Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to help investors identify stocks with the highest potential to outperform the market in the short term [2] Zacks Style Scores Overview - The Style Scores consist of four categories: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score, each focusing on different investment strategies [3][4] - Value Score emphasizes finding undervalued stocks using financial ratios [3] - Growth Score assesses a company's financial health and future growth potential [3] - Momentum Score identifies stocks with favorable price trends and earnings outlooks [4] - VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to highlight stocks with attractive value, growth, and momentum characteristics [4] Zacks Rank and Performance - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that utilizes earnings estimate revisions to guide investors in stock selection [5] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically produced an average annual return of +25.41% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [6] - There are over 800 stocks rated 1 and 2, which can make selection challenging for investors [6] Investment Strategy - To maximize returns, investors should focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B [7] - Stocks with lower ranks, even with high Style Scores, may still face declining earnings forecasts, increasing the risk of price drops [8] Company Spotlight: Unum (UNM) - Unum operates in the insurance sector, providing various insurance products and services [9] - Currently rated 3 (Hold) with a VGM Score of B, UNM has a Value Style Score of A, indicating strong valuation metrics [10] - The company has seen 11 analysts revise earnings estimates higher for fiscal 2024, with the consensus estimate rising by $0.23 to $8.48 per share [10] - UNM's average earnings surprise stands at 3%, making it a noteworthy option for investors [10]
Unum (UNM) is a Top-Ranked Value Stock: Should You Buy?