The broader U.S. equity markets have witnessed a steady downtrend over the past couple of days as President Trump reignited the tariff war with a slew of proposed tariffs on imported goods from 14 countries, including major trading partners and allies, Japan and South Korea. The charges are scheduled to be levied from August, with more countries likely to be added to the list in the coming days. Although the doors are kept wide open for negotiations, the sudden shift in the tariff policy has led to heighten ...

Key Takeaways MRC saw a 3% revenue rise in gas utilities, fueled by housing growth and lower energy price exposure. Increased MRO activity and data center demand are expected to support MRC's revenue growth in 2025. MRC returned $388M to shareholders in 2024 and aims to buy back $125M more under a new program through 2028.MRC Global Inc. (MRC) is benefiting from solid momentum across the gas utility sector, driven by new home construction in some U.S. states and lower exposure to energy price volatility. ...

Core Insights - Companies with favorable efficiency levels are more likely to attract investors due to their expected impressive returns and positive correlation with price performance [1] - The efficiency ratio serves as an indicator of a company's financial health, assessing how effectively it utilizes its assets and liabilities [1] Efficiency Ratios to Consider - Receivables Turnover measures a company's ability to extend credit and collect debts, with a high ratio indicating effective collection practices [2] - Asset Utilization reflects a company's capability to convert assets into output, with higher values suggesting greater efficiency [3] - Inventory Turnover assesses a company's ability to manage inventory relative to its cost of goods sold, where a high ratio indicates efficient inventory management [4] - Operating Margin evaluates a company's control over operating expenses, with higher values indicating better expense management compared to peers [5] Screening Criteria - The screening process identified stocks with Inventory Turnover, Receivables Turnover, Asset Utilization, and Operating Margin greater than industry averages, narrowing down over 7,906 stocks to seven candidates [7] - A favorable Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) was also included in the screening criteria to enhance profitability [6] Selected Stocks - Carvana (CVNA) is a leading e-commerce platform for buying and selling used cars, with an average four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 137.6% [7] - Natural Gas Services Group (NGS) manufactures and services natural gas compressors, achieving an average four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 34.8% [9] - Equity Bancshares (EQBK) operates as a bank holding company providing financial services, with an average four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 17.3% [10]

A fresh wave of market uncertainty has been triggered by the U.S. trade court's ruling that President Donald Trump's global tariffs are illegal. Additionally, the Federal Reserve’s wait-and-see stance means the future direction of interest rates is uncertain.In this context, creating a curated portfolio of low-beta stocks is a prudent strategy. This provides a safeguard against the uncertain market, equipping investors to navigate volatility with greater resilience and foresight.Hence, stocks like Natural G ...

US Equity Strategy Equity Strategy & Equities Ten stock picks for an uncertain, volatile environment Initial sell-off broad-based but recovery uneven The initial post-Liberation Day sell-off was broad-based (99% of S&P 500 stocks fell), but the recovery over the past weeks has been uneven. Tech and Mag7 have largely driven the S&P 500 recovery. The equal-weighted S&P 500 has underperformed the index by c170bp and value underperformed growth by 620bp. Just 35% of S&P 500 stocks have recovered to pre-Liberati ...

Suncor Energy Inc. (SU) reported first-quarter 2025 adjusted operating earnings of 91 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 86 cents. This outperformance can be attributed to strong production growth in its upstream segment. However, the bottom line declined from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure of $1.05 due to lower adjusted operating earnings in the downstream segment.Operating revenues of $8.7 billion beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.9%. However, the top line decreased a ...

MRC Global (MRC) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 07, 2025 10:00 AM ET Company Participants Monica Broughton - Investor RelationsRob Saltiel - President and CEOKelly Youngblood - EVP & CFOChristopher Dankert - SVP - Equity ResearchBlake McLean - Managing Director Conference Call Participants Adam Farley - Associate AnalystCharles Minervino - Equity Research Analyst Operator and welcome to MRC Global's First Quarter twenty twenty five Earnings Conference Call. At this time, participants are in a listen only mode. A ...

Cactus, Inc. (WHD) reported first-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of 73 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 70 cents. However, the bottom line declined from the year-ago quarter’s figure of 75 cents. (Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.)Total quarterly revenues of $280.3 million beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $268 million. The top line improved from the year-ago figure of $274 million.The better-than-expected quarterly earnings can be attribut ...