3 Reasons Why Growth Investors Shouldn't Overlook Northwest Natural (NWN)

Core Viewpoint - Growth stocks are appealing due to their potential for above-average financial growth, but identifying the right ones can be challenging due to associated risks and volatility [1] Group 1: Growth Stock Identification - The Zacks Growth Style Score system aids in identifying promising growth stocks by analyzing real growth prospects beyond traditional metrics [2] - Northwest Natural (NWN) is highlighted as a recommended stock with a favorable Growth Score and a top Zacks Rank [2] Group 2: Earnings Growth - Earnings growth is a critical factor for growth investors, with double-digit growth being particularly desirable [4] - Northwest Natural's projected EPS growth for this year is 23.4%, significantly higher than the industry average of 9.3% [5] Group 3: Cash Flow Growth - Higher-than-average cash flow growth is essential for growth-oriented companies, allowing them to expand without relying on external funding [6] - Northwest Natural's year-over-year cash flow growth is 4.9%, outperforming the industry average of -0.1% [6] - The company's annualized cash flow growth rate over the past 3-5 years is 7.2%, compared to the industry average of 7% [7] Group 4: Earnings Estimate Revisions - Positive trends in earnings estimate revisions are correlated with stock price movements [8] - Northwest Natural has seen a 1.4% increase in current-year earnings estimates over the past month [8] Group 5: Overall Positioning - Northwest Natural has achieved a Growth Score of B and a Zacks Rank of 2 due to positive earnings estimate revisions, positioning it well for potential outperformance [10]