Goldman Sachs has backed IDEXX Laboratories and Zeta Global, while Anthropic introduces new tools to help businesses measure AI spending, productivity, and employee usage.
Artificial intelligence is becoming a major factor in both stock market performance and corporate spending decisions. As investors search for companies that can deliver lasting earnings growth, businesses are introducing new tools to measure whether their investments in AI are producing useful results.
The developments come as technology stocks face renewed pressure. On Monday, November 2, the S&P 500 fell 0.5% after an early rally faded, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 1.1%. Investors remain interested in AI-related growth but are increasingly focused on whether companies can turn that technology into dependable profits.
Goldman Sachs has identified investment opportunities in businesses using technology to expand their operations and improve efficiency. Among those attracting analyst attention are veterinary diagnostics company IDEXX Laboratories and AI-powered marketing technology provider Zeta Global.
At the same time, Anthropic has introduced new reporting features for corporate customers using its Claude AI platform. The tools provide information about employee usage, spending and workflow performance, offering businesses another way to evaluate the financial benefits of adopting AI.
Goldman Sachs Backs IDEXX Laboratories
Maine-based IDEXX Laboratories develops diagnostic instruments, laboratory tests and software used by veterinarians. Its products help clinics diagnose illnesses, monitor animal health and manage their daily operations.
The company benefits from recurring purchases of diagnostic tests and supplies for instruments already installed in veterinary clinics. That business model provides a continuing source of revenue beyond the initial sale of equipment.
IDEXX reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $1.217 billion, an increase of 10% from the previous year. Diluted earnings reached $4.27 per share, up 18%, reflecting growth across its veterinary diagnostics operations.
Recurring diagnostics revenue within its Companion Animal Group increased 11% on a reported basis. The company also reported that its installed base of inVue Dx diagnostic instruments exceeded 9,000 units after placing more than 1,600 during the quarter.
Goldman Sachs analyst Matthew Dellatorre initiated coverage of IDEXX in October with a Buy rating and a $740 price target. The target suggested approximately 34% upside from the share price used in the analyst comparison.
Dellatorre cited the company’s established position in animal healthcare and opportunities for earnings growth through innovation. However, the target represents an analyst forecast rather than a guaranteed future return.
IDEXX also faces challenges, including veterinary operating costs, competition and changes in the frequency of clinic visits. Its ability to maintain recurring revenue growth will be important as investors evaluate whether its valuation is justified.
Zeta Global Expands Its AI Marketing Business
Zeta Global Holdings represents a different approach to investing in artificial intelligence. The New York-based company develops technology that helps businesses analyze customer data, manage marketing campaigns and make decisions about customer engagement.
Its products include the Zeta Data Cloud and AI-powered systems designed to connect information from different sources. Businesses use these technologies to identify customer interests, personalize communications and automate aspects of marketing.
The company has also expanded its AI offerings through Athena by Zeta, which connects enterprise information with advanced AI capabilities. These systems aim to help organizations make faster decisions using existing data.
Goldman Sachs analyst Sahar Islam upgraded Zeta Global to Buy on October 19, according to analyst-rating records. Other investment firms have also issued positive ratings, although their price targets vary substantially.
Zeta has raised its financial expectations for 2026. Following its second-quarter results, the company increased its full-year revenue guidance to between $1.811 billion and $1.824 billion.
Its third-quarter earnings report is scheduled for November 9, 2026, after the stock market closes. Those results will provide updated evidence of customer demand, revenue growth and the company’s ability to profit from its AI investments.
Anthropic Introduces Tools to Measure Corporate AI Spending
As technology companies compete for enterprise customers, businesses are demanding more information about how employees use AI systems. Anthropic responded on October 28 by making smart reports, employee surveys and pooled group budgets generally available to Claude Enterprise customers.
Smart reports examine samples of AI conversations to identify common activities and organize them into workstreams. The reports show associated costs, work produced and recurring problems that may prevent employees from completing tasks efficiently.
Administrators can select teams, reporting periods and products to examine. They can also ask questions about usage patterns and spending, helping managers identify workflows that could be improved or shared across departments.
Business Insider reported that the feature can flag sessions that appear to produce little useful work or involve unrelated activities. However, Anthropic says the reports are designed to guide AI adoption and investment planning, not to evaluate individual employees or make employment decisions.
Employee names are hidden by default, although authorized organization owners can enable identification features. Personal or off-topic conversations are not displayed with employee names, while sensitive restricted topics receive additional protections.
Anthropic has also introduced pooled budgets that allow administrators to allocate shared spending limits to teams. The company offers surveys that collect employees’ views about productivity improvements and tasks that benefit from AI assistance.
These features address a growing concern for companies purchasing AI subscriptions and computing services. Usage alone does not establish whether a technology investment has improved productivity or reduced expenses.
Goldman Sachs Restricts Some AI Tools
Goldman Sachs is also reconsidering how employees use AI in its own operations. Bloomberg reported on November 2 that the bank had restricted access to certain advanced coding tools after reviewing productivity and risk concerns.
According to the report, tools including Anthropic’s Claude Code and Microsoft’s GitHub services had previously been available to some bankers and traders. Updated internal guidance now limits access to engineers, frustrating employees who had used the software for financial analysis and workflow automation.
The restrictions illustrate a challenge facing businesses introducing powerful AI systems. Managers must balance potential efficiency improvements against security, operational risk and the cost of supporting the technology.
They must also determine which employees genuinely benefit from specialized software. A tool that helps developers complete complex programming tasks may not provide the same value across an entire organization.
Investors Watch Earnings and Economic Data
The broader market remains sensitive to concerns about technology valuations. According to the Associated Press, the S&P 500 closed November 2 at 7,541.40, while the Nasdaq finished at 25,164.32.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4%, showing that the day’s weakness was not evenly distributed across the market. AI-related technology shares contributed to the decline in major growth-oriented indexes.
Investors are also preparing for economic reports that could influence expectations for interest rates and corporate earnings. The October U.S. employment report is scheduled for November 6, making labor market conditions another important consideration.
For companies selling AI products, attention is increasingly shifting from adoption rates to measurable financial performance. Investors are examining revenue growth, operating costs, customer retention and the ability to turn new technology into sustained earnings.
IDEXX and Zeta Global offer different examples of how businesses can pursue growth through specialized technology. Anthropic’s reporting features address the spending side of the equation, giving corporate customers more information about where their AI budgets go.
Zeta Global’s upcoming November 9 earnings report will provide another test of investor expectations. Businesses evaluating AI spending will meanwhile have to determine whether increased employee usage is producing enough measurable value to justify continued investment.
IMAGE: The Goldman Sachs Tower – Jersey city, NJ.. Photo: Oriez / Wikimedia, taken 2008-02-20, Public domain