Investors might want to bet on HNI (HNI) , as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). This upgrade primarily reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates, which is one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices. A company's changing earnings picture is at the core of the Zacks rating. The system tracks the Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus measure of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years. Since a changing earning ...

Core Viewpoint - HNI is positioned as a strong investment opportunity due to significant revisions in earnings estimates, indicating a positive earnings outlook and potential for continued stock price growth [1][2]. Earnings Estimate Revisions - Analysts have shown increasing optimism regarding HNI's earnings prospects, leading to higher earnings estimates which are expected to positively influence the stock price [2]. - The current-quarter earnings estimate is $0.84 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +6.33%, with a 15.07% rise in the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the last 30 days [6]. - For the full year, HNI is projected to earn $3.49 per share, representing a +14.05% change from the previous year, with a 7.06% increase in the consensus estimate over the past month [7][8]. Zacks Rank and Performance - HNI has achieved a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating favorable estimate revisions that suggest strong future performance [9]. - Historically, stocks with Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) have significantly outperformed the S&P 500, with Zacks 1 stocks averaging a +25% annual return since 2008 [3][9]. Stock Performance - HNI shares have increased by 16.2% over the past four weeks, reflecting investor confidence in the company's earnings growth prospects [10].