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Why Franklin Resources (BEN) is a Top Momentum Stock for the Long-Term
ZACKS· 2026-02-04 15:50
Company Overview - Franklin Resources, Inc. is a global investment management company headquartered in San Mateo, CA, primarily generating revenue from investment management services for retail mutual funds, institutional, and high-net-worth investors worldwide [11]. Zacks Rank and Style Scores - Franklin Resources has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of B, indicating a moderate investment outlook [12]. - The company has a Momentum Style Score of A, with shares increasing by 7.5% over the past four weeks [12]. - For fiscal 2026, three analysts have revised their earnings estimates upwards in the last 60 days, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate rising by $0.03 to $2.54 per share [12]. - Franklin Resources has an average earnings surprise of +11.7%, suggesting a positive trend in earnings performance [12]. Investment Considerations - With a solid Zacks Rank and strong Momentum and VGM Style Scores, Franklin Resources is recommended for investors' consideration [13].
Why UMB Financial (UMBF) is a Top Momentum Stock for the Long-Term
ZACKS· 2026-02-04 15:50
Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to help investors select stocks with high potential for market outperformance [3] Zacks Style Scores Overview - The Zacks Style Scores categorize stocks into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score [4][5][6][7] - Each stock receives a rating from A to F based on its characteristics, with A indicating the highest potential for outperforming the market [3] Value Score - The Value Score identifies attractive stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow [4] Growth Score - The Growth Score focuses on a company's financial health and future outlook, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [5] Momentum Score - The Momentum Score assesses stocks based on price trends and earnings outlook changes, helping investors capitalize on upward or downward price movements [6] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines all three Style Scores, providing a comprehensive indicator for selecting stocks with favorable value, growth, and momentum characteristics [7] Zacks Rank Integration - The Zacks Rank uses earnings estimate revisions to simplify portfolio building, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically yielding an average annual return of +23.83% since 1988 [8] - Stocks with a 1 or 2 rank and Style Scores of A or B are recommended for maximizing returns [10] Company Spotlight: UMB Financial - UMB Financial Corporation, based in Kansas City, MO, offers various banking and asset servicing solutions [12] - Currently rated 3 (Hold) by Zacks, UMBF has a VGM Score of A and a Momentum Style Score of A, with shares increasing by 5.4% over the past four weeks [12][13] - Analysts have raised earnings estimates for UMBF, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by $0.40 to $11.93 per share, and an average earnings surprise of +16.3% [13]
Is New Oriental Education & Technology Group (EDU) Outperforming Other Consumer Discretionary Stocks This Year?
ZACKS· 2026-02-04 15:41
Core Viewpoint - New Oriental Education (EDU) has shown strong performance in the Consumer Discretionary sector, outperforming its peers significantly in year-to-date returns [1][4]. Company Performance - New Oriental Education has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating a favorable outlook based on earnings estimate revisions [3]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EDU's full-year earnings has increased by 5.6% in the past quarter, reflecting improved analyst sentiment [4]. - Year-to-date, EDU has returned 15.4%, while the average return for Consumer Discretionary stocks has been a loss of 5.2%, showcasing its superior performance [4]. Industry Context - New Oriental Education is part of the Schools industry, which consists of 17 stocks and currently ranks 84 in the Zacks Industry Rank [6]. - The average return for stocks in the Schools industry has been 5.9% this year, indicating that EDU is performing better than the industry average [6]. - In comparison, another stock in the Consumer Discretionary sector, Sleep Number (SNBR), has a year-to-date return of 39.6% and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [5].
Is Dillard's (DDS) Stock Outpacing Its Retail-Wholesale Peers This Year?
ZACKS· 2026-02-04 15:41
Core Viewpoint - Dillard's (DDS) is currently outperforming its peers in the Retail-Wholesale sector, with a year-to-date return of 5.8% compared to the sector average of 5.6% [4]. Group Performance - Dillard's is part of the Retail-Wholesale group, which consists of 193 companies and ranks 6 in the Zacks Sector Rank [2]. - The Zacks Rank system indicates that Dillard's holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), reflecting a positive earnings outlook with a 9.8% increase in the consensus estimate for full-year earnings over the past three months [3]. Industry Comparison - Dillard's belongs to the Retail - Regional Department Stores industry, which includes 3 stocks and currently ranks 4 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This industry has seen an average gain of 0.4% year-to-date, indicating Dillard's superior performance [5]. - In contrast, Ross Stores, another outperforming stock in the Retail-Wholesale sector, belongs to the Retail - Discount Stores industry, which has a lower ranking (58) but has increased by 8.7% year-to-date [6].
Is Energias de Portugal (EDPFY) Stock Outpacing Its Utilities Peers This Year?
ZACKS· 2026-02-04 15:41
Group 1 - Energias de Portugal (EDPFY) is currently outperforming its peers in the Utilities sector, with a year-to-date return of approximately 11.3% compared to the sector average of 4.6% [4] - The Zacks Rank for Energias de Portugal is 2 (Buy), indicating a favorable outlook based on earnings estimate revisions and improving earnings outlooks [3] - Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for EDPFY's full-year earnings has increased by 7.6%, reflecting positive analyst sentiment [4] Group 2 - Energias de Portugal belongs to the Utility - Electric Power industry, which includes 58 stocks and currently ranks 87 in the Zacks Industry Rank, with an average gain of 4.9% this year [6] - Another stock in the Utilities sector, ENGIE BRASL EGA (EGIEY), has also shown strong performance with a year-to-date increase of 9.1% and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [5] - Both Energias de Portugal and ENGIE BRASL EGA are expected to continue their solid performance, making them noteworthy for investors interested in Utilities stocks [7]
Is Contineum Therapeutics, Inc. (CTNM) Stock Outpacing Its Medical Peers This Year?
ZACKS· 2026-02-04 15:41
Company Overview - Contineum Therapeutics, Inc. (CTNM) is part of the Medical group, which consists of 928 companies and is currently ranked 10 in the Zacks Sector Rank [2] - CTNM has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a favorable outlook based on earnings estimates and revisions [3] Performance Metrics - Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CTNM's full-year earnings has increased by 11.5%, reflecting improved analyst sentiment [4] - Year-to-date, CTNM has achieved a return of approximately 33.1%, significantly outperforming the average return of 3.5% for Medical companies [4] Industry Comparison - CTNM belongs to the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, which includes 449 stocks and is currently ranked 90 in the Zacks Industry Rank [6] - The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry has seen an average gain of 19.4% this year, indicating that CTNM is performing well within its specific industry [6] Additional Comparisons - Another Medical stock, Quest Diagnostics (DGX), has returned 6.7% year-to-date and has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [5] - Quest Diagnostics is part of the Medical - Outpatient and Home Healthcare industry, which has a lower year-to-date return of 3.6% and is ranked 196 [7]
Here's Why Epam (EPAM) is a Strong Value Stock
ZACKS· 2026-02-04 15:41
Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence, including daily updates, research reports, and stock screens [1] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores are indicators that rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum methodologies, helping investors identify stocks likely to outperform the market in the next 30 days [2] Value Score - The Value Style Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow to highlight attractive investment opportunities [3] Growth Score - The Growth Style Score assesses a company's financial strength and future outlook by analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks with sustainable growth potential [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Style Score evaluates stocks based on price trends and earnings outlook changes, utilizing one-week price changes and monthly earnings estimate changes to identify favorable buying opportunities [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines Value, Growth, and Momentum Scores, providing a comprehensive rating that helps investors find stocks with the best overall potential [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to guide investors in building successful portfolios, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks achieving an average annual return of +23.83% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7][8] Stock Example: EPAM Systems, Inc. - EPAM Systems, Inc. is rated 2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank and has a VGM Score of A, with a Value Style Score of B, supported by a forward P/E ratio of 14.59, making it attractive for value investors [11] - The earnings estimate for fiscal 2025 has been revised upwards to $11.41 per share, with an average earnings surprise of +4.4%, indicating strong performance potential [12]
Is Ferguson plc (FERG) Outperforming Other Industrial Products Stocks This Year?
ZACKS· 2026-02-04 15:41
Group 1 - Ferguson plc (FERG) is a notable stock within the Industrial Products group, which consists of 180 companies, currently ranked 6 in the Zacks Sector Rank [2][3] - Ferguson plc has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive outlook, with the consensus estimate for its full-year earnings increasing by 1.9% over the past quarter [3] - Year-to-date, Ferguson plc has returned approximately 15.7%, outperforming the average return of 12.6% for the Industrial Products group [4] Group 2 - Ferguson plc is part of the Manufacturing - General Industrial industry, which includes 43 stocks and is currently ranked 73 in the Zacks Industry Rank, with this group gaining about 10.4% year-to-date [6] - Flowserve (FLS), another stock in the Industrial Products sector, has also shown strong performance with a year-to-date return of 15% and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [4][5] - Both Ferguson plc and Flowserve are expected to continue their solid performance, making them attractive options for investors interested in Industrial Products stocks [7]
Why Prudential (PRU) is a Top Value Stock for the Long-Term
ZACKS· 2026-02-04 15:41
Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence [1] - The Zacks Style Scores provide a framework for evaluating stocks based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics [2] Zacks Style Scores Overview - Stocks are rated from A to F based on their value, growth, and momentum, with A indicating the highest potential for outperformance [3] - The Style Scores are categorized into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score [3][4][5][6] Value Score - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow [3] Growth Score - The Growth Score emphasizes a company's financial health and future growth potential, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Score identifies trends in stock prices and earnings estimates, helping investors time their positions effectively [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines all three Style Scores, providing a comprehensive indicator for investors who utilize multiple investing strategies [6] Zacks Rank Integration - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to guide investors, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically yielding an average annual return of +23.83% since 1988 [7] - The model includes a large number of stocks, making it essential for investors to utilize Style Scores to narrow down their choices [8] Investment Strategy - To maximize returns, investors should target stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B [9] - Stocks with lower ranks but high Style Scores may still pose risks due to downward earnings forecasts [10] Company Spotlight: Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) - Prudential Financial, founded in 1875, offers a range of financial products and services globally [11] - PRU holds a 3 (Hold) Zacks Rank and a VGM Score of B, with a Value Style Score of A, indicating attractive valuation metrics [12] - Recent earnings estimates for fiscal 2026 have been revised upward, with a consensus estimate of $14.92 per share and an average earnings surprise of +7.1% [12] - Given its solid rankings and scores, PRU is recommended for investors' consideration [13]
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (CHRW) Hit a 52 Week High, Can the Run Continue?
ZACKS· 2026-02-04 15:16
Core Viewpoint - C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW) has shown strong stock performance, with a 19.1% increase over the past month and a 24.2% gain since the beginning of the year, outperforming the Zacks Transportation sector and the Zacks Transportation - Services industry [1][2]. Financial Performance - The company has consistently exceeded earnings expectations, reporting an EPS of $1.23 against a consensus estimate of $1.12 in its last earnings report [2]. - For the current fiscal year, C.H. Robinson is projected to achieve earnings of $5.9 per share on revenues of $16.86 billion, reflecting a 15.91% increase in EPS and a 3.89% increase in revenues [3]. - For the next fiscal year, expected earnings are $6.83 per share on revenues of $18.08 billion, indicating a year-over-year change of 15.66% in EPS and 7.23% in revenues [3]. Valuation Metrics - The stock currently trades at a valuation of 33.8 times the current fiscal year EPS estimates, which is above the peer industry average of 23 times [7]. - On a trailing cash flow basis, the stock trades at 32.7 times compared to the peer group's average of 9.2 times [7]. - The PEG ratio stands at 2.1, suggesting that the stock is not among the top tier from a value perspective [7]. Zacks Rank and Style Scores - C.H. Robinson holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), supported by rising earnings estimates [8]. - The stock has a Value Score of D, while its Growth and Momentum Scores are A and B, respectively, resulting in a combined VGM Score of B [6][8].