Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) Increases Despite Market Slip: Here's What You Need to Know

Group 1: Stock Performance - Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) stock closed at $10.12, reflecting a +0.7% change from the previous trading day's closing, outperforming the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.95% [1] - The stock has increased by 9% over the past month, surpassing the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 7.69% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.86% [1] Group 2: Earnings Forecast - The upcoming earnings report is expected to show an EPS of $0.53, indicating a 55.83% decrease from the same quarter last year [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projected at $38.07 billion, which is a 2.75% increase from the previous year [2] Group 3: Annual Estimates - For the annual period, earnings are anticipated to be $1.60 per share, reflecting a -44.44% change from last year, while revenue is expected to be $151.57 billion, indicating a +2.65% change [3] Group 4: Analyst Estimates - Recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Walgreens Boots Alliance are important as they reflect changes in short-term business dynamics, with positive revisions indicating analysts' confidence in the company's performance [4] Group 5: Zacks Rank and Performance - The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from 1 (Strong Buy) to 5 (Strong Sell), has shown a strong track record, with stocks rated 1 producing an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [6] - Walgreens Boots Alliance currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), with a 5.59% rise in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate over the past month [6] Group 6: Valuation Metrics - Walgreens Boots Alliance has a Forward P/E ratio of 6.28, which is higher than the industry average of 4.72, indicating it is trading at a premium [7] - The company has a PEG ratio of 1.26, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 0.72, suggesting a higher expected earnings growth rate relative to its peers [8] Group 7: Industry Ranking - The Retail - Pharmacies and Drug Stores industry, part of the Retail-Wholesale sector, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 87, placing it in the top 35% of over 250 industries [8] - The strength of individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, with the top 50% rated industries outperforming the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [9]