We recently published 10 Stocks on Fire Ahead of 2026. Lumen Technologies Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) is one of the best performers on Tuesday. Lumen Technologies rebounded by 3.44 percent on Tuesday to close at $7.81 apiece as investors resorted to bargain-hunting following a three-day drop. Month-to-date,  the stock was down by 3.7 percent. In recent news, Lumen Technologies Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) announced the early redemption of its entire note series due 2029, 2030, and 2031, removing its earlier cap to redeem only ...

Core Insights - Lumen Technologies, formerly CenturyLink, is undergoing a rebranding and strategic pivot towards artificial intelligence (AI), achieving a 38% stock increase through December 22, outperforming the S&P 500's 17% gain [1][4]. Group 1: Company Performance - Lumen's stock has recently performed well, but prospective investors are advised to wait for the company's reality to align with the current hype before investing [2]. - The company has secured significant partnerships with major firms like Microsoft and Alphabet, positioning itself as a key networking provider amid rising AI infrastructure spending [4]. Group 2: Financial Health - Lumen carries over $17.5 billion in long-term debt, which exceeds its market cap of nearly $8 billion, raising concerns about its financial stability [7]. - The company reported a loss of $621 million in Q3 on revenues of $3.08 billion, indicating it is depleting cash reserves faster than its AI initiatives are generating returns [8]. - Management does not anticipate returning to revenue growth until 2028, highlighting the challenges of transitioning from a legacy business model to a high-growth industry while managing substantial debt [10][11]. Group 3: Strategic Outlook - While Lumen aims to be the "backbone of the AI economy," investors are cautioned to wait for evidence of sustained profitability and debt reduction before fully embracing this vision [12].

We recently published 10 Stocks Struggling to Shine Ahead of Christmas. Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) is one of the worst performers on Monday. Lumen Technologies ended two straight days of gains on Monday, slashing 5.13 percent to close at $7.77 apiece as investors turned cautious after the company announced a plan to buy back some of its debt early. According to Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN), it would redeem early all its notes due 2029, 2030, and 2031. While the offer stands to benefit ...

Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was asked about. During the lightning round, a caller asked about the stock, and Cramer stated: “Okay, I mean, look, this is home business technology. I think the stock’s run too much. I know an $8 stock, people think… can’t hurt you, but it can. I’d say be careful.” Photo by Yiorgos Ntrahas on Unsplash Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) provides networking and communication products and services, including fiber, cloud, IP, manage ...

I keep accumulating Lumen Technologies, Inc. ( LUMN ) shares because I like the pace and direction of the company's turnaround. Lumen's share price was below $6 when I last covered the stock onComing from an IT background, I have dived into the U.S. stock market seven years ago by managing portfolio of my family. Starting managing real money has been challenging for the first time, but long hours of mastering fundamental analysis of public companies paid off and now I feel very confident in my investment de ...

I keep accumulating Lumen Technologies, Inc. ( LUMN ) shares because I like the pace and direction of the company's turnaround. Lumen's share price was below $6 when I last covered the stock onComing from an IT background, I have dived into the U.S. stock market seven years ago by managing portfolio of my family. Starting managing real money has been challenging for the first time, but long hours of mastering fundamental analysis of public companies paid off and now I feel very confident in my investment de ...

Core Insights - Lumen Technologies, Inc. (LUMN) shares have increased by 25.9% over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500 and the Diversified Communications Services sector, which grew by 18% and 13.7% respectively [1][3] - The stock's growth is attributed to the company's strategic pivot towards AI, balance sheet improvements, and enhanced operational execution [1] Financial Performance - LUMN closed at $7.63, significantly below its 52-week high of $11.95, raising questions about potential upside [4] - The company has secured $10 billion in Private Connectivity Fabric (PCF) deals, indicating strong demand driven by AI [5][8] - Lumen's NaaS platform has surpassed 1,500 customers, with a 32% sequential increase in active customers and a 36% increase in services sold [10] Strategic Initiatives - Lumen is focusing on cost-cutting measures, aiming for $1 billion in savings by the end of 2027 through infrastructure simplification [12] - The company plans to sell its Mass Markets' fiber-to-the-home business to AT&T for $5.75 billion, which will help in deleveraging and improving its balance sheet [13][14] - Management anticipates that the existing PCF business will generate $400-$500 million in recurring revenues by the end of 2028 [9] Market Position and Valuation - LUMN is trading at a price-to-sales ratio of 0.66, significantly lower than the industry average of 1.45, indicating a compelling valuation [15][17] - Analysts have revised earnings estimates upwards for 2025, reflecting positive sentiment towards the company's future prospects [18] Growth Outlook - The increasing demand for AI-driven connectivity solutions positions Lumen favorably in the market, with partnerships established with major tech companies like Microsoft and Amazon [6][20] - The company's new business model, including the PxQ model and Project Berkeley, aims to enhance its service offerings and market reach [11]

On CNBC's “Mad Money Lightning Round,” on Tuesday, Jim Cramer recommended being careful with Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) as the stock has “run too much.”According to recent news, Lumen named Jim Fowler chief technology & product officer on Dec. 5.Cramer recommended remaining very cautious about Unusual Machines, Inc. (NYSE:UMAC) , as the company is losing significant money. “Drone technology. Highly speculative,” he added.Jones Trading, on Dec. 1, initiated coverage on Unusual Machines with a Buy r ...

Core Insights - U.S. stock markets are experiencing a significant bull run in 2023, with major indexes near all-time highs [1] - Small-cap and mid-cap benchmarks have shown notable gains, with Russell 2000 up 14.3% and S&P 400 up 7.6% year to date [2] - Mid-cap stocks are seen as a good diversification strategy, combining benefits of both small and large-cap stocks [2][3] Mid-Cap Stocks Overview - Top-ranked mid-cap stocks have high potential for profitability and market share growth, with less exposure to international risks compared to large caps [3] - In a thriving economy, mid-cap stocks are expected to outperform small caps due to established management and access to capital [4] Recommended Mid-Cap Stocks - Five mid-cap stocks with favorable Zacks Ranks for 2026 are FirstCash Holdings Inc. (FCFS), Lyft Inc. (LYFT), Installed Building Products Inc. (IBP), Lumen Technologies Inc. (LUMN), and Advanced Energy Industries Inc. (AEIS) [5][9] - Each stock carries a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) [5] Company-Specific Insights FirstCash Holdings Inc. (FCFS) - Operates pawn stores and payment solutions in the U.S. and Latin America, with expected revenue and earnings growth rates of 5.7% and 21.8% respectively for next year [8][10] Lyft Inc. (LYFT) - Engages in ridesharing in the U.S. and Canada, with expected revenue and earnings growth rates of 14.6% and 25.9% respectively for next year [11][13] - Aims to enter the robotaxi market through partnerships, avoiding high R&D costs [12] Installed Building Products Inc. (IBP) - Operates as a residential insulation installer, with expected revenue and earnings growth rates of 1.1% and 0.1% respectively for next year [14][15] Lumen Technologies Inc. (LUMN) - Focused on AI opportunities, with $10 billion in Private Connectivity Fabric deals and plans to eliminate $1 billion in costs [16][17] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates of -5.2% and -71.9% respectively for next year [18] Advanced Energy Industries Inc. (AEIS) - Benefits from semiconductor and data center demand, with expected revenue growth of approximately 20% and earnings growth of 20.2% for next year [19][20][21]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on "buying high and selling higher," rather than traditional strategies of buying low and waiting for recovery [1] Group 1: Momentum Investing Strategy - Momentum investors often face challenges in determining the right entry point, as stocks can lose momentum when their valuations exceed future growth potential [2] - Investing in bargain stocks that have recently shown price momentum can be a safer strategy [3] Group 2: Lumen (LUMN) Stock Analysis - LUMN has shown a price increase of 1.6% over the past four weeks, indicating growing investor interest [4] - The stock has gained 55.5% over the past 12 weeks, demonstrating its ability to deliver positive returns over a longer timeframe [5] - LUMN has a Momentum Score of B, suggesting it is an opportune time to invest in the stock [6] - The stock has a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) due to upward revisions in earnings estimates, which typically attract more investors [7] - LUMN is trading at a Price-to-Sales ratio of 0.70, indicating it is reasonably valued at 70 cents for each dollar of sales [7] Group 3: Additional Investment Opportunities - Besides LUMN, there are other stocks that meet the criteria of the 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen, which may present additional investment opportunities [8] - The Zacks Premium Screens offer over 45 different strategies to help identify potential winning stocks based on various investing styles [9]