Momentum investing is all about the idea of following a stock's recent trend, which can be in either direction. In the "long context," investors will essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." And for investors following this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving in that direction. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.Even ...

Group 1: Company Overview - Kaiser Aluminum (KALU) is part of the Industrial Products group, which consists of 179 companies and ranks 7 in the Zacks Sector Rank [2] - The Zacks Rank system highlights stocks with favorable earnings estimates and revisions, with Kaiser Aluminum currently holding a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [3] Group 2: Performance Metrics - Year-to-date, Kaiser Aluminum has returned approximately 22.4%, outperforming the Industrial Products sector average return of 19.3% [4] - The consensus estimate for KALU's full-year earnings has increased by 9.3% over the past quarter, indicating improved analyst sentiment [3] Group 3: Industry Comparison - Kaiser Aluminum belongs to the Metal Products - Procurement and Fabrication industry, which has an average gain of 10.8% this year, showing KALU's superior performance within this segment [5] - In contrast, Tenaris S.A. (TS), another stock in the Industrial Products sector, has a year-to-date return of 28.4% and is part of the Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, which has increased by 23.6% this year [4][6]

Valmont Industries (VMI) came out with quarterly earnings of $4.92 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.95 per share. This compares to earnings of $3.84 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -0.54%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this infrastructure equipment maker would post earnings of $4.64 per share when it actually produced earnings of $4.98, delivering a surprise of +7.33%.Over the last fo ...

Core Insights - Zacks Equity Research highlights key stocks including Johnson & Johnson, Netflix, Arista Networks, Omega Flex, and AXIL Brands, providing insights into their performance and market conditions [1][2] Johnson & Johnson - Johnson & Johnson's shares have outperformed the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry over the past six months, with a gain of 38.7% compared to the industry's 22.5% [4] - The company exceeded Q4 earnings and sales estimates, driven by growth in its Innovative Medicine unit, despite facing challenges from the Stelara patent expiration [4][5] - The MedTech segment has shown operational growth, and the company anticipates higher sales growth in both segments for 2026 [5] Netflix - Netflix's shares have underperformed the Zacks Broadcast Radio and Television industry over the past six months, declining by 27.4% compared to the industry's 13.1% [6] - The company reported solid Q4 2025 results, with earnings surpassing estimates and revenue increasing by 18% to $12.05 billion, alongside a significant rise in advertising revenue [7][8] - Despite projecting revenue growth of 12-14% for 2026, Netflix faces challenges from regulatory hurdles related to the proposed Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition and increasing competition from Disney and Amazon [6][8] Arista Networks - Arista Networks' shares have outperformed the Zacks Internet - Software industry over the past six months, with a gain of 26.1% compared to the industry's decline of 9.7% [9] - The company benefits from strong demand trends and a scalable product portfolio, including advanced cloud-native software and high-performance switching products [9][10] - However, Arista faces competition in cloud networking solutions and margin pressures due to rising costs and high customer concentration [11] Omega Flex - Omega Flex's shares have gained 3% over the past six months, while the Zacks Steel - Pipe and Tube industry has increased by 20.7% [12] - The company maintains a debt-free balance sheet with $49.4 million in cash and has a disciplined capital return policy reflected in its dividend payouts [12][13] - Despite its competitive edge in gas piping products, Omega Flex has experienced a 2.2% revenue decline and an 18% drop in operating profit year-to-date due to pressures from residential construction and rising costs [14] AXIL Brands - AXIL Brands' shares have outperformed the Zacks Consumer Products - Staples industry over the past year, with a gain of 26.5% compared to the industry's decline of 7.4% [15] - The company is expanding its retail footprint and shifting towards a diversified omni-channel strategy, enhancing its scale and customer reach [16] - AXIL Brands has a strong balance sheet and is positioned for long-term growth, particularly in the hair and skin care segment [17]

Core Insights - Mueller Water Products (MWA) reported quarterly earnings of $0.38 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.34 per share, and up from $0.22 per share a year ago [1][2] - The company achieved revenues of $380.8 million for the quarter ended September 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.18% and increasing from $348.2 million year-over-year [3] - The stock has gained approximately 15.8% since the beginning of the year, slightly outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 15.6% [4] Earnings Performance - The earnings surprise for the recent quarter was +11.76%, while the previous quarter saw a surprise of -2.86% [2] - Over the last four quarters, Mueller Water Products has exceeded consensus EPS estimates three times [2] Future Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.29 on revenues of $317.3 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.42 on revenues of $1.47 billion [8] - The estimate revisions trend for the company was mixed prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market [7] Industry Context - Mueller Water Products operates within the Zacks Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, which is currently ranked in the bottom 17% of over 250 Zacks industries [9] - Historical data suggests that the top 50% of Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by more than a factor of 2 to 1 [9]

Core Insights - MRC Global reported quarterly earnings of $0.13 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.28 per share, and down from $0.22 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of -53.57% [1] - The company posted revenues of $678 million for the quarter ended September 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 18.8%, and down from $797 million year-over-year [2] - MRC shares have increased by approximately 8.3% since the beginning of the year, compared to the S&P 500's gain of 15.1% [3] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.19 on revenues of $738.4 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.71 on revenues of $3.08 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for MRC 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 Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, to which MRC belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 28% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting that stocks in the top 50% of Zacks-ranked industries outperform those in the bottom 50% by more than 2 to 1 [8] - Another company in the same industry, Mueller Water Products, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $0.34 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +54.6%, with revenues projected at $362.05 million, up 4% from the previous year [9][10]

Core Insights - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] - Valmont Industries (VMI) currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A, indicating strong momentum characteristics [2] - The Zacks Rank for Valmont Industries is 2 (Buy), suggesting it is positioned for potential outperformance in the market [3] Price Performance - VMI shares have increased by 3.82% over the past week, outperforming the Zacks Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, which rose by 1.3% [5] - Over the past month, VMI's price change is 8.92%, significantly higher than the industry's 2.14% [5] - In the last quarter, VMI shares rose by 10.15%, and over the past year, they gained 23.21%, while the S&P 500 increased by 6.56% and 15.83%, respectively [6] Trading Volume - The average 20-day trading volume for VMI is 157,152 shares, which serves as a baseline for price-to-volume analysis [7] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, three earnings estimates for VMI have been revised upwards, while none have been lowered, raising the consensus estimate from $18.63 to $19.02 [9] - For the next fiscal year, one estimate has increased, while one has decreased during the same period [9] Conclusion - Considering the strong price performance, positive earnings revisions, and high Momentum Style Score, VMI is identified as a solid momentum pick and is recommended for investors looking for potential near-term gains [11]

Group 1: Momentum Investing Overview - Momentum investing involves following a stock's recent trend, with the strategy of buying high and selling higher, capitalizing on established price movements [1] - The Zacks Momentum Style Score helps define momentum characteristics, with Valmont Industries (VMI) currently holding a Momentum Style Score of B [2][3] Group 2: Valmont Industries Performance - Valmont Industries has shown a 2.7% increase in shares over the past week, while the Zacks Steel - Pipe and Tube industry increased by 2.92% [5] - Over the past quarter, VMI shares increased by 21.49%, and over the last year, they gained 34.94%, outperforming the S&P 500's increases of 10.18% and 20.38% respectively [6] - The average 20-day trading volume for VMI is 177,740 shares, indicating a bullish sign if the stock is rising with above-average volume [7] Group 3: Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, four earnings estimates for VMI have moved higher, with no downward revisions, raising the consensus estimate from $18.12 to $18.63 [9] - For the next fiscal year, four estimates have also moved upwards without any downward revisions [9] Group 4: Conclusion - Valmont Industries is rated as a 2 (Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of B, making it a potential candidate for near-term investment [11]

Core Viewpoint - MRC Global reported quarterly earnings of $0.25 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.23 per share, but down from $0.31 per share a year ago, indicating an earnings surprise of +8.70% [1] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $798 million for the quarter ended June 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.35%, although this is a decrease from year-ago revenues of $832 million [2] - Over the last four quarters, MRC has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times and topped consensus revenue estimates three times [2] Stock Performance - MRC shares have increased approximately 12.4% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 7.1% [3] Future Outlook - The company's earnings outlook is crucial for investors, with current consensus EPS estimates of $0.32 for the coming quarter and $0.87 for the current fiscal year, alongside revenues of $832.9 million and $3.04 billion respectively [7] - The estimate revisions trend for MRC was favorable ahead of the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) for the stock, indicating expected outperformance in the near future [6] Industry Context - The Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, to which MRC belongs, is currently in the top 23% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a positive outlook as the top 50% of Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by more than 2 to 1 [8]

Core Viewpoint - Mueller Water Products reported quarterly earnings of $0.34 per share, slightly missing the consensus estimate of $0.35 per share, but showing an increase from $0.32 per share a year ago [1][2] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $380.3 million for the quarter ended June 2025, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.84% and up from $356.7 million year-over-year [3] - Over the last four quarters, Mueller Water Products has surpassed consensus revenue estimates four times [3] Stock Performance - Since the beginning of the year, Mueller Water Products shares have increased by approximately 7.7%, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 6.1% [4] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating expectations of underperformance in the near future due to unfavorable estimate revisions [7] Future Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.31 on revenues of $358.8 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.23 on revenues of $1.39 billion [8] - The Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, to which Mueller Water Products belongs, is currently ranked in the top 21% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable industry outlook [9]