It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores. What are ...

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores. What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Styl ...

Investors might want to bet on Lincoln National (LNC) , as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). This upgrade primarily reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates, which is one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.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.Individual in ...

Investors looking for stocks in the Insurance - Life Insurance sector might want to consider either Lincoln National (LNC) or The Baldwin Insurance Group (BWIN) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with p ...

Company Performance - Lincoln National (LNC) shares have increased by 15.5% over the past month and reached a new 52-week high of $36.98 [1] - The stock has gained 36.6% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the Zacks Finance sector's 24.1% and the Zacks Insurance - Life Insurance industry's 29.7% [1] Earnings and Revenue - Lincoln National reported an EPS of $2.06 in its last earnings report on October 31, 2024, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.64 [2] - For the current fiscal year, the company is expected to post earnings of $6.61 per share on revenues of $18.4 billion, reflecting a 26.63% change in EPS and a 14.78% change in revenues [3] - For the next fiscal year, earnings are projected to be $7.63 per share on revenues of $19.18 billion, indicating a year-over-year change of 15.55% and 4.26%, respectively [3] Valuation Metrics - Lincoln National has a Value Score of A, a Growth Score of D, and a Momentum Score of C, resulting in a VGM Score of B [6] - The stock trades at 5.6X current fiscal year EPS estimates, below the peer industry average of 11.2X, and at 6.7X trailing cash flow compared to the peer group's average of 11.5X [7] - The PEG ratio stands at 0.32, indicating that the company is not in the top echelon from a value perspective [7] Zacks Rank - Lincoln National holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) due to rising earnings estimates, making it a suitable choice for investors [8] Industry Comparison - The Insurance - Life Insurance industry is performing well, with Lincoln National and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) both showing strong fundamentals [11] - RGA has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and is expected to post earnings of $22.75 per share on revenues of $22.36 billion for the current fiscal year [10]

Core Viewpoint - Lincoln National Corporation (LNC) experienced a 5.7% decline in share price following the release of its third-quarter 2024 results, despite beating earnings expectations. The results were negatively impacted by a decrease in net investment income and high expense levels, although this was partially mitigated by increased insurance premiums and strong performance in the Group Protection and Retirement Plan Services segments [1]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings for the third quarter were $2.06 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 25.6% and showing a more than seven-fold increase year over year [2]. - Adjusted operating revenues decreased by 1.5% year over year to $4.6 billion, slightly missing the consensus estimate by 0.4% [2]. - Net investment income fell by 5.6% year over year to $1.4 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $1.3 billion [4]. - Total expenses surged by 51.9% year over year to $4.8 billion, with benefits declining by 10% and interest and debt expenses rising by 2.4% [5]. Segment Performance - The Annuities segment reported an operating income of $301 million, a 21.4% increase year over year, but slightly below the consensus estimate. Operating revenues decreased by 0.2% to $1.2 billion [6]. - The Life Insurance segment achieved an operating income of $22 million, recovering from a loss of $173 million in the previous year, despite a 7.8% decline in operating revenues to $1.59 billion [7]. - The Group Protection segment's operating income soared by 60.3% year over year to $109 million, exceeding the consensus estimate, with operating revenues growing by 3.2% to $1.4 billion [8]. - The Retirement Plan Services segment's operating income increased by 2.3% to $44 million, also above the consensus estimate, with operating revenues improving by 2.4% to $335 million [9]. Financial Position - As of September 30, 2024, Lincoln National had cash and invested cash of $6 billion, a 78.7% increase from the end of 2023. Total assets rose by 6.6% to $396.8 billion [10]. - Long-term debt decreased by 3.5% to $5.9 billion, while total stockholders' equity increased by 30.8% to $9 billion [11]. - Book value per share, excluding accumulated other comprehensive income, was $63.03, reflecting a 14% increase from the end of 2023 [11]. Capital Deployment - In the third quarter, Lincoln National did not repurchase any shares but paid out quarterly dividends amounting to $80 million [13]. Guidance - Management previously projected Annuities' operating income to be between $1 billion and $1.2 billion for 2024, indicating a growth of 2.5% year over year. Group Protection's operating income was expected to range from $300 million to $350 million, suggesting an 8.7% improvement [14][15].

Lincoln National (LNC) reported $4.6 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 1.5%. EPS of $2.06 for the same period compares to $0.23 a year ago.The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.39% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.62 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.64, the EPS surprise was +25.61%.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall S ...

Analyst's Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of LNC either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. While this article may sound like financial advice, please observe that the author is not a CFA or in any way licensed to give financial advice ...

Core Viewpoint - The market anticipates Lincoln National (LNC) to report a year-over-year increase in earnings despite a decline in revenues, with the actual results being crucial for stock price movement [1] Earnings Expectations - Lincoln National is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.64 per share, reflecting a significant year-over-year increase of +613% [2] - Revenues are projected to be $4.62 billion, which is a decrease of 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year [2] Estimate Revisions - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised 0.65% higher in the last 30 days, indicating a positive reassessment by analysts [3] Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP model shows that the Most Accurate Estimate for Lincoln National is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of +2.16% [4][6] - A positive Earnings ESP is a strong indicator of an earnings beat, especially when combined with a Zacks Rank of 1, 2, or 3 [5] Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, Lincoln National exceeded the expected earnings of $1.78 per share by delivering $1.84, resulting in a surprise of +3.37% [7] - Over the past four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times [7] Conclusion - Lincoln National is positioned as a compelling candidate for an earnings beat, although other factors should also be considered before making investment decisions [8]

Core Viewpoint - Lincoln National Corporation (LNC) is experiencing growth driven by a strong Group Protection segment, improved fee income, and effective cost management, alongside a solid financial position [1]. Financial Performance - LNC's stock has increased by 14.1% over the past year [2]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LNC's 2024 earnings is $5.74 per share, reflecting a 10% increase from 2023, with revenues projected at $18.4 billion, a 15% rise from 2023 [2]. - For 2025, earnings are estimated at $7.54 per share, indicating a 31.3% improvement from 2024, with revenues expected to reach $19.1 billion, a 3.5% increase from 2024 [3]. - The return on equity for LNC is currently 17.1%, surpassing the industry average of 15.5% [3]. Business Segments - The Annuities and Group Protection segments are expected to drive revenue growth, supported by higher fee income from variable annuities [4]. - The Annuities segment has seen growth due to increased account values and a strong alternative investment portfolio, with key products contributing to success [5]. - The Group Protection unit is anticipated to benefit from increased scale, broader distribution channels, and acquisitions, with operating income growing by 16.7% year over year in the first half of 2024 [5]. - Lincoln National serves approximately 17 million customers, positioning the company for future sales growth [6]. Strategic Focus - The company is shifting its business mix towards products without long-term guarantees, which are less sensitive to interest rates [6]. - Expense management initiatives have supported margin expansion, while advanced technologies have improved operational scale and customer experience [6]. - A strong financial position, characterized by a rising cash balance, enables Lincoln National to pursue growth initiatives and allocate capital strategically [7]. Challenges - The Life Insurance segment has faced challenges due to elevated mortality and morbidity claims related to the COVID pandemic, leading to a 22.1% year-over-year decline in sales in the first half of 2024 [8]. - The company has a debt-laden balance sheet, with a total debt-to-capital ratio of 43.7%, significantly higher than the industry average of 14.5% [9].