Core Viewpoint - Lamb Weston (LW) shows a favorable earnings outlook, with analysts raising their earnings estimates, which may positively impact the stock price [1][2]. Earnings Estimate Revisions - Analysts' optimism regarding Lamb Weston has led to higher earnings estimates, which historically correlate with stock price movements [2]. - For the current quarter, Lamb Weston is expected to earn $0.68 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +3.0%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has risen by 12.15% due to three upward revisions and one downward revision in the last 30 days [6]. - For the full year, the expected earnings are $3.14 per share, indicating a year-over-year decrease of -6.3%. However, there has been a positive trend with five upward revisions and no negative revisions in the past month [7]. Zacks Rank - Lamb Weston has achieved a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating strong agreement among analysts on the positive earnings revisions. This ranking is part of a system that has shown a strong track record of outperformance [3][8]. - Stocks with Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) have historically outperformed the S&P 500 [8]. Stock Performance - The stock has gained 16.8% over the past four weeks, driven by solid estimate revisions, suggesting potential for further growth in earnings [9].

Group 1 - Conagra Brands Inc (NYSE:CAG) is highlighted as a top trending stock, with analysts viewing the recent selloff as a buying opportunity [1] - The company's management discussed consumer-related challenges during the latest earnings call, but analysts remain optimistic about its ability to capture low-income consumers and its valuation [1][2] - The frozen food segment is performing well, with meals priced around five to six dollars becoming more appealing, contributing to growth in this category [2] Group 2 - In the snack category, the Slim Jim brand's beef jerky saw a 4% increase, indicating some positive performance despite overall mixed results for the business [2] - The consumer products and food sector has faced significant pressures from commodity and volume challenges, leading to a decline in stock prices, but these stocks are now considered cheap with attractive dividend yields [2] - There is a belief that certain AI stocks may offer higher returns and lower risk compared to CAG, suggesting a competitive investment landscape [3]

Core Insights - Lamb Weston (LW) has shown a slight increase in total revenue for the quarter ending August 2025, amounting to $1.66 billion, which is a 0.3% year-over-year growth [4] - The company's international operations are significant, contributing 34.6% of total revenue, translating to $574.7 million, which exceeded Wall Street expectations by 3.5% [6] Revenue Breakdown - North America generated $1.08 billion in revenue, accounting for 65.4% of total revenue, slightly down from 66.7% in the same quarter last year [5] - International revenue of $574.7 million represented a growth from $550.4 million in the same quarter last year, indicating a positive trend in foreign market performance [6] Future Projections - Analysts project a total revenue of $1.58 billion for the ongoing fiscal quarter, with North America expected to contribute $1.05 billion and International $538.3 million [7] - For the full fiscal year, total revenue is anticipated to reach $6.5 billion, reflecting a 0.7% increase from the previous year, with North America and International expected to contribute $4.27 billion and $2.23 billion, respectively [8] Market Performance - Lamb Weston's stock has increased by 8.5% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite, which rose by 4.3% [13] - Over the past three months, the company's shares gained 22.6%, significantly higher than the S&P 500's 7.4% increase, indicating strong market performance relative to its sector [13]

Core Insights - Lamb Weston reported quarterly earnings of $0.74 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.54 per share, and showing a slight increase from $0.73 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +37.04% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $1.66 billion for the quarter ended August 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.65%, and showing a year-over-year increase from $1.65 billion [2] - Lamb Weston has outperformed consensus EPS estimates three times in the last four quarters and has also topped revenue estimates three times during the same period [2] Earnings Outlook - The future performance of Lamb Weston shares will largely depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently released numbers [3][4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.60 on revenues of $1.58 billion, while the estimate for the current fiscal year is $2.89 on revenues of $6.49 billion [7] Industry Context - The Zacks Industry Rank indicates that the Food - Miscellaneous sector, to which Lamb Weston belongs, is currently in the bottom 22% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8] - The performance of Lamb Weston may also be influenced by the upcoming earnings report of Conagra Brands, another company in the same industry, which is expected to report a significant year-over-year decline in earnings [9][10]

Core Insights - European Wax Center, Inc. (EWCZ) reported mixed second-quarter 2025 results, with earnings per share (EPS) of 27 cents exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 19 cents, while total revenues of $55.9 million fell short of the consensus estimate of $57 million [1][2][10] Financial Performance - Total revenues decreased by 6.6% year-over-year, primarily due to weaker same-day services and retail sales, despite a 0.3% increase in same-store sales [2][10] - System-wide sales amounted to $257.6 million, down 1% from $260.2 million in the previous year [2] - Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) rose by 13.2% to $14.5 million, with SG&A as a percentage of total revenues increasing by 430 basis points to 25.9% [3] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 4.7% to $21.6 million, with the adjusted EBITDA margin rising by 420 basis points to 38.7% [4][10] Balance Sheet and Cash Flow - As of July 5, 2025, EWCZ had cash and cash equivalents of $63.9 million, net long-term debt of $374 million, and total shareholders' equity of $76.5 million [5] - The company generated $27.9 million in net cash from operating activities during the quarter [5] - Inventory levels remained stable year-over-year [5] Share Repurchase - EWCZ repurchased nearly 0.2 million shares of its Class A common stock for $1.1 million, bringing total repurchases under its existing $50 million authorization to $41.2 million [6] Future Outlook - For 2025, EWCZ revised its projections for system-wide sales to $940-$950 million, down from $940-$960 million, and total revenues to $205-$209 million, down from $210-$214 million [7] - Same-store sales are now expected to be in the range of 0-1%, compared to the previous forecast of 0-2% [7] - The company anticipates opening 10-12 new centers and closing 40-60 centers, resulting in a net loss of 28-50 centers for the year [8]

Core Insights - Post Holdings, Inc. reported strong third-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with both revenue and earnings exceeding expectations and showing year-over-year growth [1][10]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share were $2.03, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.67, and increased from $1.54 in the same quarter last year [2][10]. - Net sales reached $1,984.3 million, a 1.9% increase year over year, beating the estimate of $1,951 million. This includes $8.4 million from the acquisition of Potato Products of Idaho, L.L.C. [3][10]. - Gross profit was $596.2 million, up 3.3% year over year, with gross margin expanding to 30% from 29.6% [3][10]. - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses decreased by 3.8% to $312.1 million, representing 15.7% of net sales compared to 16.7% in the prior year [4]. - Operating profit increased by 15.5% to $234.6 million, and adjusted EBITDA rose 13.4% to $397 million from $350.2 million in the previous year [4]. Segment Performance - **Post Consumer Brands**: Reported net sales of $914 million, down 9.3% year over year, missing the estimate of $945 million, primarily due to a 10.3% drop in volumes [5]. - **Weetabix**: Net sales increased by 1.3% to $137.9 million but missed the estimate of $139 million, with a 2.5% decline in volumes [6]. - **Foodservice**: Achieved 18.6% growth in net sales to $698.5 million, exceeding the estimate of $636 million, with volumes growing 4.5% excluding acquisition impacts [7]. - **Refrigerated Retail**: Sales increased by 9.1% to $233.9 million, beating the estimate of $224 million, with a profit surge of 380.4% to $24.5 million [8]. Future Outlook - The company raised its fiscal 2025 adjusted EBITDA guidance to a range of $1,500-$1,520 million, up from the previous range of $1,460-$1,500 million [10][14]. - Capital expenditures for fiscal 2025 are expected to be between $450 million and $480 million, increased from the previous range of $390-$430 million [15]. Shareholder Actions - Post Holdings repurchased 0.6 million shares for $62.1 million in the third quarter, totaling 3.9 million shares for $434.7 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2025 [12].

Core Insights - The Hershey Company reported second-quarter 2025 results with both top and bottom lines exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates, although the bottom line showed a year-over-year decline [1][9] - Adjusted earnings per share were $1.21, down 4.7% year over year, while consolidated net sales reached $2,614.7 million, a 26% increase from the previous year [1][2] Financial Performance - Consolidated net sales of $2,614.7 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,548 million, with organic sales rising 26.3% on a constant-currency basis [2] - Adjusted gross margin contracted to 38.1%, down 510 basis points, primarily due to increased commodity and manufacturing costs [4][9] - Selling, marketing, and administrative expenses rose 11.5% year over year, driven by higher advertising and consumer marketing spending [5] - Adjusted operating profit increased 7.1% year over year to $410.6 million, with the operating margin contracting 280 basis points to 15.7% [6] Segment Performance - North America Confectionery segment net sales were $2,085.5 million, up 32.0% year over year, with volume growth attributed to inventory cycling, Easter holiday timing, and early Halloween shipments [7] - The North America Salty Snacks segment reported net sales of $315.5 million, an 8.8% increase, with volume growth and net price realization contributing to this rise [10] - The International segment posted net sales of $213.7 million, reflecting a 4.4% increase, although income decreased by $5.2 million year over year [12] Financial Health - The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $912.4 million and long-term debt of $5,176.4 million [13] - Management expects capital expenditure for 2025 to be in the range of $425 million to $450 million [13] Future Outlook - Management anticipates net sales to increase at least 2% in 2025, with adjusted EPS projected between $5.81 and $6, reflecting a significant decline from 2024 [14] - The effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 27%, with tariff expenses anticipated to be around $170 million to $180 million for the full year [15]

Core Insights - Altria Group Inc. reported second-quarter 2025 results with both revenue and earnings exceeding expectations and showing year-over-year growth [1][2][11] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for the second quarter were $1.44, an increase of 8.3% year over year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.37 [2][11] - Net revenues totaled $6,102 million, a decline of 1.7% year over year, primarily due to decreased revenues in the smokeable products segment, partially offset by growth in oral tobacco products [3][11] - Revenues net of excise taxes increased by 0.2% to $5,290 million, beating the consensus estimate of $5,190 million [3] Segment Performance - **Smokeable Products**: Net revenues fell 2.5% year over year to $5,357 million, driven by reduced shipment volumes, although higher pricing provided some offset [4][5] - Domestic cigarette shipment volumes decreased by 10.2%, attributed to industry decline and retail share losses, while cigar shipment volumes increased by 3.7% [5] - Adjusted operating companies' income (OCI) in this segment rose 4.2% to $2,947 million, with adjusted OCI margins growing by 2.9 percentage points to 64.5% [6] - **Oral Tobacco Products**: Net revenues increased by 5.9% to $753 million, mainly due to higher pricing, despite a decline in domestic shipment volumes by 1% [7][8] - Adjusted OCI in this segment grew by 10.9%, with adjusted OCI margins increasing by 3.1 percentage points to 68.7% [8] Shareholder Returns and Guidance - The company repurchased 4.7 million shares for $274 million in the second quarter, with $400 million remaining under its $1 billion share repurchase program [10] - Altria paid dividends totaling $1.7 billion in the second quarter [10] - The company narrowed its full-year 2025 adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $5.35 to $5.45, indicating a year-over-year growth of 3% to 5% [11][12]

Core Viewpoint - The analysis of Lamb Weston’s international operations is crucial for understanding its financial strength and growth potential, especially given its significant global presence [1][2]. Group 1: Financial Performance - In the last fiscal quarter, Lamb Weston reported total revenue of $1.68 billion, reflecting a 4% increase from the previous year [4]. - North America contributed $1.1 billion, accounting for 65.83% of total revenue, which was a surprise of +2.4% compared to analyst expectations [5]. - International revenue reached $572.7 million, making up 34.17% of total revenue, exceeding the consensus estimate by +10.28% [6]. Group 2: Revenue Projections - Analysts forecast total revenue of $1.62 billion for the current fiscal quarter, indicating a decline of 2.3% from the prior-year quarter [7]. - For the entire year, total revenue is projected to be $6.49 billion, a 0.5% improvement from the previous year, with North America expected to contribute 65.4% ($4.24 billion) and International 33.5% ($2.17 billion) [8]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - The reliance on international markets presents both opportunities and challenges for Lamb Weston, making the analysis of international revenue trends essential for future outlook [9]. - Financial analysts are closely monitoring international developments to refine earnings estimates for companies operating globally, highlighting the importance of local market conditions [10]. Group 4: Stock Performance - Lamb Weston’s stock has increased by 14% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite, which rose by 4.9% [13]. - Over the past three months, the company's shares gained 18.2%, compared to a 16% increase in the S&P 500 [13].

Core Viewpoint - Lamb Weston (LW) is anticipated to report a year-over-year decline in earnings due to lower revenues, which could significantly influence its near-term stock price depending on how actual results compare to consensus estimates [1][2]. Earnings Expectations - The upcoming earnings report is expected to be released on July 23, with a consensus estimate of $0.64 per share, reflecting an 18% decrease year-over-year. Revenues are projected at $1.59 billion, down 1.2% from the same quarter last year [3][2]. - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised down by 3.33% over the last 30 days, indicating a bearish sentiment among analysts regarding the company's earnings prospects [4][12]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) model indicates that the Most Accurate Estimate for Lamb Weston is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of -3.27%. This suggests a challenging outlook for the company to beat the consensus EPS estimate [12][8]. - A positive Earnings ESP is generally a strong predictor of an earnings beat, especially when combined with a favorable Zacks Rank. However, Lamb Weston currently holds a Zacks Rank of 4, which complicates the prediction of an earnings beat [10][12]. Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, Lamb Weston exceeded the consensus EPS estimate of $0.87 by delivering earnings of $1.10, resulting in a surprise of +26.44%. However, the company has only beaten consensus EPS estimates once in the last four quarters [13][14]. Conclusion - While Lamb Weston does not appear to be a strong candidate for an earnings beat, investors should consider other factors that may influence stock performance ahead of the earnings release [17][15].