Core Viewpoint - The article discusses seven low beta stocks with dividend yields up to 8%, which are considered more stable during market downturns, providing a cushion against volatility [2][3]. Group 1: Low-Beta Dividend Stocks - Getty Realty (GTY) offers a 6.6% yield with a 5-year beta of 0.86 and a 1-year beta of 0.12, indicating lower volatility compared to the market. The company has a stable cash-flowing tenant base, primarily from convenience stores and car washes [5][7]. - AES Corp. (AES) has a 5.5% yield and operates with a 1-year beta of 0.88 and a 5-year beta of 0.96. It combines traditional utility services with renewable energy sales, providing growth potential [9][10]. - Northwest Bancshares (NWBI) offers a 6.8% yield with a 5-year beta of 0.69 and a 1-year beta of 0.80. The company has a solid balance sheet but faces challenges in consistent growth despite a recent merger [11][12]. - Conagra Brands (CAG) has a yield of 7.4% but faces significant challenges, including supply chain issues and food inflation, with a 1-year beta of -0.05 and a 5-year beta of 0.08 [17][21]. - Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) boasts an 8.0% yield and has seen a 60% increase year-to-date, with a 1-year beta of 0.67 and a 5-year beta of 0.19. The company has benefited from rising egg prices but faces income variability [23][24]. Group 2: Market Performance and Trends - The article highlights that low beta stocks tend to attract buyers during market downturns, which can help stabilize their share prices [3]. - The performance of low beta stocks like Kraft Heinz (KHC) and General Mills (GIS) has been disappointing, with low betas reflecting counter-market movements rather than stability [14][15]. - The overall trend indicates that while some low beta stocks have maintained dividends, their growth has been limited, and challenges remain in the current market environment [16][22].

Group 1: Company Strategy and Investments - PPL Corporation is heavily investing in grid modernization and transmission infrastructure to enhance energy delivery and meet rising demand, particularly from data centers [1][8] - The company is focusing on strategic investments in Pennsylvania and Kentucky to leverage the expected growth in the data center market, with nearly 11 gigawatts of potential demand in Pennsylvania, leading to a projected capital investment of $700-$850 million [2][8] - PPL plans a regulated capital investment of $20 billion from 2025 to 2028, with specific investments of $4.3 billion in 2025 and $5.2 billion in 2026, targeting an average annual rate base growth of 9.8% during this period [4][8] Group 2: Financial Performance and Earnings Estimates - PPL's capital investments are expected to significantly boost earnings per share (EPS) growth, with Zacks Consensus Estimates indicating increases of 7.69% for 2025 and 7.97% for 2026 [3][7] - The current Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS in 2025 is $1.82, with a projected increase to $1.97 in 2026, reflecting a year-over-year growth estimate of 7.69% and 7.97% respectively [9] Group 3: Market Position and Stock Performance - PPL is trading at a premium compared to the industry, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 18.32X, while the industry average is 14.63X [10] - Over the past year, PPL's stock has increased by 24.3%, outperforming the industry growth of 16.4% [12]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence through various resources [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to help investors identify stocks with the potential to outperform the market within a 30-day timeframe [2] Zacks Style Scores Overview - The Style Scores categorize stocks into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score, each focusing on different investment strategies [3][4][5][6] - Value Score emphasizes finding undervalued stocks using financial ratios [3] - Growth Score focuses on a company's financial health and future growth potential [4] - Momentum Score capitalizes on existing trends in stock prices and earnings [5] - VGM Score combines all three styles to provide a comprehensive assessment of stocks [6] Zacks Rank and Performance - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to assist in portfolio building [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically achieved an average annual return of +25.41%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] - There are over 800 stocks rated 1 or 2, making it essential to utilize Style Scores for optimal stock selection [9] Stock Highlight: DTE Energy - DTE Energy, based in Detroit, is a diversified energy company with a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and a VGM Score of B [11] - The company is projected to have a year-over-year earnings growth of 6% for the current fiscal year, supported by upward revisions from analysts [12] - DTE's earnings consensus estimate has increased by $0.02 to $7.24 per share, with an average earnings surprise of 11.8% [12]