San Francisco Officials Secretly And Illegally Operating An Illicit Drug Use Cite Authored by Michael Shellenberger and Leighton Woodhouse via substack (emphasis ours), San Francisco Mayor London Breed generated national news media coverage last December when she announced a sweeping crackdown on open air drug use and drug dealing in the downtown Tenderloin neighborhood. Shortly after, she announced a “linkage center” aimed at connecting homeless street addicts with drug rehab facilities. Breed’s announcement came in the midst of a local, state, and national debate over whether the city should open a “supervised drug consumption” site as a tactic for reducing drug overdose deaths.  When San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced a “linkage center” to connect homeless drug addicts to treatment, she never mentioned it would include a supervised drug consumption site. In fact, the illicit drug consumption site has been up and running since Tuesday inside the linkage center, which is located at 1172 Market Street. The linkage center is located in the United Nations Plaza, the city’s largest open air drug market. The supervised drug consumption area is an outdoor fenced section of the linkage center.  The supervised drug use site is directly behind the green mesh. The sign on the fence says “Tenderloin Linkage Center” and names “Food and Water,” “Hygiene Services,” and “Social Support,” but makes no mention of the supervised drug use site. There is an on-going national debate over the efficacy of supervised drug consumption sites, which are prohibited by state and federal laws, and a continuing local debate over whether and where to open one in San Francisco. Mayor Breed and members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors have advocated a supervised drug consumption site, and purchased two properties in the Tenderloin to serve people suffering from addiction. But the city never approved the creation of a supervised consumption site at the linkage center and the site is in violation of state and federal laws. We are the first to report on the operation of the illegal supervised drug consumption site at the linkage center. The two of us witnessed a half-dozen people smoking fentanyl in an outdoor area on the site, and two people passed out at a table. An employee of a city contractor at the linkage center told us that two people had overdosed and been revived since the site opened on Tuesday.  People smoking fentanyl a few feet away from the linkage center’s supervised drug use site. Subscribe to Michael Schellenberger's substack here. Tyler Durden Fri, 01/21/2022 - 22:20.....»»

Six large-cap companies will report earnings next week. These are: TSLA, URI, FCX, VRTX, STLD and BRO. Wall Street is facing severe volatility in this week as market participants are keeping their fingers crossed for a hawkish Fed in the near term. However, the fourth-quarter 2021 earnings season is gathering pace with better-than-expected results so far. Earnings results are expected to stay strong this time around.Six large-cap stocks are poised to beat on fourth-quarter earnings results next week. These stocks carry a favorable Zacks Rank and a possible earnings beat is likely to make them attractive to investors in the near future. These are - Tesla Inc. TSLA, Steel Dynamics Inc. STLD, Brown & Brown, Inc. BRO, United Rentals Inc. URI, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. FCX and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. VRTX.Solid Start to Fourth-Quarter EarningsAs of Jan 19, 43 S&P 500 companies have reported fourth-quarter 2021 results. Total earnings of these companies are up 18.3% year over year on 11.7% higher revenues with 86% beating EPS estimates and 79.1% surpassing revenue estimates.Total fourth-quarter earnings of the market's benchmark — the S&P 500 Index — are projected to climb 21.5% from the same period last year on 12% higher revenues, following 41.4% year-over-year earnings growth on 17.4% higher revenues in the third quarter, 95% year-over-year earnings growth on 25.3% higher revenues in the second quarter and 49.3% year-over-year earnings growth on 10.3% higher revenues in first-quarter 2021.The first three quarters of last year were favorably impacted since the preceding quarters of the year before that were affected by pandemic-induced lockdowns and restrictions. However, the U.S. economy started reopening at a very slow pace since the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2020.Our Top PicksSix large-cap (market capital > $10 billion) companies will report earnings next week. Each of these stocks carries either a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and has a positive Earnings ESP. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Our research shows that for stocks with the combination of a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better and a positive Earnings ESP, the chance of an earnings beat is as high as 70%. These stocks are anticipated to appreciate after their earnings releases. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.The chart below shows the price performance of our six picks in last quarter.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchTesla has acquired a substantial market share within the electric car segment. Increasing Model 3 delivery, which forms a significant chunk of TSLA’s overall deliveries, is aiding its top line. Along with Model 3, Model Y is contributing to its revenues.In addition to increasing automotive revenues, Tesla’s energy generation and storage revenues boost its earnings prospects. TSLA said that its overall deliveries surged 20% in the third quarter from its previous record in the second quarter, marking the sixth consecutive quarter-on-quarter gain.The Zacks Rank #1 Tesla has an Earnings ESP of +6.30%. It has an expected earnings growth rate of 33.4% for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings improved 1.7% over the last 30 days.TSLA recorded earnings surprises in three out of the last four reported quarters, with an average beat of 25.4%. Tesla is set to release earnings results on Jan 26, after the closing bell.Steel Dynamics Inc. is expected to gain from acquisitions as well as strong liquidity and efforts to expand capacity. The acquisitions of Heartland and United Steel Supply have boosted Steel Dynamics' shipping capabilities. Moreover, the buyout of Zimmer will support its raw material procurement strategy at its new Texas flat roll steel mill.STLD is also expected to gain from its investments to beef up capacity and upgrade facilities. Steel Dynamics is executing several projects that should add to capacity and boost profitability. The electric-arc-furnace flat roll steel mill will strengthen its steelmaking capacity and value-added product capability.The Zacks Rank #2 STLD has an Earnings ESP of +6.38%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings improved 1.2% over the last 30 days. Steel Dynamics recorded earnings surprises in the last four reported quarters, with an average beat of 5.1%. STLD is set to release earnings results on Jan 24, after the closing bell.Brown & Brown has a compelling portfolio along with an impressive growth trajectory driven by organic and inorganic initiatives across all its segments. Buyouts and collaborations enhanced Brown & Brown's existing capabilities and extended its geographic foothold.Strategic efforts continue to drive commission and fees. BRO’s sturdy performance has driven cash flow, enabling it to deploy capital in shareholder-friendly moves. BRO boasts a strong balance sheet backed by a solid cash position.The Zacks Rank #1 Brown & Brown has an Earnings ESP of +1.56%. It has an expected earnings growth rate of 5.9% for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings improved 0.9% over the last 7 days.BRO recorded earnings surprises in the last four reported quarters, with an average beat of 18.3%. Brown & Brown is set to release earnings results on Jan 24, after the closing bell.Freeport-McMoRan is conducting exploration activities near existing mines to expand reserves. FCX is expected to gain from the progress in exploration activities that will boost production capacity. Freeport’s Lone Star project provides additional upside.FCX is also well-positioned to benefit from automotive electrification, which is positive for copper as electrical vehicles are copper intensive. Higher copper prices are also expected to support its margins. Freeport’s efforts to reduce debt is also encouraging.The Zacks Rank #2 Freeport has an Earnings ESP of +2.86%. It has an expected earnings growth rate of 32.2% for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings improved 1.2% over the last 7 days.FCX recorded earnings surprises in three out of the last four reported quarters, with an average beat of 4.3%. Freeport is set to release earnings results on Jan 26, before the opening bell.United Rentals is benefiting from higher rental revenues, fleet productivity and absorptions. Fleet productivity was up 13.5% in the third quarter from the prior-year quarter, depicting better fleet absorption. URI’s raised 2021 guidance exhibits broad-based growth across the company’s verticals, with persistent growth opportunities for certain non-residential verticals including datacenter, healthcare and warehouse projects.The Zacks Rank #2 United Rentals has an Earnings ESP of +1.34%. It has an expected earnings growth rate of 22.4% for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings improved 0.1% over the last 30 days.URI recorded earnings surprises in two out of the last four reported quarters, with an average beat of 5.7%. United Rentals is set to release earnings results on Jan 26, after the closing bell.Vertex’s cystic franchise sales continue to grow despite the impact of the pandemic. Trikafta/Kaftrio’s early approval/launch were a significant milestone. New reimbursement agreements in ex-U.S. markets and label expansions to younger age groups in United States are driving VRTX’s Trikafta/Kaftrio sales higher.Vertex’s non-CF pipeline is progressing rapidly with data from multiple programs expected in the next few months. Vertex faces only minimal competition in its core CF franchise. Vertex has collaborations with several companies.The Zacks Rank #2 VRTX has an Earnings ESP of +10.77%. It has an expected earnings growth rate of 3.3% for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings improved 0.2% over the last 30 days.Vertex recorded earnings surprises in three out of the last four reported quarters, with an average beat of 8%. VRTX is set to release earnings results on Jan 26, after the closing bell.Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD): Free Stock Analysis Report FreeportMcMoRan Inc. (FCX): Free Stock Analysis Report Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX): Free Stock Analysis Report Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO): Free Stock Analysis Report Tesla, Inc. (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report United Rentals, Inc. (URI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

The New Year has started on a highly bullish note for oil, which is trading around seven-year highs. Consequently, the top gainer of the S&P 500 this year is an energy-related name - Schlumberger (SLB). A year and half after the pandemic-driven epic oil price crash, optimism is back in the sector as prices have soared above $85-a-barrel, with talks of a potential spike of more than $100 from the top energy traders and forecasters like JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs GS, OANDA, Rystad Energy. The bullish outlook is a far cry from the depths of minus $38 a barrel in April 2020.According to Goldman Sachs, oil prices could reach the magic figure around the third quarter though the investment bank’s official target for 2022 is $96 a barrel. Jeff Currie — Goldman Sachs’ head of commodities research — believes that the oil market is “fundamentally tight” with a high probability of upside going into the first half of next year.    While it’s typically a case of an ever-improving demand picture against constrained supply, let’s discuss the important dynamics driving the oil markets.Could We See $100 Oil Again?Following the historic plunge of 2020, the oil market has made a remarkable recovery, and a tight commodity market is clearly evident.Apart from a favorable demand/supply dynamic, high vaccination rates in most parts of the developed world and the calibrated production cuts by the OPEC+ cartel, the commodity’s upward momentum is being supported by recent geopolitical headlines that could impact production. For example, the Russia-Ukraine tensions and the attack by Yemen's Houthi group on OPEC-member UAE gave a boost to oil by threatening supply disruptions.Further, even though oil prices have rebounded strongly from the coronavirus-induced depths, most producers will likely continue with their disciplined approach to capital allocation in 2022. With not much chance of a significant upstream capex increase this year, investment in long-term projects appears to be dwindling.For example, U.S. biggie Chevron CVX has pegged its capital and exploratory budget for 2022 at $15 billion — at the low end of its previous estimation of $15-$17 billion. This year’s budget is also down around 29% from Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) CVX’s 2019 pre-pandemic expenditure of $21 billion.You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.According to Chevron's Chairman and CEO Michael K. Wirth, the company is following a capital deployment strategy that is aligned with its plans to move ahead in tune with the global economic recovery. CVX’s policy of spending restraint and cost efficiency aligns with its goal to improve returns and lower carbon footprint.This capital shortage, coupled with the slow pick-up in U.S. shale production, point to an impending supply shortfall against demand, especially with most individuals resuming activities post vaccination and pent-up consumption starting to take effect.It also seems that fears of a slowdown in oil demand recovery from the Omicron variant are starting to subside, with the strain likely to be short-lived and less deadly than expected. At the same time, the available vaccines might be effective in neutralizing it, while the broad-based reluctance to reapply harsh lockdown measures averted a major hit to consumption.Many oil traders believe it to be the perfect recipe to see a price spike north of $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014.The Cost of Triple-Digit CrudeThere is no doubt that the energy space has been tightening rapidly this year but revisiting triple-digit prices might not be the best news for the economy and the oil industry. As fuel rallies, there could be demand destruction, especially from the emerging economies that are not only sensitive to commodity prices and currency fluctuations but also are yet to fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, $100 oil will not be sustainable for nations that depend heavily on imports as well as finished crude products. What Lies Ahead?Though we do not see the price of a barrel of crude reaching $100 anytime soon, there is a strong argument building for a bull run in the coming months. Demand is set to surpass the pre-pandemic threshold of 100 million barrels per day once again this year, while supply from the OPEC+ coalition looks likely to remain restricted in the foreseeable future, considering the group’s lack of spare capacity. Moreover, 2020’s unprecedented price collapse has prompted operators to trim their exploration budgets by billions of dollars, translating into a relatively dry pipeline of new projects.With all the tailwinds, the Zacks Oil/Energy sector has continued to move higher in 2022 after comfortably topping the S&P 500 leaderboard last year. While 2021 marked the best annual performance since 2009, with the space gaining 55%, crude has already risen more than 15% this year. Although still in its early days, the New Year has started on a highly bullish note for the commodity, which is trading at around seven-year highs.Consequently, the top gainer of the S&P 500 this year is an energy-related name — Schlumberger SLB. The oilfield services behemoth, which is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results today, is the best-performing stock with a year-to-date gain of 23.7%.Should oil hit $100, the likes of SLB could be even bigger winners in the coming months. Elevated crude realization generally leads to wider margins for companies like Schlumberger that make it possible for upstream players to drill for oil. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS): Free Stock Analysis Report Chevron Corporation (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report Schlumberger Limited (SLB): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

PFE, M, and ARCB made it to the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) growth stocks list on January 21, 2022 Here are three stocks with buy ranks and strong growth characteristics for investors to consider today, January 21st:Pfizer PFE: This company that manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 1.7% over the last 60 days.Pfizer Inc. Price and Consensus  Pfizer Inc. price-consensus-chart | Pfizer Inc. QuotePfizer has a PEG ratio of 0.75 compared with 1.72 for the industry. The company possesses a Growth Score of B.Pfizer Inc. PEG Ratio (TTM)  Pfizer Inc. peg-ratio-ttm | Pfizer Inc. QuoteMacy's M: This omnichannel retail organization carries a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 4.3% over the last 60 days.Macy's, Inc. Price and Consensus  Macy's, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Macy's, Inc. QuoteMacy's has a PEG ratio of 0.41 compared with 0.54 for the industry. The company possesses a Growth Score of B.Macy's, Inc. PEG Ratio (TTM)  Macy's, Inc. peg-ratio-ttm | Macy's, Inc. QuoteArcBest ARCB: This company that provides freight transportation services and solutions carries a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 1% over the last 60 days.ArcBest Corporation Price and Consensus  ArcBest Corporation price-consensus-chart | ArcBest Corporation QuoteArcBest has a PEG ratio of 0.21 compared with 0.76 for the industry. The company possesses a Growth Score of A.ArcBest Corporation PEG Ratio (TTM)  ArcBest Corporation peg-ratio-ttm | ArcBest Corporation QuoteSee the full list of top ranked stocks here.Learn more about the Growth score and how it is calculated here. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Pfizer Inc. (PFE): Free Stock Analysis Report Macy's, Inc. (M): Free Stock Analysis Report ArcBest Corporation (ARCB): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here......»»

Las Vegas Sands' (LVS) fourth-quarter performance is likely to reflect a recovery in Singapore and Macau markets owing to the easing of restrictions and reopening of travel lanes. Las Vegas Sands Corp. LVS is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2021 results on Jan 26, 2022, after the closing bell. In the previous quarter, the company reported a negative earnings surprise of 80%.How are Estimates Placed?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fourth-quarter bottom line is pegged at a loss of 21 cents per share, indicating an improvement of 43.2% from a loss of 37 cents reported in the year-ago quarter.For revenues, the consensus mark is pegged at nearly $1,033 million. The metric suggests a deterioration of 9.9% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.Las Vegas Sands Corp. Price and EPS Surprise  Las Vegas Sands Corp. price-eps-surprise | Las Vegas Sands Corp. Quote Let's take a look at how things have shaped up in the quarter.Factors at PlayLas Vegas Sands’ fourth-quarter performance is likely to have benefitted from a recovery in Singapore and Macau markets. A surge in vaccination rates, easing of restrictions and establishment of travel corridors are likely to have made way for recovery in the to-be-reported quarter. Moreover, planned investment in new projects coupled with robust spending at the premium mass level for the gaming and retail perspective in Macau is likely to have driven the company’s performance in the fourth quarter.Higher revenues at Sand Cotai Central and Parisian Macao might have contributed to the company’s fourth-quarter performance. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for net revenues at Sand Cotai Central and Parisian Macao are pegged at $147 million and $114 million, suggesting growth of 54.7% and 12.9%, respectively, from the prior-year quarter’s figures. Its Marine Bay Sands segment might have witnessed revenue gain as well. For this segment, the consensus mark is pegged at $348 million, indicating an improvement of 0.9% from the prior-year quarter’s tally.Net revenues at Four Seasons Hotel Macao is pegged at $114, suggesting no changes from the prior-year quarter’s levels. Net revenues at Venetian Macao are pegged at $278 million, indicating a decline of 15% from the prior-year quarter’s levels.Dismal visitation in the Las Vegas operating properties is likely to have affected the company’s performance. Although sequential improvements in terms of visitation are likely, it is still expected to remain below pre-pandemic levels. For Las Vegas operations, the consensus mark for fourth-quarter revenues is pegged at $12.5 million, indicating a deterioration of 91.7% from the year-ago quarter’s levels.What Our Model SaysOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Las Vegas Sands this time around. A stock needs to have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to beat estimates. But that's not the case here.Earnings ESP: Las Vegas Sands has an Earnings ESP of +22.66%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Zacks Rank: The company carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).Stocks Poised to Beat Earnings EstimatesHere are some stocks from the Zacks Consumer Discretionary space that investors may consider as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat:Crocs, Inc. CROX has an Earnings ESP of +7.09% and a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Shares of Crocs have gained 44.5% in the past year. CROX’s earnings topped the consensus mark in all the last four quarters, with the average being 41.6%.Oxford Industries, Inc. OXM has an Earnings ESP of +2.97% and a Zacks Rank #1.Shares of Oxford Industries have gained 24.1% in the past year. OXM’s earnings topped the consensus mark thrice but missed the same on one occasion, with the average surprise being 96.7%.Central Garden & Pet Company CENT has an Earnings ESP of +100.00% and a Zacks Rank #2.Shares of Central Garden have gained 7% in the past year. CENT’s earnings topped the consensus mark in three of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 46.1%.Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS): Free Stock Analysis Report Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT): Free Stock Analysis Report Crocs, Inc. (CROX): Free Stock Analysis Report Oxford Industries, Inc. (OXM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

Tyson Foods (TSN) is on track with capacity expansion and automation technology investments. Also, it is focused on higher protein production. Tyson Foods, Inc. TSN is benefiting from its focus on protein-packed brands and capacity-expansion efforts. The company continues to gain from robust demand in its retail core business lines. The ongoing recovery in the foodservice channel led by QSRs is a driver. That said, escalated input cost inflation is a headwind.Let’s discuss further.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchWhat’s Working for Tyson Foods?Tyson Foods is undertaking a number of operational and supply chain efficiency programs to place itself better for the long run. In this regard, the company is investing in capacity expansion and automation technology investments. In its last earnings call, management highlighted that it is on track to open 12 new plants over the next two years, which will enable it to tackle capacity constraints and growing demand for protein globally. The additional capacities include nine chicken plants, two case-ready beef and pork facilities and one bacon unit. Management anticipates capital expenditures of nearly $2 billion during fiscal 2022 to support global protein demand growth.Certainly, Tyson Foods is focused on higher protein production to cater to the rising demand for protein-packed food. For fiscal 2022, the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) projects domestic protein production (beef, pork, chicken and turkey) to improve slightly from fiscal 2021 levels. For fiscal 2022, Tyson Foods expects to grow its total volumes by 2% to 3%, outpacing the overall protein consumption growth. A significant percentage of the volume growth is likely to come from the chicken segment and optimized product portfolio. Enhanced capacities and initiatives to improve operations are likely to boost performance.Tyson Foods boasts a rich portfolio of protein-packed brands that are growing rapidly across the globe. The company has undertaken the divesture of non-protein businesses (Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, Kettle and Van’s) to focus more on the growing protein-packed food arena. It is steadily expanding fresh prepared foods offering, owing to rising demand for natural fresh meat offerings without any added hormones or antibiotics. Tyson Foods has been venturing into alternative sources for meat and protein products. In this regard, the company’s nationwide launch of Raised & Rooted, including three new products, bodes well amid rising demand for plant-based protein options. In June 2021, Tyson Foods announced that it would roll out a range of plant-based products in chosen retail markets and digital platforms in the Asia Pacific under the First Pride brand.Hurdles on WayDuring fourth-quarter of fiscal 2021, Tyson Foods incurred nearly $65 million as direct incremental expenses associated with COVID-19, which put pressure on results to an extent. These include team member costs, production facility sanitization and testing for coronavirus among others. Apart from these factors, indirect COVID-19 costs included expenses associated with raw materials and transportation among others. Management, in its quarterly earnings call, also highlighted that it foresees tough availability of labor. The company witnessed inflation across the business, in areas such as wages, grain cost, live animal costs and pork, meat cost and prepared foods as well as freight costs across the enterprise.That being said, the aforementioned upsides are likely to help the Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company stay afloat amid such hurdles. The stock has increased 27.9% in the past six months compared with the industry’s growth of 9.8%.Hot Consumer Staples BetsSome better-ranked stocks are Medifast, Inc. MED, United Natural Foods UNFI and Sanderson Farms, Inc. SAFM.United Natural Foods, the leading distributor of natural, organic and specialty food and non-food products in the United States and Canada, sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. Shares of UNFI have rallied 20.5% in the past six months. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for United Natural Foods’ current financial year earnings per share (EPS) and sales suggests growth of 8.8% and 4.8%, respectively,from the year-ago reported number. UNFI has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 35.4%, on average.Sanderson Farms, the producer of fresh, frozen and minimally prepared chicken, currently sports a Zacks Rank #1. Shares of SAFM have risen 3.5% in the past six months.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sanderson Farms’ fiscal 2022’s sales suggests almost 1% growth from the year-ago reported figure. SAFM has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 496.3%, on average.Medifast, the manufacturer and distributor of weight loss, weight management, healthy living products, and other consumable health and nutritional products, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Shares of Medifast have plunged 28.3% in the past six months.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Medifast’s current financial-year sales and EPS suggests growth of about 63% and 49.3%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figure. MED has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 17.3%, on average. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Tyson Foods, Inc. (TSN): Free Stock Analysis Report United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI): Free Stock Analysis Report Sanderson Farms, Inc. (SAFM): Free Stock Analysis Report MEDIFAST INC (MED): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here......»»

Hyatt (H) collaborates with Stratford City Hotels Limited for the openings of Hyatt Regency London Stratford and Hyatt House London Stratford. In a bid to strengthen its portfolio in the U.K., Hyatt Hotels Corporation’s H affiliate recently entered into a management agreement with Stratford City Hotels Limited (a subsidiary of M&L Hospitality) for the openings of Hyatt Regency London Stratford and Hyatt House London Stratford. Post the renovations, the company expects to open the properties by second-quarter 2022.Hyatt Regency London Stratford comprises 225 guestrooms with 6,673 square feet of meeting space. It also comes with a restaurant, bar and an open-air terrace. Meanwhile, Hyatt House London Stratford features 127 guestrooms comprising modern, apartment-style suites with fully-equipped kitchens and flexible workspaces.Located within Europe’s Westfield Stratford City, the properties also offer convenient access to Heathrow International Airport, Stratford Station, London convention center and universities, including the East campus of the University College of London and the new College of Fashion.With reference to the opening, Felicity Black Roberts, vice president of development Europe, Hyatt, stated, “The addition of these two hotels will be another exciting step in growing Hyatt’s brand presence in the United Kingdom and in creating a network of hotels across the key commercial and leisure markets in the country.”Increased Focus on ExpansionHyatt aims to differentiate its brands by providing distinct travel experiences. Hyatt is also consistently trying to expand its presence on a worldwide basis in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.Hyatt, along with the collaboration of M&L Hospitality, opened Hyatt Regency Manchester and Hyatt House Manchester, Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport in the U.K. market. Other properties in the region include Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill, Hyatt Regency Birmingham, Great Scotland Yard Hotel, Andaz London Liverpool Street, Hyatt Place West London Hayes, Hyatt Centric Cambridge and Hyatt Place London City East.The company announced a solid pipeline of developments that are likely to cater to the company’s intention of global market expansion. For Europe and the Middle East, the company announced the addition of Magma Resort Santorini (part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand), 7Pines Resort Sardinia (part of the Destination by Hyatt brand) and Thompson Madrid with expected openings in mid-2022 and Andaz Doha with an expected opening in late 2022. Hyatt also revealed the addition of Alila Lanzarote, Grand Hyatt Lanzarote and Park Hyatt Riyadh Diriyah Gate, with expected openings in 2025.We believe that expansion in these markets would likely help the company gain market share in the hospitality industry and boost business.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchIn the past year, shares of the company have gained 21.9% compared with the industry’s 10.6% growth.Zacks Rank & Other Key PicksHyatt currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.Some other top-ranked stocks from the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector are Guess, Inc. GES, Crocs, Inc. CROX and RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc. RICK.Guess sports a Zacks Rank #1. The company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 97%, on average. Shares of Guess have increased 1.8% in the past three months.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GES’s 2022 sales and EPS suggests growth of 38.6% and 4,342.9%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels.Crocs flaunts a Zacks Rank #1. The company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 41.6%, on average. Shares of Crocs have increased 45.3% in the past year.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CROX’s 2022 sales and EPS indicates a rise of 48.8% and 25.8%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels.RCI Hospitality sports a Zacks Rank #1. The company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 67.7%, on average. Shares of RCI Hospitality have surged 75.8% in the past year.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RICK’s 2022 sales and EPS suggests growth of 34.9% and 22.1%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Hyatt Hotels Corporation (H): Free Stock Analysis Report Guess, Inc. (GES): Free Stock Analysis Report Crocs, Inc. (CROX): Free Stock Analysis Report RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc. (RICK): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

Teledyne Technologies' (TDY) Q4 results are likely to have gained from the FLIR acquisition along with solid sales volume performance. Strong cost-reduction efforts may have boosted quarterly earnings. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated TDY is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter 2021 results on Jan 27, 2022 before the market opens.Teledyne has a four-quarter earnings surprise of 23.15%, on average. Strong operational performance from the majority of the company’s segments is expected to have contributed favorably to its overall fourth-quarter performance.Digital Imaging – a Key Revenue ContributorThe FLIR Teledyne business has been a strong top-line contributor to Teledyne’s Digital Imaging segment’s revenues since its acquisition. Alike its robust performance in the past quarters, it is expected to have continued to favorably impact its Digital Imaging segment’s performance, thus boosting the segment’s revenues in the soon-to-be-reported quarter. Also, the cost synergy from its acquisition is expected to have added impetus to this segment’s bottom line in the fourth quarter.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the Digital Imaging segment’s revenues in the fourth quarter is pegged at $793 million, indicating a whopping improvement of 202.7% from revenues reported in the year-ago quarter.Strong Sales to Boost Instrumentation RevenuesThe Instrumentation segment is likely to have retained its growth momentum in sales alike the past couple of quarters. Solid sales of test and electronic test and measurement systems like oscilloscopes and protocol analyzers along with strong sales of environmental instruments related to the human health and safety markets, such as drug discovery and gas and flame detection, are likely to have boosted the top line of this segment.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the Instrumentation segment’s revenues in the fourth quarter is pegged at $303 million, indicating an improvement of 7.1% from revenues reported in the year-ago quarter.Strong Sales Volume From Aerospace and Defense ElectronicsDue to the recovery observed in the commercial aerospace market, the strong sales volume of its commercial aerospace products is expected to have boosted the Aerospace and Defense Electronics segment’s fourth-quarter revenues. Also, solid defense, space and industrial-related product sales are expected to have added impetus to this segment’s revenues in the soon-to-be-reported quarter.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Aerospace and Defense Electronics’ revenues in the fourth quarter is pegged at $160 million, indicating growth of 10.3% from revenues reported in the year-ago quarter.Engineered Systems’Performance Remains GloomyRevenues from the Engineered Systems business unit may have been negatively impacted by the elimination of the turbine engine business, which the company exited in 2021. This might have weighed down on this unit’s revenues in the soon-to-be-reported quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Engineered Systems’ revenues in the fourth quarter is pegged at $105 million, indicating a decline of 11.8% from revenues reported in the year-ago quarter.Teledyne Technologies Incorporated Price and EPS Surprise Teledyne Technologies Incorporated price-eps-surprise | Teledyne Technologies Incorporated QuoteOther Factors to ConsiderSuch growth expectations from the majority of its segments make TDY optimistic about its overall revenue performance in the fourth quarter.From the cost perspective, Teledyne Technologies has eliminated certain corporate overhead consultants and other fourth-party service providers, which will result in an annualized cost savings of $80 million by 2022. This, along with strong operational performance, is likely to have favorably contributed to the bottom line of the company.However, inflationary and supply-chain constraint trends might have had a partial impact on its soon-to-be-reported quarterly results.Fourth-Quarter EstimatesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter revenues is pegged at $1.36 billion, suggesting growth of 67.5% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter earningsis pegged at $4.24 per share, indicating a 32.5% surge from the prior-year reported figure.What the Zacks Model UnveilsOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Teledyne Technologies this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESPand a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. However, that is not the case here.Teledyne Technologies has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell, before they’re reported, with our Earnings ESP Filter.Stocks to ConsiderHere are three defense players you may want to consider as they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this season:Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings AJRD has an Earnings ESP of +2.00% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Aerojet has a four-quarter average negative earnings surprise of 2.17%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AJRD’s fourth-quarter sales and earnings is pegged at $578.5 million and 50 cents per share, respectively.Textron TXT has an Earnings ESP of +1.02% and a Zacks Rank #3. Textron delivered a four-quarter average earnings surprise of 27.89%.The long-term earnings growth rate of TXT is pegged at 28.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Textron’s fourth-quarter sales and earnings is pegged at $3.4 billion and 98 cents per share, respectively.Triumph Group TGI has an Earnings ESP of +1.01% and a Zacks Rank #3. Triumph Group delivered a four-quarter average earnings surprise of 101.89%.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TGI’s fourth-quarter sales and earnings is pegged at $368.8 million and 20 cents per share, respectively.Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Textron Inc. (TXT): Free Stock Analysis Report Triumph Group, Inc. (TGI): Free Stock Analysis Report Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (TDY): Free Stock Analysis Report Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (AJRD): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here......»»

Lumen (LUMN) secures a contract worth more than $1.2 billion from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to securely modernize the latter's network and IT services. Lumen Technologies, Inc. LUMN has clinched a network services contract worth more than $1.2 billion from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”). Per this 11-year task order, Lumen will be responsible for deploying a fully integrated wide-area data transport service across the United States and abroad, thereby securely revamping USDA's IT services.Lumen will capitalize on its avant-garde edge computing architecture and vast fiber connectivity to provide cloud connectivity and contact center solutions to more than 9,500 USDA locations. Boasting a long history of working with various government organizations, Lumen aims to introduce advanced technology solutions while facilitating USDA to bolster economic development and conserve America’s natural resources as part of the latest contract.The task order includes 10 one-year options and has an initial term through Sep 30, 2022. Markedly, the deal was awarded to Lumen under the General Services Administration's 15-year, $50 billion Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions program. It is worth mentioning that Lumen platform's edge computing architecture will aid USDA in collecting and analyzing data closer to the edge of the network with secure remote access. As a result, this will significantly save bandwidth and minimize latency.As part of this agreement, Lumen will deliver managed security, voice and managed network offerings with speeds up to 100 Gbps. Some of these are zero-trust networking solutions, virtual private network services, unified communications and collaboration solutions, optical wavelength solutions, software-defined wide area network services (SD-WAN) and ethernet transport. These robust solutions will allow around 100,000 USDA employees to manage forestry and rural economic development and vital farming services with utmost efficiency.Lumen’s fiber and IP-based network capacity positions it well to support customers and boost shareholders’ value in the long term. The company is likely to capitalize on key opportunities, such as data security, IoT, Big Data, 5G, AI and edge computing for revenue growth. The company aims to transform its business operations through product evolution and digitization of customer interactions, which augurs well for revenue growth.Lumen introduced Dynamic Connections as part of its Cloud Connect portfolio and is working on the global expansion of its SD-WAN solutions while expanding its platform to cloud service and software-as-a-service providers. It is focused on generating revenue growth in its business markets and expects the scale of its global assets and innovative product portfolio to be accretive to earnings. The company is working with customers to enable their 5G roadmaps while extending its fiber footprint.At the same time, Lumen is focused on bringing improved operational efficiencies through a number of methods, including network simplification and rationalization. This should help the company improve its end-to-end provisioning time and drive standardization. Lumen has been trying to establish itself as a global leader in cloud infrastructure and hosted IT solutions arena designed for enterprise customers.Moreover, the company’s strong network capabilities, integrated hosting and network solutions are likely to promote growth in the cloud business. The company’s managed and cloud services are key differentiators from other players in the market. Also, investing in growth through product and network expansions, delivering enhanced customer experience across the business and deleveraging to strengthen its balance sheet remain key priorities.Based on these strategic endeavors, Lumen expects the revenue trajectory to improve in the long run. The Monroe, LA-based communications company’s Quantum Fiber platform and IP-based network capacity also position it well to support customers.Lumen currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Its shares have gained 7.9% against the industry’s fall of 56.7% in the past year. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchFirst Advantage Corporation FA is another top-ranked stock in the industry, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has been revised 5.1% upward over the past 60 days.First Advantage delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 47.2%, on average. Although it has lost 22.3% in the past three months, we remain confident of FA’s inherent growth potential on the back of its avant-garde background screening solutions.LiveRamp Holdings, Inc. RAMP also flaunts a Zacks Rank #1. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has been revised a whopping 231.3% upward over the past 60 days.LiveRamp Holdings delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 633.3%, on average. The stock has gained 8.5% in the past six months.Marvell Technology, Inc. MRVL sports a Zacks Rank #1 as well. The consensus estimate for earnings for the current year has been revised 6.9% upward over the past 60 days.Marvell Technology delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 7.6%, on average. The stock has soared 40.3% in the past year. MRVL has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 24.3%. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Marvell Technology, Inc. (MRVL): Free Stock Analysis Report LiveRamp Holdings, Inc. (RAMP): Free Stock Analysis Report Lumen Technologies, Inc. (LUMN): Free Stock Analysis Report First Advantage Corporation (FA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

J&J's (JNJ) Pharma segment is expected to have performed above the market. It remains to be seen if sales improved in the Medical Devices segment in the fourth quarter. Johnson & Johnson JNJ will report fourth-quarter and full-year 2021 results on Jan 25, before market open. In the last-reported quarter, the company delivered an earnings surprise of 9.7%.The healthcare bellwether’s performance has been pretty impressive, with the company exceeding earnings expectations in each of the trailing four quarters. It delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 8.34%, on average.Johnson & Johnson Price and EPS Surprise         Johnson & Johnson price-eps-surprise | Johnson & Johnson QuoteJ&J’s stock has risen 4.8% this year so far compared with an increase of 17.2% for the industry. Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchFactors to ConsiderJ&J’s Pharma segment is expected to have continued to outperform the market led by increased penetration and new indications across key products such as Darzalex, Imbruvica, and Stelara. J&J markets Imbruvica in partnership with AbbVie ABBV.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Imbruvica, Darzalex and Stelara is pegged at $1.15 billion, $1.61 billion and $2.46 billion, respectively.Other core products like Invega Sustenna/Xeplion/Invega Trinza/Trevicta, J&J’s PAH drugs and new drugs, Erleada and Tremfya might have contributed significantly to sales growth.Improvement in sales of some other key drugs like Xarelto, as seen in the past few quarters, is likely to have continued into the fourth quarter. Last quarter, temporary COVID-19 impacts on new patient starts and modest share loss in the United States to new oral competition hurt sales of J&J and AbbVie’s Imbruvica to an extent. It remains to be seen if these trends improved in the fourth quarter.J&J’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, which is approved for emergency use in some countries, generated sales of $502 million in the third quarter. Sales of the vaccine are likely to have been higher in the fourth quarter. A booster shot of the vaccine was authorized in October 2021, which is likely to have boosted sales in the fourth quarter.Generic/biosimilar competition to drugs like Zytiga, Procrit/Eprex and Remicade and some negative impact of COVID-19 is likely to have hurt the top line.Also, some volatility in sales mainly due to the recent surge of infections due to the Delta and Omicron variants is expected to have affected sales of some drugs in the fourth quarter.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for J&J’s Pharmaceuticals unit is $14.58 billion.Medical Devices segment sales are likely to have benefited from an ongoing recovery after being hurt significantly in the early stages of the pandemic. However, the Delta variant and healthcare staff shortage led to a sequential step down in procedure volume trends in the third quarter. Though elective procedure volumes are likely to have recovered in the fourth quarter, the pace of recovery and the impact of Delta/Omicron-related rising infection rates create uncertainty.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for J&J’s Medical Devices segment is $6.9 billion.In the Consumer Healthcare segment, the improving trend seen in the last couple of quarters is likely to have continued.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for J&J’s Consumer Healthcare segment is $3.73 billion.Importantly, J&J is likely to announce its financial guidance for 2022 on the fourth-quarter conference call.Key Update in Q4In November 2021, J&J announced plans to separate its Consumer Health segment into a new publicly-traded company, leaving behind a new J&J with its Pharmaceuticals and Medical Device units.J&J believes the Consumer Health unit’s separation would drive growth and unlock significant value as the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices units are relatively higher growth, higher-margin businesses. The separation of the Consumer Health unit is expected to be completed in the next 18 to 24 months, pending necessary board and regulatory approval. The remaining Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices company will continue to use the name Johnson & Johnson and will be led by a new chief executive officer, Joaquin Duato. J&J may announce the new Consumer Health publicly-traded company’s name on the fourth-quarter conference call.Earnings WhispersOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for J&J this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that is not the case here.Earnings ESP: J&J’s Earnings ESP is 0.00% as the Zacks Consensus Estimate as well as the Most Accurate Estimate stand at $2.12 per share. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Zacks Rank: J&J has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) currently.Stocks to ConsiderHere are some large drug/biotech stocks that have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this time around:Glaxo GSK with an Earnings ESP of +5.41% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Glaxo’s stock has surged 25.6% in the past year. Glaxo topped earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters. Glaxo has a four-quarter earnings surprise of 15.28%, on average.Amgen AMGN has an Earnings ESP of +1.20% and a Zacks Rank #3.Amgen also topped earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters. Amgen has a four-quarter earnings surprise of 5.65%, on average.Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK): Free Stock Analysis Report Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report Amgen Inc. (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AbbVie Inc. (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

Walgreens (WBA) and VillageMD to improve access to overall care for patients with chronic conditions by opening eight new Village Medical at Walgreens primary care practices in the Tucson area. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. WBA and Village MD recently announced plans to open eight new Village Medical at Walgreens primary care and pharmacy practices in the Tucson area in 2022. These openings represent expansion into the second major market in Arizona, following Phoenix.It is worth noting that the Village Medical at Walgreens locations in the Tucson area will employ 140 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) professionals. This is expected to create 285 full-time jobs.Further, Walgreens and VillageMD plan to open more than 200 Village Medical at Walgreens practices by 2020-end, including 81 locations that have already opened across 11 markets in Arizona, Florida, Texas, Kentucky and Indiana.Enhanced Accessibility to Primary CareThrough the Walgreens and VillageMD coordinated care model, patients get care for chronic health conditions as well as preventive services and treatment for everyday illnesses and injuries. Physicians and pharmacists will work closely to fill prescriptions immediately following medical visits, frequently at the same location, and ensure patients have ongoing access, helping them stay healthy.Patients who require care for chronic health conditions will benefit from the collaboration between the primary care and pharmacy teams in the Tucson area, as Walgreens’ pharmacists will help ensure patients have continuous access to care and medication support and resources as and when needed. Further, this collaborative approach will enable pharmacy teams to spend more time providing high-quality care for patients and less time on administrative tasks.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchVillage Medical at Walgreens locations accepts a wide variety of health insurance options, including Medicaid and Medicare. Patients can seek care and support through in-person, at-home and telehealth visits as well.Industry ProspectsPer a report published in Future Market Insights, the global value-based healthcare services market is projected to witness a CAGR of 20.9% during 2021-2031. Factors such as the increasing incidence of chronic diseases and greater requirements for high-quality care services are driving the market for value-based healthcare services.Given these market prospects, the latest plans to open eight new Village Medical at Walgreens primary care practices in the Tucson area seem well-timed.Recent DevelopmentsIn December 2021, Walgreens and Village MD recently announced plans to open nine Village Medical at Walgreens primary care practices in San Antonio over the next year. These openings represent expansion into the fifth major market in Texas, following Houston, El Paso, Austin and Dallas. It is worth noting that the Village Medical at Walgreens locations in San Antonio will employ 380 well-compensated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) professionals.In November 2021, Walgreens and VillageMD announced plans to open 20 new Village Medical at Walgreens primary care practices in the Tampa area over the next year.  The first Village Medical at Walgreens site in Tampa opened on Oct 26 at 6996 U.S. Highway 19 North in Pinellas Park, with several more locations set to open in early 2022. These openings represent expansion into the second-largest market in Florida, after Orlando.Price PerformanceShares of the company have gained 12% in a year compared with the industry's rise of 29.6%.Zacks Rank and Key PicksWalgreens currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.A few better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space that investors can consider are AMN Healthcare Services, Inc. AMN, Apollo Endosurgery, Inc. APEN and Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings LH.AMN Healthcare, carrying a Zacks Rank #1, has a long-term earnings growth rate of 16.2%. AMN Healthcare surpassed earnings estimates in the trailing four quarters, delivering a surprise of 19.5%, on average.AMN Healthcare has outperformed its industry over the past year. AMN has gained 28.7% versus the 60.3% industry decline.Apollo Endosurgery, carrying a Zacks Rank #1, has a long-term earnings growth rate of 7%. Apollo Endosurgery’s earnings surpassed estimates in the trailing four quarters, delivering a surprise of 25.6%, on average.Apollo Endosurgery has outperformed its industry in the past year. APEN has gained 27% versus the industry’s 6.9% fall.Laboratory Corporation surpassed earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 25.7%. Laboratory Corporation currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.Laboratory Corporation’s long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 10.6%. The company’s earnings yield of 9.4% compares favorably with the industry’s 3.4%. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LH): Free Stock Analysis Report AMN Healthcare Services Inc (AMN): Free Stock Analysis Report Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA): Free Stock Analysis Report Apollo Endosurgery, Inc. (APEN): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

Major banks, including JPM, C, WFC, BAC & PNC, surpass Q4 earnings estimates on revenue strength, solid loan balance and provision benefit. Yet, rising cost expectations lead to bearish investor sentiments. Major banks’ Q4 earnings have been in full swing over the past four trading days. Almost all banks, including JPMorgan JPM, Citigroup C, Wells Fargo WFC, Bank of America BAC and PNC Financial PNC that announced quarterly results, beat earnings estimates on revenue strength, decent rise in loan demand and provision benefit.During the fourth quarter, a modest rise in loan demand drove net interest income (NII). However, major banks’ net interest margin growth was hampered by considerable deposits in their balance sheets and lower interest rates.On the fee income front, major banks’ top line received support from the solid performance of investment banking (IB) and equity trading businesses, while dismal fixed-income trading performance and weakness in mortgage banking were disappointing. Consumer banking business improved, as reflected in the increase in usage of debit/credit cards.Reserve release by major banks (driven by improving economic outlook) supported the results. Overall, banks’ balance sheet and liquidity positions remained solid.On the other hand, as major banks continued to spend heavily on technology upgrades and undertook efforts to streamline operations, expenses rose during the quarter. Also, a rise in compensation and benefit costs led to higher costs. Further, management commentary surrounding expenses disappointed investors, leading to a pessimistic stance.This, along with bearish sentiments across the broader markets, weighed heavily on major banks’ share price movement over the past four trading sessions.Image Source: Zacks Investment Research(See the last bank stock roundup here: Bank Stock Roundup for the Week Ending Dec 24, 2021)Re-cap of the Week’s Important Earnings1. Robust advisory business, reserve release and a rise in loan demand drove JPMorgan’s fourth-quarter 2021 earnings of $3.33 per share. The bottom line handily outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.01. Results included net credit reserve releases. Excluding this, earnings came in at $2.86 per share.However, disappointing trading performance, lower interest rates and an increase in operating expenses were the major headwinds for JPMorgan’s quarterly results. Also, the company’s mortgage fees and related income plunged during the quarter.2. Citigroup delivered an earnings surprise of 5.04% in fourth-quarter 2021. Income from continuing operations per share of $1.46 beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.39. However, the reported figure declined 24% from the prior-year quarter.Citigroup’s investment banking revenues jumped, driven by equity underwriting and growth in advisory revenues. The dismal consumer banking business and higher operating expenses were the major headwinds.3. Wells Fargo’s fourth-quarter 2021 earnings per share of $1.38 surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 1.09. Also, the bottom line improved 86% year over year. Results included certain non-recurring items.Improved IB and other asset-based fees and strong equity gains in WFC’s affiliated venture capital and private equity businesses, as well as lower costs, supported the bank’s performance. Yet, a decline in NII due to low yields from earning assets and lower loans were the undermining factors.4. Bank of America’s fourth-quarter 2021 earnings of 82 cents per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 76 cents. The bottom line compared favorably with 59 cents earned in the prior-year quarter. Results in the quarter included a net reserve release of $851 million.Solid improvement in the lending scenario, consumer spending and economic rebound supported Bank of America’s NII growth. Further, robust IB performance and asset management business acted as tailwinds. However, trading numbers were not so impressive.5. PNC Financial pulled off a fourth-quarter 2021 earnings surprise of 1.94% on substantial recapturing of credit losses. Earnings per share, as adjusted (excluding pre-tax integration costs related to the BBVA USA acquisition), of $3.68 surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.61 and improved 12.5% year over year.Fee income growth on higher asset management revenues and corporate services supported PNC Financial’s results. However, higher expenses, margin contraction and a decline in loans were the headwinds.Price PerformanceHere is how the seven major stocks performed: Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchOver the past four trading sessions, shares of U.S. Bancorp plunged 10%, while that of PNC Financial tanked 6.9%.What’s Next in the Banking Space?Over the next five trading days, the earnings season will continue full-fledged, with a number of banks coming out with their quarterly numbers. Also, investors will watch for clues on the timing of interest rate hikes at the end of the two-day FOMC meeting, which is scheduled on Jan 25-26. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Bank of America Corporation (BAC): Free Stock Analysis Report Wells Fargo & Company (WFC): Free Stock Analysis Report JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM): Free Stock Analysis Report Citigroup Inc. (C): Free Stock Analysis Report The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc (PNC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

With the latest surge in COVID infections due to the more contagious Omicron variant, Abbott (ABT) is expected to report sequentially stronger diagnostics results for the fourth quarter. Abbott Laboratories ABT is slated to report fourth-quarter and full-year 2021 results on Jan 26, before market open.In the last-reported quarter, the company posted a negative earnings surprise of 52.17%. Over the trailing four quarters, its earnings exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate on three occasions and missed on one, the average beat being 18.47%.Let's see how things have shaped up prior to this announcement.Factors at PlayThrough the months of the fourth quarter, a significant rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States and other major developed countries are expected to have accelerated COVID-19 testing globally, giving a considerable boost to Abbott’s Diagnostics business revenues.In October, in its third-quarter earnings release, Abbott raised its 2021 guidance in anticipation of this considerable rise in COVID-19 Diagnostic testing demand in Q4. The full-year adjusted EPS guidance currently reflects an expected 40% rise from the year-ago period. This is expected to get reflected in the fourth-quarter results. In the last-reported quarter, the company soldmore than 225 million COVID tests globally.Abbott has also established a global leadership position in rapid testing, with a supply capacity of more than 100 million tests per month. With the latest surge in cases, thanks to the more contagious Omicron variant, the company is expected to report sequentially stronger Diagnostics results for the fourth quarter.Within Nutrition, from the beginning of the pandemic till the last reported quarter, Abbott gained consistently in terms of adult nutrition products sales. In the fourth quarter too, the company is anticipated to have registered stellar U.S. and international growth in Ensure (adult complete and balanced nutrition brand) and Glucerna (diabetes nutrition brand). According to the company, the two factors that are driving the adult nutrition growth rate are the new users entering the category in this period and the existing customers increasing their usage.Abbott Laboratories Price and EPS Surprise Abbott Laboratories price-eps-surprise | Abbott Laboratories QuoteWithin pediatric nutrition, the company is expected to have registered strong growth in the United States from continued share gains in its infant formula and toddler portfolio. Sales of Pedialyte, the company’s market-leading rehydration brand, grew strong double-digits in the third quarter driven by market uptake of several new products as well as Abbott’s investments in direct consumer promotion. These factors are likely to have continued boosting the company’s sales in the fourth quarter.Abbott’s other consumer-facing businesses, which include diabetes care and established pharmaceuticals, have been catching up backed by new product instructions. This uptrend is likely to have majorly contributed to the company's fourth-quarter performance.Within Established Pharmaceuticals Division (EPD), the company has been witnessing visible signs of a rebound, reflecting sequential improvement based on its stable business model. New product launches across key emerging markets have been majorly boosting the EPD business in recent months. The fourth-quarter performance is likely to have been driven by growth in Brazil, Russia and India, apart from the United States where COVID-19 cases have been shooting up on Omicron surge. The business is anticipated to have grown in these regions where patients are seeking branded generic medicinesRevenues are likely to have improved in the company’s Diabetes Care business, as it has been on a substantially strong growth trajectory in recent times. Abbott has been in the limelight for developments in its flagship, sensor-based continuous glucose monitoring system, widely known as the FreeStyle Libre System.Per the company’s October update, FreeStyle Libre sales were nearly $1 billion in Q3 with 200,000 new users added in this period. This has brought the total global user base for Libre to well over 3.5 million users. We expect this bullish trend to have continued in the fourth quarter, thanks to the COVID-induced focus on co-morbidities like diabetes.EstimatesFor fourth-quarter 2021, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for total revenues of $10.42 billion indicates a 2.6% decline from the prior-year quarter’s reported figure. The consensus mark for earnings is pegged at $1.17, suggesting a 19.3% decline year on year.Earnings WhispersPer our proven model, a stock with the combination of a positive Earnings ESPand a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold), has higher chances of beating estimates. That is exactly the case here as you can see:Earnings ESP: Abbott has an Earnings ESP of +2.69%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Zacks Rank: It currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.Other Stocks Worth a LookHere are some medical stocks also worth considering as these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter.AMN Healthcare Services, Inc. AMN has an Earnings ESP of +10.29% and a Zacks Rank of 1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.AMN Healthcare’s long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 16.2%. AMN’s earnings yield of 5.5% compares favorably with the industry’s 0.8%.Henry Schein, Inc. HSIC has an Earnings ESP of +2.62% and a Zacks Rank of 2.Henry Schein’s long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 11.8%. HSIC’s earnings yield of 5.9% compares favorably with the industry’s 4.1%.Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings LH has an Earnings ESP of +9.58% and a Zacks Rank of 1.Laboratory Corporation’s long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 10.6%. LH’s earnings yield of 9.4% compares favorably with the industry’s 3.4%.Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Abbott Laboratories (ABT): Free Stock Analysis Report Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LH): Free Stock Analysis Report Henry Schein, Inc. (HSIC): Free Stock Analysis Report AMN Healthcare Services Inc (AMN): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

A slew of strategic acquisitions are driving the top line for BD (BDX). Shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company BDX, popularly known as BD, reached a new 52-week high of $268.55 on Jan 20, before closing the session marginally lower at $263.97.Over the past year, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock has gained 2% compared with 2.7% growth of the industry and 18.4% rise of the S&P 500 composite.BD is witnessing an upward trend in its stock price, prompted by its slew of strategic acquisitions over the past few months. The company’s robust fourth-quarter fiscal 2021 performance, along with a few regulatory approvals, buoys optimism. Forex woes and a stiff competitive landscape are the major downsides.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchLet's delve deeper.Key Growth DriversRegulatory Approvals: Investors are optimistic about BD’s impressive progress on the regulatory front with respect to its products. The company, this month, received the 510(k) clearance from the FDA for the BD Kiestra IdentifA system. The system has been developed to automate the preparation of microbiology bacterial identification testing.BD, in October, received the FDA’s 510(k) clearance for expanded indications for the Rotarex Atherectomy System.Strategic Buyouts: Investors are upbeat about BD’s slew of strategic acquisitions over the past few months. The company, in December 2021, completed the acquisition of privately held Scanwell Health Inc. BD’s management believes that the acquisition will enable the company to expand and scale up its digital capabilities in-house in order to speed up the time to market transformative at-home solutions at present as well as in the future.The same month, BD acquired Tissuemed, Ltd. The buyout enables BD to integrate Tissuemed's lead product, Tissuepatch, into its surgical solutions portfolio.Strong Q4 Results: BD’s solid fourth-quarter fiscal 2021 results buoy investors’ optimism. The company recorded robust segmental performances, along with solid geographical revenues. The launches of BD’s FACSymphony A1 Cell Analyzer and COR System are encouraging.DownsidesStiff Competition: BD faces significant competition from a wide range of companies. This includes large medical device companies with multiple product lines, some of which may have greater financial and marketing resources, as well as firms that are more specialized than BD is with respect to particular markets or product lines. The company faces competition across all of its product lines and in markets where its products are sold.Foreign Exchange: BD generates a substantial amount of its revenues from international operations and also anticipates that a significant portion of its sales will continue to come from outside the United States in the future. The revenues BD reports with respect to its operations outside the United States may be adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. BD cannot predict with any certainty changes in foreign currency exchange rates or the degree to which it can mitigate these risks.Key PicksA few stocks from the broader medical space that investors can consider are AMN Healthcare Services, Inc. AMN, Cerner Corporation CERN and Catalent, Inc. CTLT.AMN Healthcare has an estimated long-term growth rate of 16.2%. AMN’s earnings surpassed estimates in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 19.51%. It currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.AMN Healthcare has gained 28.7% against the industry’s 60.3% fall over the past year.Cerner, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), has an estimated long-term growth rate of 12.8%. CERN’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 3.21%.Cerner has gained 14.5% against the industry’s 56.3% fall over the past year.Catalent has an estimated long-term growth rate of 16.9%. CTLT’s earnings surpassed estimates in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 9.88%. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.Catalent has lost 12.7% compared with the industry’s 32% fall over the past year. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Cerner Corporation (CERN): Free Stock Analysis Report Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX): Free Stock Analysis Report AMN Healthcare Services Inc (AMN): Free Stock Analysis Report Catalent, Inc. (CTLT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

Nasdaq's (NDAQ) fourth-quarter performance is likely to have benefited from higher organic growth and contributions from the acquisition of Verafin. Nasdaq, Inc. NDAQ is slated to report fourth-quarter 2021 earnings on Jan 26, before the opening bell. The company delivered an earnings surprise in each of the last four quarters, the average being 8.7%.Factors to ConsiderNasdaq’s fourth-quarter performance is likely to have benefited from revenue growth in the Solutions segments, organic growth in Market Services business and contributions from the acquisition of Verafin.Non-trading revenues are expected to have benefited from the better performance of Market Technology and continued strong growth of Market Data, Index and Analytics businesses. Higher SaaS revenues and growing Anti Financial Crime Technology business are likely to have driven Market Technology.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Analytics businesses revenues is pegged at $52 million, indicating an increase of 13% from the year-ago reported figure. The consensus estimate for Index revenues is pegged at $123 million, suggesting growth of 26.8% from the year-ago reported figure.Market Technology revenues are likely to have been driven by the positive impact of the acquisition of Verafin and continued growth in surveillance solutions, growing Anti Financial Crime Technology business, higher change request revenues, higher SaaS revenues and a favorable impact of foreign exchange rates. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Market Technology revenues is pegged at $128 million, suggesting growth of 20.7% from the prior-year reported figure.Market Services segment revenues are likely to have been driven by higher organic revenue, higher equity derivatives, cash equities, trade management services revenues, and strong operating leverage on higher trading revenues.The Investment Intelligence segment is expected to have benefited from higher proprietary data revenues from new sales and a favorable foreign exchange rate impact, higher licensing revenues from an increase in average AUM in ETPs linked to Nasdaq indexes, higher licensing revenues from futures trading linked to the Nasdaq-100 Index as well as growth in eVestment platform driven by new sales, strong retention, and higher average revenue per client from expanded offerings. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Investment Intelligence segment revenues is pegged at $278 million, indicating a 16.8% increase from the year-ago reported figure.Solid growth in the Nasdaq-listed issuer base across the U.S. and Nordic markets, organic growth, higher U.S. listings revenues, owing to expansion in the listed-issuer base, increased adoption across the breadth of Investor Relations, and newer ESG Advisory and reporting offerings are likely to have driven the Corporate Platforms segment. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Corporate Services segment revenues is pegged at $157 million, indicating a 9% increase from the year-ago reported figure.Q4 VolumesNasdaq reported solid volumes for fourth-quarter 2021. U.S. equity options volume increased 9.4% year over year to 811 million contracts. European options and futures volume increased 5.2% year over year to 18.3 million contracts.Though revenues per contract for U.S. equity options remained flat year over year at 11 cents, the same for European options and futures dropped by a cent to 55 cents.Under its cash equities, Nasdaq’s U.S. matched equity volume in the fourth quarter grossed 118.6 billion shares, up 2.8% from the prior-year quarter. European equity volume increased 6.4% year over year to $299 billion. Under fixed income commodities, European fixed income volume increased 26.7% to 7.6 million contracts. In the fourth quarter, there were 4,974 listed companies on Nasdaq compared with 4,051 in the year-ago period. Total listings grew 21.3% year over year to 5,415.The consensus estimate for listing revenues is pegged at $101 million, suggesting growth of 14.8% from the year-ago reported figure.Expenses are expected to have risen on higher organic growth, increase from the impact of acquisitions and increase from the impact of changes in foreign exchange rates.Interest expenses are likely to have increased in the fourth quarter due to higher debt balances related to the Verafin acquisition.Accelerated share repurchase (ASR) is anticipated to have provided an additional boost to the bottom line. Nasdaq expects to receive the remaining shares related to the ASR program in the fourth quarter.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings stands at $1.78, indicating an 11.2% increase from the prior-year reported figure.What Our Quantitative Model StatesOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Nasdaq this time around. This is because the stock needs to have the right combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). This is not the case as you can see below.Earnings ESP: Nasdaq has an Earnings ESP of -0.11%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Nasdaq, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Nasdaq, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Nasdaq, Inc. QuoteZacks Rank: Nasdaq currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Stocks to ConsiderHere are some stocks from the finance sector with the perfect combination of elements to surpass estimates in their upcoming releases.Ameriprise Financial AMP has an Earnings ESP of +0.69% and a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMP’s 2022 earnings implies a year-over-year increase of 10.5%.AMP’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average beat being 6.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ameriprise Financial’s 2022 earnings has moved 1.1% north in the past 30 days.Hamilton Lane HLNE has an Earnings ESP of +0.36% and a Zacks Rank #2.Hamilton Lane’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average beat being 36%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HLNE’s 2022 earnings has moved 3.3% north in the past 30 days.SEI Investments SEIC has an Earnings ESP of +1.24% and a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SEIC’s 2022 earnings implies a year-over-year increase of 8.3%.SEI Investments' earnings surpassed estimates in three of the last four quarters and missed in one, the average beat being 1.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SEIC’s 2022 earnings has moved 2% north in the past 30 days.Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Nasdaq, Inc. (NDAQ): Free Stock Analysis Report Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (AMP): Free Stock Analysis Report SEI Investments Company (SEIC): Free Stock Analysis Report Hamilton Lane Inc. (HLNE): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

Rockwell Automation's (ROK) Q1 results are likely to reflect higher-order levels aided by improved demand in its end markets, which might have been offset by cost woes. Rockwell Automation Inc. ROK is scheduled to report first-quarter fiscal 2022 results, before the opening bell on Jan 27.Q4 PerformanceIn the last reported quarter, Rockwell Automation delivered a year-over-year improvement in both earnings and revenues. While sales missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate, earnings beat the same.The company has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 13.8%.Rockwell Automation, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Rockwell Automation, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Rockwell Automation, Inc. QuoteQ1 EstimatesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fiscal first-quarter revenues is pegged at $1.81 billion, indicating growth of 15% from the prior-year quarter. The same for earnings stands at $2.00, suggesting a 16% decline from the year-ago quarter. The earnings estimate has moved up 2% over the past 30 days.Factors to NoteRockwell Automation has been witnessing improvement in its order levels for the past five quarters. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered record orders of $2.2 billion driven by robust demand for core automation and digital transformation solutions with strong growth in Connected Services. It marked a 40% improvement from the prior-year levels. The company noted that order growth was broad-based across all industries and businesses and is well above pre-pandemic levels. Total backlog was up more than 80% year over year. Per the Federal Reserve, total industrial production rose at an annual rate of 4% in the October-December quarter. This might have contributed to the company’s order book in the fiscal first quarter as well. Robust backlog, strong order levels and contributions from recent acquisitions are likely to get reflected in Rockwell Automation’s first-quarter top line.These above-mentioned benefits might have been offset by the supply-chain headwinds currently faced by the industry. The manufacturing supply chain continues to be strained by the sharp rise in demand and the ongoing shortages of electronic components, along with pandemic-related events that have put additional pressures on manufacturing output and freight lanes. Inflated costs for commodities, components and freight services are expected to have dented the company’s margins in the quarter to be reported. The company’s focus on process improvement, functional streamlining, material cost savings and manufacturing productivity is likely to have negated some of these impacts.Segment ExpectationsFor the Intelligent Devices segment, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter fiscal 2022 revenues is pegged at $828 million, suggesting an improvement of 15% from the prior-year quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for operating profit for the segment is pegged at $166 million, suggesting a year-over-year improvement of 19%.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the Software & Control segment’s first-quarter fiscal 2022 sales stands at $522 million, reflecting year-over-year growth of 18%. The consensus mark for the segment’s operating profit stands at $125 million, implying a 6% decline from the prior-year quarter.The consensus mark for the Lifecycle Services segment’s first-quarter sales is pegged at $446 million, indicating growth of 11% from the year-ago quarter. The segment is expected to report an operating profit of $36 million, in-line with the year-ago quarter.What the Zacks Model UnveilsOur proven model doesn’t predict an earnings beat for Rockwell Automation this season. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP, and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. But that’s not the case here.You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Earnings ESP: The Earnings ESP for Rockwell Automation is -2.96%.Zacks Rank: Rockwell Automation currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Share Price PerformanceImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchOver the past year, Rockwell Automation’s shares have gained 5.1% compared with the industry’s growth of 3.5%.Stocks Poised to Beat Earnings EstimatesHere are some Industrial Product stocks, which you may consider as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in their upcoming releases:UFP Technologies UFPT has an Earnings ESP of +8.77% and a Zacks Rank #1. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s earnings for the fourth quarter of 2021 indicates year-over-year growth of 3.6%.Shares of UFP Technologies have gained 13% over the past year. Over the last four quarters, UFPT’s earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, the average surprise being 22.9%.Tenaris TS has an Earnings ESP of +30.2% and a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s earnings for the fourth quarter of 2021 suggests a year-over-year growth of 139%.Shares of Tenaris have gained 18% over the past year. TS’ earnings topped the consensus mark in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 492.4%.Dover Corporation DOV has an Earnings ESP of +0.33% and a Zacks Rank #3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s earnings for the fourth quarter of 2021 indicates year-over-year growth of 7%.Shares of Dover have appreciated 6% over the past year. DOV earnings beat the consensus mark in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 13.8%.Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Dover Corporation (DOV): Free Stock Analysis Report Rockwell Automation, Inc. (ROK): Free Stock Analysis Report UFP Technologies, Inc. (UFPT): Free Stock Analysis Report Tenaris S.A. (TS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

In the fourth quarter, AT&T (T) is likely to have recorded lower revenues year over year despite improving market conditions due to continued infrastructure investments for 5G rollout across the country. AT&T Inc. T is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2021 results, before the opening bell, on Jan 26. In the last reported quarter, adjusted earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 9 cents. In the fourth quarter, the company is likely to have recorded lower revenues year over year despite improving market conditions due to continued infrastructure investments for 5G rollout across the country.Factors at PlayIn the fourth quarter, AT&T continued to expand its 5G network infrastructure and launched 5G+ service in select areas. The company’s 5G network currently covers more than 250 million users in 14,000 cities across the country and its 5G+ network is available in parts of 39 cities. AT&T is benefiting from lower levels of wireless churn due to seamless access to 5G technology on its unlimited wireless plans for consumers and businesses and the growing adoption of Unlimited Elite wireless plans. Such initiatives are likely to get reflected in the upcoming results.  During the to-be-reported quarter, the U.S. Air Force selected the FirstNet network of AT&T to deliver reliable communications to its public safety personnel across 15 bases across the country. This is likely to have helped the company establish its market-leading position within the law enforcement community. In addition, AT&T introduced comprehensive, advanced security capabilities for 5G network deployments. This firewall service will support its 5G edge computing network solutions and improve threat visibility, pre-empt advanced attacks at the application layer and secure networks.AT&T also inked multi-year agreements with Frontier Communications to support the deployment of its 5G mobility network. Together with Frontier, AT&T will offer large enterprise customers high-speed, low-latency and highly secure connectivity in markets where it does not own a fiber network. The solutions are likely to facilitate diverse businesses to better harness edge connections and edge computing capabilities to swiftly convert data into actionable intelligence, enabling unique digital experiences and smarter operations.During the quarter, AT&T collaborated with Ford Motor to enhance the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center by outfitting it with highly secure, next-generation 5G cellular connectivity to develop the new all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning pickup. It partnered with GE Research to explore the possibility of its cross-industry 5G testbed at the research facility in Niskayuna, NY. The addition of AT&T's 5G network will likely provide GE Research with the most advanced networking capabilities to utilize both high and low-band 5G to uncover new opportunities to advance clean energy, air transportation and precision health. Such technology collaborations are likely to have translated into higher revenues for the Business Wireline division within the Communications segment.However, adverse foreign currency translations and high operating costs for 5G deployments are likely to have led to soft margins in the quarter. The company expects to connect significant locations with fiber as it aims to expand its fiber builds in metro areas. These infrastructure investments are likely to have weighed on the margins. TV content-cost pressure, high programming costs and new video platform expenses are also likely to have hurt the bottom line.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for total revenues of the company stands at $40,705 million, indicating a decline from $45,691 million reported in the prior-year quarter. The consensus mark for earnings is currently pegged at 76 cents per share. It had reported 75 cents in the year-earlier quarter.Key Developments in Q4AT&T’s game-changing deal with Discovery, Inc. for the divesture of its WarnerMedia business got a big boost in the fourth quarter, with the European Commission granting unconditional antitrust clearance for the transaction. AT&T expects the merger to be completed by mid-2022. The transaction aims to spin off the carrier’s media assets and merge them with the complementary assets of Discovery. The transaction is expected to enable the carrier to trim its huge debt burden and focus on core businesses. The separation of the media assets is likely to offer the company an opportunity to better align its communications business with a focused total return capital allocation strategy.AT&T has also decided to sell its advertising and analytics division, Xandr, to Microsoft for an undisclosed amount. Xandr’s advanced technology complements Microsoft’s advertising offerings and will help accelerate the delivery of digital advertising and retail media solutions for the open web. The deal combines Microsoft’s audience intelligence and advertising customer base with Xandr’s platform.Earnings WhispersOur proven model does not predict an earnings beat for AT&T for the fourth quarter. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. This is not the case here.Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate, is -0.71%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.AT&T Inc. Price and EPS Surprise AT&T Inc. price-eps-surprise | AT&T Inc. QuoteZacks Rank: AT&T has a Zacks Rank #3.Stocks to ConsiderHere are some companies you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this season:F5, Inc. FFIV is set to release quarterly numbers on Jan 25. It has an Earnings ESP of +1.69% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The Earnings ESP for Cirrus Logic, Inc. CRUS is +1.48% and it carries a Zacks Rank of 2. The company is set to report quarterly numbers on Jan 31.The Earnings ESP for Meta Platforms, Inc. FB is +2.52% and it carries a Zacks Rank of 3. The company is scheduled to report quarterly numbers on Feb 2.Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report AT&T Inc. (T): Free Stock Analysis Report F5, Inc. (FFIV): Free Stock Analysis Report Cirrus Logic, Inc. (CRUS): Free Stock Analysis Report Meta Platforms, Inc. (FB): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

Although a rise in input prices and land/labor costs pose risks, higher demand is likely to drive the industry. DHI, LEN, TOL, PHM and KBH are well positioned to gain. Indeed, the U.S. housing space continues to grapple with the rising raw material and labor costs. Also, disruption in the supply chain arising from the novel coronavirus outbreak may impact builders’ ability to deliver on time. That said, the rising need for more work-at-home space has been aiding the Zacks Building Products - Home Builders industry. Also, companies like D.R. Horton, Inc. DHI, Lennar Corporation LEN, Toll Brothers Inc. TOL, PulteGroup, Inc. PHM and KB Home KBH have been gaining from higher demand, focus on cost control, increased operating leverage, and important buyouts.Industry DescriptionThe Zacks Building Products - Home Builders industry comprises manufacturers of residential and commercial buildings. Some of the industry players are involved in providing financial services that include selling mortgages and collecting fees for title insurance agencies as well as closing services. The industry players are involved in building single-family detached and attached home communities; townhouses, condominiums, duplexes and triplexes; master-planned luxury residential resort-style golf communities; and urban low, mid, and high-rise communities. The companies are also involved in the purchase, development and sale of residential land. Additionally, the companies build and own multi-family rental properties; residential real estate; and oil and gas assets.3 Trends Shaping the Homebuilding Industry's FutureSuburban Shift: The changing geography of housing demand has been supporting builder confidence. Demand for new homes is improving in lower-density markets, including small metro areas, rural markets and large metro exurbs, as people seek larger homes to work from home amid the pandemic. The desire for more space and amenities to accommodate working and learning from home should continue to boost the U.S. housing market in the near term.Cost-Control Efforts, Focus on Entry-Level Buyers & Acquisitions: Given the accelerated raw material prices, the companies have been relying on effective cost control and focusing on making the homebuilding platform more efficient, which in turn is resulting in higher operating leverage. Homebuilders have been controlling construction costs by designing homes efficiently and obtaining construction materials and labor at competitive prices. Some homebuilders also follow a dynamic pricing model, which enables them to set the price according to the latest market conditions.Also, the majority of companies are focused on growing the demand for entry-level homes and addressing the need for lower-priced homes, given affordability concerns prevailing in the U.S. housing market. Meanwhile, industry players have been acquiring other homebuilding companies in desirable markets, in turn resulting in improved volumes, market share, revenues as well as profitability.Supply Chain Hurdles, Tight Labor Market & Expected Higher Rates: Continuous supply-chain issues arising from the COVID-19 outbreak and response to the health crisis in various countries have been impacting builders’ ability to deliver on time. Also, rising material costs are quite challenging. According to an Associated Builders and Contractors' latest analysis of information provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there has been upward pressure on construction input prices in recent weeks. Again, the shortage of skilled labor continues to be a pressing concern. Homebuilders remain cautiously optimistic about the industry’s prospects owing to the rising input and labor costs.Although the U.S. housing market remains buoyant, defying low inventory levels and broad-based economic as well as public health risks, higher mortgage rates expectation in the near term may mar its prospects. It is to be noted that the Federal Reserve expects to raise interest rates three times in 2022 as it exits from the policies enacted at the start of the health crisis. Interest rate hikes, soaring inflation and a smaller bond-buying program are pointing to higher mortgage rates in 2022. This may prove less encouraging for this rate-sensitive market, which accounts for almost 3% of the economy.Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bright ProspectsThe Zacks Building Products - Home Builders industry is a 19-stock group within the broader Zacks Construction sector. The industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #40, which places it at the top 16% of more than 250 Zacks industries.The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates upbeat near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.The industry’s positioning in the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of positive earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are gradually gaining confidence in this group’s earnings growth potential. Since December 2021, the industry’s earnings estimates for 2022 have increased approximately 7.4%.Given solid near-term prospects, we will present a few stocks that have the potential to outperform the market. But before that, it’s worth taking a look at the industry’s shareholder returns and current valuation.Industry Lags Sector and S&P 500The Zacks Building Products - Home Builders industry has lagged the S&P 500 Index and broader Zacks Construction sector in the past year.Over this period, the industry has gained 7.4% compared with the S&P 500’s rise of 18.5% and the broader sector’s 9.9% rally.One-Year Price PerformanceIndustry's Current ValuationOn the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio, which is commonly used for valuing homebuilding stocks, the industry is currently trading at 6.32 compared with the S&P 500’s 20.65 and the sector’s 13.74.Over the last five years, the industry has traded as high as 14.37X and as low as 6.31X, with a median of 9.63X, as the chart below shows.Industry’s P/E Ratio (Forward 12-Month) Versus S&P 5005 Homebuilding Stocks to Buy Right NowWe have selected five stocks from the Zacks homebuilding space that currently carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Lennar: Based in Miami, FL, Lennar is engaged in homebuilding and financial services in the United States. The company’s dynamic pricing model, asset-light strategy, effective cost control and higher operating leverage have been aiding its performance. Although the rising land, labor and material costs remain headwinds, its focus on the lighter land strategy to boost free cash flow will bolster the balance sheet and thereby drive returns.Lennar has lost 5% over the past year. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #1 and has an expected earnings growth of 10.9% for fiscal 2021. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its fiscal 2022 earnings has moved up 1.4% over the past seven days.Price and Consensus: LENToll Brothers: Based in Horsham, PA, Toll Brothers is a leading builder of luxury homes. The company has been benefiting from its strategy of broadening the product lines, price points and geographies. Also, it has been gaining from a favorable housing backdrop, lack of competition in the luxury new home market and buyout synergies.Earnings for Toll Brothers — sporting a Zacks Rank #1 — are expected to grow 49.9% in fiscal 2022. It has gained 5.2% over a year. Toll Brothers has seen an upward estimate revision of 2.5% for fiscal 2022 earnings over the past seven days.Price and Consensus: TOLKB Home: This Los Angeles, CA-based homebuilder is well positioned, given a robust backlog level, a strong lineup of community openings and a solid return-focused growth model. With resilient U.S. housing market momentum, backlog value at fiscal fourth quarter-end grew 67% from a year ago to $4.95 billion, marking the highest fourth-quarter level since 2005.Earnings for KB Home — currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 — are expected to grow 67.9% in fiscal 2022. It has gained 1.3% over the past year. KBH has seen an upward estimate revision of 28.9% for fiscal 2022 earnings over the past seven days.Price and Consensus: KBHD.R. Horton: Based in Texas, this homebuilder offers a diverse line of homes across various price points through a multi-brand platform like D.R. Horton, Emerald Homes, Express Homes and Freedom Homes. Further, the company enjoys one of the broadest geographic diversities in the industry and is not dependent on any particular market. It has a strong presence in 98 markets across 31 states in the East, Midwest, Southeast, South Central, Southwest and West regions of the United States. With 81,965 homes closed in fiscal 2021 for $26.5 billion, D.R. Horton completed its 20th consecutive year as the largest homebuilder in the United States. Impressive performance, industry-leading market share, solid acquisition strategy, a well-stocked supply of land, lots and homes along with affordable product offerings across multiple brands are expected to drive growth.Earnings for D.R. Horton — presently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 — are expected to grow 27.6% in fiscal 2022. The stock has declined 3.4% over the past year. That said, DHI has seen an upward estimate revision of 0.6% for fiscal 2022 earnings over the past seven days.Price and Consensus: DHIPulteGroup: Based in Atlanta, GA, this homebuilder has been benefiting from a prudent land investment strategy, focus on entry-level buyers and returning more free cash flow to shareholders. PulteGroup’s annual land acquisition strategies have been resulting in improved volumes, revenues and profitability for quite some time now. The company has been reaping benefits from the successful execution of strategic initiatives to boost profitability, with a focus on entry-level homes.PulteGroup stock, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, has dropped 0.9% over the past year. That said, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its 2022 earnings has been upwardly revised by 0.7% over the past seven days. Earnings for 2022 are expected to grow 23.8%.  Price and Consensus: PHM 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report D.R. Horton, Inc. (DHI): Free Stock Analysis Report PulteGroup, Inc. (PHM): Free Stock Analysis Report Toll Brothers Inc. (TOL): Free Stock Analysis Report KB Home (KBH): Free Stock Analysis Report Lennar Corporation (LEN): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

Marriott (MAR) provides an update on 2021 development progress. In 2021, the company signed 599 agreements, which reflect roughly 92,000 rooms. Marriott International, Inc. MAR provided an update on 2021 development progress. The company witnessed robust growth in 2021, and the trend is likely to continue in 2022 and beyond.At the end of 2021, the company had approximately 8,000 properties and nearly 1.48 million rooms in 139 countries and territories. At the end of 2021, the company had nearly 485,000 rooms in the development pipeline.In 2021, the company signed 599 agreements, representing roughly 92,000 rooms. More than half of the rooms are located outside of the United States and Canada. Last year, it added more than 86,000 rooms on a gross basis to its portfolio, up 3.9% year over year.Stephanie Linnartz, president of Marriott International, said “Our analysis of the prevalent trends in global development is particularly instructive as we continue to recover from this global pandemic. We have been focused on working closely with our valued community of owners and franchisees throughout these unprecedented times.”In 2021, the Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company signed 40 luxury hotel deals, which represent more than 6,000 rooms. The company’s portfolio of luxury hotel rooms increased by 4.8%. In 2022, the company expects to debut more than 30 luxury hotels in 2022 in destinations from Mexico (The St. Regis Kanai Resort) and Portugal (W Algarve) to Australia (The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne) and South Korea (JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa).Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchStock PerformanceShares of Marriott have gained 23.8% in the past year, compared with the industry’s rally of 11.8%. The company has been benefiting from a continuous focus on expansion initiatives, digital innovation and loyalty program. It witnessed improved occupancies in Europe, owing to the reopening of international borders and the easing of travel restrictions. Meanwhile, Marriott is consistently trying to expand presence worldwide and capitalize on the demand for hotels in international markets.Key PicksSome better-ranked stocks from the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector include Guess', Inc. GES, Crocs, Inc. CROX and RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc. RICK.Guess sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 97%, on average. Shares of Guess have increased 1.8% in the past three months. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GES’s 2022 sales and EPS suggests growth of 38.6% and 4,342.9%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels.Crocs flaunts a Zacks Rank #1. The company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 41.6%, on average. Shares of Crocs have surged 45.3% in the past year.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CROX’s 2022 sales and EPS indicates a rise of 48.8% and 25.8%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels.RCI Hospitality sports a Zacks Rank #1. The company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 67.7%, on average. Shares of RCI Hospitality have soared 75.8% in the past year.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RICK’s 2022 sales and EPS suggests growth of 34.9% and 22.1%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Marriott International, Inc. (MAR): Free Stock Analysis Report Guess, Inc. (GES): Free Stock Analysis Report Crocs, Inc. (CROX): Free Stock Analysis Report RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc. (RICK): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research.....»»

3M's (MMM) Q4 earnings are likely to have gained from strength across automotive aftermarket, abrasives, electrical and adhesives & tapes markets. The pandemic-led market downturn might have hurt it. 3M Company MMM is scheduled to release fourth-quarter 2021 results on Jan 25, before market open.The company delivered better-than-expected results in the last four quarters, with the earnings surprise being 14.82%, on average. In the last reported quarter, its earnings of $2.45 per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.18.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchIn the past three months, 3M’s shares have lost 4.7% compared with the industry’s decline of 5.1%.Key Factors at Play3M’s focus on investing in innovation, digital capabilities and growth opportunities in several fields, including electronics and software, home improvement and personal safety, are likely to have positively impacted its operations in the fourth quarter. Also, the company’s strong product offerings, coupled with its focus on operational execution and generating healthy free cash flow, are likely to have driven its performance in the quarter.Coming to operating segments, 3M’s Safety & Industrial segment is expected to have gained from solid industrial manufacturing activities and strength across its automotive aftermarket, abrasives, electrical and adhesives & tapes end markets. Also, a healthy demand environment in its closure and masking systems business is likely to have been beneficial. However, headwinds across its personal safety business due to a slowdown in product demand might have affected its top-line performance. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the Safety & Industrial segment’s revenues is currently pegged at $3,133 million, indicating a fall of 3.2% from the previous quarter’s reported number.For the Transportation & Electronics segment, strength across the company’s advanced materials, commercial solutions and transportation safety businesses is likely to have boosted its revenues. However, supply-chain constraints, especially for semiconductor chips, are expected to have hurt its production volumes in the electronics and automotive OEM markets. Also, solid momentum across its food safety, oral care and health information systems businesses is likely to have positively impacted the Health Care segment in the fourth quarter. A slowdown in demand for disposable respirator is expected to have marred its performance. The consensus estimate for Transportation & Electronics segment’s fourth-quarter revenues is pegged at $2,247 million, suggesting an 8.3% decline from the third quarter’s reported figure while the same for the Health Care segment stands at $2,253 million, implying an improvement of 0.2%.Strength in the home improvement market and rise in office and stationery demand might have acted as tailwinds for its Consumer segment. However, the impacts of the pandemic-related headwinds might have been a drag. The consensus mark for the Consumer segment’s revenues stands at $1,453 million, implying a 4.7% sequential decrease.Inflation in raw material and logistics costs is likely to have hurt its margins and profitability in the quarter. Also, high restructuring and research, development and other related expenses might have hurt fourth-quarter performance.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 3M’s fourth-quarter revenues is pegged at $8,605 million, indicating a sequential decline of 3.8%. The consensus estimate for the company’s earnings is $2.03, suggesting a fall of 17.1% sequentially.Earnings WhispersOur proven model suggests an earnings beat for 3M this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. This is the case here, as elaborated below.Earnings ESP: The company has an Earnings ESP of +0.21%.3M Company Price and EPS Surprise 3M Company price-eps-surprise | 3M Company QuoteZacks Rank: 3M carries a Zacks Rank #3.Other Key PicksHere are some other companies you may want to consider, as our model shows that these too have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this season:ITT Inc. ITT has an Earnings ESP of +0.54% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ITT’s earnings is pegged at $1.05 per share for the fourth quarter of 2021. ITT’s shares have gained 1.2% in the past three months.Dover Corporation DOV has an Earnings ESP of +0.33% and a Zacks Rank of 3, currently.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dover’s earnings is pegged at $1.66 per share for the fourth quarter of 2021. DOV’s shares have gained 3% in the past three months.Flowserve Corporation FLS has an Earnings ESP of +2.08% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Flowserve’s earnings is pegged at 48 cents per share for the fourth quarter of 2021. FLS’ shares have lost 16.1% in the past three months.Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2021. Previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report 3M Company (MMM): Free Stock Analysis Report Dover Corporation (DOV): Free Stock Analysis Report Flowserve Corporation (FLS): Free Stock Analysis Report ITT Inc. (ITT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here......»»