 shows bipartisan agreement, with 85% of Democrats and 77% of Republicans favoring first-time buyer tax breaks, and 83% of Democrats and 74% of Republicans supporting broader affordability measures. Other policies with majority backing include caps on rent increases at 76%, initiatives for low-income housing at 75%, and down payment assistance programs at 74%. The results align with the recently passed ROAD to Housing Act, which aims to boost supply and streamline building processes but awaits President Trump's signature.

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a landmark bipartisan affordable housing bill, sending it to President Donald Trump for final approval. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act aims to boost housing supply, improve affordability, and modernize federal housing programs. Mortgage stocks rallied on the news, with Rocket Companies jumping 9.4%, PennyMac Financial Services gaining 3.9%, and loanDepot rising 5.3%. The bill could benefit mortgage companies by stimulating transaction volumes, though interest rates remain a key variable for sustained recovery.

Rocket Companies stock surged 13% and Opendoor Technologies climbed 5% in midday trading Wednesday, driven by renewed refinancing demand as mortgage rates eased. Rocket Companies, which operates Rocket Mortgage and related platforms, beat first-quarter estimates with earnings of 15 cents per share on revenue of $2.94 billion and pulled forward $400 million in Mr. Cooper acquisition synergies a year ahead of schedule. Opendoor grew its home purchases 45% quarter over quarter to 2,474 homes and expanded gross margin to 10% from 9% a year earlier. Both stocks remain down more than 20% year to date, and the gains hinge on the 10-year Treasury yield staying near 4.4% without a reversal from hot inflation data.

Mortgage rates are showing signs of easing, putting refinancing activity back on investors' radar. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 6.47% as of June 18, down from 6.52% the prior week and 6.81% a year ago, according to Freddie Mac. Refinance applications grew 17% year over year for the week ended June 12, accounting for 40.3% of total mortgage applications, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported. Rocket Companies is a direct play on refinancing volumes, while mortgage REITs AGNC Investment and Annaly Capital Management could benefit from improving agency MBS valuations and book values, though faster prepayments pose a risk. All three stocks carry a Zacks Rank of 3, or Hold, with 2026 earnings estimates unchanged over the past week.

U.S. home prices rose 0.3% month over month in May on a seasonally adjusted basis, the fastest monthly growth since January, according to a new report from Redfin. Prices increased 2.5% from a year earlier, the fastest year-over-year growth in six months. The gains reflect deals that went under contract in April, when a brief decline in mortgage rates boosted homebuying demand. Among the 29 major metros where prices rose month over month, Cleveland led with a 2.5% increase, followed by Providence and New York at 1.8% each. Prices fell in 19 metros, with the largest drop in Riverside, California, at 1.9%.