Core Insights - MasTec, Inc. has shown impressive stock performance, reaching a 52-week high of $221.83 and currently trading at $212.98, reflecting a 1.8% discount from the previous day's closing price [1][2] Stock Performance - The stock has surged 56.5% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Building Products – Heavy Construction industry growth of 45.5%, the broader Construction sector's 5.1% rise, and the S&P 500 index's 15.1% growth [2][5] Business Segments and Growth Drivers - The company is benefiting from strong demand in key markets, particularly in fiber networks and wireless projects, which are driving growth in the communications segment [4][6] - Increased utility spending on grid modernization is strengthening the power delivery business, while investments in renewables and infrastructure projects are enhancing margins in clean energy [4][9] - A record backlog of $16.45 billion, up 23% year-over-year, and rising new awards suggest future growth, prompting the company to raise its 2025 revenue guidance to between $13.9 billion and $14 billion [7][14] Backlog and Profitability - The communications backlog rose 13% year-over-year to a record $5 billion, indicating healthy demand for fiber and wireless projects [8] - The clean energy and infrastructure segment backlog increased 11% sequentially to a record $4.9 billion, supported by new awards [10] - The company is focused on improving profitability through operational efficiency, with non-pipeline EBITDA showing strong growth due to higher revenues [11][12] Valuation and Earnings Estimates - MasTec's shares are trading at a forward P/E ratio of 28.76, which is a 22.6% premium to the industry average of 23.26 [17] - Earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have trended upward to $6.32 and $7.73 per share, implying year-over-year growth of 60% and 22.4%, respectively [20] Challenges - The company faces near-term challenges in its Pipeline Infrastructure segment due to uneven capital spending and project timing, which has resulted in lower revenues in the first half of 2025 [15][16] - Ongoing investments to expand capacity are pressuring near-term margins, although management expects margins to recover in the second half of the year as utilization improves [16][22]

Core Insights - Verizon Communications Inc. is a leading telecommunications company in the U.S., providing a wide range of services including wireless communications, broadband, and enterprise solutions [1] - The company has a market capitalization of approximately $174.7 billion and is heavily investing in next-generation networking and emerging technologies [2] - Analysts project Verizon to report a profit of $1.20 per share for fiscal Q3 2025, a slight increase from $1.19 per share in the same quarter last year [3] Financial Performance - For the full year, analysts expect Verizon's EPS to be $4.70, reflecting a 2.4% increase from $4.59 in fiscal 2024, with further growth anticipated to $4.93 in fiscal 2026 [3] - Verizon's stock has declined by 5.6% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming the S&P 500 Index's 17.9% return and the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF's 29.4% increase [4] Market Sentiment - Recent leadership changes, including the appointment of Dan Schulman as CEO, have created investor uncertainty regarding potential strategic shifts [5] - Concerns about Verizon's heavy debt burden and high capital demands for maintaining competitiveness in 5G and fiber infrastructure are prevalent among investors [6] - Wall Street analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" rating on Verizon stock, with varying recommendations from "Strong Buy" to "Hold" among 30 analysts [6]

Core Insights - Crown Castle Inc. (CCI) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) with a market cap of $40.9 billion, specializing in wireless infrastructure across the U.S. [1] - The company generates stable revenue through long-term contracts and is recognized for its high dividend yield [2] Financial Performance - CCI shares have decreased by 21.9% from their 52-week high of $120.92 on September 16, 2024, and have dipped 4.6% over the past three months [3] - Year-to-date, CCI has increased by 4.1%, outperforming the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE), which rose by 3% [4] - Over the past 52 weeks, CCI shares have fallen by 19.6%, while XLRE experienced a 5.1% decline [4] Recent Developments - On July 23, CCI reported better-than-expected Q2 results, with a 3.8% surge in shares following the announcement [5] - The company's revenue dropped by 4.2% year-over-year to $1.1 billion but exceeded consensus estimates by 1.9% [5] - CCI's AFFO of $1.02 also surpassed Wall Street expectations by 2%, leading to an upward revision of its fiscal 2025 outlook, forecasting annual site rental revenues of $4 billion and an AFFO per share of $4.20 at the midpoint [5] Competitive Landscape - In comparison, rival American Tower Corporation (AMT) has gained 6.1% year-to-date and has fallen 18.4% over the past year [6]

Core Viewpoint - Investors are encouraged to explore several REITs that are currently trading under $12 and have made it to the Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) list, as these present favorable risk-to-reward opportunities amid a stock market rebound [1] Group 1: DigitalBridge Group (DBRG) - DigitalBridge Group focuses on investments in fiber networks, macro cell towers, and data centers, which are essential for the growth of 5G technology, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence [2] - The company has over $100 billion in assets and is projected to achieve over 20% EPS growth in fiscal years 2025 and 2026 [3] - DBRG stock has increased from a 52-week low of $6 in early April but remains 34% below its 52-week high of $17 from last October [3] Group 2: Invesco Mortgage Capital (IVR) - Invesco Mortgage Capital manages residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and is currently trading at $7, which reflects a low valuation at just 3X forward earnings [5] - EPS is expected to decline to $2.26 this year from $2.88 in 2024, with a further projected dip of 12% in FY26, while offering an annual dividend yield of 18.5% [5][6] - The stock has a stable 52-week range, with a low of $5.86 and a high of $9.97, indicating less volatility [6] Group 3: New York Mortgage Trust (NYMT) - New York Mortgage Trust is trading at $6 and is expected to see a significant rebound in its bottom line, offering a generous annual dividend of 12.26% [7] - The stock trades at a reasonable forward earnings multiple of 10.5X and has a low-volatile 52-week range, making it appealing for investors [7][8] - EPS estimates for FY25 and FY26 have increased significantly over the last 60 days, supported by a leveraged portfolio of residential mortgage securities [8] Group 4: Honorable Mentions - Ares Commercial Real Estate (ACRE) and Braemar Hotels & Resorts (BHR) are trading under $5 and are also on the Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) list, with expected positive adjusted EPS next year and annual dividends of 13.27% and 10%, respectively [9]

Core Insights - Many Americans believe they need at least $1.26 million to retire comfortably, but only 3.2% have saved over $1 million in retirement accounts [1][2] Group 1: IonQ - IonQ specializes in quantum computing systems and cloud-based services, utilizing qubits for data processing, which allows for faster computation compared to traditional binary bits [5] - The company measures its quantum computing power in algorithmic qubits (AQ), with its Forte system surpassing 36 AQ and the upcoming Tempo system expected to achieve 64 AQ [6] - IonQ anticipates a revenue growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 88% from $43 million to $286 million between 2024 and 2027, despite a high valuation of 27 times its projected 2027 sales [7][8] Group 2: Wolfspeed - Wolfspeed is a leading producer of silicon carbide (SiC) chips, which are essential for various applications including electric vehicles and AI servers [9] - The company faced challenges due to a cooling EV market, prioritization of AI-oriented components, and export restrictions from China, leading to a significant stock decline of nearly 98% [10][11] - Wolfspeed's stock is currently trading at 0.7 times its projected sales for fiscal 2025, presenting a potential opportunity for recovery as analysts expect a 12% CAGR in revenue from fiscal 2025 to fiscal 2027 [11] Group 3: Lumen - Lumen, formerly CenturyLink, focused on expanding its wireline networks and fiber infrastructure, but faced declining revenue from its business wireline segment [12][13] - The stock price fell below $1 due to ongoing losses and the elimination of dividends, but has since recovered to around $4 following contracts with major cloud and AI companies [14] - Lumen has $8.5 billion in active AI infrastructure contracts and is pursuing an additional $7 billion, which could revitalize its business and transform its market position [14][15]