TORONTO, Aug. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Behr Paint Company announces its highly anticipated 2025 Colour of the Year: Rumors, a deep and dynamic ruby red that empowers DIYers, designers and paint professionals to create impactful colour moments. In fact, about 69% of Canadians say they would consider painting a room or wall a shade of red, and Rumors is the perfect choice with its unique balance of warmth and vitality. "We're seeing people embrace colour like never before," said Erika Woelfel, Vice ...

Group 1 - Zacks Premium provides various tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies, including daily updates, research reports, and stock screens [1][2] - The Zacks Style Scores rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum, helping investors identify securities with high potential for market outperformance [2][3] - Each stock receives a rating from A to F, with A indicating the highest potential for outperforming the market [3] Group 2 - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios like P/E and Price/Sales [3] - The Growth Score assesses a company's financial health and future growth potential through earnings and sales projections [4] - The Momentum Score identifies optimal entry points based on price trends and earnings estimate changes [4] Group 3 - The VGM Score combines all three Style Scores, providing a comprehensive indicator for stock selection [5] - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that utilizes earnings estimate revisions to guide investors in building successful portfolios [6][7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically produced an average annual return of +25.41% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7] Group 4 - Investors are encouraged to focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for the best chances of high returns [9] - Stocks with lower ranks but high Style Scores may still face downward price pressure due to negative earnings outlooks [10] Group 5 - Masco Corporation, headquartered in Taylor, MI, operates in the home improvement and building products sector [11] - Masco holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and has a VGM Score of A, indicating potential for growth [11] - The company is forecasted to achieve a year-over-year earnings growth of 6.5% for the current fiscal year, supported by upward revisions in earnings estimates [12]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 2% decrease in net sales for the second quarter, consistent with the previous two quarters, primarily due to lower volume and mix [31][43] - Gross profit increased by $16 million, with gross margin rising by 140 basis points to 37.6% due to operational efficiencies and cost savings [31][43] - Operating profit was $399 million, with an operating profit margin of 19.1%, and earnings per share grew by 1% to $1.20 [32][45] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Plumbing sales increased by 2% overall, with North American Plumbing sales up 5% and International Plumbing sales down 1% in local currency [33][46] - Decorative Architectural segment sales decreased by 7%, with DIY paint sales down low double digits and pro paint sales up mid-single digits [36][50] - Operating profit for the Plumbing segment rose by $4 million to $249 million, while the Decorative Architectural segment's operating profit decreased by $6 million to $174 million [34][51] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - North American Plumbing sales showed signs of stabilization, while International Plumbing sales demonstrated continued challenges, particularly in Europe and China [12][33] - The DIY paint market faced significant challenges, leading to a revised expectation of a mid-single-digit decline for the full year [50][57] - The company anticipates overall sales for the total company to remain within a previously guided range of plus or minus low single digits for the year [39][54] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on operational excellence, brand strength, service, and innovation to drive margin expansion and shareholder value [30][41] - There is an emphasis on maintaining a strong balance sheet and returning capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [38][52] - The company plans to continue investing in brands and capabilities to outperform competition and achieve double-digit EPS growth [41][42] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term fundamentals of the repair and remodel markets, citing factors such as aging housing stock and increased home equity [41][76] - The company is tempering expectations for sales in the second half of the year, now anticipating flat sales, while raising full-year operating margin expectations to 17% to 17.5% [39][55] - Management noted that they are well-positioned to leverage volume growth when the market returns to normalized growth rates [40][56] Other Important Information - Delta Faucet received the J.D. Power Customer Service distinction for the third consecutive year, highlighting the company's commitment to customer service [35] - The company is actively managing its product portfolio to address consumer pain points and enhance operational efficiency [104][106] Q&A Session Summary Question: What adjustments might be made in the event of an abrupt change in tariff policy? - Management indicated that they have reduced tariff exposure by approximately 30% and have learned to manage through tariff changes effectively [16][17] Question: How is the company assessing its product portfolio? - The company is focused on meeting consumer needs and resolving pain points, while also looking to reduce complexity in its product offerings [104][106] Question: How does the company view the impact of existing home sales on its business? - Management stated that while more existing home sales are beneficial, the overall impact on the business is minimal due to the small ticket nature of their products [75][76] Question: What is the outlook for DIY paint sales? - The company expects DIY paint sales to decline mid-single digits for the year, with no significant changes in consumer dynamics noted from the previous quarter [50][78] Question: How are input costs and pricing strategies being managed? - The company is experiencing commodity inflation but expects to offset this with low single-digit price increases in the Plumbing segment and operational efficiencies [68][100]

Masco (MAS) reported $2.09 billion in revenue for the quarter ended June 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 1.7%. EPS of $1.20 for the same period compares to $1.19 a year ago. While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance. Here is how Masco performed in the just re ...

Masco (MAS) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.20 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.16 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.19 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for nonrecurring items. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earning ...

(A) In the second quarter of 2024, we recognized $4 million of goodwill in our Decorative Architectural Products segment related to an immaterial acquisition. The carrying value of our other indefinite-lived intangible assets were $107 million and $108 million at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, and principally included registered trademarks. The carrying value of our definitelived intangible assets was $252 million (net of accumulated amortization of $136 million) at June 30, 2024 and $26 ...

MASCO CORPORATION Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and Other Financial Data - Unaudited June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 MASCO Highlights • On a reported basis, compared to second quarter 2023: • Net sales decreased 2 percent to $2,091 million; in local currency and excluding acquisitions, net sales decreased 2 percent ◦ Plumbing Products' net sales increased 2 percent; in local currency and excluding acquisitions, net sales increased 1 percent ◦ Decorative Architectural Products' net sales decrease ...

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Masco this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That is not the case here. Currently, MAS has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) and an Earnings ESP of -4.43%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they're reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Stocks With the Favorable Combination Here are some companies in the Zacks Constru ...

Nearly two years ago, in October 2022, I found myself revisiting Masco Corporation (NYSE:MAS). For those not familiar with the business, it operates as a home improvement and building products provider. Products that it sells include, but are not limited to, paints, bath and shower fixtures, faucets, and more. When I last wrote about the firm, I talked about how shares had gotten cheaper leading up to that point. I discussed how some may have viewed that as a buying opportunity. But I also argued that the d ...

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +25.41% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day. This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio. That's where the Style Scores come in. I ...