Israeli Shipping Firm Zim Surges Ahead of Earnings While Payment Platform Nayax Drops Sharply
Wall Street indices showed little movement last week, with the S&P 500 rising 0.4%, Nasdaq up 0.1%, and Dow Jones down 0.6%. Among Israeli-related stocks, shipping company Zim saw a notable 12% jump in its share price ahead of its earnings report scheduled for Wednesday. This surge followed strong results from competitor Maersk, which beat analyst expectations and raised its 2026 profit forecasts for the second time this year. Maersk's CEO Vincent Clerc cited bottlenecks in cargo unloading and land transport due to underinvestment in infrastructure over the past 15 years despite growing trade volumes. Analysts expect Zim to report revenues of $1.66 billion and earnings of $1.38 per share. Zim, led by Chen Lichtenstein, is currently undergoing a $4.2 billion acquisition process by the FIMI fund and German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, a deal facing potential opposition from the Israeli government.
In contrast, Nayax, a credit payment platform managed by Yair Nehmad, lost over 25% of its market value last week, dropping to a $1.9 billion valuation after sharply cutting its free cash flow forecast for the year. Despite this, American investment firm KBW upgraded Nayax to an "outperform" rating with a $75 price target, implying a 48% upside from current prices. KBW cited the market's overreaction and highlighted Nayax's investments in recurring revenue streams, expansion in automated payment terminals, and entry into electric vehicle charging as growth drivers. Nayax's second-quarter cash flow turned negative by $13.1 million, attributed to investments in financial services and EV charging operations.
Meanwhile, Monday.com, an Israeli work management platform led by Eran Zinman and Roy Mann, saw its stock decline after issuing a weak revenue forecast for Q3, projecting 16-17% growth to $368-370 million. This would mark a third consecutive quarter of slowing growth amid a recent layoff of 630 employees. Motley Fool compared Monday.com to South Korean semiconductor firm SK Hynix, suggesting SK Hynix is a better investment due to strong demand for semiconductors despite cyclical risks, while Monday.com faces intense competition and economic sensitivity. SK Hynix trades at a forward P/E of 6.4 versus Monday.com's 20.6.
Separately, Israeli real estate developer Preshkovsky launched a major tender selling hundreds of apartments within 72 hours. The article also noted Globes' commitment to respectful and diverse discourse in line with its ethical code.
