It's that time of the year again, when investors are rebalancing their portfolios and setting new strategies for the year ahead. We already dove into the best Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) stocks of 2025, but now it's time to talk about the elephant in the room: the underperformers.The worst performer on the Dow this year is UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH). The healthcare company has been mired in controversy since December 2024, following the murder of CEO Brian Thompson. A s ...

Bank of America Securities maintains a "Buy" rating for Progressive Corp. (NYSE:PGR), with a current stock price of $227.28.Progressive reports an 11% increase in net premiums written and a 14% rise in net premiums earned for November 2025, despite a slight decline in net income.The company's combined ratio increased to 87.1, indicating a slight decrease in underwriting efficiency, alongside significant growth in policies across various segments.Progressive Corp. (NYSE:PGR) is a leading figure in the insura ...

Core Insights - Daktronics (DAKT) reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 results with earnings of 35 cents per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 29.63% and showing a year-over-year increase of 59.1% [1] - Revenues reached $229.3 million, a 10% increase year over year, surpassing the consensus mark by 9.09% [1] - Orders rose 12.1% year over year to $199.1 million, while product backlog increased 35.8% year over year to $320.6 million [1][8] Revenue Breakdown - Commercial revenues, accounting for 22.1% of total revenues, increased 16.8% year over year to $50.8 million [3] - Live Events revenues, making up 35.5% of total revenues, climbed 5.5% year over year to $81.5 million [3] - International revenues surged 64.2% year over year to $29.8 million, representing 13% of total revenues [3] - High School Park and Recreation revenues decreased 4.4% year over year to $46 million, while Transportation revenues fell 0.9% year over year to $21.3 million [3] Order Details - Commercial segment orders declined 5.1% year over year to $42.3 million [4] - High School Park and Recreation orders fell 0.4% year over year to $35.7 million [4] - Live Events orders increased significantly by 26.5% year over year to $89.2 million, bolstered by large orders from MLB and MLS stadiums [4] - Transportation orders rose 15.2% year over year to $14.1 million, driven by airport and Intelligent Transportation Systems projects [5] - International orders increased 23.6% year over year to $17.9 million, with notable projects in the Middle East, UK, and Ireland [5] Operating Highlights - Gross margin for the quarter was 27%, expanding by 20 basis points year over year [6] - Total operating expenses were $40.3 million, a slight increase of 0.4% year over year, primarily due to higher selling expenses [6] - Non-GAAP operating income rose 12.8% year over year to $21.6 million [6] Financial Position - As of October 31, 2025, Daktronics had cash and cash equivalents of $149.6 million [7] - Free cash flow was reported at $36.1 million, down from $52.5 million in the same quarter last year [7] Future Outlook - Daktronics anticipates year-over-year revenue growth for the third quarter of fiscal 2026, despite the seasonally slower holiday period [9] - The company aims for an operating margin of 10-12% and a return on invested capital target of 17-20% by fiscal 2028 [9] - Daktronics is expanding manufacturing capacity in Mexico and Ireland to enhance operational flexibility [9]

Core Viewpoint - Analysts project that AutoZone (AZO) will report quarterly earnings of $32.22 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 0.9%, while revenues are expected to increase by 8.3% to $4.64 billion [1]. Earnings Projections - The consensus EPS estimate has been adjusted upward by 0.1% over the past 30 days, indicating a reassessment by analysts [1][2]. - Revisions to earnings projections are crucial for predicting investor behavior and stock price performance [2]. Revenue Estimates - Analysts estimate 'Net Sales- Auto Parts' will reach $4.61 billion, a 9.7% increase from the previous year [4]. - 'Net Sales- All Other' is projected at $85.83 million, reflecting a 7.4% year-over-year increase [4]. - 'Net Sales- Domestic Commercial sales' is expected to be $1.27 billion, marking a 12.7% rise from the prior year [4]. Store Metrics - Total square footage is estimated to be 52,372 thousand square feet, up from 49,781 thousand square feet a year ago [5]. - The total number of AutoZone stores is projected to be 7,711, compared to 7,387 in the same quarter last year [5]. - The number of domestic stores is expected to reach 6,659, an increase from 6,455 a year ago [6]. Performance Indicators - Analysts predict 'Square footage per store' will be 6.80 million, up from 6.74 million in the same quarter last year [6]. - The consensus for 'Sales per average square foot' stands at $89.16 thousand, compared to $85.00 thousand a year ago [6]. New Store Openings - The number of stores opened in Brazil is expected to be 6, up from 5 last year [7]. - In Mexico, the number of new stores is projected to reach 7, compared to 6 in the same quarter last year [7]. - Domestic store openings are estimated at 35, an increase from 23 in the same quarter last year [8]. Market Performance - Over the past month, AutoZone shares have returned +4.4%, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.1% change [8].

Core Insights - Kroger Co. is set to release its quarterly earnings on December 4, 2025, with analysts expecting an EPS of $1.04 and revenue of approximately $34.24 billion [1] Stock Performance - Kroger's stock is currently down 1.4%, trading at $66.61, influenced by investor anticipation of the earnings report [2] - The stock is facing resistance from its 100-day moving average, which has shifted from support to resistance [2] - Historically, Kroger has shown positive post-earnings performance, closing higher after seven of its last eight earnings reports [2] - The average stock movement following earnings announcements over the past two years has been 4.4%, with analysts predicting an 8.1% swing for the upcoming report [2] - There is notable interest in call options for Kroger stock, indicating bullish sentiment among investors [2] Financial Metrics - Kroger has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 16.27, reflecting market valuation of its earnings [3] - The price-to-sales ratio is about 0.30, indicating how much investors are willing to pay per dollar of sales [3] - The enterprise value to sales ratio stands at around 0.44, reflecting the company's total valuation relative to its sales [3] Cash Flow and Leverage - The enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio is approximately 10.75, providing insight into cash flow generation relative to valuation [4] - The earnings yield is about 6.15%, offering a perspective on return on investment [4] - The debt-to-equity ratio is notably high at approximately 2.71, indicating a significant level of leverage [4] - The current ratio is around 0.95, suggesting the company's ability to cover short-term liabilities with short-term assets [4]

Core Viewpoint - Vestis Corporation (NYSE: VSTS) has been under scrutiny due to its stock performance and financial updates, with Goldman Sachs maintaining a "Neutral" rating and adjusting its price target to $6.30, slightly above the current stock price of $6.23 [1]. Financial Performance - The Q4 2025 earnings call featured CEO James Barber and CFO Kelly Janzen, with participation from firms like William Blair & Company and JPMorgan Chase & Co, providing insights into the company's financial health and future plans [2]. - Despite a stock price decrease of 7.29%, or $0.49, on the day of the earnings call, the event underscored the market's reaction to Vestis's performance and strategic decisions [2]. Stock Volatility - VSTS has experienced significant price fluctuations over the past year, with a daily trading range between $5.30 and $6.45, and a yearly high of $17.83 and a low of $3.98, indicating volatility and investor sentiment [3]. - The company has a market capitalization of approximately $821.4 million and a trading volume of 6,210,290 shares on the NYSE, highlighting its status as an actively traded stock [3].

Core Insights - Kohl's Corp (NYSE: KSS) stock surged 29% to $20.20 following a surprise third-quarter profit, reporting earnings per share of 10 cents on revenue of $3.58 billion, significantly exceeding estimates of -19 cents per share [1] - The company has raised its full-year guidance, indicating positive future expectations [1] Stock Performance - Prior to the recent increase, KSS struggled to surpass the $17.50 resistance level but is now 50% higher for 2025 [2] - The stock has found support at the $15 floor, and the recent boost marks its best performance since July [2] Analyst Sentiment - Analysts exhibit skepticism with eight "holds," one "sell," and four "strong sells," reflecting a bearish sentiment towards the stock [2] - There is potential for upgrades if the stock continues to outperform [2] Short Interest - Currently, 29.29 million shares are sold short, representing 27% of the stock's total available float [3] - Short interest has decreased by 15% in the latest reporting period, indicating it would take shorts nearly five days to cover their positions [3] Options Activity - The 10-day put/call volume ratio for KSS stands at 1.75, suggesting that traders have purchased nearly two puts for every call in the past two weeks [4] - This ratio is in the 100th percentile of its annual range, indicating a heightened appetite for bearish bets recently [4]

Core Viewpoint - StubHub's shares fell over 28% following the announcement of a $1.3 billion net loss and the decision not to provide guidance for the upcoming quarter, despite reporting year-over-year revenue growth [1][2]. Financial Performance - StubHub reported a net loss of $1.3 billion (-$4.27 per share) for the quarter, a significant increase from a net loss of $45.9 million (-$0.15 per share) in the same quarter last year [2]. - The loss was primarily due to a one-time stock-based compensation charge of $1.4 billion related to the company's IPO [2]. - Revenue grew by 8% to $468.1 million, up from $433.8 million in the same period last year [2]. Market Reaction - Following the earnings report, StubHub's stock opened down 28.6% and remained significantly lower, down 21.4% by midday [1]. - The lack of forward guidance has heightened investor caution, particularly as StubHub navigates its first full reporting cycle as a newly public company [3]. - The quarter's performance faced tough comparisons to the previous year, notably due to the impact of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour on resale demand [3].

Core Insights - AtriCure reported $134.27 million in revenue for Q3 2025, a 15.8% year-over-year increase, with an EPS of -$0.01 compared to -$0.17 a year ago, indicating significant improvement in earnings performance [1] - The revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.09%, while the EPS surprise was 90.91% above the consensus estimate [1] Revenue Performance - United States Revenue for Pain Management reached $20.84 million, surpassing the average estimate of $20.59 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 27.7% [4] - International Revenue for Pain Management was $2.08 million, below the average estimate of $2.77 million, but still showing a year-over-year increase of 30.8% [4] - Total Ablation Revenue in the United States was $63.86 million, exceeding the $63.41 million estimate, with a year-over-year change of 10.04% [4] - International Total Ablation Revenue was reported at $14.79 million, above the $14.54 million estimate, marking a 24.52% year-over-year increase [4] - Overall United States Revenue totaled $109.31 million, surpassing the $106.47 million estimate, with a year-over-year increase of 14.5% [4] Segment Performance - United States Revenue for Open Ablation was $35.59 million, exceeding the average estimate of $34.88 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 16.3% [4] - International Revenue for Open Ablation reached $10.85 million, above the $9.73 million estimate, with a year-over-year increase of 26.1% [4] - United States Revenue for Minimally Invasive Ablation was $7.43 million, below the average estimate of $7.94 million, showing a significant year-over-year decline of 33.2% [4] - International Revenue for Minimally Invasive Ablation was $1.86 million, slightly below the $2.04 million estimate, but showing a year-over-year increase of 10.8% [4] - United States Revenue for Appendage Management was $45.45 million, exceeding the average estimate of $43.06 million, with a year-over-year increase of 21.5% [4] - International Total Revenue was reported at $24.96 million, slightly below the $25.12 million estimate, but reflecting a year-over-year increase of 22% [4] Stock Performance - AtriCure's shares have returned -4.02% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.95% change, indicating underperformance relative to the broader market [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), suggesting potential for performance in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Insights - Sixth Street (TSLX) reported revenue of $109.44 million for the quarter ended September 2025, reflecting an 8.2% decrease year-over-year [1] - Earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $0.53, down from $0.57 in the same quarter last year, with a surprise of +1.92% compared to the consensus estimate of $0.52 [1] - The reported revenue was slightly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $110.14 million, resulting in a surprise of -0.63% [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Total investment income from non-controlled non-affiliated investments was $106.77 million, slightly below the average estimate of $107.81 million from two analysts [4] - Investment income from controlled, affiliated investments in terms of interest was $2.67 million, exceeding the average estimate of $2.56 million [4] - Total investment income from controlled, affiliated investments was $2.68 million, also above the average estimate of $2.56 million [4] Stock Performance - Shares of Sixth Street have returned +1.8% over the past month, compared to a +2.1% 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]