Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides various tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies and confidence [1] - The Zacks Style Scores serve as complementary indicators to the Zacks Rank, helping investors select stocks with high potential for market outperformance [2] Zacks Style Scores Overview - Stocks are rated from A to F based on value, growth, and momentum qualities, with A being the highest score indicating better chances of outperforming the market [3] - The Style Scores are categorized into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score [3][4][5][6] Value Score - Focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow [3] Growth Score - Concentrates on a company's financial health and future growth potential, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] Momentum Score - Targets stocks experiencing upward or downward trends, utilizing metrics like one-week price change and monthly earnings estimate changes [5] VGM Score - Combines the three Style Scores to identify stocks with attractive value, strong growth forecasts, and promising momentum [6] Zacks Rank Integration - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model based on earnings estimate revisions, aiding investors in building successful portfolios [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically achieved an average annual return of +25.41%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] Stock Selection Strategy - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal success [10] - Stocks with lower ranks, even with high Style Scores, may still face downward price trends [11] Company Spotlight: Danaher Corporation - Danaher Corporation is a global conglomerate with a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of B, indicating potential for growth investors [12] - The company has seen upward revisions in earnings estimates, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.70 per share for fiscal 2025 and an average earnings surprise of 8.5% [13]

The second half of 2025 is fast approaching, and the stock market is promising a crazy ride with some exciting news hitting the headlines. If you’re the kind of investor to plan for the long run, strapping in with some value stocks is definitely the way to go amid shifting interest rate expectations and trade tensions.Accordingly, we’ve pinpointed two companies with promising fundamentals that you should consider in the following months.1. Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B), t ...

Core Viewpoint - 3M Company (MMM) has shown strong stock performance with a year-to-date increase of 15.8%, significantly outperforming the industry and S&P 500 [1] Stock Performance - 3M's stock closed at $149.40, nearing its 52-week high of $156.35 and well above its low of $96.76 [4] - The stock is trading above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, indicating positive market sentiment and stability [4] Segment Performance - The Safety and Industrial segment has seen strong momentum, particularly in roofing granules, industrial adhesives, and electrical markets, with organic sales improving by 2.5% year over year [7][8] - The Transportation and Electronics segment benefited from growth in the aerospace market, with revenues increasing in the low-double-digit range, while adjusted organic sales grew by 1.1% [9][10] Restructuring and Financial Health - 3M is implementing restructuring actions to streamline operations, which contributed to a 220 basis point increase in adjusted operating margin to 23.5% [11] - The company returned $396 million in dividends and $1.3 billion in share buybacks in the first quarter of 2025, with a planned $2 billion in share repurchases for the year [12] Return on Equity - 3M's trailing 12-month return on equity (ROE) stands at 96.2%, significantly higher than the industry average of 38.2%, indicating efficient use of shareholder funds [13] Challenges - The Consumer segment faced a 1.4% sales decline in the first quarter, attributed to weakness in retail markets [14] - 3M's long-term debt reached $12.3 billion, with a debt-to-capital ratio of 73.1%, higher than the industry average of 55.2% [15] - Ongoing litigations, including earplug lawsuits, may lead to additional financial burdens [16] Earnings Estimates - Earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have decreased by 0.8% and 0.1%, respectively, over the past 30 days [19] Valuation - 3M is trading at a forward P/E multiple of 18.93X, above its five-year median of 15.98X and the broader industry's multiple of 16.73X [20]

Group 1: Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett - Warren Buffett, after 60 years of leadership, announced that Greg Abel will become CEO of Berkshire Hathaway by the end of the year [1] - Buffett has significantly outperformed the S&P 500, essentially doubling its annual return over his career [2] - Berkshire Hathaway is known for its stability and has outperformed the S&P 500 during recent market volatility [5] Group 2: Altria - Altria has a strong historical performance, particularly in down markets, and is currently the domestic seller of Marlboro and other cigarette brands [8] - The company benefits from a recession-resistant business model, with a high-yield dividend and a record of raising dividends 59 times in the last 55 years [9] - Altria's stock is up 16.6% this year, outperforming both Berkshire and the S&P 500, and has shown resilience during past bear markets [10][12] Group 3: AutoZone - AutoZone operates in the aftermarket auto parts sector, which tends to perform well during recessions as consumers prioritize repairs over new vehicle purchases [17] - The stock is up 17.8% year to date and has historically thrived during bear markets, gaining 22% during the financial crisis [18][19] - AutoZone has a pattern of accelerating sales towards the end of recessions, indicating strong potential for future performance [21][23] Group 4: Investment Considerations - Despite a recent 5% decline in Berkshire stock following Buffett's retirement announcement, the company remains a strong long-term investment due to its cash reserves of nearly $350 billion [24] - Investors looking to capitalize on potential bear markets may find Altria and AutoZone to be more attractive options based on their historical performance and business models [25]

Core Viewpoint - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is outperforming the S&P 500, primarily due to the strong performance of Chinese automaker BYD, despite a decline in Apple stock, which is one of Buffett's largest holdings [1][4]. Group 1: Berkshire Hathaway Performance - Berkshire Hathaway's stock is up 19.3% year-to-date, significantly outperforming the S&P 500, which is down 3.0% [4]. - The conglomerate has also outperformed the S&P 500 on a one-year and five-year basis [4]. Group 2: BYD's Performance - BYD's stock is up 49.1% year-to-date, 69.3% over the last year, and 733.9% over the past five years, surpassing Apple's performance in the same periods [3]. - Buffett owns over 54 million shares of BYD, valued at $2.7 billion, representing around 1% of the Berkshire Hathaway portfolio [3]. Group 3: Market Position and Expansion of BYD - BYD holds a 29.3% market share in new electric vehicle sales in China as of March 2025, leading over competitors like Geely and Tesla [7]. - The company is expanding its production capabilities in Europe with a new facility in Hungary expected to produce 200,000 units annually [7]. - BYD's sales in Europe increased significantly, with 37,000 units sold in the first quarter of 2025, up from 8,500 units the previous year [8].

Economic Indicators - The Advance Trade Balance for March reached an all-time low of -$162 billion, worsening from an adjusted -$147.8 billion the previous month, indicating a significant decline since the last presidential election [2] - Advance Retail Inventories fell to -0.1% in March, contrary to expectations of +0.4%, marking a continued downward trend since July of the previous year [3] - Advance Wholesale Inventories increased by +0.5%, slightly below the +0.6% consensus estimate, matching the revised February figure [4] Company Earnings Reports - PayPal (PYPL) reported Q1 earnings of 92 cents per share, exceeding the expected 64 cents, but revenues fell short by -0.88% to $13.72 billion [5] - General Motors (GM) achieved Q1 earnings of $2.78 per share, surpassing the $2.69 estimate, with revenues of $44.02 billion exceeding expectations by +3.57% [6] - Honeywell (HON) reported earnings of $2.51 per share, beating estimates by +13.57%, with quarterly sales of $9.82 billion, a +2.59% increase [7] - Spotify (SPOT) missed Q1 earnings expectations significantly, reporting earnings of $1.13 per share compared to the expected $2.29, with revenues of $4.41 billion falling short by -4.08% [8] Market Expectations - Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) results are anticipated to show a decline from 7.57 million to approximately 7.5 million [10] - Consumer Confidence for April is expected to drop to 87.3 from 92.9 in March, reflecting concerns over the economic outlook and high prices [11] - Upcoming earnings reports from major companies like Visa, Starbucks, Seagate Technologies, and Snap are expected, with significant reports from Microsoft and Meta Platforms starting Wednesday [12]

Honeywell International Inc. HON will release its first-quarter financial results before the opening bell on Tuesday, April 29. Note that dividend yield can change on a rolling basis, as the dividend payment and the stock price both fluctuate over time. The dividend yield is calculated by dividing the annual dividend payment by the current stock price. As the stock price changes, the dividend yield will also change. For example, if a stock pays an annual dividend of $2 and its current price is $50, its divi ...

Core Viewpoint - 3M Co. is set to report its first-quarter earnings, with Wall Street expecting an EPS of $1.77 and revenue of $5.76 billion, marking the company's first quarterly update of 2025 [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - 3M stock has increased by 38.03% over the past year but has seen a decline of 1.43% year to date and a significant drop of 14.98% over the past month [1] - The current trading price of 3M stock is $130.22, which is below its short and medium-term moving averages [5][2] Group 2: Technical Indicators - The eight-day, 20-day, and 50-day simple moving averages are at $139.03, $140.20, and $128.86 respectively, indicating weakening momentum [2] - The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator is at 1.53, suggesting bullish divergence and potential positive movement if earnings exceed expectations [3] - The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 43.32, approaching oversold territory, which may indicate a short-term bounce if supported by strong fundamentals [3] Group 3: Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - The consensus analyst rating for 3M stock is a Buy, with an average price target of $138.75 [4] - Recent calls from Citigroup, Barclays, and JPMorgan have raised the average target to $147.33, suggesting a potential upside of 15.33% from current levels [4]

Group 1: Market Overview - Q4 2024 earnings reporting indicates positive trends, but the outlook for 2025 earnings growth has dimmed [1] - Stocks in leadership positions are regaining traction after price dips, suggesting a continued uptrend in the S&P 500, albeit at a slower pace than in 2024 [1] Group 2: NVIDIA - NVIDIA's automotive segment grew nearly 30% year-over-year in Q4, driven by demand for driver-assist technology essential for EVs and autonomous driving [2][3] - Analysts view the automotive segment as a potential billion-dollar revenue stream that will grow in the coming years, aiding in diversification from the data center segment [3] - The consensus price target for NVIDIA has risen, indicating nearly 30% upside potential, with 91% of ratings at Buy or better [4] Group 3: Salesforce - Salesforce reported mixed earnings and weak guidance, leading to lowered price targets, but analysts believe business remains strong with a forecasted 20% upside [5][7] - Highlights include high single-digit growth, substantial margins, and free cash flow sufficient for capital returns, including dividends and buybacks [8] Group 4: 3M - 3M is expected to revert to organic and adjusted growth in 2025, with improving cash flow and capital return outlook [10][11] - Analysts have a positive sentiment for 2025, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a rising price target [11] Group 5: SoundHound AI - SoundHound AI's stock price has pulled back to long-term lows, but the growth outlook remains intact despite NVIDIA selling its stake [12][13] - Analysts rate SoundHound as a Hold, with potential for a 30% gain, possibly reaching $22.50 by year-end [14] Group 6: Shopify - Shopify is among the most upgraded stocks post-Q4 reporting, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and potential for at least 10% upside, likely 20% or more by year-end [15][16] - Q4 results showed accelerated growth and strength in both top and bottom lines, with guidance indicating continued strength in 2025 [17]