Stocks to Watch as May's Jobs Report Beats Economists' Expectations: PCTY, MMS
ZACKS· 2025-06-07 00:01
Group 1: Job Market Overview - U.S. employers added 139,000 jobs in May, exceeding economists' expectations of 125,000-130,000, while the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.2% [1] - Job growth was strongest in the healthcare and leisure/hospitality sectors, which added 62,000 and 48,000 jobs, respectively [9] Group 2: Wage Growth and Inflation - Average hourly earnings rose 3.9% year over year, outpacing April's inflation rate of 2.3% [2] Group 3: Investment Opportunities - Paylocity (PCTY) has consistently surpassed earnings expectations, beating EPS estimates for its fiscal third quarter by 16% in May, with an average EPS surprise of 15.4% over the last four quarters [4] - Maximus (MMS) is experiencing rising EPS revisions and trades at a forward earnings multiple of 10.8X, with fiscal 2025 and FY26 EPS estimates rising nearly 7% and 4% in the last 30 days [5][7] - Other payroll stocks to consider include Dayforce (DAY) and Paychex (PAYX), along with Barrett Business Services (BBSI), all holding a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [8]
INVESTOR NOTICE: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP Announces that Zenas BioPharma, Inc. (ZBIO) Investors with Substantial Losses Have Opportunity to Lead Securities Class Action Lawsuit
GlobeNewswire News Room· 2025-06-07 00:00
Core Viewpoint - Zenas BioPharma, Inc. is facing a class action lawsuit due to allegations of misleading information in its IPO registration statement, particularly regarding the funding timeline for its operations [1][3][4]. Group 1: Class Action Lawsuit Details - The class action lawsuit is titled Buathongsri v. Zenas BioPharma, Inc. and was filed in the District of Massachusetts [1]. - Investors who purchased Zenas BioPharma securities during its IPO on September 13, 2024, have until June 16, 2025, to seek lead plaintiff status [1][2]. - The lawsuit claims that Zenas BioPharma overstated its operational funding timeline, stating it could fund operations for 24 months instead of the actual 12 months disclosed later [3][4]. Group 2: Financial Impact - Zenas BioPharma sold over 13 million shares at $17.00 per share during its IPO [2]. - As of April 15, 2025, Zenas BioPharma's stock closed at $8.72, representing a 48.7% decline from the IPO price [4]. Group 3: Legal Representation - Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is representing the investors in the class action lawsuit and is recognized as a leading law firm in securities fraud litigation [6]. - The firm has a strong track record, having recovered over $2.5 billion for investors in 2024 alone [6].
FTRE Investor Notice: Stockholder Rights Law Firm Robbins LLP Reminds Shareholders of the Class Action Against Fortrea Holdings, Inc.
GlobeNewswire News Room· 2025-06-07 00:00
Core Viewpoint - A class action has been filed against Fortrea Holdings, Inc. for allegedly misleading investors regarding the progress of its pre-spin projects and financial expectations [1][2][4]. Group 1: Company Background - Fortrea Holdings, Inc. is a global contract research organization (CRO) that provides biopharmaceutical product and medical device development solutions [1]. - The company was spun off from Labcorp Holdings Inc. in June 2023 and operates under several transition services agreements with Labcorp [2]. Group 2: Financial Performance - On March 3, 2025, Fortrea announced that its revenue and adjusted EBITDA trajectories for 2025 were not in line with prior expectations, leading to a significant stock price drop of $3.47 per share, or 25.05%, closing at $10.38 [3]. - The company indicated that its pre-spin projects were late in their life cycle, resulting in lower revenue and profitability than expected for 2025 [3]. Group 3: Allegations and Misstatements - The complaint alleges that Fortrea overestimated the revenue contributions from pre-spin projects and overstated potential cost savings from exiting transition services agreements [4]. - It is claimed that the company's previously announced EBITDA targets for 2025 were inflated, which misrepresented the viability of its post-spin business model and financial prospects [4].
Why Dollar General Stock Zoomed Nearly 17% Higher This Week
The Motley Fool· 2025-06-06 23:34
Core Insights - Dollar General's share price increased by nearly 17% during the trading week following a strong earnings report [1] - The company reported net sales of $10.4 billion, a year-over-year increase of over 5%, driven by a 2% rise in same-store sales [4] - GAAP net income rose almost 8% to just under $392 million, translating to earnings of $1.78 per share [4] Financial Performance - Dollar General's earnings exceeded consensus analyst estimates, which were $10.25 billion for net sales and $1.46 per share for net income [5] - Analysts have responded positively, with several raising their price targets and upgrading their recommendations for the stock [5][6] Market Position and Outlook - Analysts, including Oppenheimer's Rupesh Parikh, view Dollar General as a strong performer, particularly in a recessionary environment, and have upgraded its rating to "overperform" [6][7] - The company is perceived as a potential go-to retailer amid economic uncertainty, making it a stock worth considering in the current market climate [8]
No S&P 500 Stock Changes In Quarterly Rebalance; Robinhood Is The Biggest Snub
Investor's Business Daily· 2025-06-06 23:29
S&P Dow Jones Indices made no changes to the S&P 500 index on Friday, snubbing Robinhood (HOOD) and AppLovin (APP). The company made no announcement but confirmed to multiple publications that there were no additions or deletions to the benchmark index. It's the first quarterly rebalance without an S&P 500 stock change since March 2022. Analysts had pegged Robinhood stock… ...
Tesla Optimus robotics vice president Milan Kovac is leaving the company
CNBC· 2025-06-06 23:24
Core Insights - Tesla's vice president of Optimus robotics, Milan Kovac, has announced his departure from the company after an eight-year tenure, expressing gratitude towards CEO Elon Musk and optimism for Tesla's future [1][2]. Company Developments - Tesla is developing the Optimus robot with plans to begin builds on its Fremont pilot production line in 2025, aiming for broader deployment of robots in factory settings [3]. - During the 2024 annual shareholder meeting, Musk projected that humanoid robots could significantly increase Tesla's market capitalization to $25 trillion at an unspecified future date [3]. Technological Advancements - Currently, Tesla is training its Optimus systems to perform basic tasks such as picking up objects, opening doors, and throwing balls, indicating progress in the development of the robot [4]. - Competitors in the robotics space include Boston Dynamics, Agility Robotics, Apptronik, 1X, and Figure, highlighting a competitive landscape for Tesla's Optimus initiative [4].
Why Analog Devices Stock Topped the Market Today
The Motley Fool· 2025-06-06 23:22
Group 1: Company Performance - Analog Devices (ADI) shares closed nearly 2% higher, outperforming the S&P 500 index which rose by just over 1% [1] - Citigroup identified Analog Devices as a top pick in the semiconductor sector, indicating confidence in its future performance [2] Group 2: Industry Insights - The semiconductor industry reported April sales of $55 billion, reflecting a decrease of more than 11% from March, but this was in line with seasonal trends and close to the forecasted 10% decline [4] - Year-over-year, April sales were 24% higher, indicating a positive long-term growth trajectory for the industry [4] - Average selling prices in April fell by 3.2% month over month, which was less than the anticipated 5.3% drop, suggesting a more stable pricing environment than expected [5] Group 3: Future Outlook - Citigroup forecasts an 8% increase in the semiconductor market over 2024's level, indicating a recovery and growth potential in the sector [6] - Analog Devices and Texas Instruments are viewed as defensive stocks, making them attractive picks in a challenging environment due to their wide product range, which provides a natural hedge [6]
Draganfly Announces Additional Exercise Of Over-Allotment Option
Globenewswire· 2025-06-06 23:15
Core Points - Draganfly Inc. has successfully closed a US$3.6 million underwritten public offering and the underwriter has exercised an over-allotment option for an additional 100,000 shares, raising an extra US$209,000 [1][2][3] Group 1: Offering Details - The offering was conducted under an effective shelf registration statement filed with the SEC and a Canadian short form base shelf prospectus [3][4] - The net proceeds from the offering will be used for general corporate purposes, including funding new product capabilities, growth initiatives, working capital, and research and development [2][3] Group 2: Company Overview - Draganfly Inc. is a pioneer in drone solutions, AI-driven software, and robotics, with over 25 years of innovation in the drone technology sector [6]
Why Applied Digital Stock Soared Again Today
The Motley Fool· 2025-06-06 23:10
Applied Digital (APLD 8.57%) stock posted another day of big gains in Friday's trading. The company's share price closed out the daily session up 8.5%. The S&P 500 ended the day up 1%, and the Nasdaq Composite closed the session up 1.2%.Applied Digital stock continued to rocket higher today after the latest jobs report for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) got a bullish read from investors. The company's share price has now more than doubled over the last week of trading. May's jobs data served up a bul ...
AudioEye (AEYE) Beats Stock Market Upswing: What Investors Need to Know
ZACKS· 2025-06-06 23:00
Company Performance - AudioEye's stock closed at $12.67, reflecting a +2.84% increase from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.03% [1] - The stock has risen by 3.36% over the past month, which is lower than the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 9.02% and the S&P 500's gain of 5.27% [1] Earnings Estimates - The upcoming earnings report for AudioEye is projected to show earnings per share (EPS) of $0.16, a 33.33% increase year-over-year [2] - Revenue is anticipated to be $9.94 million, indicating a 17.31% increase from the same quarter last year [2] Fiscal Year Projections - For the entire fiscal year, earnings are estimated at $0.71 per share and revenue at $41.51 million, reflecting increases of +29.09% and +17.91% respectively from the previous year [3] - Recent analyst estimate revisions indicate optimism regarding AudioEye's business and profitability [3] Analyst Ratings - The Zacks Rank system currently rates AudioEye as 2 (Buy), with a historical average annual return of +25% for 1 rated stocks since 1988 [5] - The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged over the past month [5] Valuation Metrics - AudioEye has a Forward P/E ratio of 17.48, which is lower than the industry average Forward P/E of 29.63 [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 0.7, significantly below the Internet - Software industry's average PEG ratio of 2.35 [7] Industry Context - The Internet - Software industry, part of the Computer and Technology sector, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 55, placing it in the top 23% of over 250 industries [8] - Strong individual industry groups, as measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, tend to outperform weaker groups by a factor of 2 to 1 [8]