What Makes Northwest Natural (NWN) a New Strong Buy Stock

Core Viewpoint - Northwest Natural (NWN) 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 are strongly correlated 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 stock price movements [4]. Company Performance and Outlook - The upgrade for Northwest Natural reflects an improvement in the company's underlying business, suggesting that investor sentiment may drive the stock price higher [5]. - For the fiscal year ending December 2025, Northwest Natural is expected to earn $2.88 per share, with a 1.8% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the past three months [8]. Zacks Rating 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]. - Only the top 5% of Zacks-covered stocks receive a "Strong Buy" rating, indicating superior earnings estimate revisions and potential for market-beating returns [9][10].