Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **U.S. Autos & Mobility**: The industry view has been downgraded to Negative due to multiple near-term pressures including earnings challenges, consumer health risks, and uncertainties surrounding auto tech investments. Auto tariffs are expected to persist, and current valuations do not fully account for these risks [5][13][67]. Core Insights - **Earnings Pressure**: The near-term investment case for the U.S. autos sector is increasingly difficult, with expectations of earnings pressure and potential withdrawal of 2025 guidance due to the uncertain environment. The consensus earnings estimates for Q1 2025 have been revised down to -2% for Europe and 7% for the U.S. [5][19][21]. - **Tariff Impact**: The revised definition of semiconductors under U.S. tariffs could affect an additional $261 billion in imports from major Emerging Asian economies, with Taiwan and Vietnam being the most impacted. This change may reduce the effective tariff rate on China's exports to the U.S. [6][29][27]. - **Sector Preferences**: There is a preference for suppliers over OEMs in the current environment, with favorable traits including low financial leverage, high margins, and strong pricing power. Specific companies like Autoliv (ALV) have been upgraded due to their defensive positioning [5][15][18][67]. Earnings Expectations - **1Q Earnings**: While beats on Q1 EPS are expected due to better-than-anticipated production and pricing, these are likely to be disregarded in the current market context. The overall sentiment suggests that earnings growth is stagnating, with significant downside risks in the event of a recession [5][19][21][22]. - **Valuation Concerns**: European equities are currently pricing in approximately 0% EPS growth, with potential downside if a recession occurs. The market has already reflected a ~10% pullback from February highs, indicating a cautious outlook [20][22]. Additional Insights - **Market Volatility**: The upcoming earnings season is expected to be scrutinized more than usual due to heightened volatility and tariff-related concerns. Investors are advised to focus on companies with relatively cheap or expensive earnings volatility [25][24]. - **Sector Dynamics**: Cyclical sectors are anticipated to drive EPS growth in Europe, but earnings momentum is weakening. Defensive sectors are catching up as revisions for cyclicals remain negative [23][22]. Rating Changes - **Downgrades**: General Motors (GM) has been downgraded to Equal Weight, with a significant reduction in EBIT estimates from $14.4 billion to $8.6 billion for 2025. Other companies like Aptiv (APTV), Mobileye (MBLY), and Visteon (VC) have also been downgraded due to risks associated with auto tech uptake [14][16][67]. Conclusion - The U.S. autos sector faces significant challenges from tariffs, earnings pressures, and macroeconomic uncertainties. The focus on suppliers and defensive positions may provide some resilience, but overall market conditions remain precarious with potential for further downgrades in earnings expectations.

About this content About Emily Jarvie Emily began her career as a political journalist for Australian Community Media in Hobart, Tasmania. After she relocated to Toronto, Canada, she reported on business, legal, and scientific developments in the emerging psychedelics sector before joining Proactive in 2022. She brings a strong journalism background with her work featured in newspapers, magazines, and digital publications across Australia, Europe, and North America, including The Examiner, The Advocate, The ...

Core Viewpoint - Analysts project that Darling Ingredients (DAR) will report quarterly earnings of $0.36 per share, reflecting a 28% decline year over year, while revenues are expected to reach $1.51 billion, marking a 6.1% increase from the same quarter last year [1]. Earnings Estimates - Over the past 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate has been adjusted downward by 4.6%, indicating a reassessment by covering analysts [2]. - Changes in earnings estimates are crucial for predicting investor reactions, as empirical research shows a strong correlation between earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock performance [3]. Revenue and Sales Projections - The consensus estimate for 'Net Sales- Feed Ingredients' is $976.29 million, representing a 9.7% increase from the prior-year quarter [5]. - 'Net Sales- Fuel Ingredients' is projected to reach $137.58 million, indicating a 1.1% decline from the prior-year quarter [5]. - 'Net Sales- Food Ingredients' is expected to be $376.23 million, reflecting a 3.9% decrease from the year-ago quarter [5]. EBITDA Estimates - 'Segment Adjusted EBITDA- Food Ingredients' is anticipated to be $66.29 million, up from $61.69 million in the same quarter last year [6]. - 'Segment Adjusted EBITDA- Feed Ingredients' is projected at $151.08 million, compared to $106.81 million in the previous year [6]. - 'Segment Adjusted EBITDA- Fuel Ingredients' is expected to be $19.87 million, an increase from $18.08 million reported in the same quarter last year [7]. Stock Performance - Darling shares have increased by 3.3% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's decline of 5.6% [7]. - With a Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell), DAR is expected to underperform the overall market in the near term [7].

Core Viewpoint - UnitedHealth Group Inc. reported mixed first-quarter 2025 results, with adjusted EPS of $7.20 falling short of estimates, while revenues increased year over year but missed consensus expectations due to lower premiums [1][2]. Financial Performance - Adjusted EPS for Q1 2025 was $7.20, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.27, but reflecting a 4.2% year-over-year increase [1]. - Revenues rose 9.8% year over year to $109.58 billion, but missed the consensus mark by 1.4% [1]. - Medical care ratio (MCR) was 84.8%, worsening from 84.3% a year ago and below the consensus estimate of 85.9% [4]. - Total operating costs increased 9.4% year over year to $100.5 billion, exceeding model estimates [5]. - Operating earnings grew 15% year over year to $9.1 billion, with net margin improving from negative 1.4% to 5.7% [6]. Business Segment Performance - UnitedHealthcare revenues increased 12.3% year over year to $84.6 billion, driven by domestic commercial membership growth, surpassing estimates [7]. - Optum revenues were $63.9 billion, up 4.6% year over year, but fell short of the consensus mark [8]. - UnitedHealthcare served 50.1 million members, a 1.9% year-over-year growth, but below the consensus estimate of 50.6 million [9]. Financial Position - Cash and short-term investments rose to $34.3 billion from $29.1 billion at the end of 2024 [10]. - Total assets increased to $309.8 billion from $298.3 billion at the end of 2024 [11]. - Long-term debt decreased to $71.29 billion from $72.36 billion [11]. - Operating cash flows surged to $5.5 billion from $1.1 billion year over year [12]. Capital Deployment - UnitedHealth returned over $5 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends in Q1 2025 [13]. 2025 Outlook - Management revised adjusted net EPS guidance to between $26 and $26.50, down from previous estimates [14]. - Projected net earnings for 2025 are expected to be between $22.5 billion and $23.1 billion, an increase from 2024 [14]. - Revenue estimates for 2025 are between $450 billion and $455 billion, up from $400.3 billion in 2024 [14].

Group 1 - Tencent Holding Ltd. is part of the Computer and Technology group, which includes 610 companies and ranks 5 in the Zacks Sector Rank [2] - The Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and revisions, with Tencent Holding Ltd. currently holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [3] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Tencent's full-year earnings has increased by 2.6% in the past quarter, indicating improved analyst sentiment [4] Group 2 - Tencent Holding Ltd. has achieved a year-to-date performance increase of approximately 10.6%, while the Computer and Technology sector has seen an average decline of about 14% [4] - In the Internet - Services industry, which includes 37 stocks, Tencent ranks 90, with the industry average down 16.1% this year, highlighting Tencent's relative outperformance [6] - Domo, another stock in the Computer and Technology sector, has also outperformed with a year-to-date increase of 16.2% and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [5][6] Group 3 - Investors should continue to monitor Tencent Holding Ltd. and Domo for potential sustained strong performance in the Computer and Technology sector [7]

Core Viewpoint - Deckers (DECK) has experienced a stock return of -8.8% over the past month, underperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -3.9% change and the Zacks Retail - Apparel and Shoes industry's -8.9% loss, raising questions about its near-term performance [1] Earnings Estimates Revisions - For the current quarter, Deckers is expected to post earnings of $0.55 per share, reflecting a decrease of -33.7% from the same quarter last year, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate changing by -2.4% over the last 30 days [4] - The consensus earnings estimate for the current fiscal year is $5.88, indicating a year-over-year increase of +21%, with a recent change of -1.2% [4] - For the next fiscal year, the consensus estimate is $6.52, suggesting an increase of +11% from the previous year, with a change of -1.2% over the past month [5] Revenue Growth Forecast - The consensus sales estimate for the current quarter is $983.39 million, indicating a year-over-year growth of +2.5% [9] - For the current fiscal year, the revenue estimate is $4.95 billion, reflecting a growth of +15.4%, while the next fiscal year's estimate of $5.42 billion indicates a change of +9.6% [9] Last Reported Results and Surprise History - Deckers reported revenues of $1.83 billion in the last quarter, representing a year-over-year increase of +17.1%, with an EPS of $3 compared to $2.52 a year ago [10] - The reported revenues exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.71 billion by +6.7%, and the EPS surprise was +15.38% [10] - The company has consistently beaten consensus EPS and revenue estimates in the trailing four quarters [11] Valuation - Deckers is graded C in the Zacks Value Style Score, indicating it is trading at par with its peers [15] - Valuation multiples such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF) are essential for determining whether the stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued [13][14] Bottom Line - The Zacks Rank 3 suggests that Deckers may perform in line with the broader market in the near term, despite the market buzz surrounding the company [16]

Core Viewpoint - Energy Transfer LP (ET) has shown a 2.3% increase in unit price over the past three months, underperforming the Zacks Oil and Gas - Production Pipeline - MLB industry's growth of 5.6% while the S&P 500 declined by 4.9% [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Energy Transfer operates a vast network of over 130,000 miles of pipelines across the United States, focusing on expanding its operations to meet growing power demands [2][6] - The company is a leading exporter of liquefied petroleum gas, serving 80 countries and territories, with major clients including Chevron and Shell [2] Group 2: Financial Performance and Growth - Energy Transfer plans to invest $6.1 billion in 2025 to enhance its asset base, indicating a commitment to growth through both organic initiatives and acquisitions [6] - The company has consistently made significant acquisitions, including the WTG acquisition, which expanded its natural gas pipeline network [7] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate predicts year-over-year earnings growth of 10.94% for 2025 and 2.75% for 2026 [14] Group 3: Revenue and Contracts - Approximately 90% of Energy Transfer's revenue is derived from long-term fee-based contracts, which mitigates risks associated with commodity price fluctuations [10] - The current quarterly cash distribution rate is 32.50 cents per common unit, with management having raised distribution rates 13 times in the past five years [16] Group 4: Market Position and Valuation - Energy Transfer units are currently trading at a trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA of 10.71X, which is lower than the industry average of 12.31X, suggesting the firm is undervalued [17] - The company's return on equity (ROE) stands at 11.56%, below the industry average of 14.22%, indicating room for improvement in profitability [20] Group 5: Insider Activity and Market Sentiment - Insiders have purchased over 44 million units worth $468 million from January 2021 to February 2025, reflecting confidence in the company's future prospects [12] - Insiders currently own nearly 10% of ET's units, which is significantly higher than peers in the industry [13] Group 6: Strategic Developments - Energy Transfer has entered a long-term agreement to supply natural gas to CloudBurst Data Center, marking its first commercial arrangement with a data center [9] - The firm is actively pursuing additional agreements with other data center developers to expand its customer base [9] Group 7: Conclusion - The combination of improving year-over-year earnings, extensive asset distribution, and a growing customer base positions Energy Transfer favorably for future growth [22]