Core Insights - Houlihan Lokey reported Q1 FY2026 non-GAAP earnings per share of $2.14, surpassing analyst expectations of $2.08, while revenue of $605 million fell short of the consensus estimate by over 10% [1][2] - The company experienced year-over-year growth across all three business segments, although operating income decreased compared to the previous year [1][5] Financial Performance - Non-GAAP EPS increased by 75.4% year-over-year from $1.22 in Q1 FY2025 to $2.14 in Q1 FY2026 [2] - GAAP revenue was $605 million, a 17.7% increase from $514 million in Q1 FY2025, but below the estimate of $675.16 million [2] - GAAP operating margin decreased by 3.6 percentage points to 14.8% compared to 18.4% in Q1 FY2025 [2] - GAAP net income rose by 9.7% to $97.5 million from $88.9 million in the same quarter last year [2] - Employee compensation ratio remained stable at 61.5% [2] Business Segments Overview - Corporate Finance segment, focused on mergers and acquisitions, saw a 21% revenue increase, attributed to higher average transaction fees and an increase in closed transactions from 116 to 125 [5] - Financial Restructuring division reported a 9% revenue increase, supported by a stable headcount and a higher number of closed transactions [6] - Financial and Valuation Advisory unit achieved 16% revenue growth, driven by an expanded client base and an increase in billable milestones from 847 to 957 [7] Strategic Focus - The company is concentrating on expanding its team of senior bankers and increasing its market share in mid-cap advisory [4] - Emphasis is placed on expertise, talent acquisition, and compliance with financial regulations as key success factors [4] Expense and Tax Considerations - Overall GAAP expenses increased faster than revenue, despite the non-GAAP employee compensation ratio remaining flat [8] - The effective tax rate was notably low at 0.5%, primarily due to stock-based compensation deductions, which positively impacted net income and earnings per share [9] Management Outlook - Management did not provide specific financial guidance for the upcoming quarter, citing uncertainties in deal flow and market conditions [10] - Key indicators for future performance include the normalization of the tax rate and the pace of deal activity, particularly in mid-cap M&A and restructuring [11]

Financial Performance - For the quarter ended June 2025, Service Corp. reported revenue of $1.07 billion, reflecting a 3% increase year-over-year [1] - Earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $0.88, up from $0.79 in the same quarter last year [1] - The reported revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.05 billion by 1.48%, while the EPS surpassed the consensus estimate of $0.84 by 4.76% [1] Key Metrics - Total comparable funeral average revenue per service was $5,807, slightly above the two-analyst average estimate of $5,762.86 [4] - The number of funeral services performed was 87,014, exceeding the two-analyst average estimate of 86,839 [4] - Cemetery revenue reached $474.1 million, surpassing the estimated $471.26 million by three analysts, representing a 1.3% increase compared to the year-ago quarter [4] - Funeral revenue was $591.4 million, exceeding the estimated $578.6 million by three analysts, marking a 4.5% increase year-over-year [4] - Gross profit from cemetery services was $155.5 million, above the estimated $154.19 million, while gross profit from funeral services was $116 million, exceeding the estimate of $106.85 million [4] Stock Performance - Shares of Service Corp. have returned -7.4% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.4% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating potential performance in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Insights - Cognizant reported revenue of $5.25 billion for the quarter ended June 2025, reflecting an 8.1% increase year-over-year and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.19 billion by 1.01% [1] - Earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $1.31, up from $1.17 in the same quarter last year, exceeding the consensus EPS estimate of $1.26 by 3.97% [1] Revenue Performance by Segment - Health Sciences revenue was $1.55 billion, slightly below the average estimate of $1.61 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 6.2% [4] - Communications, Media and Technology revenue reached $841 million, exceeding the average estimate of $826.36 million, with a year-over-year growth of 3.1% [4] - Products and Resources generated $1.31 billion, surpassing the estimated $1.25 billion, marking a significant year-over-year increase of 16% [4] - Financial Services revenue was $1.55 billion, slightly above the average estimate of $1.52 billion, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 6.9% [4] Stock Performance - Cognizant's shares have declined by 6.9% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's increase of 3.4% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Insights - Steven Madden reported revenue of $559 million for the quarter ended June 2025, reflecting a 6.8% increase year-over-year, but fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $575.92 million by 2.94% [1] - The company's EPS was $0.20, down from $0.57 in the same quarter last year, resulting in an EPS surprise of -16.67% against the consensus estimate of $0.24 [1] Revenue Breakdown - Total Revenue (Net Sales) was $556.09 million, compared to the estimated $573.58 million, marking a 6.6% increase year-over-year [4] - Total Wholesale revenue was $360.6 million, below the estimated $395.65 million, representing a decline of 6.4% year-over-year [4] - Direct-to-Consumer revenue reached $195.5 million, exceeding the estimate of $142.39 million, with a significant year-over-year increase of 43.3% [4] - Licensing fee income totaled $2.91 million, surpassing the estimated $2.36 million, and showed a year-over-year growth of 57.8% [4] Stock Performance - Over the past month, Steven Madden's shares returned +4.4%, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.4% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell), indicating potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Viewpoint - PayPal is considered one of the most undervalued stocks in the portfolio, highlighting potential investment opportunities based on recent performance and management insights [1]. Summary by Relevant Sections - Recent Earnings Report: PayPal's recent earnings report indicates significant performance metrics that may not be fully reflected in its stock price [1]. - Management Comments: Insights from management during the earnings call suggest a positive outlook for the company's future growth and strategic direction [1].

Core Insights - AutoNation, Inc. reported second-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of $5.46 per share, a 37% increase year over year, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.70, driven by strong revenues across various segments [1] - Total revenues for the quarter reached $6.97 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.80 billion and up from $6.48 billion in the same quarter of 2024 [1] Revenue Breakdown - New vehicle revenues increased by 8.8% year over year to $3.40 billion, exceeding the estimate of $3.24 billion, with retail units sold totaling 65,847, a 7.5% increase [2] - Retail used-vehicle revenues rose 5.8% to $1.85 billion, surpassing the projection of $1.76 billion, with used vehicle retail units sold totaling 69,736, a 6.5% increase [3] - Wholesale used vehicle revenues decreased by 16.5% to $140 million, missing the estimate of $164.2 million, although gross profit increased significantly [4] - Finance and insurance business revenues amounted to $367.7 million, a 13.5% increase year over year, beating the projection of $327 million [4] - Parts and service business revenues grew by 9.3% to $1.22 billion, exceeding the estimate of $1.18 billion [5] Segment Performance - Domestic segment revenues rose 10.4% year over year to $1.92 billion, surpassing the projection of $1.75 billion, with income climbing 82.9% to $92 million [6] - Import segment revenues increased 6.4% to $2.15 billion, exceeding the forecast of $2.02 billion, with income rising 23.3% to $133.4 million [6] - Premium Luxury segment sales increased by 6.6% to $2.56 billion, slightly missing the projection of $2.57 billion, but income rose 26.9% to $180.1 million [7] Financial Position - As of June 30, 2025, the company's liquidity stood at $1.8 billion, including $63 million in cash and nearly $1.8 billion available under its revolving credit facility [8] - Inventory was valued at $3.46 billion, with non-vehicle debt at $3.76 billion [9] - Capital expenditure for the quarter was $79 million, and the company repurchased 1.5 million shares for $254 million during the first half of 2025 [9]

Core Insights - Lithia Motors reported revenue of $9.58 billion for the quarter ended June 2025, reflecting a 3.8% increase year-over-year and a surprise of +0.52% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.53 billion [1] - Earnings per share (EPS) reached $10.24, compared to $7.87 in the same quarter last year, resulting in an EPS surprise of +4.7% against the consensus estimate of $9.78 [1] Financial Performance Metrics - New vehicle retail unit sales were 94,144, below the three-analyst average estimate of 98,009 [4] - Used vehicle retail unit sales totaled 109,053, also below the three-analyst average estimate of 112,524 [4] - The average selling price for new vehicles was $47,782, compared to the average estimate of $48,329.15 [4] - The average selling price for used vehicles was $28,379, exceeding the three-analyst average estimate of $27,338.08 [4] - Fleet and other revenue was $209.5 million, below the five-analyst average estimate of $241.66 million, representing a year-over-year decline of -13.1% [4] - Finance and insurance revenue was $373.8 million, slightly below the average estimate of $388.18 million, but showed a year-over-year increase of +3.6% [4] - Used vehicle wholesale revenue reached $383.1 million, surpassing the five-analyst average estimate of $338.23 million, marking a +32.3% year-over-year increase [4] - Used vehicle retail revenue was $3.09 billion, matching the five-analyst average estimate, with a year-over-year increase of +3.6% [4] - Service, body and parts/aftersales revenue was $1.02 billion, aligning with the average estimate [4] - New vehicle revenue was $4.5 billion, below the five-analyst average estimate of $4.78 billion, reflecting a +2.2% year-over-year increase [4] - Same store operating metrics for service, body and parts/aftersales revenue were $998 million, exceeding the two-analyst average estimate of $903.52 million, with a +28.3% year-over-year change [4] - Same store operating metrics for finance and insurance revenue were $366 million, slightly below the two-analyst average estimate of $368.42 million, showing a +16.7% year-over-year increase [4] Stock Performance - Lithia Motors' shares have returned -9.1% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.6% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating potential performance in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Insights - Sysco reported revenue of $21.14 billion for the quarter ended June 2025, marking a year-over-year increase of 2.8% and exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.65% [1] - The earnings per share (EPS) for the same period was $1.48, up from $1.39 a year ago, representing a surprise of 5.71% over the consensus estimate of $1.40 [1] Revenue Breakdown - International Foodservice Operations generated $3.93 billion, surpassing the average estimate of $3.88 billion, with a year-over-year change of 3.6% [4] - U.S. Foodservice Operations reported $14.76 billion, slightly above the estimated $14.72 billion, reflecting a 2.4% increase compared to the previous year [4] - Sales from Other operations were $288 million, below the average estimate of $297.6 million, showing a year-over-year decline of 7.1% [4] - SYGMA sales reached $2.16 billion, exceeding the estimated $2.13 billion, with a year-over-year increase of 5.9% [4] Operating Income and Gross Profit - Operating income for Other operations was reported at -$82 million, significantly lower than the average estimate of $18.01 million [4] - SYGMA's operating income was $27 million, slightly above the average estimate of $24.92 million [4] - Gross profit for Other operations was $69 million, below the average estimate of $79.64 million, while SYGMA's gross profit was $170 million, marginally exceeding the estimate of $169.27 million [4] Stock Performance - Sysco's shares have returned 6.1% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's 3.6% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Insights - Asbury Automotive Group reported $4.37 billion in revenue for Q2 2025, a 3% year-over-year increase, with an EPS of $7.43 compared to $6.40 a year ago, indicating an EPS surprise of +8.94% against the consensus estimate [1] Financial Performance - Revenue of $4.37 billion was below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.45 billion, representing a surprise of -1.73% [1] - Unit sales for new vehicles were 44,437, slightly below the average estimate of 45,291 [4] - Unit sales for used vehicle retail were 36,233, compared to the average estimate of 36,382 [4] - Average selling price for new vehicles was $51.85 billion, slightly lower than the average estimate of $52.01 billion [4] - Revenues from new vehicles were $2.3 billion, a 6.4% year-over-year increase, compared to the average estimate of $2.31 billion [4] - Revenues from used vehicles were $1.29 billion, a -1.7% change year-over-year, below the average estimate of $1.32 billion [4] - Revenues from parts and service were $601.5 million, a 3.6% year-over-year increase, below the average estimate of $624.93 million [4] - Revenues from finance and insurance net were $182 million, a -5.4% change year-over-year, below the average estimate of $203.25 million [4] - Revenues from used vehicle retail were $1.13 billion, a -3.2% change year-over-year, below the average estimate of $1.15 billion [4] - Revenues from used vehicle wholesale were $156.3 million, a 10.9% year-over-year increase, above the average estimate of $153.27 million [4] Stock Performance - Asbury Automotive shares returned -3.9% over the past month, while the Zacks S&P 500 composite increased by +3.6% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Insights - Norfolk Southern reported revenue of $3.11 billion for the quarter ended June 2025, reflecting a 2.2% increase year-over-year, but a slight miss of 0.76% against the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.13 billion [1] - The earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $3.29, up from $3.06 in the same quarter last year, exceeding the consensus EPS estimate of $3.27 by 0.61% [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Total carloads volume was 1.79 million, slightly below the four-analyst average estimate of 1.81 million [4] - Coal carloads volume was 181.7 thousand, surpassing the average estimate of 176.35 thousand [4] - The Railway Operating Ratio was reported at 63.4%, higher than the average estimate of 62.6% [4] - Merchandise railway operating revenues totaled $1.97 billion, matching the average estimate and showing a year-over-year increase of 3.6% [4] - Specific merchandise categories showed varied performance: - Agriculture, forest and consumer products revenue was $645 million, slightly above the estimate of $643.81 million, with a year-over-year increase of 3.7% [4] - Coal revenue was $395 million, slightly below the estimate of $396.48 million, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of 0.8% [4] - Chemicals revenue was $546 million, slightly below the estimate of $549.39 million, with a year-over-year increase of 2.6% [4] - Intermodal revenue was $743 million, below the estimate of $765.09 million, with a year-over-year increase of 0.1% [4] - Automotive revenue was $323 million, exceeding the estimate of $311.33 million, with a year-over-year increase of 4.2% [4] - Metals and construction revenue was $458 million, above the estimate of $449.09 million, with a year-over-year increase of 4.1% [4] Stock Performance - Norfolk Southern shares have returned +11.9% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.6% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]