Shares of Casey’s General Stores Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) have officially entered the upper echelon of Benzinga Edge’s Stock Rankings, with its quality score jumping from 87.06 to 90.63 week-over-week.CASY Stock’s Quality Score Hits Top TierThis quality rank surge places the convenience store chain in the top 10%, following a robust third-quarter earnings report.According to the ranking methodology, the quality metric evaluates a company’s operational efficiency and financial health by analyzing historical profit ...

Market Overview - Wall Street ended March 19, 2026, on a weak note, with all three major U.S. indices falling below their respective 200-day moving averages, leading to accelerated equity sell-offs due to surging oil prices and a hawkish Fed signaling only one rate cut this year [1][2] Low-Leverage Stocks - Investors are likely to seek safe bets rather than high-beta growth-oriented stocks, emphasizing the importance of low-leverage stocks, which are better equipped to handle interest rate volatility and geopolitical shocks [2][6] - Low-leverage stocks are defined as companies with minimal debt relative to equity, providing a solid foothold as the market faces a potential energy-driven slowdown [2][5] Recommended Low-Leverage Stocks - Recommended low-leverage stocks include: - Nu Holdings (NU): Serves 131 million customers and is expanding through partnerships with major sports teams [10][15] - Casey's General Stores (CASY): Reported a 4% increase in same-store sales and a 49.8% surge in EPS [17][18] - Astec Industries (ASTE): Launched a rebuild and repair program for road construction equipment, with a 13% revenue improvement expected [19][20] - HNI Corp. (HNI): Achieved a 38.3% year-over-year increase in net sales [20][21] - Blue Bird (BLBD): Acquired full ownership of Micro Bird joint venture for approximately $200 million [22][23] Financial Metrics and Screening Criteria - The debt-to-equity ratio is a key metric for assessing financial risk, with a lower ratio indicating improved solvency [7][11] - Additional screening criteria for selecting low-leverage stocks include: - Debt/Equity less than industry median - Current price greater than or equal to $10 - Average 20-day volume greater than or equal to 50,000 - Percentage change in EPS greater than industry median - VGM Score of A or B combined with Zacks Rank 1 or 2 for better upside potential [12][13][14]

Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) is included among the 14 High Growth Dividend Paying Stocks to Invest in Now. UBS Raises Casey’s (CASY) Target; Wells Fargo Highlights Strong Q3 Momentum On March 11, UBS raised the firm’s price recommendation on Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) to $706 from $600. It maintained a Neutral rating on the shares. The same day, Wells Fargo raised its price objective on CASY to $745 from $725 and maintained an Overweight rating. The firm acknowledged that t ...

Casey's General Stores (CASY) could be a solid addition to your portfolio given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). An upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices -- has triggered this rating change.A company's changing earnings picture is at the core of the Zacks rating. The system tracks the Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus measure of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years.The po ...

Group 1: Company Overview - Casey's General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) operates a network of convenience stores across the U.S., offering fuel, groceries, prepared foods, and other everyday essentials, focusing on convenience, community presence, and customer service in small-town and suburban markets [5] Group 2: Financial Performance and Market Outlook - BMO Capital increased its price target for CASY to $700 from $540 and maintained a Market Perform rating on the shares, noting strong trends in both in-store and fuel sales at convenience stores, with expectations for overall sector growth returning in 2026 after two years of stabilization [2][8] Group 3: Community Initiatives - Casey's General Stores launched its annual campaign to combat hunger in partnership with DoorDash and Feeding America, aiming to provide 10 million meals to local food banks [3] - The initiative allows guests to participate by rounding up in-store purchases, adding donations to online orders, or placing deliveries through DoorDash, which contributes the value of one meal per order (up to 300,000 meals), supporting 61 regional food banks [4]

Group 1 - Energy drinks have become a significant driver of sales in convenience stores, with dollar sales increasing by 10% year-over-year in 2025, surpassing $16 billion, while unit sales grew by 8% [3] - The market share of energy drinks in convenience store sales reached an all-time high of 2.4% by Q3 2025, up from 1.3% in 2019 [3] - Casey's General Stores reported that energy drinks were the "strongest contributor" to growth in nonalcoholic beverages, which is the top-performing subcategory in their grocery and general merchandise business [4][8] Group 2 - Casey's overall inside sales grew nearly 6% compared to the previous year, with prepared foods, particularly chicken wings, also showing strong performance [6] - The grocery and general merchandise same-store sales increased by 4% year-over-year in Q3, with a more than 3% improvement in the first nine months of the fiscal year [8] - Nonalcoholic beverages surged by 14% in Q3, primarily driven by the strong performance of energy drinks [8]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes that market volatility presents investment opportunities rather than threats, with the BAD BEAT Investing community identifying entry points for rapid returns [1] - Casey's General Stores, Inc. (CASY) is maintained with a "quality Hold" rating, indicating potential long-term upside as the company expands and grows earnings [1] - BAD BEAT Investing, led by Quad 7 Capital, has a history of providing investment insights and has been predominantly long since May 2020, showcasing a strong track record [1] Company Overview - Casey's General Stores, Inc. is highlighted for its growth potential and earnings expansion, suggesting a favorable outlook for investors [1] - The BAD BEAT Investing team consists of seven analysts with diverse expertise, focusing on short- and medium-term investments, income generation, and momentum trades [1] Investment Strategy - BAD BEAT Investing aims to educate investors on market dynamics and trading strategies, providing high-quality research with clear entry and exit targets [1] - The community offers various benefits, including weekly trade ideas, chat rooms, daily analyst summaries, and resources for learning options trading [1]

Core Viewpoint - Investors are increasingly seeking growth stocks that demonstrate above-average growth potential, with Casey's General Stores (CASY) being highlighted as a strong candidate due to its favorable growth metrics and Zacks Rank [1][2]. Group 1: Earnings Growth - Casey's General Stores has a historical EPS growth rate of 16.3%, with projected EPS growth of 19.3% for the current year, significantly surpassing the industry average of 10.7% [5]. - The importance of double-digit earnings growth is emphasized as a key indicator of strong future prospects and potential stock price gains [4]. Group 2: Cash Flow Growth - The year-over-year cash flow growth for Casey's is reported at 11.7%, exceeding the industry average of 5.6%, which is crucial for funding new projects without relying on external financing [6]. - Historical cash flow growth for Casey's stands at an annualized rate of 13.1% over the past 3-5 years, compared to the industry average of 9.8% [7]. Group 3: Earnings Estimate Revisions - Positive trends in earnings estimate revisions are correlated with stock price movements, and Casey's current-year earnings estimates have been revised upward by 0.4% over the past month [9][8]. - The combination of a Growth Score of A and a Zacks Rank of 2 indicates that Casey's is positioned as a potential outperformer for growth investors [11].

Company Overview - Carrefour SA (CRRFY) is currently ranked 11 in the Zacks Sector Rank among 195 individual stocks in the Retail-Wholesale sector, indicating a competitive position within the industry [2] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting a positive earnings outlook based on earnings estimates and revisions [3] Performance Analysis - Year-to-date, Carrefour SA has gained approximately 5.7%, outperforming the average return of -0.5% for Retail-Wholesale companies [4] - Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Carrefour's full-year earnings has increased by 2.7%, reflecting stronger analyst sentiment and an improving earnings outlook [4] Industry Context - Carrefour SA is part of the Retail - Supermarkets industry, which includes 9 companies and is currently ranked 161 in the Zacks Industry Rank [6] - The average return for stocks in the Retail - Supermarkets industry this year is 12.4%, indicating that Carrefour is slightly underperforming its industry peers [6] Comparative Analysis - Casey's General Stores (CASY), another stock in the Retail-Wholesale sector, has significantly outperformed with a year-to-date return of 24.8% and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [5] - The Retail - Convenience Stores industry, to which Casey's belongs, is ranked 27 and has seen a year-to-date increase of 20.3%, showcasing a stronger performance compared to Carrefour's industry [7]

Core Insights - Oil prices have significantly increased since the onset of the Iran war, with the national average gas price rising nearly 20% [1] - Despite rising gas prices, experts believe that consumer behavior will not change significantly until prices approach $5 per gallon [1] - The U.S. economy is showing resilience to energy price shocks, but higher oil prices are expected to exert upward pressure on inflation [1] Group 1: Oil and Gas Prices - The national average gas price has reached approximately $3.54 per gallon, marking a 19% increase from pre-war levels [1] - Oil prices initially surged above $100 per barrel but saw an 8% decline as global leaders sought solutions to the supply disruption caused by the Iran conflict [1] - Analysts from Wells Fargo indicated that sustained oil prices above $130 per barrel could lead the U.S. into a recession [1] Group 2: Consumer Behavior and Economic Impact - Experts suggest that gas price increases have not yet reached a level that would deter Americans from traveling or alter their vehicle preferences [1] - Casey's General Store CEO noted that current gas prices are still 30 cents lower than the starting point during the Ukraine war, indicating a relatively low position [1] - The last time the national average gas price exceeded $5 was in June 2022, coinciding with peak inflation levels [1] Group 3: Market Reactions and Predictions - The decline in oil prices on Tuesday is expected to provide some relief to consumers in the short term, with estimates suggesting the national average may stabilize around $3.60 [1] - There is a prevailing sentiment that the resolution of the Iran conflict is uncertain, as it typically requires the agreement of multiple parties [1] - The potential for ongoing volatility in oil and gas prices remains, with experts cautioning about the risks of further increases [1]