Group 1 - The ODP Corporation (NASDAQ: ODP), which operates Office Depot, may surprise analysts and investors with its upcoming quarterly results, although it is unlikely to impress them significantly [1] - Recent consumer and corporate behavior indicates a trend of frontloading purchases, which could impact ODP's performance [1] - The analysis emphasizes the importance of observing megatrends and technological advancements to identify investment opportunities, while also stressing the need to focus on fundamentals and company details [1] Group 2 - The analyst has no current stock or derivative positions in ODP but may consider initiating a short position within the next 72 hours [2] - The article reflects the author's personal opinions and is not influenced by any compensation from companies mentioned [2]

Group 1 - The article discusses a micro-cap office supply distributor that is currently experiencing declining revenues and has a weary brand image, but there are underlying opportunities in its B2B distribution model [1] - The independent trader and analyst specializes in identifying high-growth, underanalyzed companies using a combination of technical analysis and the CAN SLIM method, focusing on financial trends and profit growth [1] - Key indicators prioritized in the research approach include relative strength, trading volume shifts, and accelerating profit growth, which help in identifying stocks with significant upside potential [1] Group 2 - The article emphasizes the importance of structured research in enhancing market understanding and providing actionable investment insights, particularly through in-depth company analyses [1]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on "buying high and selling higher" rather than traditional strategies of "buying low and selling high" [1] Group 1: Momentum Investing Strategy - Momentum investors often face challenges in determining the right entry point, as stocks may lose momentum when their valuations exceed future growth potential [2] - Investing in bargain stocks that have recently shown price momentum can be a safer strategy, utilizing tools like the Zacks Momentum Style Score to identify potential opportunities [3] Group 2: ODP Corp. Analysis - ODP Corp. has shown a price increase of 0.3% over the past four weeks, indicating growing investor interest [4] - The stock has gained 11.8% over the past 12 weeks, with a beta of 1.32, suggesting it moves 32% higher than the market [5] - ODP has a Momentum Score of A, indicating a favorable time to invest based on momentum [6] - The stock has received a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) due to upward revisions in earnings estimates, which attract more investors [7] - ODP is trading at a low Price-to-Sales ratio of 0.07, meaning investors pay only 7 cents for each dollar of sales, indicating a reasonable valuation [7] Group 3: Additional Investment Opportunities - Besides ODP, there are other stocks that meet the criteria of the 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen, suggesting further investment opportunities [8] - Investors can explore over 45 Zacks Premium Screens tailored to different investing styles to identify potential winning stocks [9]

Core Viewpoint - ODP Corp. is positioned as a strong investment opportunity due to significant upward revisions in earnings estimates, indicating a positive earnings outlook and potential for continued stock price appreciation [1][2]. Earnings Estimates - Analysts are increasingly optimistic about ODP Corp.'s earnings prospects, leading to higher estimates that are expected to positively influence the stock price [2]. - The current-quarter earnings estimate is projected at $0.33 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 41.07%. However, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased by 25% over the last 30 days, with one estimate revised upward and no negative revisions [6]. - For the full year, the earnings estimate stands at $2.79 per share, showing a year-over-year decrease of 15.45%. The consensus estimate has risen by 9% due to one upward revision and no negative changes in estimates [7][8]. Zacks Rank - ODP Corp. has achieved a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), supported by favorable estimate revisions. This ranking is based on a proven track record of outperforming the market, with Zacks 1 stocks averaging a 25% annual return since 2008 [3][9]. - The Zacks Rank system indicates that stocks rated 1 and 2 significantly outperform the S&P 500, reinforcing the attractiveness of ODP Corp. as an investment [9]. Stock Performance - ODP Corp. shares have increased by 27.9% over the past four weeks, suggesting strong investor confidence driven by the positive earnings estimate revisions [10].

Core Insights - Five stocks have been added to the Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) List, indicating strong potential for investment Group 1: Company Performance - Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD) has seen a 34.8% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [1] - AppLovin (APP) has experienced a 12.5% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [2] - The ODP Corporation (ODP) has seen a 9% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [3] - Suzano (SUZ) has experienced a 7.8% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [3] - Ferrari (RACE) has seen a 5.3% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [4]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company generated total revenue of $1.7 billion in Q1 2025, reflecting a 9% decline compared to the same quarter last year, but showing improvement in year-over-year trends compared to prior quarters [19] - Adjusted EBITDA was $76 million, down from $91 million in the previous year, while adjusted free cash flow increased significantly to $45 million, more than double the $17 million generated in the same period last year [21][23] - GAAP operating loss was $32 million, compared to a GAAP operating income of $41 million in the prior year, primarily due to restructuring expenses and asset impairments [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The consumer division, Office Depot, reported sales of $838 million, down 11% year-over-year, but showed a 500 basis point improvement in same-store sales compared to the previous year [23][24] - ODP Business Solutions reported revenue of $852 million, down 8% year-over-year, impacted by cautious business conditions and a large customer loss from the previous year [26] - The supply chain business, VARE, achieved over 85% year-over-year revenue growth from third-party customers, highlighting strong demand for its services [12][31] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is expanding into the hospitality market, which is valued at $16 billion, and has established partnerships with major suppliers to support this initiative [14][15] - The onboarding of new business contracts, including a significant contract with CoreTrust, is ongoing, with expectations for these to contribute more meaningfully in the second half of the year [11][27] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on its "Optimize for Growth" plan, which aims to realign its organizational structure and reduce fixed costs while enhancing its B2B pivot and expanding into higher growth segments [7][16] - The strategy includes reducing reliance on retail and increasing operational flexibility, with a focus on capitalizing on core strengths in supply chain and distribution [7][16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in improving trends within the consumer business and anticipates better performance in the B2B segment as new customers are onboarded and the hospitality sector gains traction [36][39] - The company is actively monitoring the evolving tariff situation and has taken proactive measures to mitigate potential impacts, including diversifying sourcing strategies [35][66] Other Important Information - The company closed nine retail stores as part of its restructuring plan and eliminated areas of corporate support to reduce costs [17] - Total liquidity at the end of the quarter was $653 million, consisting of $185 million in cash and $468 million in available credit [33] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights into retail momentum and sales strategies - Management highlighted four key strategies driving improved performance: enhanced customer engagement, a revised merchandising strategy, a daily management system, and targeted sales promotions [42][44][46] Question: Future pace of store closures - The company will evaluate store closures based on optimizing cash flow and margin dollars, with ongoing assessments of store performance [49][50] Question: Onboarding delays for new contracts - Delays are attributed to longer lead times in the hospitality sector and the complexity of onboarding large contracts like CoreTrust [52][54] Question: Categories strengthening in retail - Management noted success in non-tariff categories and a shift to a more value-oriented merchandising strategy, which has improved sales [61][62] Question: Impact of tariffs on business - The company believes it has mitigated most tariff impacts through strategic sourcing and pricing adjustments, with ongoing monitoring of the situation [64][66] Question: Converting new business pipeline into revenue - New leadership and a rigorous management system are being implemented to enhance the conversion of the business pipeline into revenue [88][90] Question: Update on stock buyback - Management reassured that they continually evaluate stock repurchase opportunities, reflecting confidence in the company's future [93]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company generated total revenue of $1.7 billion in Q1 2025, reflecting a 9% decline compared to the same quarter last year, but showing improvement in year-over-year trends compared to prior quarters [19] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $76 million, down from $91 million in the previous year, while adjusted free cash flow increased significantly to $45 million from $17 million [22][24] - GAAP operating loss was $32 million compared to a GAAP operating income of $41 million in the prior year, with adjusted operating income at $54 million, down from $66 million [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The consumer division, Office Depot, reported sales of $838 million, down 11% year-over-year, but showed a 500 basis point improvement in same-store sales metrics [24][25] - ODP Business Solutions reported revenue of $852 million, down 8% year-over-year, impacted by cautious business conditions and a large customer loss from the previous year [27] - The supply chain business, VARE, achieved over 85% year-over-year revenue growth from third-party customers, with third-party revenue reaching $17 million, up 89% [12][32] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is expanding into the hospitality market, which is valued at $16 billion, and has established partnerships with major suppliers to support this initiative [13][14] - The onboarding of new business contracts, including a significant contract with CoreTrust, is ongoing, with expectations for these to contribute more meaningfully in the second half of the year [11][28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a B2B pivot and expanding into higher growth segments such as hospitality and supply chain services, while reducing reliance on retail [7][16] - The "Optimize for Growth" restructuring plan aims to realign organizational structure and reduce fixed costs, with nine retail stores closed during the quarter [17][20] - The company is actively managing its balance sheet and liquidity, ending the quarter with total liquidity of $653 million [34] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in improving trends within the consumer business and anticipates better performance in the B2B segment as new customers are onboarded [37][39] - The company is closely monitoring the evolving tariff situation and has taken proactive measures to mitigate potential impacts [36][41] - Management expects significant improvements in adjusted free cash flow generation compared to the previous year, with a focus on driving cash and margin [37][39] Other Important Information - The company has made significant progress in cash management, achieving a cash conversion improvement that contributed to the increase in adjusted free cash flow [13] - The company is evaluating the pace of store closures in light of improved retail performance and ongoing strategic initiatives [51] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights into retail momentum and sales strategies - Management highlighted four key strategies driving improved performance, including enhanced customer engagement, a revised merchandising strategy, daily performance management, and targeted sales promotions [44][48] Question: Future pace of store closures - Management indicated that the "Optimize for Growth" plan will evaluate store performance to maximize cash flow and margin, with ongoing assessments of store closures [51][52] Question: Onboarding delays for new contracts - Management noted that onboarding delays are due to longer lead times in the hospitality sector and the complexity of large contracts like CoreTrust [55][56] Question: Categories showing strength in retail - Management reported success in non-tariff categories and a shift to a more value-oriented merchandising strategy, which has improved sales performance [63][64] Question: Impact of tariffs on business - Management believes they have mitigated most tariff impacts through diversified sourcing strategies and proactive pricing adjustments [66][68] Question: Converting new business pipeline into revenue - Management is focusing on bringing in qualified leadership, rigorous management systems, and frequent high-level meetings with new partners to drive conversion [90][91] Question: Update on stock buyback - Management stated that they continually evaluate stock repurchase opportunities and have confidence in the company's future [96]

Financial Performance - Consolidated YOY comparable revenue trends improved in Q1 2025[9] - Adjusted free cash flow significantly increased YOY, reaching $45 million in Q1 2025, compared to $17 million in the same period last year[9, 19] - Adjusted EBITDA was $76 million[18, 23] - Adjusted operating income was $54 million[18, 23] Business Segments - Office Depot's same store sales improved by 500 basis points YOY[9] - Veyer's revenue from third-party customers grew strongly, up 89% to $17 million in Q1 2025[9, 34] - ODP Business Solutions' adjacency categories accounted for 44% of the division's total revenue[28] Strategic Initiatives - The company is executing the "Optimize for Growth" plan, expecting a $380 million uplift in EBITDA and $1.3 billion in total value creation[12] - The company closed 9 retail store locations in Q1 2025, incurring $48 million in restructuring costs[12] - The company is expanding into the hospitality market, a $16 billion addressable market[10, 11] Financial Position - The company has a strong liquidity position, with $653 million in total available liquidity, including $185 million in cash and cash equivalents[38]

Group 1: Earnings Performance - Acco Brands reported a quarterly loss of $0.02 per share, better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.04, and compared to earnings of $0.03 per share a year ago, indicating a 50% earnings surprise [1] - The company posted revenues of $317.4 million for the quarter ended March 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.43%, and down from year-ago revenues of $358.9 million [2] - Over the last four quarters, Acco has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times and topped consensus revenue estimates just once [2] Group 2: Stock Performance and Outlook - Acco shares have declined approximately 26.5% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has decreased by 5.3% [3] - The company's earnings outlook is crucial for investors, as it includes current consensus earnings expectations for upcoming quarters and any recent changes to these expectations [4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the coming quarter is $0.34 on revenues of $404.1 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.02 on revenues of $1.56 billion [7] Group 3: Industry Context - The Office Supplies industry, to which Acco belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 12% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating potential challenges for stock performance [8] - Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, suggesting that investors should monitor these revisions closely [5][6]

Core Viewpoint - Xerox Holdings Corporation reported a quarterly loss of $0.06 per share, which was worse than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.05, marking an earnings surprise of -20% [1] - The company has consistently missed consensus EPS estimates over the last four quarters [2] Financial Performance - Xerox posted revenues of $1.46 billion for the quarter ended March 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.19%, compared to $1.5 billion in revenues a year ago [2] - The company has only surpassed consensus revenue estimates once in the last four quarters [2] Stock Performance - Xerox shares have declined approximately 47.7% since the beginning of the year, in contrast to the S&P 500's decline of -5.3% [3] - The current Zacks Rank for Xerox is 4 (Sell), indicating expected underperformance in the near future [6] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.25 on revenues of $1.58 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.72 on revenues of $6.25 billion [7] - The trend for estimate revisions ahead of the earnings release has been unfavorable [6] Industry Context - The Office Supplies industry, to which Xerox belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 13% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a challenging environment [8]