Core Insights - Ulta Beauty (ULTA) is expected to report quarterly earnings of $4.51 per share, a decline of 12.3% year-over-year, with revenues projected at $2.71 billion, reflecting a 7.3% increase compared to the previous year [1] Earnings Projections - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised downward by 0.5% over the past 30 days, indicating a collective reassessment by analysts [2] - Revisions to earnings projections are crucial for predicting investor behavior and are linked to short-term stock performance [3] Key Metrics Projections - Analysts predict that the total number of stores open at the end of the quarter will reach 1,494, up from 1,437 in the same quarter last year [5] - The total gross square footage is estimated to be 15,505 million square feet, compared to 15,021 million square feet in the same quarter last year [5] - The number of stores opened during the quarter is expected to be 20, down from 28 in the same quarter last year [6] - Net sales per average total square footage is projected to be $177.01, an increase from $168.44 in the same quarter last year [6] Sales by Category - Net sales by primary category for services are expected to remain at 4.0%, consistent with the previous year [7] - Net sales by primary category for fragrance is projected to be 10.5%, up from 10.0% in the same quarter last year [8] - Haircare net sales are expected to reach 19.5%, slightly down from 20.0% in the previous year [8] - Cosmetics net sales are forecasted at 40.8%, a slight decrease from 41.0% in the same quarter last year [9] Stock Performance - Ulta shares have increased by 3.7% over the past month, contrasting with a -0.5% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite, indicating a potential outperformance in the near future [9]

The best-performing stocks almost always look “too expensive” on the way up. ...

Core Viewpoint - Sherwin-Williams reported strong Q3 earnings and revenues that surpassed estimates, but there is a recent downward trend in estimates leading up to the next earnings release [2][8]. Financial Performance - Q3 2025 earnings were $3.35 per share, a 5.3% increase from $3.18 in the same quarter last year, with adjusted earnings at $3.59 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.46 [2]. - Revenues for Q3 were approximately $6.36 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 3.2% and exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.2 billion [2]. Segmental Review - The Paint Stores Group segment achieved net sales of $3.84 billion, up 5.1% year over year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.72 billion, driven by higher selling prices and improved profits from operational leverage [3]. - The Consumer Brands Group segment saw a decline in net sales by 2.6% year over year to $770.1 million, although it beat the consensus estimate of $740 million, with soft DIY demand in North America and Latin America being the primary cause [4]. - The Performance Coatings Group reported a 1.7% increase in net sales to approximately $1.75 billion, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.74 billion, supported by volume growth and acquisitions, despite a challenging sales mix [5]. Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - In the first nine months of 2025, Sherwin-Williams generated $2.36 billion in net operating cash and returned $2.13 billion to shareholders through dividends and stock repurchases, including 4.5 million shares [6]. Future Outlook - For Q4 and full-year 2025, the company expects net sales to increase by a low to mid-single-digit percentage and a low-single-digit percentage, respectively, with projected net income per share ranging from $10.16 to $10.36 [7]. - The effective tax rate is anticipated to be in the low 20% range for 2025, and the full-year outlook includes the impact of the Suvinil acquisition, which was completed on October 1 [7]. Estimate Trends - Recent estimates for Sherwin-Williams have been trending downward, indicating a shift in market expectations [8][11]. - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting an expectation of in-line returns in the coming months [11].

Core Insights - NetApp reported revenue of $1.71 billion for the quarter ended October 2025, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 2.8% and exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.69 billion by 1.09% [1] - Earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $2.05, up from $1.87 in the same quarter last year, representing an EPS surprise of 8.47% compared to the consensus estimate of $1.89 [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Gross margin for products was reported at 59.5%, surpassing the average estimate of 56.5% from eight analysts [4] - Gross margin for services was 83.8%, slightly above the estimated 83.3% from seven analysts [4] - Year-over-year revenue change for products was 3%, compared to the estimated 0.6% [4] - Total revenue change was 3%, exceeding the six-analyst average estimate of 2% [4] Geographic Revenue Breakdown - Revenue from the United States, Canada, and Latin America was $863 million, closely aligning with the average estimate of $862.89 million, showing a year-over-year change of 0.1% [4] - Revenue from Asia Pacific reached $270 million, slightly below the average estimate of $274.62 million, with a year-over-year increase of 6.7% [4] - Revenue from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa was $572 million, exceeding the average estimate of $551.06 million, reflecting a year-over-year change of 5.3% [4] Segment Revenue Performance - Net revenues from services amounted to $917 million, compared to the average estimate of $916.66 million, marking a 3% year-over-year increase [4] - Net revenues from products were $788 million, surpassing the average estimate of $769.67 million, with a year-over-year change of 2.6% [4] - Public Cloud revenues were $171 million, slightly below the estimated $174.8 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 1.8% [4] - Hybrid Cloud revenues reached $1.53 billion, exceeding the average estimate of $1.52 billion, with a year-over-year change of 3% [4] - Support revenues were $647 million, slightly above the average estimate of $645.23 million, reflecting a year-over-year change of 1.9% [4] Stock Performance - NetApp's shares have returned -7% over the past month, compared to a -1.2% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Viewpoint - Colgate-Palmolive Company is experiencing stock underperformance despite stable sales growth, with a focus on reaccelerating growth amid global market uncertainties [4][5]. Company Overview - Colgate-Palmolive Company is a major global consumer products company based in New York City, manufacturing and marketing oral care, personal care, home care, and pet nutrition products across more than 200 countries [1]. - The company has a market capitalization of $63.82 billion, classifying it as a "large-cap" stock [1]. Stock Performance - Colgate's stock reached a 52-week high of $100.18 in March but has since declined approximately 21% [2]. - Over the past three months, the stock has decreased by 7.9%, while the S&P 500 Index has gained 4.1% [2]. - In the past 52 weeks, Colgate's stock has fallen by 16.6%, and over the last six months, it has decreased by 14.5%, contrasting with the S&P 500's gains of 11.2% and 13.9% during the same periods [3]. Financial Results - For the third quarter of fiscal 2025, Colgate reported net sales of $5.13 billion, a 2% year-over-year increase, aligning with Wall Street analysts' consensus [4]. - The company's EPS increased by 1% year-over-year to $0.91, surpassing the $0.89 Street estimate [4]. Competitive Position - Colgate is positioned as an outperformer compared to Kimberly-Clark Corporation, which has seen a 24.1% decline over the past 52 weeks and a 25.8% drop over the past six months [5]. Analyst Sentiment - Wall Street analysts maintain a moderately bullish outlook on Colgate's stock, with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from 21 analysts [6]. - The mean price target is $86.71, indicating a 9.5% upside from current levels, while the highest price target of $100 suggests a 26.3% upside [6].

Core Insights - AutoZone, Inc. operates as a retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories, with a market cap of $64.1 billion [1] - The company has shown strong stock performance, gaining 24.3% over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 Index's 11% increase [2] - AZO's performance is also superior to the SPDR S&P Retail ETF, which has declined by 1.8% over the same period [3] Financial Performance - In Q4, AutoZone reported an EPS of $48.71, which missed Wall Street expectations of $50.52, while revenue of $6.24 billion exceeded forecasts of $6.22 billion [5] - For the fiscal year ending in August 2026, analysts project a 4.5% growth in EPS to $151.32 on a diluted basis [5] Market Position and Strategy - The company's strong performance is attributed to effective execution in retail and commercial channels, with commercial sales outpacing retail growth [4] - AutoZone has gained market share and expanded internationally in Mexico and Brazil, despite facing margin pressures from tariffs and a non-cash LIFO charge [4] - Management remains optimistic about long-term growth, focusing on investments in stores, inventory, and technology [4] Analyst Consensus - Among 28 analysts covering AutoZone, the consensus rating is a "Strong Buy," with 22 "Strong Buy" ratings, two "Moderate Buys," three "Holds," and one "Strong Sell" [6]

Core Viewpoint - Morgan Stanley maintains an "Overweight" rating for Gap Inc. and has increased its price target to $31 from $30, reflecting confidence in the company's future performance [2][6]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Gap's stock has shown resilience, experiencing a significant increase following an earnings report that exceeded expectations, indicating a strong buy opportunity for investors [3][6]. - Despite a recent decrease of 1.79% or $0.42, bringing the stock price to $23.06, Gap's stock has traded between $23.02 and $24.21 today, showing volatility but also potential for growth [4]. - Over the past year, the stock has seen a high of $29.29 and a low of $16.99, indicating fluctuations in its market performance [4]. Group 2: Market Capitalization and Trading Volume - Gap's market capitalization is approximately $8.56 billion, demonstrating substantial investor interest and confidence in the company's ability to perform well, especially during the holiday season [5][6]. - The trading volume of 16.45 million shares further indicates investor confidence in Gap's stock [5][6].

Core Insights - Analysts project Zscaler (ZS) will report quarterly earnings of $0.85 per share, a 10.4% increase year over year, with revenues expected to reach $773.35 million, reflecting a 23.2% increase from the same quarter last year [1] Earnings Estimates - There has been a 2% upward revision in the consensus EPS estimate over the last 30 days, indicating analysts' reassessment of their initial forecasts [2] - Revisions to earnings projections are crucial for predicting investor behavior and are strongly correlated with short-term stock price performance [3] Revenue Breakdown - 'Revenues- Direct Customers' are projected to be $92.97 million, representing a 33.6% increase year over year [5] - 'Revenues- Channel Partners' are expected to reach $680.24 million, indicating a 21.8% year-over-year change [5] - Analysts forecast 'Billings' to be $615.21 million, up from $516.70 million reported in the same quarter last year [5] Key Metrics - The 'Dollar-Based Net Retention Rate' is anticipated to be 114.1%, slightly up from 114.0% a year ago [6] - 'Remaining Performance Obligations' are expected to total $5.65 billion, compared to $4.41 billion in the previous year [6] Stock Performance - Zscaler shares have decreased by 12.3% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's decline of 2.8% [6] - Zscaler holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it is expected to closely follow overall market performance in the near term [6]

Core Insights - NVIDIA Corp reported third-quarter revenue of $57.0 billion, a 62% increase year-over-year, surpassing the consensus estimate of $54.88 billion, leading to a 5.2% rise in pre-market trading [1] Company Performance - NVIDIA's strong financial results and positive revenue forecast contributed to a significant increase in its stock price [1] - Sonder Holdings Inc experienced a dramatic 138.8% surge to $0.22 in pre-market trading despite filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy [5] - Inspire Veterinary Partners Inc gained 60.3% to $0.17 after a previous decline of 61% [5] - PACS Group Inc rose 39.7% to $23.49 following better-than-expected third-quarter sales results [5] - Cerence Inc surged 29.2% to $10.23 after reporting strong fourth-quarter results and issuing optimistic first-quarter sales guidance [5] - InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc increased by 24.3% to $1.53 after successful pharmacokinetic studies for its Alzheimer's candidate [5] - Oddity Tech Ltd gained 20.1% to $44.62 after reporting better-than-expected third-quarter results and raising FY25 guidance [5] - Kulicke And Soffa Industries Inc rose 16.2% to $41.01 after reporting strong fourth-quarter results and optimistic first-quarter guidance [5] Stock Movements - WeShop Holdings Limited tumbled 38.8% to $122.33 after a significant previous jump [5] - Brera Holdings PLC declined 35.5% to $3.73 following a 13% drop [5] - Meihua International Medical Tech Co Ltd fell 23.8% to $0.18 after announcing a 1-for-100 reverse stock split [5] - JX Luxventure Group Inc dipped 13.8% to $0.39 after a previous decline [5] - Vizsla Silver Corp fell 12.6% to $4.08 after announcing a $250 million convertible senior notes offering [5] - Palo Alto Networks Inc fell 4.6% to $190.90 despite reporting upbeat first-quarter results and raising fiscal 2026 guidance [5]

Core Insights - Companies that have returned significant amounts of cash to shareholders through dividends and buybacks have experienced stock outperformance since the end of October [1] Summary by Category - **Shareholder Returns** - Companies returning relatively large amounts of cash to shareholders have seen their stocks outperform others [1]