For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores. What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alo ...

Core Insights - The U.S. stock market starts the new year with confidence, supported by easing inflation, a steady economy, and expectations of lower interest rates over time, alongside the influence of artificial intelligence [1] Economic Environment - Recent data shows mixed but encouraging signs, with factory activity performing better than expected while housing shows signs of cooling; earnings season is ramping up, focusing on company-level performance [2] - Trade headlines and tariff threats have introduced short-term pressures, but markets typically overlook near-term volatility to focus on future prospects [2] Investment Strategy - Relative price strength is crucial; stocks that are already outperforming the broader market tend to continue leading, making them attractive for investors [3] - Companies such as Micron Technology (MU), Hilltop Holdings (HTH), Casey's General Stores (CASY), Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM), and Dollar General (DG) are recommended for consideration due to their strong performance [3] Stock Selection Criteria - Investors should evaluate stocks based on earnings growth and valuation multiples, while also considering their performance relative to industry peers or benchmarks [4] - Underperforming stocks should be avoided, while those showing strong relative price performance are more likely to yield significant returns [5] Performance Metrics - Stocks that have outperformed the S&P 500 over the past 1, 4, and 12 weeks, along with positive earnings estimate revisions for the current quarter, indicate potential for growth [6][9] - The screening parameters include relative price changes over different time frames and positive earnings estimate revisions, focusing on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [8][10] Company Highlights - **Micron Technology (MU)**: Expected earnings growth of 297.5% for fiscal 2026, with shares gaining 243% in a year and a market cap over $400 billion [11][12] - **Hilltop Holdings (HTH)**: Projected EPS growth of 11.3% year-over-year for 2026, with shares up 24% in a year [12][13] - **Casey's General Stores (CASY)**: Anticipated EPS growth of 18.8% for fiscal 2026, with shares increasing by 64% in a year [14][15] - **Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM)**: Market cap nearly $100 billion, with shares more than doubling in a year and a projected earnings growth of 9.1% for 2026 [16][17] - **Dollar General (DG)**: Market cap nearly $33 billion, with shares gaining 117% in a year and a projected earnings growth of 5.4% for 2026 [17][18]

Core Insights - Three stocks with strong growth characteristics and buy ranks are highlighted for investors: Micron Technology, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock, and Alarm.com [1][2][3] Company Summaries - **Micron Technology (MU)**: - Leading provider of semiconductor memory solutions - Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) - Current year earnings estimate increased by 7% over the last 60 days - PEG ratio of 0.48 compared to the industry average of 1.42 - Growth Score of A [1][2] - **Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD)**: - Largest provider of dredging services in the US - Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) - Current year earnings estimate increased by 7.8% over the last 60 days - PEG ratio of 0.98 compared to the industry average of 2.99 - Growth Score of A [2][3] - **Alarm.com (ALRM)**: - Offers interactive security solutions for home and business owners - Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) - Current year earnings estimate increased by 5.5% over the last 60 days - PEG ratio of 1.64 compared to the industry average of 3.17 - Growth Score of B [3]

Core Insights - Three stocks are highlighted with strong growth characteristics and buy ranks for investors to consider on November 17th: Micron Technology, Alarm.com, and H World Group Limited [1][2][3] Company Summaries - **Micron Technology (MU)**: - Recognized as a leading provider of semiconductor memory solutions - Holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings increased by 23.5% over the last 60 days - PEG ratio stands at 0.53, significantly lower than the industry average of 1.50 - Growth Score is A [1][2] - **Alarm.com (ALRM)**: - Provides interactive security solutions for home and business owners - Also carries a Zacks Rank 1 - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings increased by 3.4% over the last 60 days - PEG ratio is 1.61, compared to the industry average of 3.09 - Growth Score is B [2] - **H World Group Limited Sponsored ADR (HTHT)**: - Engaged in the hotel industry - Maintains a Zacks Rank 1 - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings increased by 3.1% over the last 60 days - PEG ratio is 1.23, lower than the industry average of 1.99 - Growth Score is B [3]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence, including daily updates, research reports, and stock screens [1] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores are indicators that assist investors in selecting stocks likely to outperform the market within 30 days, rated from A to F based on value, growth, and momentum [2] - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios like P/E and Price/Sales [3] - The Growth Score emphasizes a company's financial health and future outlook, analyzing projected and historical earnings and cash flow [4] - The Momentum Score helps investors capitalize on price trends, utilizing factors like recent price changes and earnings estimate shifts [5] - The VGM Score combines all three Style Scores, providing a comprehensive indicator for selecting stocks with attractive value, growth potential, and momentum [6] Zacks Rank Integration - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to simplify portfolio building, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks achieving an average annual return of +23.93% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7] - With over 800 top-rated stocks available, the Style Scores help investors narrow down their choices to those with the highest likelihood of success [8] - Stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B are recommended for optimal investment potential [9] - Stocks rated 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell) are less favorable, even if they have high Style Scores, due to declining earnings forecasts [10] Company Spotlight: Micron Technology - Micron Technology is a leading provider of semiconductor memory solutions, currently rated 1 (Strong Buy) with a VGM Score of B [11] - The company is projected to experience a year-over-year earnings growth of 95.7% for the current fiscal year, supported by a Growth Style Score of A [11] - Recent upward revisions by nine analysts have increased the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 to $16.22 per share, with an average earnings surprise of +9.4% [12]

Core Insights - Three stocks with strong growth characteristics and buy ranks are highlighted for investors: Micron Technology, Skillsoft, and Tesco [1][2][3] Group 1: Micron Technology (MU) - Micron Technology is a leading provider of semiconductor memory solutions with a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [1] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Micron's current year earnings has increased by 24.4% over the last 60 days [1] - The company has a PEG ratio of 0.49, significantly lower than the industry average of 1.40, and possesses a Growth Score of A [2] Group 2: Skillsoft (SKIL) - Skillsoft specializes in digital learning, training, and talent solutions, also holding a Zacks Rank 1 [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Skillsoft's current year earnings has surged by 240.9% over the last 60 days [2] - Skillsoft has a PEG ratio of 0.36 compared to the industry average of 1.09, and it has a Growth Score of B [2] Group 3: Tesco (TSCDY) - Tesco is the UK's largest retailer and one of the leading international retailers, maintaining a Zacks Rank 1 [3] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Tesco's current year earnings has increased by 4.6% over the last 60 days [3] - Tesco has a PEG ratio of 1.30, which is lower than the industry average of 2.34, and it possesses a Growth Score of B [3]

Core Insights - Three stocks with strong growth characteristics and buy ranks are highlighted for investors: Universal Health Services, Micron Technology, and Skillsoft [1][2][3] Company Summaries - **Universal Health Services (UHS)**: - Operates acute care hospitals, behavioral health centers, surgical hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and radiation oncology centers - Holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings increased by 0.7% over the last 60 days - PEG ratio of 0.86 compared to the industry average of 1.02 - Growth Score of A [1][2] - **Micron Technology (MU)**: - A leading provider of semiconductor memory solutions - Holds a Zacks Rank 1 - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings increased by 24.3% over the last 60 days - PEG ratio of 0.48 compared to the industry average of 1.32 - Growth Score of A [2] - **Skillsoft (SKIL)**: - Provides digital learning, training, and talent solutions - Holds a Zacks Rank 1 - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings increased by 240.9% over the last 60 days - PEG ratio of 0.49 compared to the industry average of 0.88 - Growth Score of B [3]

Core Insights - The current market environment has made hybrid investment strategies particularly relevant due to elevated volatility and global policy uncertainty, with a blended earnings growth rate for the S&P 500 in Q3 2025 at 13.7% and 86.9% of companies exceeding EPS estimates [1][2] Group 1: Investment Strategies - A gradual shift in Federal Reserve policy towards rate easing is stabilizing discount-rate pressure, improving the risk-reward balance for fundamentally strong companies [2] - The GARP (Growth at a Reasonable Price) investment strategy combines growth and value investing principles, focusing on stocks that are undervalued yet have solid growth potential [4][6] - GARP investing prioritizes the PEG (Price/Earnings to Growth) ratio, which relates P/E ratios to future earnings growth rates, with a lower PEG ratio indicating better investment potential [6][7] Group 2: Stock Analysis - Carnival Corporation (CCL) is the largest cruise operator globally, with a Zacks Rank of 1 and a Value Score of A, showing a long-term historical growth rate of 28.5% [12][13] - Micron Technology (MU) is a leading provider of semiconductor memory solutions, also holding a Zacks Rank of 1 and a Value Score of B, with a long-term expected growth rate of 28.5% [14][15] - Synchrony Financial (SYF) offers a range of credit products and has a Zacks Rank of 2 and a Value Score of A, with a solid long-term historical growth rate of 13.1% [16][17] - Ericsson (ERIC) is a major player in telecommunications, holding a Zacks Rank of 2 and a Value Score of B, with a long-term expected growth rate of 8.4% [17][18]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides various tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence [1][2] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores are indicators designed to help investors select stocks likely to outperform the market within 30 days, rated from A to F based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics [3] - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios like P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales [4] - The Growth Score emphasizes a company's financial health and future outlook, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [5] - The Momentum Score assists investors in capitalizing on price trends, utilizing factors like one-week price changes and monthly earnings estimate changes [6] - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to identify stocks with attractive value, strong growth forecasts, and promising momentum, serving as a useful indicator alongside the Zacks Rank [7] Zacks Rank and Performance - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to simplify portfolio building, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks achieving an average annual return of +23.81% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8][9] - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal success [11] - Stocks rated 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell) may still have high Style Scores but are likely to experience declining earnings forecasts, increasing the risk of price drops [12] Company Spotlight: Micron Technology - Micron Technology, based in Idaho, is a leading provider of semiconductor memory solutions, currently holding a 1 (Strong Buy) Zacks Rank and a VGM Score of A [13] - The company is projected to achieve year-over-year earnings growth of 100% for the current fiscal year, supported by a Growth Style Score of A [13] - Recent upward revisions from nine analysts have increased the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 by $3.53 to $16.58 per share, with an average earnings surprise of +9.4% [14]

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights three stocks with strong growth characteristics and buy ranks for investors to consider as of October 15th, including Micron Technology, Western Digital, and Skillsoft [1][2][3]. Group 1: Micron Technology (MU) - Micron Technology is a leading provider of semiconductor memory solutions with a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [1]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Micron's current year earnings has increased by 27.1% over the last 60 days [1]. - Micron has a PEG ratio of 0.40, significantly lower than the industry average of 1.35, and possesses a Growth Score of A [2]. Group 2: Western Digital (WDC) - Western Digital is a prominent developer and manufacturer of data storage devices and solutions, also holding a Zacks Rank 1 [2]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Western Digital's current year earnings has increased by 1.9% over the last 60 days [2]. - Western Digital has a PEG ratio of 0.88 compared to the industry average of 2.29, and it has a Growth Score of B [3]. Group 3: Skillsoft (SKIL) - Skillsoft specializes in digital learning, training, and talent solutions, and it carries a Zacks Rank 1 [3]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Skillsoft's current year earnings has also increased by 1.9% over the last 60 days [3]. - Skillsoft has a PEG ratio of 0.40, lower than the industry average of 0.78, and possesses a Growth Score of B [3].