National Fuel Gas (NFG) is a Top-Ranked Growth Stock: Should You Buy?

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies and confidence [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to help investors select 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][5][6] - Value Score identifies undervalued stocks using financial ratios [3] - Growth Score emphasizes companies with strong financial health and growth potential [4] - Momentum Score tracks price trends to capitalize on upward or downward movements [5] - VGM Score combines all three styles to provide a comprehensive assessment of stocks [6] Zacks Rank and Performance - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that utilizes earnings estimate revisions to guide investment decisions [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically outperformed the S&P 500, achieving an average annual return of +23.75% since 1988 [8] - There are over 800 top-rated stocks available, making it essential to use Style Scores for effective selection [9] 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 [10] - Stocks with lower ranks but high Style Scores may still face downward price pressure due to negative earnings forecasts [11] Company Spotlight: National Fuel Gas (NFG) - National Fuel Gas Company is an integrated energy firm with natural gas and oil assets [12] - NFG holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of B, indicating moderate potential [12] - The company is projected to experience a year-over-year earnings growth of 36.5% for the current fiscal year, supported by a Growth Style Score of B [13] - Recent earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 have been revised upward, with a consensus estimate of $6.84 per share [13]