Core Viewpoint - The ongoing U.S. government shutdown is creating uncertainty in the market, affecting investor sentiment and economic reporting [2][3]. Economic Reports - Key economic reports expected next week include Construction Spending and Wholesale Trade Sales on Monday, NFIB Small Business Optimism Index and Redbook Index on Tuesday, MBA Mortgage Applications and Beige Book on Wednesday, and Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index on Thursday [3]. Earnings Reports - Major companies set to report earnings next week include JPMorgan (JPM), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Wells Fargo (WFC), Goldman Sachs (GS), BlackRock (BLK), Citigroup (C), Bank of America (BAC), Morgan Stanley (MS), Abbott Labs (ABT), American Express (AXP), and State Street (STT) [4]. - Specific earnings spotlight includes Fastenal (FAST) on Monday, October 13, and JPMorgan, J&J, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and BlackRock on Tuesday, October 14 [5].

Core Insights - The article discusses the concept of Dividend Kings, which are companies that have increased their dividends for over 50 consecutive years, highlighting their resilience and consistent growth in dividends [4] Group 1: Dividend Kings Overview - Dividend Kings are companies that have a long history of increasing dividends, making them attractive for long-term income investors [4][7] - The article emphasizes the importance of selecting companies with a positive consensus from analysts, focusing on stability and growth potential [1][2] Group 2: Company Profiles AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) - AbbVie reported a revenue increase of approximately 3.7% to $56.33 billion, but net income declined by 12% to around $4.28 billion, resulting in a basic EPS of $2.40 for 2024 [12] - The forward dividend payout is $6.56, with a yield of 6.56% and a payout ratio of 59.92% [13] - Analysts rate AbbVie as a Moderate Buy with a score of 4.21 out of 5, indicating a potential upside of 21.38% from its current price [14][15] Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) - Johnson & Johnson's revenue rose roughly 4.3% to $88.82 billion, but net income declined nearly 60% due to a discontinued operation, resulting in a basic EPS of $5.84 [18] - The forward dividend payout is $5.20, yielding 5.2% with a payout ratio of 49.88% [20] - Analysts rate JNJ as a Moderate Buy with a score of 4.04 out of 5, suggesting an upside potential of 11.5% [21][22] Lowe's Companies (LOW) - Lowe's revenue declined 3% to $83.67 billion, with net income down approximately 10% to $6.96 billion, leading to a basic EPS of $12.25 [26] - The forward dividend is $4.80, yielding 4.80% with a payout ratio of 38.46% [28] - Analysts rate Lowe's as a Moderate Buy with a score of 4.21 out of 5, with a potential upside of 38.5% [29][30] Abbott Laboratories (ABT) - Abbott's revenue increased by 4.5% to $41.95 billion, and net income surged 134% to $13.4 billion, resulting in a basic EPS of $7.67 [33] - The company has declared 399 consecutive quarterly dividends and has increased its payout for 51 consecutive years, with a current yield of 1.77% [34] - Analysts rate Abbott as a Strong Buy with a score of 4.43, indicating a potential upside of 19.2% [36] Coca-Cola Company (KO) - Coca-Cola's revenue for FY'24 was just over $47 billion, up 2.8%, while net income declined slightly by 0.8%, with a basic EPS of $2.47 [38] - The forward dividend is $2.04 annually, yielding just over 3%, with a 21.25% increase in dividends over the past five years [40] - Analysts rate Coca-Cola as a Strong Buy with a score of 4.76, suggesting an upside potential of 28% [40]

Core Insights - Wall Street is entering earnings season with reports from major financial institutions such as Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and JPMorgan expected [1] - Despite a significant sell-off on Friday, there is an expectation that the market's multi-year rally is not over [1] Earnings Reports - Earnings season begins on Tuesday with Blackrock, Wells Fargo, and Goldman Sachs reporting; all three have performed well this year and are not heavily impacted by the trade war [3] - Johnson & Johnson and Domino's Pizza will also report on Tuesday, with expectations for Johnson & Johnson to have the best quarter in its sector, while Domino's may miss estimates [4] - On Wednesday, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Abbott Laboratories will report; Morgan Stanley has shown positive results recently, and Abbott is considered reliable [4] - Thursday will see earnings from Taiwan Semiconductor, CSX, and Charles Schwab, with positive figures expected from Taiwan Semiconductor, which supplies chips to Nvidia and AMD [6] - American Express and SLB will report on Friday; American Express shares typically decline post-earnings, while SLB management is known for transparency [7] Market Context - The week is complicated by a sharp decline in Treasury yields, which usually indicates better economic conditions ahead, but current sentiment is negative [2] - Salesforce's annual conference begins on Monday, and clarity on President Trump's new tariffs on China is anticipated, following threats of a significant increase in tariffs on Chinese imports [2]

Market Overview - Stocks experienced a sell-off as President Trump threatened a "massive" tariff increase on China, particularly concerning rare earth minerals, which surprised the market given recent improvements in trade relations [1] - The S&P 500 index was down 1.9% and the Nasdaq fell approximately 2.6%, marking the first 1% drop for the S&P 500 since August 1 [1] Company Performance - Nvidia emerged as the best performer in the Investing Club portfolio, soaring approximately 1,527% over the three-year bull market [1] - Other top performers included Broadcom, which increased more than 665%, Meta Platforms with a gain of almost 458%, and CrowdStrike, which rose over 224% [1] - The bottom performers included Bristol Myers Squibb, down more than 36%, Nike, down nearly 26%, and both Danaher and Starbucks, each down nearly 9% [1] Upcoming Earnings - The third-quarter earnings season is set to begin, with over 30 S&P 500 companies scheduled to report next week [1] - Major banks such as Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan, and Citigroup will kick off earnings reports on Tuesday, along with BlackRock and Johnson & Johnson [1] - Other notable companies reporting next week include Abbott Laboratories, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, American Express, CSX, Charles Schwab, SLB, and Prologis [1]

Core Viewpoint - Analysts forecast Abbott (ABT) to report quarterly earnings of $1.30 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 7.4%, with anticipated revenues of $11.41 billion, marking a 7.3% increase compared to the previous year [1]. Earnings Estimates - The consensus EPS estimate has been adjusted downward by 0.1% over the past 30 days, indicating a reassessment by covering analysts [2]. - Changes in earnings estimates are crucial for predicting investor reactions, as empirical research shows a strong correlation between earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock performance [3]. Key Metrics Projections - Analysts estimate 'Net sales- Nutrition' to reach $2.20 billion, a year-over-year change of +6.3% [5]. - 'Net sales- Medical Devices- Diabetes Care' is projected at $2.04 billion, indicating an increase of +18.2% year over year [5]. - 'Net sales- Diagnostics' is expected to be $2.31 billion, reflecting a decrease of -4.4% from the previous year [5]. - 'Net sales- Established Pharmaceuticals' is estimated at $1.53 billion, showing a +9% change year over year [6]. - 'Net sales- Diagnostics- U.S.' is projected at $909.57 million, indicating a decline of -11.9% from the prior year [6]. - 'Geographic Revenue- U.S.' is expected to be $4.38 billion, with a year-over-year change of +4.3% [6]. - 'Geographic Revenue- International' is estimated at $7.02 billion, reflecting a +9.2% change year over year [7]. - 'Net sales- Nutrition- International' is projected to reach $1.23 billion, indicating a +9.8% change [7]. - 'Net sales- Nutrition- U.S.' is expected at $966.71 million, reflecting a +1.8% change [7]. - 'Net sales- Diagnostics- International' is forecasted at $1.40 billion, indicating a +1.3% change [8]. - 'Net sales- Medical Devices- Rhythm Management- U.S.' is projected at $325.63 million, reflecting a +13.1% change year over year [8]. - 'Net sales- Medical Devices- Rhythm Management- International' is expected to reach $339.38 million, indicating a +9.8% change year over year [9]. Stock Performance - Abbott shares have returned +0.5% over the past month, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.5% change, with a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting that ABT is expected to mirror the overall market performance in the near future [9].

Core Insights - Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is set to report its third-quarter 2025 results on October 15, with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.26 in the last quarter, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.8% [1][8] Revenue and EPS Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q3 revenues is $11.42 billion, reflecting a 7.4% increase from the previous year [2][8] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS is $1.30, indicating a 7.4% improvement from the prior year's figure [2][8] Segment Performance Expectations - **Diagnostics**: Revenue growth is expected to be impacted by a decline in COVID-19 testing revenues and volume-based procurement programs in China, with a projected decrease of 4.4% year over year [3][4] - **Established Pharmaceuticals (EPD)**: Strong performance is anticipated across key markets, with a year-over-year revenue increase of 9%, driven by biosimilars as a new growth pillar [5][6] - **Medical Devices**: Expected growth of 13.3% year over year, supported by the Diabetes Care division and the integration of Libre CGM data into Epic's EHR systems [6][11] - **Nutrition**: Anticipated revenue growth of 6.3% year over year, driven by strong sales of adult nutrition brands like Ensure and Glucerna [12] Recent Developments - Abbott's Structural Heart segment is expected to see growth from surgical valves and transcatheter products, bolstered by recent CE Mark and FDA approvals [9][11] - The Rhythm Management arm is gaining traction with the leadless AVEIR pacemaker, supported by favorable clinical data [10] Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank - Abbott has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3, indicating a neutral outlook for beating estimates [13]

Financial Reporting Schedule - Next week will see significant financial reporting from major companies including JPMorgan Chase & Co., Wells Fargo & Company, and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which will report pre-market on Tuesday [1] - Johnson & Johnson will also report alongside the financial institutions on Tuesday, indicating a blend of financial and healthcare sector updates [1] - The financial reporting theme continues with Bank of America Corporation and Morgan Stanley on Wednesday, along with ASML Holding N.V. and Abbott Laboratories, highlighting a diverse range of sectors [1] - Thursday will feature Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. reporting pre-market, emphasizing the importance of the tech sector in the financial landscape [1] - American Express Company will lead the final wave of financial reports on Friday, rounding out a week heavy with financial disclosures [1]

Core Viewpoint - The meeting between He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, and executives from multinational companies highlights China's commitment to maintaining a stable and resilient economy while encouraging foreign investment and cooperation [1] Group 1: Economic Outlook - He Lifeng emphasized that China's economic foundation is stable, with numerous advantages, strong resilience, and significant potential, indicating that the long-term positive support conditions and basic trends remain unchanged [1] - Executives from multinational companies expressed optimism about China's economic prospects and their intention to deepen their engagement in the Chinese market [1] Group 2: Foreign Investment - China will continue to expand high-level opening-up policies and welcomes multinational companies to increase their investments in China [1] - The meeting focused on exchanging views on the global and Chinese economic situation and the expansion of investment in China [1]

Core Viewpoint - The meeting between Chinese officials and leaders of multinational companies highlights confidence in China's economic prospects and the commitment to expanding investment in the country [1] Group 1: Economic Outlook - He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, emphasized that China's economic foundation is stable, with many advantages, strong resilience, and significant potential [1] - The long-term positive support conditions and fundamental trends for China's economy remain unchanged [1] Group 2: Foreign Investment - China will continue to expand high-level opening-up and welcomes multinational companies to increase their investments in China [1] - Multinational company leaders expressed optimism about China's economic future and their intention to deepen their engagement in the Chinese market [1]

Group 1 - Major financial institutions such as JPMorgan Chase & Co., Wells Fargo & Company, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., BlackRock Inc., and Citigroup Inc. are set to report earnings next Tuesday pre-market [1] - Following the major financials, Bank of America Corporation and Morgan Stanley will report earnings next Wednesday [1] - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd., a key player in the tech sector, will report earnings next Thursday pre-market [1] Group 2 - Significant earnings reports earlier in the week include PepsiCo Inc. on Thursday before the market opens and Johnson & Johnson next Tuesday pre-market [1] - ASML Holding N.V. is also expected to release important technology earnings next Wednesday pre-market, alongside healthcare leader Abbott Laboratories [1]