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SSKN Stock Falls Despite Meta-Analysis Backs Excimer Laser's Efficacy
ZACKS· 2026-02-18 15:55
Core Insights - STRATA Skin Sciences, Inc. (SSKN) has highlighted findings from a meta-analysis that supports the clinical efficacy of its 308 nm excimer laser technology for treating plaque psoriasis [1][12] - The meta-analysis, published in a peer-reviewed journal, indicates significant improvements in disease severity scores following targeted treatment protocols [1][10] Company Performance - Following the announcement of the meta-analysis, SSKN shares fell more than 8%, and the stock has decreased by 82.3% over the last six months, compared to a 37% decline in the industry [3][8] - The current market capitalization of SSKN is $2 million [6] Clinical Validation and Market Position - The findings from the meta-analysis provide independent validation of SSKN's excimer laser technology, which may enhance physician adoption and patient confidence [4][12] - The pooled data from the analysis showed PASI reductions of 56%-85% within 10-14 treatments, confirming the effectiveness of MED-guided dosing strategies [8][10] - The publication emphasizes the importance of MED-guided calibration for targeted UVB delivery, which can improve treatment outcomes while minimizing damage to healthy skin [11][12] Industry Outlook - The global psoriasis treatment market was valued at $34.14 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to approximately $73.04 billion by 2035, with a CAGR of 7.9% [13] - The growth in the market is driven by increasing prevalence, better diagnosis, and demand for effective therapies, alongside innovations in biologics and device-based treatments [14]
MCO Q4 Earnings Beat on Rising Analytics Demand & High Issuance Volume
ZACKS· 2026-02-18 15:55
Core Insights - Moody's reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of $3.64 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.46, with a year-over-year growth of 39% [1][8] - The company's revenues improved significantly, driven by strong demand for analytics and robust performance in the Moody's Investors Service segment [1][5] - Moody's liquidity position remained strong, although a modest increase in operating expenses presented a challenge [1] Financial Performance - Net income attributable to Moody's was $610 million or $3.41 per share, up from $395 million or $2.17 per share in the prior-year quarter [2] - For 2025, adjusted earnings per share reached $14.94, a 20% increase, surpassing the consensus estimate of $14.78 [2] - Quarterly revenues were $1.89 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.88 billion, with a year-over-year increase of 13% [3] - Total expenses rose to $1.12 billion, an increase of almost 1% year over year [3] Segment Performance - Moody's Investors Service revenues increased by 17% year over year to $946 million, driven by strong performance across various finance categories [5] - Moody's Analytics revenues rose by 9% year over year to $943 million, supported by growth in Decision Solutions, Research and Insights, and Data & Information [5] Balance Sheet and Share Repurchase - As of December 31, 2025, Moody's had total cash and short-term investments of $2.45 billion, down from $2.97 billion a year earlier [6] - The company had $7 billion in outstanding debt and $1.25 billion in additional borrowing capacity [6] - In the quarter, Moody's repurchased 0.9 million shares at an average price of $485.55, with $4 billion of share repurchase authorization still available [7][9] 2026 Guidance - Moody's expects adjusted earnings in the range of $16.40-$17.00 per share and GAAP earnings between $15.00-$15.60 per share for 2026 [10] - Revenue growth is projected to be in the high-single-digit percent range, with operating expenses expected to increase in the mid-single-digit range [10]
APLD vs. VRT: Which Data Center Infrastructure Stock is a Better Buy?
ZACKS· 2026-02-18 15:55
Core Insights - Applied Digital (APLD) and Vertiv Holdings (VRT) are positioned in the data center infrastructure market, focusing on AI-driven facilities and critical power systems respectively [1][6] - The global Data Center Infrastructure Management market is expected to grow from $4.29 billion in 2026 to $9.99 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 18.43% [2] Applied Digital (APLD) - APLD is strategically positioned to benefit from the growth of AI-focused data centers, emphasizing energy-efficient design and scalable power architecture [3] - The company has contracted 600 megawatts across Polaris Forge 1 and 2, representing approximately $16 billion in potential lease revenues [4] - APLD's fiscal 2026 loss is estimated at 36 cents per share, indicating a year-over-year improvement of 55% [5] Vertiv Holdings (VRT) - VRT provides essential power and thermal management solutions for data centers, serving customers in 130 countries [6] - The company is co-developing an 800-volt DC power architecture with NVIDIA, ensuring its solutions remain relevant as power requirements increase [7] - VRT has a backlog of $15 billion and a book-to-bill ratio of approximately 2.9x, indicating strong revenue visibility [9] Stock Performance and Valuation - Over the past six months, VRT shares have increased by 88.7%, while APLD shares have surged by 118.7% [11] - VRT is trading at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 6.95x, significantly lower than APLD's 19.95x, suggesting a more attractive valuation for VRT [14] - VRT is currently rated as a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), while APLD holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [19]
EQT Q4 Earnings Top Estimates on Higher Realized Gas-Equivalent Prices
ZACKS· 2026-02-18 15:55
Financial Performance - EQT Corporation reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings from continuing operations of 90 cents per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 73 cents and up from 67 cents in the prior year [1] - Adjusted operating revenues increased to $2,094 million from $1,821 million in the prior-year quarter, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,064 million [1] Production and Sales - Sales volume increased to 609 billion cubic feet equivalent (Bcfe) from 605 Bcfe in the year-ago quarter, beating the estimate of 598 Bcfe [3] - Natural gas sales volume was 572 Bcf, up from 566 Bcf in the year-ago quarter, exceeding the estimate of 561 Bcf [3] - Total liquid sales volume decreased to 6,127 thousand barrels (MBbls) from 6,552 MBbls in the prior year, missing the projection of 6,145 MBbls [3] Commodity Prices - The average realized price was $3.44 per thousand cubic feet of natural gas equivalent (Mcfe), up from $3.01 year over year [4] - The average natural gas price, including cash-settled derivatives, was $3.32 per Mcf, an increase from $2.86 [4] - The natural gas sales price was $3.76 per Mcf, higher than $2.97 recorded a year ago [4] - The oil price was $44.98 per barrel compared to $54.75 in the prior year [5] Expenses - Total operating expenses were $1,372 million, up from $843 million in the prior-year quarter [6] - Gathering expenses totaled 10 cents per Mcfe, up from 9 cents year over year [6] - Transmission expenses stood at 40 cents per Mcfe, down from 41 cents recorded a year ago [6] - Lease operating expenses amounted to 11 cents per Mcfe, higher than 9 cents in the corresponding period of 2024 [6] - Selling, general and administrative expenses came in at 18 cents per Mcfe, flat year over year [6] Cash Flow - Adjusted operating cash flow totaled $1.55 billion in the reported quarter, up from $1.23 billion a year ago [7] - Free cash flow amounted to $857 million, an increase from $588 million in the corresponding period of 2024 [7] Capital Expenditure and Balance Sheet - Total capital expenditure was $655 million, higher than $583 million reported a year ago [9] - As of December 31, 2025, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $111 million and net debt worth $7.69 billion [9] Guidance - For the first quarter of 2026, EQT expects total sales volume to be between 560 Bcfe and 610 Bcfe [10] - Total sales volume is forecasted to be in the range of 2,275-2,375 Bcfe for 2026 [10] - Total maintenance capital expenditures are projected to be between $515 million and $590 million, with growth capital expenditures anticipated to be between $120 million and $145 million in the first quarter [10]
Celanese Q4 Earnings Miss Estimates, Revenues Decline Y/Y
ZACKS· 2026-02-18 15:55
Core Insights - Celanese Corporation (CE) reported a fourth-quarter 2025 earnings from continuing operations of 23 cents per share, a significant improvement from a loss of $17.55 in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted earnings were 67 cents per share, down 49.6% from $1.33 a year ago, and missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 89 cents [1][9]. Financial Performance - Revenues for the quarter were $2,204 million, a decrease of approximately 7% year over year, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,229.9 million. The decline was attributed to reduced volumes and prices, driven by year-end destocking and a competitive environment [2]. - The Engineered Materials unit reported net sales of $1,277 million, up about 0.6% year over year, exceeding the estimate of $1,196.7 million. This segment generated an operating profit of $111 million and an adjusted EBIT of $183 million [3]. - The Acetyl Chain segment saw net sales of $940 million, down roughly 15.3% year over year, missing the estimate of $1,035.1 million. It generated an operating profit of $90 million and an adjusted EBIT of $146 million [4]. - Celanese ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1,263 million, down approximately 12.3% sequentially. Long-term debt decreased by 2.2% sequentially to $11,394 million. Cash provided by operating activities was $252 million, with free cash flow at $160 million [5]. Future Outlook - The company anticipates volume improvements in the first quarter due to seasonality and ongoing cost reduction initiatives, projecting first-quarter adjusted earnings per share to be between 70 cents and 85 cents [6]. - Management is focused on generating cash flow to accelerate deleveraging, intensifying cost improvements, and driving top-line growth, with a target for 2026 free cash flow set at $650 to $750 million [7]. Market Performance - Celanese's shares have increased by 6.5% over the past year, compared to a 4.4% rise in the industry [8].
Wall Street Analysts Predict a 40.22% Upside in Dolby Laboratories (DLB): Here's What You Should Know
ZACKS· 2026-02-18 15:55
Dolby Laboratories (DLB) closed the last trading session at $63.65, gaining 3.3% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $89.25 indicates a 40.2% upside potential.The mean estimate comprises four short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $19. While the lowest estimate of $68.00 indicates a 6.8% increase from the current price level, the most optimistic analyst e ...
Scor SE (SCRYY)'s Technical Outlook is Bright After Key Golden Cross
ZACKS· 2026-02-18 15:55
From a technical perspective, Scor SE (SCRYY) is looking like an interesting pick, as it just reached a key level of support. SCRYY's 50-day simple moving average crossed above its 200-day simple moving average, which is known as a "golden cross" in the trading world.There's a reason traders love a golden cross -- it's a technical chart pattern that can indicate a bullish breakout is on the horizon. This kind of crossover is formed when a stock's short-term moving average breaks above a longer-term moving a ...
Wall Street Analysts Believe Nvidia (NVDA) Could Rally 38.16%: Here's is How to Trade
ZACKS· 2026-02-18 15:55
Nvidia (NVDA) closed the last trading session at $184.97, gaining 3.9% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $255.55 indicates a 38.2% upside potential.The mean estimate comprises 47 short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $42.12. While the lowest estimate of $140.00 indicates a 24.3% decline from the current price level, the most optimistic analyst expects ...
Wall Street Analysts Think Oatly Group (OTLY) Could Surge 57.13%: Read This Before Placing a Bet
ZACKS· 2026-02-18 15:55
Oatly Group AB Sponsored ADR (OTLY) closed the last trading session at $11.71, gaining 13.3% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $18.4 indicates a 57.1% upside potential.The average comprises five short-term price targets ranging from a low of $14.00 to a high of $29.00, with a standard deviation of $6.11. While the lowest estimate indicates an increase of 19.6% from th ...
Wall Street Analysts Believe Karyopharm Therapeutics (KPTI) Could Rally 56.06%: Here's is How to Trade
ZACKS· 2026-02-18 15:55
Karyopharm Therapeutics (KPTI) closed the last trading session at $9.4, gaining 58% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $14.67 indicates a 56.1% upside potential.The mean estimate comprises six short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $5.32. While the lowest estimate of $6.00 indicates a 36.2% decline from the current price level, the most optimistic analys ...