Core Viewpoint - Greif, Inc. announces the retirement of Gary Martz, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary, effective November 30, 2025, after over two decades of service, highlighting his significant contributions to the company's legal and operational foundations [1][2]. Company Leadership and Transition - Gary Martz joined Greif in 2002 as the first in-house counsel and developed a global function overseeing corporate governance, compliance, mergers and acquisitions, and litigation, among other areas [2]. - Ole Rosgaard, President and CEO, acknowledges Martz's foundational role and expresses gratitude for his leadership and legal expertise, which have been vital to Greif's global success [3]. - Dennis Hoffman will take over as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary on October 1, bringing extensive experience in corporate law and a strong understanding of Greif's values [5]. Company Background - Greif, founded in 1877, operates in 40 countries and is recognized as a leader in performance packaging, providing innovative solutions for various industries [6].

Core Viewpoint - Greif (GEF) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a positive outlook on its earnings estimates, which significantly influence stock prices [1][2]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Impact - The Zacks rating system emphasizes the importance of changing earnings estimates, which are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements [3][5]. - Institutional investors utilize earnings estimates to determine the fair value of stocks, leading to buying or selling actions that affect stock prices [3]. Greif's Earnings Outlook - The upgrade for Greif reflects an improvement in the company's underlying business, suggesting that investor sentiment may drive the stock price higher [4]. - Greif is projected to earn $4.05 per share for the fiscal year ending October 2025, with a year-over-year change of zero [7]. - Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Greif has increased by 7.4% [7]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with a strong historical performance, particularly for Zacks Rank 1 stocks, which have averaged a +25% annual return since 1988 [6]. - The system maintains a balanced distribution of "buy" and "sell" ratings, ensuring that only the top 20% of stocks receive a "Strong Buy" or "Buy" rating [8][9]. Conclusion - Greif's upgrade to Zacks Rank 2 places it in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, indicating a strong potential for market-beating returns in the near term [9].

Company Performance - SoundThinking (SSTI) reported a quarterly loss of $0.24 per share, which was worse than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.09, marking an earnings surprise of -166.67% [1] - The company posted revenues of $25.89 million for the quarter ended June 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.65%, and down from $26.96 million a year ago [2] - Over the last four quarters, SoundThinking has not surpassed consensus EPS estimates and has topped consensus revenue estimates only twice [2] Stock Outlook - SoundThinking shares have declined approximately 14.5% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with the S&P 500's gain of 8.4% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$0.03 on revenues of $27.57 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is -$0.28 on revenues of $111.01 million [7] - The estimate revisions trend for SoundThinking was unfavorable prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell) for the stock, indicating expected underperformance in the near future [6] Industry Context - The Security and Safety Services industry, to which SoundThinking belongs, is currently in the top 31% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable industry outlook [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can impact SoundThinking's stock performance [5]

DELAWARE, Ohio, Aug. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greif, Inc. (NYSE: GEF, GEF.B), a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Molpus Woodlands Group, on behalf of clients, to sell its Soterra land management business for $462 million. This transaction, which includes over 173,000 acres of timberlands across the Southeastern United States, follows Greif's previously announced intent to divest the business as part of its s ...

Core Viewpoint - Greif announced the permanent closure of its steel and polymer drum facility in Merced, California, as part of a strategy to optimize operations and reduce costs by $100 million [1][2]. Company Actions - The facility is set to cease operations in September 2025, impacting approximately 43 positions [2]. - Customer orders will be fulfilled through the company's remaining global steel and polymer network after the closure [2]. Strategic Focus - The decision is aimed at strengthening the company's focus on key markets and enhancing the performance of its existing steel network and broader business portfolio [3]. Company Overview - Greif is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, producing a variety of containers and packaging solutions [4]. - The company operates over 250 facilities in 37 countries, employing more than 14,000 people [4].

Core Points - Greif, Inc. has initiated a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) with Enel Green Power España, effective July 1, 2025, following the completion of solar farms in Castilla y León, Spain [1][2] - The 12-year agreement will enable Greif to purchase approximately 100 GWh of renewable energy annually, which is expected to offset around 65% of its Scope 2 emissions in Europe and 3% of its total Scope 1 and 2 emissions globally [2][3] - The VPPA is a key element of Greif's sustainability strategy, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing waste across its operations [3] Company Overview - Greif, Inc. is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, producing a variety of packaging solutions including steel, plastic, and fiber drums, as well as containerboard and specialty products [4] - The company operates over 250 facilities in 37 countries, employing more than 14,000 individuals to serve both global and regional customers [4]

Core Insights - In times of market volatility, investors often prefer value investing, seizing opportunities to buy undervalued stocks as others sell at lower prices [1][2] Value Investment Strategy - Value investing can lead to "value traps" where stocks underperform due to persistent issues rather than temporary problems [3] - Key metrics for identifying value stocks include dividend yield, P/E ratio, and P/B ratio [3] Importance of PEG Ratio - The PEG ratio, defined as (Price/Earnings)/Earnings Growth Rate, is a crucial metric for assessing a stock's intrinsic value [4][5] - A low PEG ratio is favorable for value investors, but it has limitations, such as not accounting for changing growth rates [5] Screening Criteria for Value Stocks - Effective screening criteria for value stocks include a PEG ratio less than the industry median, a P/E ratio below the industry median, Zacks Rank 1 or 2, market capitalization over $1 billion, average 20-day volume greater than 50,000, and upward earnings estimate revisions greater than 5% [6] Selected Stocks - Carnival Corporation (CCL) has a five-year growth rate of 28.5% and a Zacks Rank 2 with a Value Score of A [7][9] - Harmony Gold Mining (HMY) shows a long-term historical growth rate of 73.4%, a Zacks Rank 1, and a Value Score of B [7][10][11] - Dollar Tree (DLTR) has a five-year expected growth rate of 6.7% and a Zacks Rank 2 with a Value Score of B [7][12][13] - Greif, Inc. (GEF) has a long-term expected earnings growth rate of 9.9%, a Value Score of A, and a Zacks Rank of 1 [7][14]

Core Viewpoint - Greif, Inc. has announced the divestiture of its Containerboard business for $1.8 billion to Packaging Corporation of America, which aligns with its strategy to enhance capital efficiency and focus on growth priorities [2][4]. Financial Impact - The cash proceeds from the divestiture will be allocated to debt repayment, resulting in a pro-forma leverage ratio below 2.0x after closing, with further reductions expected from the planned divestiture of Greif's timberland business [3]. - This transaction is expected to unlock value-creation opportunities and enhance capital utilization, reducing recurring capital needs [8]. Strategic Rationale - The sale is part of Greif's "Build to Last" strategy, aimed at sharpening the company's portfolio and advancing growth priorities [4]. - The remaining material solutions will maintain leadership positions to drive margin expansion and cash flow generation [4]. Conference Call - Greif will host an investor call on July 1, 2025, to discuss the rationale for the divestment and its impact on proforma business operations [5].

Group 1 - Shore Bancshares, Inc. (SHBI) has a Zacks Rank 1 and its current year earnings estimate increased by 7.1% over the last 60 days [1] - Shore's shares gained 15.1% over the last three months, outperforming the S&P 500's 10% advance [1] - Worthington Enterprises, Inc. (WOR) has a Zacks Rank 1 with a current year earnings estimate increase of 16.2% over the last 60 days [2] - Worthington's shares gained 27.4% over the last three months, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 10% advance [2] - Greif, Inc. (GEF) holds a Zacks Rank 1 and its current year earnings estimate increased by 6.9% over the last 60 days [3] - Greif's shares gained 18% over the last three months, also outperforming the S&P 500's 10% advance [3] - All three companies possess strong momentum characteristics, with Shore and Worthington having Momentum Scores of A, while Greif has a Momentum Score of B [1][2][3]

Group 1 - Hudbay Minerals Inc. (HBM) has seen a 30.8% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [1] - Shore Bancshares, Inc. (SHBI) has experienced a 7.1% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [1] - National Grid plc (NGG) has recorded a 5.4% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [2] - Eagle Bancorp Montana, Inc. (EBMT) has seen an increase of nearly 9% in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [2] - Greif, Inc. (GEF) has experienced a 6.9% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [3]