Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of liquidity in assessing a company's ability to meet debt obligations and suggests that companies with adequate liquidity can drive business growth and deliver higher returns [1][2][3] Group 1: Liquidity Measures - Current Ratio: A measure of current assets relative to current liabilities, with an ideal range of 1-3 indicating a healthy balance [4] - Quick Ratio: Indicates a company's ability to pay short-term obligations, with a desirable ratio of more than 1 [5] - Cash Ratio: The most conservative measure, focusing on cash and cash equivalents relative to current liabilities, with a ratio greater than 1 being desirable but potentially indicating inefficiency [6] Group 2: Screening Parameters - Asset Utilization: A measure of efficiency, calculated as total sales over the last 12 months divided by the average total assets, with a higher ratio than the industry average indicating efficiency [7] - Growth Score: A proprietary measure added to ensure that liquid and efficient stocks have solid growth potential, with a score of A or B indicating better performance [8] Group 3: Stock Recommendations - The New York Times Company (NYT): Reported second-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share of 58 cents, exceeding estimates, with total revenues of $685.9 million, a 9.7% year-over-year increase [11][12] - Dillard's, Inc. (DDS): Reported second-quarter 2025 net sales of $1.5 billion, up 1.6% year over year, with adjusted earnings per share of $4.66, surpassing estimates by 23% [14][15] - Newmont Corporation (NEM): Achieved second-quarter revenues of approximately $5.32 billion, a 20.8% increase from the prior year, driven by higher gold prices [17][18] - Frontdoor, Inc. (FTDR): Reported revenues of $617 million for the last quarter, a 14% year-over-year increase, with a gross margin expansion of 130 basis points to 58% [20][21]

Corporate Leadership and Performance - The shift towards gender-diverse leadership is transforming corporate cultures and enhancing business performance across various sectors, including technology and healthcare [2][4] - Women-led firms are setting new benchmarks for strategic growth and operational excellence, often outperforming their industry peers [2][4] Case Studies of Women-Led Companies - American Water Works' Cheryl Norton has advanced infrastructure resilience and innovation, earning multiple leadership awards [3] - Apple's Deirdre O'Brien has significantly shaped the company's global retail presence and internal culture, overseeing flagship store expansions and community engagement programs [3] Financial Market Recognition - ESG-focused funds are increasingly prioritizing companies with women in executive roles, recognizing the value of gender-diverse leadership [4] - Women entrepreneurs own 42% of U.S. businesses, employing 9.4 million workers and generating $1.9 trillion in annual revenues [4] Funding Challenges for Women Entrepreneurs - Women-led startups receive only about 2% of venture capital funding in the U.S. and Europe, partly due to biases in the investment community [5] - Women entrepreneurs are less likely to seek financing, with only 25% pursuing loans compared to 33% of male business owners [5] Investment Opportunities in Women-Led Companies - Companies like Newmont Corporation, Ralph Lauren Corporation, Automatic Data Processing, Inc., and Casey's General Stores exemplify strong leadership and strategic vision, making them attractive investment opportunities [6] - Newmont's recent performance includes adjusted earnings per share of $1.43 and revenue of approximately $5.32 billion, with a record $1.7 billion in quarterly free cash flow [9][10] - Ralph Lauren reported a 14% year-over-year revenue increase, with an 8% uptick in North America, indicating growth potential under new leadership [13][14] - Automatic Data Processing achieved 7% revenue growth and 9% adjusted EPS growth in fiscal 2025, supported by a people-centric strategy [15][17] - Casey's reported $15.9 billion in revenues and $546.5 million in net income for fiscal 2025, reflecting strong operational execution [19][20]

Group 1: Market Performance - The S&P 500 has shown resilience with a notable 9% gain year-to-date, driven by strong performances from key stocks [1] - Palantir (PLTR), GE Vernova (GEV), and Newmont (NEM) are leading the S&P 500, significantly outperforming the index [1][6] Group 2: Palantir (PLTR) - Palantir has emerged as a top AI stock, with US commercial revenue growing 93% year-over-year and US government revenue increasing by 53% [4] - Total sales for Palantir grew 48% year-over-year, with analysts projecting 60% EPS growth on 45% higher sales for the current fiscal year [7] Group 3: Newmont (NEM) - Newmont has benefited from rising gold prices, with the average gold price per ounce reaching $3,320, up from $2,347 in the same period last year [9] - The company reported record free cash flow of $1.7 billion, its highest ever, and announced a $3 billion share repurchase program [11] Group 4: GE Vernova (GEV) - GE Vernova raised its revenue, adjusted EBITDA margin, and free cash flow guidance for the current fiscal year, reflecting strong demand in the energy sector [13] - The company expects 44% sales growth with a 6% increase in earnings, and reported a 4% organic growth in orders year-over-year [14][15]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell even higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] Company Overview: Newmont Corporation (NEM) - Newmont Corporation currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A, indicating strong potential for momentum investing [3] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which historically outperforms the market when combined with a Style Score of A or B [4] Performance Metrics - Over the past week, NEM shares increased by 10.21%, outperforming the Zacks Mining - Gold industry, which rose by 7.4% [6] - In a longer timeframe, NEM's monthly price change is 13.24%, compared to the industry's 5.42% [6] - Over the last quarter, NEM shares have risen by 35.22%, and by 41.16% over the past year, while the S&P 500 has only increased by 13.05% and 20.74%, respectively [7] Trading Volume - NEM's average 20-day trading volume is 12,847,742 shares, which serves as a bullish indicator when combined with rising stock prices [8] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, 5 earnings estimates for NEM have been revised upwards, while only 1 has been revised downwards, leading to an increase in the consensus estimate from $4.34 to $5.27 [10] - For the next fiscal year, 6 estimates have moved upwards with no downward revisions [10] Conclusion - Given the strong performance metrics and positive earnings outlook, NEM is positioned as a 1 (Strong Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of A, making it a compelling option for investors seeking momentum plays [12]

Core Insights - Newmont Corporation (NEM) reported an 8% year-over-year decline in gold production for Q2 2025, reaching 1.48 million ounces, attributed to the divestment of non-core assets [1][7] - The company anticipates maintaining its 2025 gold production target at approximately 5.9 million ounces, with Q3 production expected to align with Q2 levels despite mixed performance across various mines [2][3][7] - Newmont's strategy focuses on transitioning to a high-quality, Tier-1 portfolio, but uncertainties remain regarding the ability to meet full-year production targets due to cost pressures and capital requirements [3][7] Company Performance - Newmont's Q2 gold output of 1.48 million ounces is the lowest since Q3 2023, marking the second consecutive quarter of production decline [1][7] - The company's shares have increased by 80.7% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Mining – Gold industry's rise of 63.7% [6] - NEM is currently trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 13.13, slightly above the industry average of 12.87 [8] Earnings Forecast - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NEM's earnings in 2025 suggests a year-over-year increase of 46.6%, with a modest rise of 0.6% expected in 2026 [9]

Core Viewpoint - Newmont Corporation (NEM) is experiencing solid improvements in earnings estimates, which may lead to continued short-term price momentum for the stock [1][2]. Earnings Estimate Revisions - There is a rising trend in estimate revisions due to growing analyst optimism regarding Newmont's earnings prospects, which is expected to positively impact its stock price [2]. - The Zacks Rank system indicates a strong correlation between earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements [2]. - Current-quarter earnings are estimated at $1.18 per share, reflecting a +45.7% change from the previous year [6]. - The consensus estimate for the current quarter has increased by 23.09% over the last 30 days, with two estimates moving higher and one lower [6]. - For the full year, earnings are expected to be $5.10 per share, representing a +46.6% change from the prior year [7]. - Over the past month, five estimates for the current year have been revised upward, with no negative revisions [7]. Zacks Rank and Performance - Newmont has achieved a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) due to favorable estimate revisions, which is a reliable tool for investors to make informed decisions [8]. - Historically, Zacks 1 Ranked stocks have generated an average annual return of +25% since 2008 [3]. - Stocks with Zacks Rank 1 and 2 significantly outperform the S&P 500 [8]. Stock Performance - Newmont shares have increased by 8.7% over the past four weeks, indicating investor confidence in its earnings growth prospects [9].

GE Aerospace (GE) Analysis - GE Aerospace operates through commercial engines and services, and defense propulsion technologies segments [2] - The company raised its dividend by over 28% to 36 cents per share in February [4] - GE Aerospace bought back shares for 17 billion in the second quarter [5] - For 2025, GE Aerospace expects organic revenues to grow in the mid-teens digit range [5] - Full year estimates have been increased by 653% over the past 60 days [10] - The 2025 Zach's consensus estimate now stands at $587 per share, reflecting potential growth of over 27% relative to last year [10] Pneumont (NEM) Analysis - Pneumont's average realized gold price was $3,320 per ounce in the second quarter, compared to $2,347 per ounce last year [13] - The company had record free cash flows of 17 billion in the second quarter [13] - Pneumont increased its share buyback plan to 3 billion [15] - The company reduced debt by 372 million since the prior earnings call [23]

Core Insights - Companies are increasingly engaging in share buybacks as a response to stock price fluctuations, either when shares are dropping or rising [1][2][3] Group 1: Share Buybacks in Response to Stock Price Drops - Deckers Outdoor has seen its stock drop nearly 50% in 2025 and responded with a record $266 million in buybacks in Q1 and $183 million in Q2 [2] - This strategy indicates management's belief that the market is overreacting to negative news [2] Group 2: Share Buybacks Amid Rising Stock Prices - Spotify, VeriSign, and Newmont are all experiencing stock price increases and have announced significant increases in their share buyback capacities [3] - Spotify's stock is up approximately 40% in 2025, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's less than 7% return, and has authorized an additional $1 billion for buybacks [4][5] - VeriSign has provided a total return of about 29% in 2025 and announced a $913 million increase in buyback authorization, totaling around $1.5 billion, which is roughly 6% of its market value [7][8] - Newmont has achieved a 70% return in 2025 and added $3 billion to its buyback capacity, bringing the total to $3.2 billion, around 4.6% of its market capitalization [10] Group 3: Market Sentiment and Future Expectations - The buyback increases from these companies signal management's confidence in continued stock price rallies [5][10] - Analysts predict gold prices may rise to $4,000 per ounce by mid-2026, supporting Newmont's rationale for increasing buyback capacity [10] - Overall, substantial buyback increases are seen as positive indicators for investors, especially when aligned with strong cash flow [11]

Looking more specifically, Barrick Mining belongs to the Mining - Gold industry, which includes 39 individual stocks and currently sits at #43 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 53% so far this year, so B is slightly underperforming its industry this group in terms of year-to-date returns. Newmont Corporation is also part of the same industry. Going forward, investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should continue to pay close attention to Barrick Mining and Newmont Cor ...

Core Insights - Newmont Corporation (NEM) achieved a significant milestone by reducing its all-in sustaining costs (AISC) to $1,593 per ounce in Q2 2025, a 4% decrease from the previous quarter, primarily due to lower direct operating costs and sustaining capital spending [1][6] - Despite the reduction, NEM anticipates a modest increase in AISC for its core portfolio in Q3 2025 due to higher sustaining capital spending, with a full-year guidance of $1,630 per ounce for 2025, up from $1,516 per ounce in 2024 [2][6] - NEM's operational efficiency is highlighted by its ability to lower AISC amid industry-wide cost pressures, contrasting with peers like Barrick Mining Corporation, which experienced a 22% increase in AISC to $1,775 per ounce in Q1 2025 [2][3] Financial Performance - NEM's shares have surged 71.9% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Mining – Gold industry's rise of 55.4%, largely driven by a rally in gold prices [5] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a year-over-year earnings rise of 39.4% for 2025 and 3.1% for 2026, with EPS estimates trending higher over the past 60 days [7] Valuation Metrics - NEM is currently trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 13.21, representing a 6.5% premium to the industry average of 12.4X, and carries a Value Score of B [8]