Freshpet Inc (FRPT) - Manufactures, distributes, and markets natural fresh meals and treats for dogs and cats [3] - Currently carries a Zacks Rank 2 [3] - Trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 144.5% on average [3] - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current financial-year sales and earnings implies growth of 27.2% and 228.6% respectively [18] BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings Inc (BJ) - Membership fee income increased by 8.4% year-over-year in Q3 fiscal 2024 [4] - Expects to operate more than 250 clubs by the end of fiscal 2024 [4] - Digitally enabled comparable sales rose 30% in Q3 fiscal 2024 [17] - Clubs fulfill more than 90% of digitally enabled sales [17] - Announced first membership fee increase in seven years, effective Jan 1, 2025 [12] - Annual Club membership fee to rise by $5 to $60, Club+ membership fee to increase by $10 to $120 [12] - Introduced new perk for Club+ members including two free same-day deliveries on eligible orders of $50 or more [12] - Shares advanced 13.3% against industry decline of 1.2% [13] - Guided total revenue growth of mid-single-digit percentage [16] - Projected low-to-mid single-digit percentage increase in comparable club sales excluding gasoline sales [16] - Expects high-single to low-double-digit percentage increase in earnings per share in the long run [16] Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (SFM) - Engaged in retailing of fresh, natural, and organic food products [8] - Currently sports a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [8] - Trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 15.3% on average [8] - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current financial-year sales and earnings implies growth of 12.2% and 29.6% respectively [19] Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) - Manufactures and sells sweeteners, starches, nutrition ingredients, and biomaterial solutions derived from wet milling and processing corn and other starch-based materials [15] - Currently carries a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [15] - Trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 9.5% on average [15] - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current financial year's earnings indicates growth of 12.4% from the year-ago reported number [9]

Core Insights - BJ's Wholesale Club has opened its 40th club in Florida, featuring an on-site gas station and a Fuel Saver Program to provide low fuel prices [1] - The company is expanding its footprint, having opened three new clubs and four gas stations in Q3 of fiscal 2024, aiming to exceed its goal of 250 clubs by the fiscal year-end [2] Membership and Savings - BJ's members can maximize savings by combining BJ's coupons with manufacturers' coupons, and enjoy low fuel prices at its 182 gas locations through the Fuel Saver Program [3] - The company offers savings of up to 25% on grocery prices, with a 100% money-back membership guarantee [4] Growth Factors - BJ's growth is driven by simplifying product assortments, enhancing marketing, and expanding into high-demand categories, resulting in an 8.4% year-over-year increase in membership-fee income in Q3 of fiscal 2024 [5] - Membership reached 7.5 million, supported by strong renewal rates and effective member acquisition strategies [5] Operational Performance - The company reported a 3.8% growth in comparable club sales (excluding gas) in Q3, with traffic contributing over 4 percentage points to this increase [6] - Despite challenges like the East Coast port strike and hurricanes, BJ's exceeded expectations, demonstrating the resilience of its business model [6] Market Performance - BJ's shares have increased by 15.4% over the past three months, outperforming the industry's decline of 1.8% and the S&P 500's growth of 3.3% [14] - The stock is currently priced at a premium, with a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 22.59X compared to the industry's 7.33X, indicating that growth potential may already be reflected in the stock price [15]

Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks.Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors rely on traditional forms of analysis on key valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are unde ...

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 _______________________________ _______________________________ Title of each class Trading symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered Common Stock, par value $0.01 BJ New York Stock Exchange FORM 10-Q _______________________________ ☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended November 2, 2024 OR ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF T ...

Core Viewpoint - BJ's Wholesale Club has experienced significant stock performance, with a 15.3% increase over the past month and a 47.6% rise since the beginning of the year, outperforming both the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector and the Zacks Consumer Services - Miscellaneous industry [1] Financial Performance - The company has consistently exceeded earnings expectations, reporting an EPS of $1.18 against a consensus estimate of $0.91 in its last earnings report [2] - For the current fiscal year, BJ's is projected to achieve earnings of $3.94 per share on revenues of $20.79 billion, reflecting a -0.51% change in EPS and a 4.65% change in revenues [3] - The next fiscal year forecasts an EPS of $4.20 on revenues of $22 billion, indicating a year-over-year growth of 6.58% in EPS and 5.82% in revenues [3] Valuation Metrics - BJ's currently trades at 25X current fiscal year EPS estimates, which is above the peer industry average of 20.1X [7] - On a trailing cash flow basis, the stock trades at 17.2X compared to the peer group's average of 7.5X [7] - The stock has a PEG ratio of 4.64, suggesting it is not among the top value stocks [7] Zacks Rank and Style Scores - BJ's holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) due to rising earnings estimates, aligning with investment recommendations for stocks with Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B [8] - The company has a Value Score of B, with Growth and Momentum Scores of C and D, respectively, resulting in a combined VGM Score of B [6]

Numerous stock buyback or repurchase authorization announcements were made throughout 2024. For the most part, they have become commonplace. A buyback authorization is not an obligation or requirement to buy back stock but more so permission to repurchase shares. The company has the option to buy stock whenever it chooses under the conditions of the buyback plan. This distinction is critical as investors tend to believe a stock repurchase authorization means the company is immediately and furiously buying i ...

My previous investment thought on BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings (NYSE: BJ ) (published on 23 rd August) was a hold rating, mainly because of the high relative valuation that BJ traded at. I reiterate my hold rating. I believe the near-termI focus on long-term investments while incorporating short-term shorts to uncover alpha opportunities. My investment approach revolves around bottom-up analysis, delving into the fundamental strengths and weaknesses of individual companies. My investment duration is the med ...

Core Viewpoint - The members-only discount store concept has gained significant popularity, leading to strong growth and record profitability for Costco Wholesale and BJ's Wholesale Club, with both companies' shares reaching all-time highs in 2023 [1]. Group 1: BJ's Wholesale Club - BJ's Wholesale Club has 7.5 million paying members and 247 club stores, which are significantly smaller than Costco's 76 million members and 891 locations [3]. - BJ's focuses on a strong regional presence, particularly in the eastern U.S., offering a greater variety of grocery items in smaller packages, appealing to everyday shoppers [4]. - In Q3, BJ's comparable club sales increased by 3.8% year-over-year, with adjusted EPS up 18%, surpassing Wall Street estimates [5]. - The company has seen a robust increase in memberships and store traffic, with digitally enabled comparable sales up 30% this year, indicating successful e-commerce investments [6]. - BJ's shares are trading at a forward P/E ratio of 24, representing a significant discount compared to Costco's forward P/E of 54, making it an attractive investment option [7][8]. Group 2: Costco Wholesale - Costco's net comparable sales increased by 6.5% year-over-year, outperforming BJ's growth rate, highlighting its size advantage and exposure to high-growth international markets [9]. - Costco offers a larger selection of premium and big-ticket items, positioning it well to capture a rebound in discretionary spending as borrowing costs decrease [10]. - Costco's brand recognition and industry leadership justify its higher valuation, despite its stock being considered expensive [11]. Group 3: Investment Decision - While Costco has strong growth trends, its stock is viewed as too expensive for immediate investment, whereas BJ's Wholesale appears to offer more value and better potential for shareholder rewards into 2025 and beyond [12].

Core Insights - BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. reported mixed third-quarter fiscal 2024 results, with revenues missing estimates but earnings exceeding expectations, both metrics showing year-over-year improvement supported by comparable club sales growth [1][4]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share were $1.18, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 91 cents and increasing from $1.00 in the prior year [4]. - Total revenues reached $5,099.4 million, a 3.5% increase year-over-year, but fell short of the consensus estimate of $5,126 million. Net sales rose 3.4% to $4,984.4 million, while membership fee income increased by 8.4% to $115 million [5]. - Comparable club sales grew by 1.5% year-over-year, with a 3.8% increase when excluding gasoline sales, outperforming the estimate of a 2% increase. Digitally enabled comparable sales surged by 30% [6]. Membership and Shareholder Value - The company expanded its membership base to 7.5 million and announced its first membership fee increase in seven years, effective January 1, 2025, raising the annual fee by $5 to $60 and the Club+ membership by $10 to $120 [2][12]. - A new $1 billion share repurchase program was introduced, reflecting the company's commitment to enhancing shareholder value [2][11]. Operational Efficiency - Gross profit increased to $975.5 million from $902.5 million in the previous year, with the merchandise gross margin rate expanding by 20 basis points due to effective cost management [7]. - Operating income rose by 15.1% year-over-year to $229.4 million, and the operating margin improved by 50 basis points to 4.5%. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 13.5% to $308.3 million, with the adjusted EBITDA margin also expanding by 50 basis points to 6% [8]. Guidance and Future Outlook - The company raised its fiscal 2024 guidance, projecting fourth-quarter comparable club sales growth (excluding gasoline) between 2.5% and 3%, leading to full-year growth of 2.3% to 2.4% [13]. - Management expects fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share to range between 78 cents and 88 cents, with full-year adjusted earnings projected between $3.90 and $4.00 per share, an upgrade from previous guidance [14].

DA Davidson analyst Michael Baker reiterated the Buy rating on BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. BJ, raising the price forecast to $110 from $95.Yesterday, the company reported third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.18, beating the street view of 91 cents. Quarterly revenues of $5.10 billion were in line with the analyst consensus.BJ’s Wholesale Club expects fourth-quarter adjusted EPS to be between $0.78 and $0.88. For FY2024, adjusted EPS is forecasted at $3.90 – $4.00, up from previous guidance ...