Core Insights - Major U.S. stock market indices closed positively on January 9, 2026, following December jobs data, with unemployment rate decreasing to 4.4% but job additions missing expectations [1] Group 1: Market Trends - Investors are shifting towards dividend-growth stocks due to a preference for quality and visibility amid economic uncertainty, as these stocks signal robust cash flows [2][9] - Stocks with a strong history of year-over-year dividend growth are seen as better investments for capital appreciation compared to simple dividend-paying stocks [3][6] Group 2: Characteristics of Dividend Growth Stocks - Dividend growth stocks belong to mature companies, providing a hedge against market volatility and economic uncertainty while offering downside protection through consistent payout increases [4] - These stocks typically exhibit superior fundamentals, including sustainable business models, profitability, rising cash flows, good liquidity, and strong balance sheets [5] Group 3: Selected Dividend Growth Stocks - Woodward Inc. (WWD): Expected revenue growth of 11.2% for fiscal 2026, long-term earnings growth rate of 15.20%, and annual dividend yield of 0.35% [10][11] - Cardinal Health (CAH): Projected revenue growth of 16.2% for fiscal 2026, long-term earnings growth rate of 13.90%, and annual dividend yield of 1.02% [12] - Fox Corp. (FOX): Anticipated revenue growth of 3.6% for fiscal 2027, long-term earnings growth rate of 10.10%, and annual dividend yield of 0.84% [13] - Kinross Gold (KGC): Expected revenue growth of 11% for fiscal 2026, long-term earnings growth rate of 36.5%, and annual dividend yield of 0.45% [14] - Donaldson (DCI): Projected revenue growth of 3.5% for fiscal 2026, long-term earnings growth rate of 10%, and annual dividend yield of 1.26% [15]

Core Insights - Three stocks with strong value characteristics and a buy rank are highlighted for investors: Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Fox, and Two Harbors Investments Corp [1][2][3]. Group 1: Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc. (SKWD) - Engages in underwriting commercial property and casualty insurance coverages primarily in the United States [1]. - Holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [1]. - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings has increased by 6.3% over the last 60 days [1]. - Price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) is 12.53, compared to the industry average of 13.2 [2]. - Possesses a Value Score of A [2]. Group 2: Fox (FOX) - Produces and distributes news, sports, and entertainment content [2]. - Holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [2]. - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings has increased by 7.7% over the last 60 days [2]. - Price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) is 13.73, compared to the industry average of 17.80 [3]. - Possesses a Value Score of A [3]. Group 3: Two Harbors Investments Corp (TWO) - Focuses on investing in, financing, and managing residential mortgage-backed securities and mortgage loans [3][4]. - Holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [3]. - Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings has increased by 10.3% over the last 60 days [3]. - Price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) is 8.6, compared to the industry average of 11.10 [4]. - Possesses a Value Score of B [4].

Group 1: BHP Group Limited - BHP Group Limited is one of the world's largest mining companies with operations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, and the United States [1] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BHP's current year earnings has increased by 9% over the last 60 days [1] Group 2: Fox Corporation - Fox Corporation produces and distributes news, sports, and entertainment content [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Fox's current year earnings has increased by 7.7% over the last 60 days [2] - Fox has a dividend yield of 0.9%, compared to the industry average of 0.0% [2] Group 3: Seanergy Maritime Holdings - Seanergy Maritime Holdings is a prominent pure-play Capesize ship company providing marine dry bulk transportation services [3] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Seanergy's current year earnings has increased by 72.1% over the last 60 days [3] - Seanergy has a dividend yield of 1.9%, compared to the industry average of 1.1% [3]

Group 1: Roku, Inc. (ROKU) - Roku has a Zacks Rank 1 and its current year earnings estimate increased by 83.3% over the last 60 days [1] - Roku's shares rose by 27.2% over the last three months, outperforming the S&P 500's increase of 6.8% [1] - The company has a Momentum Score of A [1] Group 2: Fox Corporation (FOXA) - Fox Corporation holds a Zacks Rank 1 with a 5.6% increase in its current year earnings estimate over the last 60 days [2] - Fox's shares gained 20.3% in the last three months, also surpassing the S&P 500's 6.8% increase [2] - The company has a Momentum Score of B [2] Group 3: Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (CBOE) - Cboe Global Markets has a Zacks Rank 1 and its current year earnings estimate increased by nearly 5% over the last 60 days [3] - Cboe's shares increased by 4.4% over the past month, compared to the S&P 500's 0.8% rise [3] - The company possesses a Momentum Score of A [3]

Group 1: Lam Research (LRCX) - Lam Research supplies wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry [1] - The company has a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) and a Growth Score of A [1] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 6.3% over the last 60 days [1] - Lam Research has a PEG ratio of 1.64 compared to 3.73 for the industry [1] Group 2: Fox (FOX) - Fox produces and distributes news, sports, and entertainment content [2] - The company holds a Zacks Rank 1 and a Growth Score of B [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 3% over the last 60 days [2] - Fox has a PEG ratio of 1.31 compared to 2.37 for the industry [2] Group 3: Grupo Cibest S.A. - Sponsored ADR (CIB) - Grupo Cibest provides a range of financial products and services to various customer bases throughout Colombia, Latin America, and the Caribbean [3] - The company has a Zacks Rank 1 and a Growth Score of B [3][4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 3.3% over the last 60 days [3] - Grupo Cibest has a PEG ratio of 1.12 compared to 2.85 for the industry [4]

Core Insights - Wall Street has rebounded from early April lows and is near record highs, driven by optimism in U.S.-China trade negotiations, easing inflation, and strong corporate earnings, although uncertainty regarding Trump's policies remains [2]. Dividend Investing - Investors are increasingly turning to dividend investing for stable returns, as dividends provide consistent income and can mitigate portfolio volatility during uncertain market conditions [3]. - Stocks with a history of dividend growth are preferred, as they belong to mature companies that are less volatile and offer downside protection through consistent payout increases [5]. Selected Dividend Growth Stocks - Five dividend growth stocks identified as compelling investment options are Intuit Inc. (INTU), Fox Corporation (FOX), Qifu Technology Inc. (QFIN), UGI Corporation (UGI), and Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) [4][10]. - These stocks exhibit consistent dividend growth and strong long-term earnings potential, with positive earnings estimate revisions and solid expected earnings growth for the current fiscal year [10]. Stock Selection Criteria - Criteria for selecting dividend growth stocks include: - 5-Year Historical Dividend Growth greater than zero, indicating a solid dividend growth history [7]. - 5-Year Historical Sales Growth greater than zero, reflecting strong revenue growth [8]. - 5-Year Historical EPS Growth greater than zero, showing solid earnings growth history [8]. - Next 3-5 Year EPS Growth Rate greater than zero, indicating expected earnings growth [8]. - Price/Cash Flow less than M-Industry, suggesting undervaluation [9]. - 52-Week Price Change greater than S&P 500, ensuring better performance than the broader market [9]. Company Profiles - **Intuit Inc. (INTU)**: A business and financial software company with an expected earnings growth rate of 18.4% and a Zacks Rank 1 [11]. - **Fox Corporation (FOX)**: A media company with an expected earnings growth rate of 32.4% and a Zacks Rank 2 [13]. - **Qifu Technology Inc. (QFIN)**: A Credit-Tech platform in China with an expected earnings growth rate of 25.3% and a Zacks Rank 2 [14]. - **UGI Corporation (UGI)**: An energy products distributor with an estimated growth rate of 2.29% and a Zacks Rank 2 [16]. - **Ingredion Incorporated (INGR)**: An ingredients solutions provider with an estimated earnings growth rate of 5.2% and a Zacks Rank 2 [17].

Core Insights - Three stocks are highlighted with a strong buy rank and favorable value characteristics for investors to consider on May 15th [1][2][3] Group 1: Intercorp Financial Services (IFS) - Intercorp Financial Services provides financial products and services and has a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [1] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 1.4% over the last 60 days [1] - The company has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 8.28, significantly lower than the S&P's 22.56, and possesses a Value Score of B [1] Group 2: Fox (FOX) - Fox produces and distributes news, sports, and entertainment content and also carries a Zacks Rank 1 [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 3.6% over the last 60 days [2] - The company has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 11.05, compared to the S&P's 22.56, and possesses a Value Score of B [2] Group 3: Pan American Silver (PAAS) - Pan American Silver is a mining company focused exclusively on silver and holds a Zacks Rank 1 [3] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 10.7% over the last 60 days [3] - The company has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 16.80, lower than the S&P's 22.56, and possesses a Value Score of B [3]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of identifying stocks that can exceed market expectations during earnings season, highlighting a selection of companies likely to outperform [1][4]. Stock Selection Criteria - A screening process identified five stocks: Fox (FOXA), Newmont (NEM), Affirm (AFRM), HealthStream (HSTM), and Iridium Communications (IRDM) as potential earnings beaters [1][10]. - The selection criteria included: - Last EPS Surprise greater than or equal to 10% [7] - Average EPS Surprise in the last four quarters greater than 20% [7] - Average EPS Surprise in the last two quarters greater than 20% [8] - Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2 [8] - Earnings ESP greater than zero [9] - Next 3–5 Years Estimated EPS Growth (Per Year) greater than 10% [10] - Average 20-day Volume greater than 100,000 [10] Company Profiles - **Fox (FOXA)**: A Zacks Rank 1 company with an average earnings surprise of 24.20% over the past four quarters [11]. - **Newmont (NEM)**: A Zacks Rank 2 company, one of the largest gold producers globally, with an average earnings surprise of 32.41% [11]. - **Affirm (AFRM)**: A Zacks Rank 1 financial technology company specializing in payment solutions, boasting an average earnings surprise of 84.09% [12]. - **HealthStream (HSTM)**: A Zacks Rank 1 company providing workforce development solutions in healthcare, with an average earnings surprise of 42.02% [13]. - **Iridium Communications (IRDM)**: A Zacks Rank 2 satellite communications company, achieving an average earnings surprise of 40.90% [14].