Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the reliability of brokerage recommendations, particularly focusing on Celsius Holdings Inc. (CELH), and emphasizes the importance of using these recommendations in conjunction with other analytical tools for investment decisions [1][5][10]. Brokerage Recommendations - Celsius currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.40, indicating a consensus between Strong Buy and Buy, with 80% of recommendations being Strong Buy and 5% being Buy [2][14]. - The ABR is based on recommendations from 20 brokerage firms, with 16 recommending Strong Buy and one recommending Buy [2]. Limitations of Brokerage Recommendations - Studies indicate that brokerage recommendations have limited success in guiding investors towards stocks with the best price increase potential [5]. - Analysts often exhibit a positive bias due to the vested interests of brokerage firms, leading to a higher number of favorable ratings compared to negative ones [6][10]. Zacks Rank as an Alternative - The Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks from Strong Buy to Strong Sell, is presented as a more reliable indicator of near-term price performance, based on earnings estimate revisions [8][11]. - The Zacks Rank is updated more frequently than the ABR, reflecting timely changes in earnings estimates and business trends [12]. Earnings Estimate Revisions for Celsius - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Celsius has increased by 32.4% over the past month to $1.09, indicating growing analyst optimism regarding the company's earnings prospects [13]. - This increase in consensus estimates, along with other factors, has resulted in a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) for Celsius, suggesting a potential for stock price appreciation [14].

Group 1: Brokerage Recommendations - Humacyte, Inc. has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.57, indicating a rating between Strong Buy and Buy, based on recommendations from seven brokerage firms [2] - Out of the seven recommendations, five are Strong Buy, accounting for 71.4% of all recommendations [2] - Despite the positive ABR, reliance solely on this information for investment decisions may not be prudent, as studies show limited success of brokerage recommendations in predicting stock price increases [5][10] Group 2: Analyst Bias and Zacks Rank - Brokerage analysts often exhibit a strong positive bias in their ratings due to vested interests, leading to a disproportionate number of favorable ratings compared to negative ones [6][10] - The Zacks Rank, which is based on earnings estimate revisions, is presented as a more reliable indicator of near-term stock price performance compared to ABR [8][11] - The Zacks Rank is timely and reflects current business trends, while ABR may not be up-to-date [12] Group 3: Earnings Estimates and Investment Outlook - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Humacyte, Inc. has declined by 25.8% over the past month to -$0.35, indicating growing pessimism among analysts regarding the company's earnings prospects [13] - This decline in earnings estimates has resulted in a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) for Humacyte, suggesting caution despite the Buy-equivalent ABR [14]

GE currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.38, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 21 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.38 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy. Of the 21 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 16 are Strong Buy and two are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 76.2% and 9.5% of all recommendations. Brokerage Recommendation Trends for GE Investors often turn to rec ...

Core Viewpoint - Brokerage recommendations, particularly for Progressive (PGR), suggest a favorable outlook, but reliance solely on these recommendations may not be prudent due to potential biases from brokerage firms [5][10]. Brokerage Recommendations - Progressive has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.96, indicating a position between Strong Buy and Buy, based on 25 brokerage firms' recommendations [2]. - Of the 25 recommendations, 12 are Strong Buy (48%) and 2 are Buy (8%) [2]. Limitations of Brokerage Recommendations - Studies indicate that brokerage recommendations often lack success in guiding investors towards stocks with significant price appreciation potential [5]. - Analysts from brokerage firms tend to exhibit a strong positive bias in their ratings, with five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" [6][10]. Zacks Rank Comparison - Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock rating tool, categorizes stocks from 1 (Strong Buy) to 5 (Strong Sell) and is based on earnings estimate revisions, making it a more reliable indicator of near-term stock performance [8][11]. - The ABR is based solely on brokerage recommendations and may not be up-to-date, while Zacks Rank reflects timely earnings estimate revisions [9][12]. Current Earnings Estimates for Progressive - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Progressive has increased by 1.3% over the past month to $17.48, indicating growing optimism among analysts regarding the company's earnings prospects [13]. - The recent change in consensus estimates, along with other factors, has resulted in a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) for Progressive, suggesting a positive investment outlook [14].

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the report is that despite a decline in quarterly revenue, the company's profit has increased on a month-on-month basis, and the gross profit margin has reached a three-year high [2] - The pharmaceutical and basic chemical sales have experienced rapid growth, and high-priced sales have driven revenue growth in the first half of the year [2] - The company has made significant progress in catalyst research and development, with breakthroughs in basic chemical projects and the HNBR entering trial operation [2]

Financial Performance - Opera Limited is expected to report second-quarter earnings of 26 cents per share, a decrease from 44 cents per share in the same period last year [1] - The company projects quarterly revenue of $137.44 million, up from $109.73 million a year earlier [1][2] Analyst Ratings - Goldman Sachs analyst Eric Sheridan maintained a Buy rating but reduced the price target from $26 to $22.5 [8] - Piper Sandler analyst James Callahan initiated coverage with an Overweight rating and a price target of $25 [8] - TD Cowen analyst Lance Vitanza maintained a Buy rating and increased the price target from $25 to $28 [8] - B. Riley Securities analyst Lee Krowl reiterated a Buy rating and raised the price target from $24 to $25 [8] Stock Performance - Opera shares increased by 6% to close at $16.32 [3]

Group 1: Analyst Recommendations - Dutch Bros (BROS) has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.42, indicating a consensus between Strong Buy and Buy, with 72.2% of recommendations being Strong Buy and 11.1% being Buy [2][5] - The ABR is based on recommendations from 18 brokerage firms, with 13 Strong Buy and 2 Buy ratings [2] - Despite the positive ABR, relying solely on this information for investment decisions may not be advisable, as studies show brokerage recommendations often lack success in guiding investors towards stocks with high price appreciation potential [5][10] Group 2: Limitations of Brokerage Recommendations - Analysts from brokerage firms tend to exhibit a strong positive bias in their ratings due to vested interests, leading to a disproportionate number of Strong Buy recommendations compared to Strong Sell [6][10] - The ABR does not always reflect the actual price trajectory of a stock, suggesting that it may be more beneficial to use this information to validate independent research [7][10] Group 3: Zacks Rank vs. ABR - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock rating tool that classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimate revisions, providing a more reliable indicator of near-term price performance compared to ABR [8][11] - Unlike ABR, which is based solely on brokerage recommendations, the Zacks Rank is updated frequently to reflect changes in earnings estimates, making it a timely indicator for future price movements [9][12] - Dutch Bros currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), with a 13.6% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year, indicating strong analyst optimism regarding the company's earnings prospects [13][14]

When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important? Before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage, let's see what these Wall Street heavyweights think about Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. (MARA) . Marathon Digital currently has an average brokerage r ...

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the reliability of Wall Street analysts' recommendations, particularly focusing on Itron (ITRI), and emphasizes the importance of using these recommendations in conjunction with other analytical tools like Zacks Rank for making informed investment decisions [1][5][10]. Group 1: Brokerage Recommendations - Itron has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.30, indicating a consensus between Strong Buy and Buy, with 80% of recommendations being Strong Buy and 10% being Buy [2][14]. - The article suggests that relying solely on brokerage recommendations may not be wise, as studies indicate they often fail to guide investors effectively towards stocks with high potential for price appreciation [5][10]. Group 2: Analyst Bias and Limitations - Analysts from brokerage firms tend to exhibit a strong positive bias in their ratings, with a ratio of five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" [6][10]. - The interests of brokerage firms may not align with those of retail investors, leading to a lack of insight into future stock price movements [7][10]. Group 3: Zacks Rank as a Tool - Zacks Rank categorizes stocks into five groups based on earnings estimate revisions, providing a more effective indicator of near-term stock price performance compared to ABR [8][11]. - The Zacks Rank is timely and reflects the latest earnings estimates, unlike the potentially outdated ABR [12]. Group 4: Itron's Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Itron has increased by 11.7% over the past month to $5.89, indicating growing optimism among analysts regarding the company's earnings prospects [13]. - This increase in consensus estimates has contributed to Itron receiving a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), suggesting a favorable outlook for the stock [14].

Investors often turn to recommendations made by Wall Street analysts before making a Buy, Sell, or Hold decision about a stock. While media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm employed (or sell- side) analysts often affect a stock's price, do they really matter? Before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage, let's see what these Wall Street heavyweights think about Kroger (KR) . Kroger currently has an average brokerage recommendation ( ...