TORONTO, April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Compass Group Canada, the country’s leading food and support services provider, is thrilled to announce its recognition as one of this year’s Best Workplaces in Canada™ by the Great Place to Work® Institute—marking the third year of this prestigious honour. This national award celebrates organizations that foster a culture of appreciation, growth, and belonging for their associates. This comes on the heels of earning a spot on the list of Best Workplaces™ with Mos ...

Group 1 - Compass Minerals International, Inc. (CMP) is implementing measures to cut selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses to enhance free cash flow and reduce debt, focusing on profitability in its core Salt and Plant Nutrition businesses [1][2] - The company is phasing out its fire retardant business, Fortress North America, affecting nearly 50 positions, and will not fill certain open or budgeted roles to further manage expenses [2][3] - CMP plans to operate with a streamlined structure, concentrating on its core businesses and examining costs across operations for further reductions, with shares having lost 39.5% over the past year compared to a 16.1% decline in its industry [3] Group 2 - CMP currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), while better-ranked stocks in the basic materials sector include Carpenter Technology Corporation (CRS), CSW Industrials Inc. (CSWI), and Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. (AXTA) [4] - Carpenter Technology has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and has exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the last four quarters, with an average earnings surprise of 15.7% and a share price increase of 169.6% over the past year [4] - CSW Industrials, also with a Zacks Rank of 2, has a current fiscal-year earnings estimate of $8.50 per share and has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the last four quarters, with a share price increase of 28.4% [5] - Axalta Coating Systems, holding a Zacks Rank of 1, has consistently beaten consensus estimates with an average earnings surprise of 16.3% and a share price gain of 1.2% over the past year [6]

Group 1 - Samuel Smith has extensive experience in dividend stock research and investment, having served as lead analyst and Vice President at various firms [1] - He is a Professional Engineer and Project Management Professional, holding degrees in Civil Engineering & Mathematics and a Masters in Engineering with a focus on applied mathematics and machine learning [1] - Samuel leads the High Yield Investor investing group, collaborating with Jussi Askola and Paul R. Drake to balance safety, growth, yield, and value in investment strategies [2] Group 2 - High Yield Investor provides real-money core, retirement, and international portfolios, along with regular trade alerts and educational content [2] - The service includes an active chat room for investors to share insights and strategies [2]

Core Viewpoint - Compass, Inc. has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a positive trend in earnings estimates which is a significant factor influencing stock prices [1][2] Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Movement - The Zacks rating system is based on changes in earnings estimates, which are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements [3][5] - Institutional investors utilize earnings estimates to determine the fair value of stocks, leading to buying or selling actions that affect stock prices [3] Business Improvement Indicators - The upgrade in earnings estimates for Compass suggests an improvement in the company's underlying business, which could lead to higher stock prices as investors respond positively [4][9] - For the fiscal year ending December 2025, Compass is expected to earn $0.09 per share, reflecting a 129% increase from the previous year [7] Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with a strong historical performance, particularly for Zacks Rank 1 stocks which have averaged a +25% annual return since 1988 [6][8] - The upgrade of Compass to a Zacks Rank 2 places it in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, indicating a strong potential for market-beating returns in the near term [9]

Core Insights - FTI Consulting, Inc. has announced the affiliation of Dr. Mehmet Ekmekci with its Compass Lexecon subsidiary, enhancing its expertise in platform economics and artificial intelligence [1][3] Company Overview - FTI Consulting is a leading global expert firm specializing in crisis and transformation, with over 8,300 employees across 34 countries as of December 31, 2024 [5] - The company reported revenues of $3.69 billion for the fiscal year 2024 [5] Expertise and Contributions - Dr. Ekmekci is a Professor of Economics at Boston College, specializing in industrial organization, platform economics, and artificial intelligence [2] - He has experience in auction design and competitive procurements for satellite broadband, as well as consulting on mergers and investigations in various industries, including semiconductor and telecommunications [2] - His research on platform economics focuses on competition and regulation in platform markets, with publications in prestigious journals such as American Economic Review and Econometrica [4] Strategic Importance - The addition of Dr. Ekmekci is expected to enhance Compass Lexecon's capabilities, particularly in addressing the complexities and opportunities presented by advancements in technology and platform economics [3][5] - Dr. Ekmekci has received multiple grants for research in AI, including studies on pricing algorithms and potential collusion [3]

Group 1 - FTI Consulting, Inc. announced the affiliation of Dr. Ali Hortaçsu with its subsidiary Compass Lexecon, enhancing its expertise in market analysis [1][4] - Dr. Hortaçsu is recognized for his innovative econometric techniques that assess market efficiency across various sectors, including industrial organization and financial markets [2][3] - The company reported revenues of $3.69 billion for the fiscal year 2024, indicating strong financial performance [4]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on "buying high and selling higher," contrasting with traditional strategies of "buying low and selling high" [1] Group 1: Momentum Investing Strategy - Momentum investing can be risky as stocks may lose momentum if their valuations exceed future growth potential [1] - Identifying the right entry point for fast-moving stocks is challenging, and investors may end up with expensive shares that have limited upside [1] Group 2: Bargain Momentum Stocks - Investing in bargain stocks that have recently shown price momentum may be a safer strategy [2] - The Zacks Momentum Style Score is useful for identifying strong momentum stocks, while the 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen helps find attractively priced fast-moving stocks [2] Group 3: Compass, Inc. (COMP) Analysis - Compass, Inc. (COMP) has shown a price increase of 14.8% over the past four weeks, indicating growing investor interest [3] - Over the past 12 weeks, COMP's stock gained 27.5%, demonstrating its ability to deliver positive returns over a longer timeframe [4] - COMP has a beta of 2.88, suggesting it moves 188% higher than the market in either direction, indicating fast-paced momentum [4] Group 4: Valuation and Earnings Estimates - COMP has a Momentum Score of B, suggesting it is a favorable time to invest in the stock [5] - The stock has a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) due to upward trends in earnings estimate revisions, which attract more investors [6] - COMP is trading at a Price-to-Sales ratio of 0.79, indicating it is reasonably valued at 79 cents for each dollar of sales [6] Group 5: Additional Investment Opportunities - Besides COMP, there are other stocks that meet the criteria of the 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen, presenting additional investment opportunities [7] - Zacks offers over 45 Premium Screens tailored to different investing styles, which can help identify potential winning stocks [8]

Core Viewpoint - The psychedelic biotech sector, including COMPASS Pathways plc, faces skepticism, regulatory challenges, and high cash burn, leading to a negative perception among investors [1]. Group 1: Industry Overview - The psychedelic biotech sector has been characterized by skepticism and regulatory hurdles, impacting investor confidence [1]. - High cash burn rates are prevalent in the sector, contributing to the overall negative sentiment among investors [1]. Group 2: Company Specifics - COMPASS Pathways plc is viewed similarly to other struggling companies in the psychedelic biotech space, with investors betting against its psilocybin-based initiatives [1].

Core Viewpoint - Compass Gold Corporation is on track to commence gold production at the Massala prospect within the next 60 days, contingent upon receiving a Small Mining Permit [1][3][7]. Company Updates - The company has nearly completed the necessary work for the Small Mining Permit application, with remaining environmental and social impact studies expected to be finalized soon [3][5]. - A co-production agreement with the nearby SMAT processing facility positions Compass to start production shortly after obtaining the permit [3][6]. - The company aims to demonstrate cost-effective, near-surface mining that benefits both the local community and shareholders, especially in the context of rising gold prices nearing US$3,000 per ounce [4][6]. Production Capacity and Plans - Upon receiving the Small Mining Permit, Compass plans to produce up to 160,000 ounces of gold over an initial four-year term [7][8]. - The SMAT facility, located 2 km from the Massala site, will process both SMAT gold ore and bulk samples of Massala ore to optimize gold recovery processes [6][8]. - The mining operation is designed to process up to 100 tonnes of ore per hour, adhering to the Malian Mining Code for Small Mines [8]. Environmental and Community Engagement - Environmental and social impact studies are expected to be completed within the next 30 days, with ongoing community engagement to maintain positive relations [5][7]. - The project viability study and mine closure plan have been completed, fulfilling key requirements for the Small Mining Permit application [5][7].

Core Insights - Compass, the largest real estate brokerage in the U.S., reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings, leading to a rise in its stock price [1][2] - The company is still operating at a loss on a GAAP basis but achieved a profit in adjusted EBITDA, indicating potential for future growth [2][3] Financial Performance - Revenue increased by 25.9% in Q4 to $1.38 billion, aligning with market consensus, while transaction value rose by 24.1%, significantly outpacing the overall market growth [3] - Compass's market share improved by 65 basis points to 5.06%, marking the highest year-over-year increase in three years [3] - Adjusted EBITDA transitioned from a loss of $23.7 million to a profit of $16.7 million, while GAAP loss per share narrowed from $0.17 to $0.08 [3] Future Outlook - For Q1, Compass anticipates revenue between $1.35 billion and $1.475 billion, consistent with consensus estimates and representing a 34% increase year-over-year [4] - The company is well-positioned to capitalize on a potential recovery in the housing market, with significant upside if it achieves GAAP profitability [5]