Company Overview - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) ended the latest trading session at $152.51, reflecting a -0.44% adjustment from the previous day's close, underperforming the S&P 500 which had a daily loss of 0.04% [1] - The stock has decreased by 1.42% over the past month, while the Medical sector gained 1.44% and the S&P 500 increased by 13.42% [1] Upcoming Financial Results - Analysts expect Johnson & Johnson to report earnings of $2.65 per share, indicating a year-over-year decline of 6.03% [2] - The consensus estimate for revenue is $22.77 billion, representing a 1.42% increase from the prior-year quarter [2] Annual Forecast - Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $10.60 per share and revenue of $91.19 billion for the entire year, showing changes of +6.21% and +2.66% respectively compared to the previous year [3] - Recent revisions in analyst estimates are crucial as they reflect near-term business trends, with positive revisions indicating optimism about the company's profitability [3] Valuation Metrics - Johnson & Johnson is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 14.45, which is a premium compared to the industry average Forward P/E of 13.21 [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 2.32, while the Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry has an average PEG ratio of 1.21 [6] Industry Context - The Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry, part of the Medical sector, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 40, placing it in the top 17% of over 250 industries [7] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]

Progressive (PGR) closed at $280.96 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.63% move from the prior day. The stock's change was less than the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.61%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 1.91%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq depreciated by 1.41%.Shares of the insurer witnessed a gain of 7.75% over the previous month, trailing the performance of the Finance sector with its gain of 9.17% and the S&P 500's gain of 12.65%.The investment community will be paying close attention to the ea ...

UiPath (PATH) closed the latest trading day at $12.44, indicating a -1.19% change from the previous session's end. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.39%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.27%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.38%.The enterprise automation software developer's stock has climbed by 23.31% in the past month, exceeding the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 19.26% and the S&P 500's gain of 13.07%.The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings perfor ...

PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR (PDD) closed the latest trading day at $117.38, indicating a -0.9% change from the previous session's end. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.39%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.27%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.38%.The company's stock has climbed by 25.53% in the past month, exceeding the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 12.4% and the S&P 500's gain of 13.07%.The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of PDD Hold ...

The latest trading session saw AutoZone (AZO) ending at $3,880.15, denoting no adjustment from its last day's close. The stock exceeded the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 0.39% for the day. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a drop of 0.27%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw a decrease of 0.38%.Prior to today's trading, shares of the auto parts retailer had gained 8.71% over the past month. This has lagged the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 12.4% and the S&P 500's gain of 13.07% in that time.The u ...

Fundamentally, Meta Platforms continues to deliver impressive financial results. For example, in the fourth quarter of 2024, the company posted ad revenue of $46.8 billion, marking a year-over-year increase of approximately 21%. For the full year, total revenue landed at $164.5 billion, up 22% against 2023's tally. Primarily, the METU and METD ETFs offer a convenient medium for speculation. Typically, those interested in leverage or short wagers must engage the options market, an arena known for its myriad ...

Company Performance - FedEx's stock closed at $226.12, reflecting a -1.48% change from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.09% [1] - Over the past month, FedEx's stock has increased by 10.58%, which is lower than the Transportation sector's gain of 14.63% and the S&P 500's gain of 13.05% [1] Earnings Estimates - The upcoming EPS for FedEx is projected at $5.98, indicating a 10.54% increase year-over-year [2] - Revenue is expected to be $21.8 billion, representing a 1.41% decline compared to the same quarter last year [2] Fiscal Year Projections - For the entire fiscal year, earnings are estimated at $18.17 per share and revenue at $87.46 billion, showing changes of +2.08% and -0.23% respectively from the previous year [3] - Recent analyst estimate revisions indicate a positive outlook for FedEx's business and profitability [3] Valuation Metrics - FedEx has a Forward P/E ratio of 12.63, which is below the industry average of 14.31, suggesting it is trading at a discount [6] - The current PEG ratio for FedEx is 1.19, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 1.78 [7] Industry Ranking - The Transportation - Air Freight and Cargo industry, which includes FedEx, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 226, placing it in the bottom 9% of over 250 industries [8] - The Zacks Industry Rank measures the strength of industry groups based on the average Zacks Rank of individual stocks, with top-rated industries outperforming lower-rated ones by a factor of 2 to 1 [8]

Group 1 - Li Auto Inc. Sponsored ADR closed at $28.34, reflecting a -1.67% change from the previous session, underperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.09% [1] - The stock has increased by 24.65% over the past month, which is lower than the Auto-Tires-Trucks sector's gain of 28.79% and higher than the S&P 500's gain of 13.05% [1] Group 2 - Li Auto Inc. plans to announce its earnings on May 29, 2025, with Zacks Consensus Estimates predicting earnings of $1.38 per share and revenue of $23.97 billion, indicating a 0% change in earnings and a +19.33% increase in revenue from the previous year [2] Group 3 - Recent changes in analyst estimates for Li Auto Inc. are important as they reflect near-term business trends, with upward revisions indicating analysts' positive outlook on the company's operations and profit generation [3] Group 4 - The Zacks Rank system, which incorporates estimate changes, provides an actionable rating system, with 1 stocks historically delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [4][5] - Li Auto Inc. currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), with the consensus EPS estimate remaining unchanged over the last 30 days [5] Group 5 - Li Auto Inc. has a Forward P/E ratio of 20.93, which is a premium compared to the industry's average Forward P/E of 7.47, and a PEG ratio of 4.41, significantly higher than the industry's average PEG ratio of 1.44 [6] Group 6 - The Automotive - Foreign industry, part of the Auto-Tires-Trucks sector, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 209, placing it in the bottom 16% of over 250 industries, indicating weaker performance compared to higher-ranked industries [7]

Group 1: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) - Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation is a dredging services company with a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [1] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 34.8% over the last 60 days [1] - The company has a PEG ratio of 1.01, which is lower than the industry average of 1.59, and possesses a Growth Score of A [1] Group 2: Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) - Encompass Health Corporation is a post-acute healthcare services company with a Zacks Rank 1 [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 4.4% over the last 60 days [2] - The company has a PEG ratio of 2.46, which is lower than the industry average of 2.73, and possesses a Growth Score of A [2] Group 3: Unisys Corporation (UIS) - Unisys Corporation is an information technology solutions company with a Zacks Rank 1 [3] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 132% over the last 60 days [3] - The company has a PEG ratio of 0.62, significantly lower than the industry average of 2.62, and possesses a Growth Score of B [3]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses potential investment opportunities in cheap dividend-paying stocks that yield between 5.3% and 7.6%, despite the broader market recovery. It highlights five specific companies that remain undervalued and offers insights into their financial metrics and challenges [1][2]. Group 1: Company Summaries - **Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY)**: A $90 billion pharmaceutical company with a low PEG of 0.12 and a cash-flow multiple of 7. It has a dividend yield of over 5% but faces profitability concerns due to competition affecting core drugs, leading to a 44% revenue drop for Revlimid in Q1 [3][5][6]. - **HF Sinclair (DINO)**: Formed from a merger, it operates seven U.S. refineries and has a crude oil processing capacity of 678,000 barrels per day. The stock has a PEG of 0.2 and a P/CF of 7.3, reflecting a more than 30% drop over the past year, primarily due to industry-wide challenges [7][10]. - **AES Corp. (AES)**: A utility company serving 2.7 million customers with a diverse energy portfolio. It has a PEG of 0.8 and a forward P/CF of 5, but has seen its stock lose over half its value in 2023 due to aggressive transitions to renewables and project delays [13][14][15]. - **Polaris (PII)**: A manufacturer of recreational vehicles, its stock has dropped over 70% since July 2023, resulting in a high dividend yield. The company has faced declining demand and significant revenue and profit drops, with a PEG of negative 1.6 [17][18][20]. - **Atlas Energy Solutions (AESI)**: An energy equipment and services company that has been increasing its dividends since its IPO in March 2023. It has a PEG of 0.2 and a forward P/CF of 5.5, but faces challenges due to fluctuating oil prices affecting demand [21][22][23]. Group 2: Financial Metrics - **Valuation Metrics**: All highlighted companies have a PEG below 1, indicating they are undervalued. The article emphasizes the importance of PEG and P/CF ratios in assessing investment opportunities [8][10]. - **Dividend Coverage**: Companies like DINO and AES have strong dividend coverage ratios, with DINO expected to have a coverage of 180% due to anticipated earnings growth in 2026 [12][16]. - **Market Challenges**: Each company faces unique challenges, such as competition, industry weakness, and fluctuating demand, which have impacted their stock performance and profitability [4][5][10][18].