Core Insights - Three stocks are highlighted with strong buy rankings and positive momentum characteristics for investors to consider on January 22nd Group 1: Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria (BBVA) - BBVA is engaged in a variety of banking and financial activities in Spain and has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [1] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BBVA's current year earnings has increased by 0.5% over the last 60 days [1] - BBVA's shares have gained 27.9% over the last three months, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 2.5% [2] - The company possesses a Momentum Score of A [2] Group 2: Metropolitan Bank Holding (MCB) - MCB is a chartered commercial bank providing various financial services and has a Zacks Rank of 1 [3] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MCB's current year earnings has increased by 7% over the last 60 days [3] - MCB's shares have gained 20.8% over the last three months, also outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 2.5% [4] - The company possesses a Momentum Score of A [4] Group 3: Plains All American Pipeline (PAA) - PAA is a master limited partnership involved in the transportation and marketing of crude oil and natural gas in the U.S. and Canada, with a Zacks Rank of 1 [5] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PAA's current year earnings has increased by 4.8% over the last 60 days [5] - PAA's shares have gained 18.4% over the last three months, again outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 2.5% [6] - The company possesses a Momentum Score of A [6]

Group 1 - JPMorgan has reinstated coverage of BBVA with an Overweight rating and a price target of EUR 23.50 [1] - The firm believes BBVA can return EUR 30 billion of capital to shareholders over the next three years [1] - The Overweight rating is supported by BBVA's growth, optionality, and attractive shareholder returns [1]

Group 1 - Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE:BBVA) is recognized as one of the best performing affordable stocks under $40, with recent buy ratings and increased price targets from Bank of America and Citi [1][2] - The bank has a strong market presence in Mexico, Türkiye, and Spain, with a market cap of $133.7 billion, generating approximately 60% of its profits from Mexico, which is expected to grow due to USMCA trade agreements [2] - Profits from Türkiye are projected to triple by 2028, despite higher provisions, indicating significant growth potential in that region [2] Group 2 - BBVA trades at a discount compared to its peers and fair value, achieving around 22% return on tangible equity (ROTE) and is expected to engage in share buybacks [3] - The bank offers a diversified range of financial services, including retail and wholesale banking, asset management, private banking, and insurance [3]

Group 1 - Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE:BBVA) is recognized as one of the best performing affordable stocks under $40, with recent buy ratings and increased price targets from Bank of America and Citi [1][2] - The bank has a strong market presence in Mexico, Türkiye, and Spain, with a market cap of $133.7 billion, and generates approximately 60% of its profits from Mexico, which is expected to grow due to USMCA trade agreements [2] - Profits from Türkiye are projected to triple by 2028, despite higher provisions, indicating significant growth potential in that region [2] Group 2 - Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. trades at a discount compared to its peers and fair value, achieving around 22% return on tangible equity (ROTE) and is expected to engage in share buybacks [3] - The bank offers a range of diversified financial services, including retail and wholesale banking, asset management, private banking, and insurance [3]

Group 1 - Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE:BBVA) has completed its global transition to a single data and AI platform named ADA, built around Amazon Web Services, enhancing its service delivery to customers [1][2] - The ADA platform is now operational across all geographical regions where the company operates, ensuring compliance with local regulatory requirements [2] - Bank of America Securities has reiterated a Buy rating for BBVA with a price target of €24.30, while Morgan Stanley has maintained a Hold rating with a price target of €20.70 [3] Group 2 - Goldman Sachs has added BBVA to its European Conviction List, projecting that the company will achieve double the sales growth of the sector by 2026, driven by its presence in high-growth markets like South America and Mexico [4] - BBVA is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, and operates in various banking sectors including asset management, retail banking, private banking, and wholesale banking, with a presence in the United States, Spain, Mexico, Turkey, South America, and Eurasia [5]

Core Viewpoint - The United Arab Emirates climate fund ALTERRA is set to launch a $1.2 billion co-investment vehicle in collaboration with Spanish lender BBVA to support climate-aligned investments globally across various sectors including infrastructure, private equity, and private credit [1] Group 1 - ALTERRA aims to finance climate-aligned investments, indicating a strategic focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility [1] - The partnership with BBVA highlights a growing trend of collaboration between financial institutions to address climate change through investment [1] - The $1.2 billion fund signifies a substantial commitment to climate finance, reflecting the increasing importance of environmental considerations in investment decisions [1]

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights Banco Bilbao (BBVA) as a strong growth stock recommendation based on its favorable growth metrics and Zacks Rank, indicating potential for solid returns for growth investors [2][9]. Earnings Growth - Banco Bilbao has a historical EPS growth rate of 33.3%, with projected EPS growth of 11.9% for the current year, surpassing the industry average of 10.7% [5][4]. Cash Flow Growth - The year-over-year cash flow growth for Banco Bilbao is 23%, significantly higher than the industry average of 5.2%. The company's annualized cash flow growth rate over the past 3-5 years is 11.7%, compared to the industry average of 6% [6][7]. Earnings Estimate Revisions - There has been a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions for Banco Bilbao, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year increasing by 2% over the past month, indicating strong near-term stock price movements [8]. Overall Assessment - Banco Bilbao has achieved a Growth Score of B and a Zacks Rank of 2, reflecting positive earnings estimate revisions and strong growth potential, making it a solid choice for growth investors [9][10].

Core Insights - Bankinter, a Spanish banking giant, has acquired a minority stake in crypto exchange Bit2Me as part of a €30 million ($33 million) funding round that included Tether [1] - Bit2Me is one of the first firms registered under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, enabling it to operate across the European Union [2] - The investment aims to create technological and knowledge-based synergies, particularly in distributed ledger technology (DLT) [2] Company Developments - The exact terms of the investment were not disclosed, but it is expected to strengthen Bit2Me's capital structure and support its regulatory goals in Europe and Latin America [3] - Over the past 18 months, Bit2Me has integrated itself into traditional finance, providing backend crypto services for Garanti BBVA in Turkey and launching a custody and trading platform with Cecabank [3] - Bit2Me's CFO, Pablo Casadío, emphasized that the partnership with Bankinter signifies a shift towards collaboration in the banking sector rather than competition [4] Industry Context - Bit2Me's connections with traditional financial institutions have deepened, as evidenced by Unicaja's acquisition of over 5% stake in the exchange in July 2024, which also secured a board seat [5]

Market Overview - The broader equity markets are trading in record territory, supported by modest job market conditions, with December nonfarm payrolls increasing by 50,000, lower than the consensus estimate of 73,000 [1] - The unemployment rate stands at 4.4%, below the forecast of 4.5%, indicating improving economic health [1] Investment Opportunities - Optimism regarding interest rate cuts in 2026 is fueled by better-than-expected metrics, despite ongoing tensions related to escalated tariffs [2] - Investors are advised to focus on "cash cow" stocks with high returns, emphasizing the importance of attractive efficiency ratios like return on equity (ROE) [2] Key Financial Metrics - ROE is defined as Net Income divided by Shareholders' Equity, helping investors identify profit-generating companies and assess financial health [3] - A higher ROE indicates effective cash deployment for higher returns and is used for comparing profitability within the industry [4] Screening Parameters for Stock Selection - Stocks are shortlisted based on criteria including Cash Flow greater than $1 billion and ROE greater than the industry average [5] - Additional metrics include Price/Cash Flow lower than the industry average, Return on Assets (ROA) greater than the industry average, and 5-Year EPS Historical Growth greater than the industry average [6] Selected High-ROE Stocks - Five stocks that qualified based on screening include: - **Arista Networks, Inc. (ANET)**: Focuses on cloud networking solutions with a long-term earnings growth expectation of 20.1% and a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 10.2% [7][9] - **Corning Incorporated (GLW)**: Specializes in advanced glass technologies with a long-term earnings growth expectation of 18.2% and a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.1% [7][10] - **Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (BBVA)**: Provides banking services with a long-term earnings growth expectation of 12% and a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 5.7% [7][11] - **Assurant, Inc. (AIZ)**: Offers risk management solutions with a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 22.7% [7][12] - **Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (HST)**: Engages in luxury hotel investments with a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11% [7][13][14]

Core Viewpoint - Riyad Bank plans to issue U.S. dollar denominated tier 2 capital sustainable notes under its medium term note programme, targeting eligible investors both domestically and internationally [1] Group 1: Issuance Details - The issuance is based on a Board of Directors resolution dated 05/02/1446H, which corresponds to 09/08/2024G [1] - The notes will be offered to eligible investors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and internationally [1] Group 2: Joint Lead Managers - The Bank has appointed several financial institutions as Joint Lead Managers for the Proposed Offer, including First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC, BBVA, DBS Bank Ltd, Emirates NBD Capital, HSBC Bank plc, Merrill Lynch Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mizuho International plc, Riyad Capital, SMBC Bank International plc, and Standard Chartered Bank [2]