Key Takeaways Leidos Holdings is up 3.1% YTD, outperforming the SLeidos Holdings Inc. (LDOS) shares have rallied an impressive 3.1% in the year-to-date period, outperforming the S&P 500’s return of 0.1%. The company, however, underperformed the Zacks Aerospace-Defense industry’s growth of 17.5% and the broader Zacks Aerospace sector’s appreciation of 18.6%. Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchOther industry players, such as RTX Corp. (RTX) and Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) , also performed impressively, w ...

The Flying Dutchman Equity Strategy Japan: JPY, corporate reform, earnings, local investors Down, back up, and what now? Japanese equities have rallied 20% since the sharp fall following what the US administration called "Liberation Day" on 2 April. The recovery has been led by foreign investors, who have bought a net USD17bn of Japan stocks since then. The market is now back to the range it has traded in since April 2024. After examining the major drivers, we see limited further upside in the short term. W ...

Core Viewpoint - Booz Allen Hamilton's shares have experienced significant volatility following a downgrade by Goldman Sachs, reflecting concerns over medium-term earnings growth and revenue projections [1][2][3] Group 1: Stock Performance - Shares of Booz Allen Hamilton fell by as much as 4.9% before recovering slightly to a 4% decline [1] - The stock had previously sold off by a double-digit percentage after the fiscal-fourth-quarter earnings release [1] Group 2: Analyst Downgrade - Goldman Sachs downgraded Booz Allen Hamilton from neutral to sell, lowering the price target from $108 to $94 [2] - The current stock price is noted at $104.75 [2] Group 3: Earnings Growth Outlook - Goldman Sachs analysts project medium-term earnings growth for Booz Allen as "flat," with revenue growth expected between 0% and 4% for fiscal 2026, down from 12.4% last year [3] - Adjusted earnings are projected to be in the range of $6.20 to $6.55, compared to $6.35 last year [3] Group 4: Long-term Growth Potential - Despite short-term challenges, there is a high likelihood that Booz Allen's growth will resume after this year, particularly if the civil business stabilizes [6][7] - The defense and intelligence sectors, which account for 65% of revenue, are expected to grow in double digits, supporting overall company growth [6] - Historically, Booz Allen has achieved an 11.7% organic growth rate over the past three years [6] - If growth resumes, the P/E multiple could return to the low-20s, which has been the average over the past decade [7]

Summary of Key Points Core Viewpoint - The Q1 2025 earnings season for S&P 500 companies has been largely positive, with several companies, including Palantir, Cboe Global Markets, and Eaton, reporting record results, driven by strong demand and positive guidance for future growth [1][15]. Group 1: Palantir - Palantir reported a 39% year-over-year increase in sales, reflecting strong demand and raising its sales outlook for the current year significantly [2][4]. - The customer count grew nearly 40% year-over-year and 8% sequentially, with a record U.S. commercial total contract value of $810 million, up 180% year-over-year [3]. - Analysts have revised their sales expectations for Palantir, with the current Zacks Consensus estimate at $3.9 billion, up nearly 20% from last year, and a forecasted 37% year-over-year sales growth [4]. Group 2: Cboe Global Markets - Cboe Global Markets achieved record adjusted EPS of $2.37, a 21% increase year-over-year, and record net revenue of $562.5 million, up 13% year-over-year [5]. - The company reported record Options net revenue of $352.4 million, up 15% year-over-year, and global FX net revenue of $21.3 million, climbing 16% year-over-year [6]. - Following the strong results, analysts have notably revised their earnings expectations higher, indicating a favorable near-term earnings outlook [9]. Group 3: Eaton - Eaton posted record Q1 adjusted EPS of $2.72, a 13% increase year-over-year, and record Q1 sales of $6.4 billion, up 7% year-over-year, with segment margins reaching 23.9%, an 80 basis points increase year-over-year [10]. - The company has demonstrated a commitment to rewarding shareholders, with a 7% five-year annualized dividend growth rate, reflecting strong dividend growth over the last decade [13].

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) , with rising earnings estimates, robust ROE, better debt management, a solid backlog and shareholder-friendly initiatives, offers a great investment opportunity in the Zacks Aerospace Defense industry.Let’s focus on the reasons that make this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock an attractive investment pick at the moment.Growth Forecast & Surprise History of HIIThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for HII’s 2025 earnings per share (EPS) has increased 3.3% to $14.31 per share over the past ...

Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend ...

Tutor Perini Corp.(TPC) just beat and raised 2025 earnings guidance as its construction backlog hit a record high. This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) expects earnings in 2026 and 2027 to more than double 2025 earnings.Tutor Perini is a civil, building and specialty construction company offering general contracting and design-build services to private customers and public agencies worldwide. It has expertise on large, complex projects.Tutor Perini often self-performs multiple project components including earthw ...

Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) is likely to register top-line growth when it reports second-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings on May 29, before the market opens. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues is pegged at $2.9 billion, which indicates a 0.6% increase from the year-ago quarter. The consensus mark for earnings has remained unchanged in the past 30 days at 35 cents per share, which implies a 7.9% decrease from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. HRL delivered a trailing four-quarter e ...

Core Viewpoint - Cincinnati Financial Corporation (CINF) has underperformed compared to its industry and sector year to date, with a 4.5% gain against the industry's 11.8% and the Finance sector's 5.7% [1] Performance Comparison - CINF's stock is trading at a 7.2% discount to its 52-week high of $161.75 [1] - The stock is above the 50-day simple moving average (SMA), indicating a bullish trend [2] Valuation Metrics - CINF shares are trading at a price-to-book value of 1.75X, higher than the industry average of 1.57X, indicating an expensive valuation with a Value Score of C [5] - Compared to The Progressive Corporation (PGR) and The Travelers Companies Inc. (TRV), CINF is cheaper, although all are trading at a premium to the industry [6] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings is $5.26, reflecting a decrease of 31% on revenues of $11.1 billion, while the 2026 estimate is $8.12, suggesting a 54.4% increase on revenues of $12 billion [8] - Recent estimate revisions show a 6.7% increase for 2025 and a 1.8% increase for 2026, indicating analyst optimism [7] Growth Factors - CINF is expected to benefit from prudent pricing, an agent-centric model, and disciplined expansion of Cincinnati Re, contributing to above-average industry premium growth [10] - The company is focusing on expanding its commercial lines segment and enhancing pricing accuracy to improve profitability [11] Operational Strengths - CINF's Excess and Surplus (E&S) line has performed well since 2008, utilizing technology and data analytics to identify new risks [12] - The agent-focused business model aims to secure new business through superior service and expanded offerings [13] Dividend and Financial Health - CINF has increased dividends for 65 consecutive years, with a dividend yield of 2.4%, significantly higher than the industry average of 0.2% [14] - The return on equity for CINF is 8.2%, better than the industry average of 6.6%, although its return on invested capital (ROIC) of 2.3% is below the industry average of 5.9% [15] Market Outlook - The average target price for CINF is $152, indicating a 1.2% upside potential from its last closing price [16] - The company's operations are concentrated in the Midwest, which poses risks due to potential catastrophe losses [16]

Company Overview - Guaranty Bancshares Inc. (GNTY) is headquartered in Addison and has experienced a price change of 22.8% this year [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.25 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.35%, which is higher than the Banks - Southwest industry's yield of 1.22% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.53% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of $1 represents a 4.2% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the last 5 years, Guaranty Bancshares has increased its dividend 5 times year-over-year, averaging an annual increase of 7.12% [4] - The company's payout ratio is currently 34%, indicating that it pays out 34% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - Guaranty Bancshares is expected to see earnings expansion this fiscal year, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 at $3.30 per share, reflecting a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 20.44% [5] Investment Appeal - GNTY is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its attractive dividend and strong Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [7]