Core Insights - The article discusses the author's academic and professional background in Machine Learning, Economics, and Finance, highlighting affiliations with prestigious institutions and experience in financial advisory, particularly in banking and mergers & acquisitions [1]. Group 1 - The author holds a PhD in Machine Learning with a focus on Economics and Finance [1]. - The author has academic affiliations with IESE Business School, ESADE Business School, and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center [1]. - The professional experience includes working at Deloitte Financial Advisory, specializing in banking and mergers & acquisitions [1]. Group 2 - The author's interests include machine learning and generative AI applications in finance and economics [1]. - The author is proficient in programming languages such as Python, R, and SQL [1].

Market Overview - Wall Street experienced significant gains in May, with the S&P 500 increasing by 6.2% and the Nasdaq rising by 9.6%, marking the best month for both indices since late 2023 [1] - Investor optimism was fueled by a temporary pause on new trade tariffs announced by Trump, alleviating fears regarding trade tensions with China and the EU [1] Geopolitical Risks - Despite the temporary relief, the threat of tariffs remains, as China accused the U.S. of violating their trade truce by tightening controls on AI chip exports and student visas, which has raised tensions again [2] - The interconnectedness of the U.S. and Chinese economies means that even minor disputes can significantly impact market stability [2] Investment Strategy - In uncertain times, investors are turning to value investing, focusing on companies with strong fundamentals that are undervalued [3] - Value stocks with high earnings yield can provide attractive returns, especially during periods of market volatility [4] Earnings Yield - Earnings yield is calculated by dividing a company's annual earnings per share (EPS) by its current stock price, indicating potential returns for investors [5] - A higher earnings yield suggests a stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, while a lower yield may indicate overvaluation [5][7] Stock Screening Criteria - A primary screening criterion for selecting stocks is an earnings yield greater than 10%, supplemented by estimated EPS growth, average daily volume, and current price thresholds [8][9][10] - Stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) are expected to outperform their peers [10] Selected Value Stocks - Five value stocks with earnings yields exceeding 10% have been identified as appealing options amid rising U.S.-China tensions: AngloGold Ashanti (AU), Orchid Island Capital (ORC), LATAM Airlines (LTM), Priority Technology (PRTH), and Allianz (ALIZY) [11] - All five stocks show strong projected EPS growth through 2026 and meet liquidity, price, and growth criteria [11] Company Highlights - **AngloGold Ashanti (AU)**: Expected earnings growth of 95% in 2025 and 6.7% in 2026, with a Zacks Rank of 1 and a Value Score of A [12] - **Orchid Island Capital (ORC)**: Projected earnings growth of 394% in 2025 and 24.5% in 2026, Zacks Rank 1, Value Score B [13] - **LATAM Airlines (LTM)**: Anticipated earnings growth of 27.5% in 2025 and 20% in 2026, Zacks Rank 1, Value Score A [14] - **Priority Technology (PRTH)**: Expected earnings growth of 108% in 2025 and 34% in 2026, Zacks Rank 1, Value Score A [15] - **Allianz (ALIZY)**: Projected earnings growth of 16.4% in 2025 and 9% in 2026, Zacks Rank 1, Value Score B [16]

Core Viewpoint - Priority Technology (PRTH) shows potential for significant upside, with a mean price target of $12.80 indicating a 67.1% increase from the current price of $7.66 [1] Price Targets and Analyst Estimates - The mean estimate consists of five short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $2.77, indicating variability among analysts [2] - The lowest estimate of $10 suggests a 30.6% increase, while the highest estimate predicts a surge of 108.9% to $16 [2] - Analysts' price targets can often mislead investors, as empirical research shows they rarely indicate actual stock price movements [7][10] Earnings Estimates and Analyst Agreement - Analysts have shown increasing optimism regarding PRTH's earnings prospects, with a strong consensus in revising EPS estimates higher [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has risen by 1.9% over the past month, with one estimate increasing and no negative revisions [12] - PRTH holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), placing it in the top 5% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimates [13]

Industry Overview - The Technology Services industry has experienced strong growth post-pandemic, driven by the rapid adoption of remote work and advancements in technology such as 5G, blockchain, AI, and ML [1][6] - The industry includes companies involved in software support, data processing, computing hardware, and communications equipment, serving both consumer and business markets [3] Economic Factors - The industry is benefiting from a recovering economy, with GDP growth projected at an annual rate of 2.8% in 2024, up from 2.5% in 2023 [5] - The Services PMI has remained above 50% for 56 out of the last 59 months, indicating healthy economic activity [5] Technological Advancements - The global shift towards digitization is creating opportunities in markets such as 5G, blockchain, and AI, with generative AI expected to grow at a 42% CAGR over the next decade, reaching a $1.3 trillion market by 2032 [6] Industry Performance - The Zacks Technology Services industry ranks 49, placing it in the top 20% of over 246 Zacks industries, indicating a promising outlook [7] - Over the past year, the industry has outperformed the broader Zacks Business Services sector and the S&P 500, returning 42.1% compared to 12% and 12.4% respectively [9] Valuation Metrics - The industry is currently trading at an EV-to-EBITDA ratio of 31.02X, significantly higher than the S&P 500's 16.6X and the sector's 12.03X [12] Company Highlights - **AppLovin Corporation (APP)**: Focuses on a software platform for advertisers, enhancing machine-learning models and AI integration. The company has a Zacks Rank 1 and is expected to see earnings rise 85.2% year over year in 2025, with shares up 340.5% in the past year [20][18][19] - **Priority Technology Holdings (PRTH)**: Operates a platform for financial operations, showing strong growth despite economic challenges. PRTH also holds a Zacks Rank 1, with earnings expected to rise over 100% year over year in 2025, and shares up 116.8% in the past year [24][23] - **Qifu Technology (QFIN)**: A China-based credit tech company improving user acquisition and integrating AI for better credit data analysis. QFIN has a Zacks Rank 1, with earnings expected to rise 22.4% year over year in 2025, and shares up 113.7% in the past year [29][27]

Industry Overview - The technology services industry is mature with strong demand for services, and revenues, income, and cash flows are expected to gradually return to pre-pandemic levels, supporting stable dividends for most players [1] - The industry thrived in 2024 and continued its momentum into the first quarter of 2025 [1] - The global shift towards digitization is creating opportunities in markets such as 5G, blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI), with companies rapidly adopting generative AI, machine learning (ML), and data science to gain competitive advantages [4] Investment Outlook - The Zacks-defined Technology Services industry ranks within the top 26% of Zacks Ranked Industries, indicating an expectation to outperform the market over the next three to six months [2] - Five mid and small-sized technology services stocks with strong short-term upside potential are recommended: Byrna Technologies Inc. (BYRN), Climb Global Solutions Inc. (CLMB), Adeia Inc. (ADEA), Priority Technology Holdings Inc. (PRTH), and Ivanhoe Electric Inc. (IE) [2][3] Company Highlights Byrna Technologies Inc. (BYRN) - Engaged in developing and selling less-lethal personal security solutions across multiple regions [6] - Average short-term price target indicates a potential increase of 48.6% from the last closing price of $25.53, with a target range of $33-$38 [8] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 30.2% and 12.9%, respectively [9] Climb Global Solutions Inc. (CLMB) - Operates as a value-added IT distribution and solutions company [10] - Average short-term price target suggests a potential increase of 26.2% from the last closing price of $110.28, with a target range of $136 [13] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 5% and 2.7%, respectively [14] Adeia Inc. (ADEA) - Operates as a media and semiconductor intellectual property licensing company [16] - Average short-term price target indicates a potential increase of 25.2% from the last closing price of $13.75, with a target range of $17-$18 [18] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 9.2% and 7.1%, respectively [18] Priority Technology Holdings Inc. (PRTH) - Functions as a payment technology company with multiple segments [20] - Average short-term price target suggests a potential increase of 71.6% from the last closing price of $7.46, with a target range of $10-$16 [24] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 11.4% and over 100%, respectively [25] Ivanhoe Electric Inc. (IE) - Focuses on minerals exploration and development, particularly for electrification [27] - Average short-term price target indicates a potential increase of 105.9% from the last closing price of $6.85, with a target range of $10-$20 [28] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 2.6% and 51.4%, respectively [28]

Core Viewpoint - Priority Technology (PRTH) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), indicating a positive outlook based on rising earnings estimates, which significantly influence stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Impact - The Zacks rating system emphasizes the importance of earnings estimate revisions, which have a strong correlation with near-term stock price movements [4][6]. - An increase in earnings estimates typically leads to higher fair value calculations by institutional investors, resulting in buying or selling actions that affect stock prices [4]. Company Performance Indicators - For the fiscal year ending December 2025, Priority Technology is projected to earn $1.06 per share, reflecting a 107.8% increase from the previous year [8]. - Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Priority Technology has risen by 39.5%, indicating a positive trend in earnings expectations [8]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with Zacks Rank 1 stocks historically generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [7]. - The upgrade of Priority Technology to Zacks Rank 1 places it in the top 5% of Zacks-covered stocks, suggesting potential for market-beating returns in the near term [10].

Group 1 - The stock of Priority Technology (PRTH) closed at $6.71, with a 2.1% gain over the past four weeks, and analysts set a mean price target of $12.80, indicating a potential upside of 90.8% [1] - The mean estimate consists of five short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $2.77, where the lowest estimate is $10 (49% increase) and the highest is $16 (138.5% increase) [2] - Analysts show strong agreement in revising earnings estimates higher, which correlates with potential stock price movements [11][12] Group 2 - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased by 1.9% over the past month, indicating positive sentiment among analysts [12] - PRTH holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), placing it in the top 5% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimates [13] - While the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of the stock's potential gain, it suggests a positive direction for price movement [13]

Group 1 - Priority Technology Holdings, Inc. held its Q1 2025 Earnings Conference Call on May 6, 2025, at 11:00 AM ET [1] - The call featured key participants including Tom Priore, Chairman and CEO, and Tim O'Leary, CFO [3] - Meghna Mehra, Managing Director at ICR, introduced the call and the participants [2][3] Group 2 - The company emphasized that the remarks during the call would include forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties [4] - There is no obligation for the company to update or revise these forward-looking statements based on new information or future events [4] - The call may reference non-GAAP measures such as EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA, with reconciliations available in the press release and SEC filings [5]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 9% increase in net revenue year-over-year, reaching $224.6 million [5][8] - Adjusted gross profit grew by 14% to $87.3 million, with an adjusted EBITDA increase of 11% to $51.3 million [5][8] - Adjusted EPS rose by $0.19 compared to the previous year, reaching $0.22 for the quarter [21] Business Segment Data and Key Metrics Changes - The SMB segment generated revenue of $151.7 million, a 5.3% increase from the previous year, with adjusted gross profit of $33.1 million, up 3.9% [13][15] - B2B revenue grew by 12.1% to $23.9 million, with adjusted gross profit increasing by 17.8% to $7.3 million [12][17] - The Enterprise segment saw revenue rise by 22.2% to $50.1 million, with adjusted gross profit also increasing by 22.2% to $46.9 million [18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company ended the quarter with over 1.3 million total customer accounts on its e-commerce platform, up from 1.2 million at the end of the previous year [5] - Annual transaction volume increased by $5 billion to over $135 billion, and account balances under administration improved to $1.3 billion [6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to gain market share in the acquiring segment while strengthening countercyclical assets like automated payables and CFT Pay [25][26] - The focus is on investing in new verticals with large total addressable markets (TAMs) that are still early in the adoption of integrated payment and banking solutions [25][26] - The unified commerce platform is designed to streamline financial operations for businesses, enhancing cash flow and optimizing working capital [8][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the challenging economic environment, citing a 0.3% decline in U.S. GDP and a 1.8% growth in consumer spending [24][25] - Despite economic uncertainties, the company remains confident in achieving 10% to 14% revenue growth for 2025, driven by strong growth trends and a favorable business mix [6][7] - Management noted that the material weakness related to automated controls is being actively remediated, with substantial progress made [22] Other Important Information - The company reported a decline in debt levels to $935.5 million after a $10 million prepayment of the term loan [19] - Adjusted EBITDA for the last twelve months ended March 31 was $209.2 million, with net leverage decreasing to 4.2 times [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide details on the increase in SG&A and salaries? - Management explained that SG&A increased due to non-recurring items and costs associated with the migration to the public cloud, with a normalized increase of about 26% year-over-year [32][33] Question: What percentage of gross profit comes from B2B and enterprise? - Management confirmed that over 62% of gross profit now comes from B2B and enterprise segments, with a significant portion also from recurring revenues [34][35] Question: How did the Minnesota Wild contract come about? - Management highlighted the efficiency of their payment and banking solutions as key factors in winning the contract, emphasizing the ability to optimize cash flow and working capital [40][41] Question: What impact did the one less day in Q1 have on revenue? - Management acknowledged that the one less day did impact daily revenue, particularly in the SMB segment, affecting overall volume and income [43][44] Question: How is the company positioned regarding consumer spending and economic uncertainty? - Management noted that while there may be some impact, the company has a resilient portfolio, particularly in sectors less affected by economic downturns [54][56]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 9% increase in net revenue, reaching $224.6 million, with adjusted gross profit growing by 14% to $87.3 million and adjusted EBITDA increasing by 11% to $51.3 million [4][6] - Adjusted EPS rose by $0.19 year over year, reaching $0.22 for the quarter [21][22] - Annual transaction volume increased by $5 billion to over $135 billion, and account balances under administration improved to $1.3 billion [5][6] Business Segment Data and Key Metrics Changes - The SMB segment generated Q1 revenue of $151.7 million, a 5.3% increase year over year, with adjusted gross profit of $33.1 million, up 3.9% [12][13] - B2B revenue grew by 12.1% to $23.9 million, with adjusted gross profit increasing by 17.8% to $7.3 million [15][17] - The Enterprise segment saw revenue of $50.1 million, a 22.2% increase, with adjusted gross profit also rising by 22.2% to $46.9 million [18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a 0.3% decline in U.S. GDP during Q1, with consumer spending growth slowing to 1.8% from 4% [25][26] - The company reported that its core acquiring channels produced 10% organic revenue growth, while countercyclical segments grew by 12% to 22% [27][28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to gain market share in the acquiring segment while strengthening countercyclical assets like automated payables and CFT Pay [26][27] - The focus is on investing efficiently in new verticals with large total addressable markets (TAMs) that are still early in the adoption of integrated payment and banking solutions [26][28] - The company is positioned to benefit from the fallout of less stable banking as a service providers [64] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving 10% to 14% top-line revenue growth for 2025, despite potential headwinds from lower interest rates and macroeconomic uncertainty [5][22] - The company is actively working to remediate a material weakness related to automated controls, with substantial progress reported [23] Other Important Information - The company ended the quarter with $117.6 million in available liquidity, including $70 million of borrowing capacity under its revolving credit facility [19] - The company has made a $10 million prepayment on its term loan during the quarter, reducing debt levels to $935.5 million [19][20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide details on the increase in SG&A and salaries? - Management clarified that SG&A increased by 26% year over year when normalizing for non-recurring items, with significant costs related to cloud migration and headcount additions [31][32] Question: What percentage of gross profit comes from B2B and enterprise? - Management confirmed that over 62% of gross profit now comes from B2B and enterprise segments, with a significant portion also from recurring revenues [34][35] Question: Can you elaborate on the Minnesota Wild contract win? - Management highlighted that the contract was won due to the ability to optimize cash flow and provide banking transparency, which is crucial for sports franchises [39][41] Question: How did the one less day in Q1 impact revenue? - Management acknowledged that the one less day did impact daily revenue, particularly in the SMB segment, and noted other unusual influences on volume [43][44] Question: What are the considerations for segment growth in Q2? - Management indicated that shifts in interest rates could impact growth, particularly in high-margin interest income [48] Question: How has consumer behavior changed post-tariffs? - Management noted no material changes in consumer behavior yet, with a resilient portfolio that includes recession-resistant sectors [54][56] Question: What opportunities exist in the embedded finance space? - Management stated that the company is well-positioned to capture opportunities from the fallout of less stable banking service providers [64]