Market Overview - Wall Street experienced volatility at the start of the trading week due to inflation concerns, geopolitical tensions, and external pressures, including Hurricane Milton and the presidential election season [1] - Major indices saw declines: Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.9% to 41,954.24, S&P 500 decreased 1% to 5,695.94, and Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.2% to 17,923.90 [1] - Rising oil prices, influenced by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, contributed to market unease [1] Investment Opportunities - In the current uncertain market environment, value stocks are highlighted as a compelling investment option, trading below their intrinsic value and offering a margin of safety [1] - The Price to Cash Flow (P/CF) ratio is emphasized as an effective valuation metric for evaluating value stocks, with lower ratios indicating better investment opportunities [2][3] Financial Health Indicators - Positive cash flow is crucial as it indicates an increase in a company's liquid assets, enabling it to settle debts, meet expenses, reinvest, and undertake shareholder-friendly actions [4] - Negative cash flow suggests a decline in liquidity, reducing a company's flexibility [4] Value Investing Strategy - A comprehensive investment strategy should include multiple valuation metrics such as P/CF, price-to-book ratio, price-to-earnings ratio, and price-to-sales ratio, alongside a favorable Zacks Rank and Value Score [5][6][7] - Parameters for selecting true-value stocks include P/CF less than or equal to industry median, price greater than or equal to $5, and average 20-day volume greater than 100,000 [5] Stock Highlights - JD.com, Inc. (JD) has a Zacks Rank 1, with a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 24% and a Value Score of A; shares surged 61% in the past year [8] - EnerSys (ENS) holds a Zacks Rank 2, with a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.5% and a Value Score of A; shares increased 7.3% in the past year [8] - AXIS Capital Holdings (AXS) also has a Zacks Rank 2, with a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 94.6% and a Value Score of A; stock advanced 39% in the past year [9] - Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (PB) carries a Zacks Rank 2, with a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 23.3% and a Value Score of A; shares declined 3.2% in the past year [10]

Have you been paying attention to shares of Axis Capital (AXS) ? Shares have been on the move with the stock up 7.1% over the past month. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $82.34 in the previous session. Axis Capital has gained 48.4% since the start of the year compared to the 18.1% move for the Zacks Finance sector and the 29.1% return for the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry.What's Driving the Outperformance?The stock has an impressive record of positive earnings surprises, as it hasn't ...

Relying solely on stock price movements without understanding the company’s fundamentals can cause investors to lose money. Investors must carefully review a company's financial health to make informed decisions, especially in today’s unpredictable market.While sales and earnings are often the go-to metrics, they can sometimes be misleading and may not show whether a company has the financial strength to cover its obligations. This is where the coverage ratio holds the key — a higher ratio signals that a co ...

Here are three stocks with buy rank and strong value characteristics for investors to consider today, September 26th:AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (AXS) : This company which offers insurance covers for property, workers compensation, professional liability, casualty, and marine and aviation carries a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing nearly 7% over the last 60 days.AXIS Capital has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 7.39, compared with 15. ...

The price-to-book (P/B) ratio is widely favored by value investors for identifying low-priced stocks with exceptional returns. The ratio is used to compare a stock’s market value/price to its book value.The P/B ratio is calculated as below:P/B ratio = market price per share/book value of equity per shareP/B ratio reflects how many times book value investors are ready to pay for a share. So, if the share price is $10 and the book value of equity is $5, investors are ready to pay two times the book value. Ide ...

When it comes to investing, the flashiest sectors often grab the headlines—think cutting-edge tech, electric vehicles, or artificial intelligence. However, some of the most reliable and profitable opportunities lie in industries that are often considered boring and mundane.Insurance, for example, is essential for businesses and individuals alike, yet it doesn’t inspire the same excitement as other sectors. Despite this, some of the top-performing stocks in the market come from the insurance industry, thanks ...

The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up higher on Friday, setting a new record after a strong week, driven by the Federal Reserve’s first rate cut in four years. The Dow rose by 38.16 points, or 0.09%, to close at 42,063.36. In contrast, the S&P 500 slipped 0.19% to 5,702.55, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.36% to finish at 17,948.32. This movement came after a midweek rally, during which the Dow surpassed the 42,000 mark and the S&P 500 hit a key milestone above 5,700. Despite Friday’s slight pullbacks, ...

An ill-informed investor can lose cash if he wagers on a stock only based on the numbers flashing on a real-time stock screen. A critical analysis of a company’s financial background is a must for a better investment decision, especially at a time when the stock market is juggling myriad issues. Often, investors evaluate a company’s performance by simply looking at its sales and earnings, which sometimes do not reveal the real picture. To be more precise, they do not tell whether a company’s fundamentals ar ...

Here are three stocks with buy rank and strong value characteristics for investors to consider today, September 23rd:AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (AXS) : This company which offers insurance covers for property, workers compensation, professional liability, casualty, and marine and aviation carries a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 7% over the last 60 days.Axis Capital has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 7.28, compared with 15.70 for ...

For Immediate ReleasesChicago, IL – September 20 2024 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Cincinnati Financial Corp. (CINF) , W. R. Berkley Corp. (WRB) and AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. (AXS) .Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:  3 P&C Insurance Stocks to Add to Your Portfolio Despite Fed Rate Cut ...