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It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.82% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.

As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.

For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Oracle (ORCL - Free Report) Austin, TX-based Oracle Corporation is one of the largest enterprise-grade database, middleware, and application software providers.

ORCL is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. ORCL has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 6.6% for the current fiscal year.

16 analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2027, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.10 to $8.13 per share. ORCL also boasts an average earnings surprise of +15.5%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, ORCL should be on investors' short list.

Key Takeaways MetLife's Q3 earnings are projected to rise 15.8% year over year, with revenues expected to grow 12.4%.Retirement & Income Solutions revenues may surge 36.2%, while Group Benefits revenues could rise 4.7%.MET's 0.59% Earnings ESP signals a beat, despite weaker investment income and Asia earnings.
Insurance provider MetLife, Inc. (MET - Free Report) is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Nov. 4, 2026, after the closing bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter’s earnings is currently pegged at $2.71 per share on revenues of $20.1 billion.

The third-quarter earnings estimate has witnessed seven upward revisions and one downward movement over the past 60 days. The bottom-line projection indicates a year-over-year increase of 15.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues suggests year-over-year growth of 12.4%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

For full-year 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for MetLife’s revenues is pegged at $79.5 billion, implying 0.8% year-over-year growth. The consensus mark for 2026 EPS is pinned at $9.94, implying 12.6% year-over-year growth.

MetLife beat earnings estimates in each of the past four quarters, with the average surprise being 5.7%. This is depicted in the figure below.

MetLife, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

MetLife, Inc. price-eps-surprise | MetLife, Inc. Quote

Q3 Earnings Whispers for MetLifeOur proven model predicts a likely earnings beat for the company this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That is precisely the case here.

MET has an Earnings ESP of +0.59% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

What’s Shaping MetLife’s Q3 Results?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter premiums indicates a 14.7% year-over-year increase. The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects a 4.7% increase in Group Benefits adjusted revenues, while Retirement & Income Solutions adjusted revenues are expected to surge 36.2% in the third quarter.

The consensus estimate indicates an 8.6% year-over-year increase in adjusted earnings from the Retirement & Income Solutions segment and 11.3% growth in adjusted earnings from the Group Benefits unit. The consensus estimate for MetLife Investment Management’s adjusted earnings is pegged at $61.8 million. Adjusted earnings from EMEA are projected to increase 11.3% year over year, while the Latin America business is expected to register a sharper 67.8% rise.

These are likely to have positioned the company for year-over-year growth and an earnings beat. The positives are likely to be partially offset by a 3.3% decline in net investment income. Also, adjusted earnings from the Asia region are expected to decline 5.2% year over year.

How Did Other Insurers Fare?Several insurance companies, includingThe Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV - Free Report) , The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. (HIG - Free Report) and RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (RNR - Free Report) , have already reported their financial results for the September quarter of 2026. Here’s how they have performed:

The Travelers Companies reported third-quarter 2026 core earnings of $9.18 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.07 by 29.8%. The bottom line increased 12.8% year over year. Revenues of $12.45 billion surpassed the consensus estimate of $12.40 billion by 0.4% and remained nearly flat year over year. TRV’s earnings strength was driven by favorable prior-year reserve development and increased net investment income, partially offset by higher catastrophe losses.

Hartford Insurance delivered third-quarter 2026 core earnings per share of $3.50, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11.1%. However, the bottom line declined 2.5% year over year. The results benefited from HIG’s higher investment income and premium growth in Business Insurance. However, higher catastrophe losses and weaker Employee Benefits profitability partly offset the upside.

RenaissanceRe reported third-quarter 2026 operating income of $12.71 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12.9%. Yet, the bottom line fell from $15.62 a year ago. The quarterly earnings benefited from lower operational expenses and higher net investment income. However, the upside was partly offset by lower net premiums earned, weaker underwriting results in RNR’s Casualty & Specialty segment and lower fee income.

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT - Free Report) reported $339.02 million in revenue for the quarter ended September 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 5.2%. EPS of $1.87 for the same period compares to $0.69 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $337.37 million, representing a surprise of +0.49%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +1.08%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.85.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Federal Realty Investment Trust performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Revenue- Mortgage interest income: $0.03 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $0.01 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -90%.Revenue- Rental income: $329.64 million versus $330.21 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +5.3% change.Revenue- Rental income- Other lease related: $5.9 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $9.33 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -4.9%.Revenue- Rental income- Percentage rents: $4.95 million compared to the $4.91 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +11.7% year over year.Revenue- Rental income- Cost reimbursement: $68.88 million compared to the $66.58 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +8.6% year over year.Net Earnings Per Share (Diluted): $0.74 versus $0.72 estimated by three analysts on average.View all Key Company Metrics for Federal Realty Investment Trust here>>>

Shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust have returned +3.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

The market expects Enbridge (ENB - Free Report) to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on November 6. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis oil and natural gas transportation and power transmission company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.36 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +9.1%.

Revenues are expected to be $10.32 billion, down 2.9% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.33% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Enbridge?For Enbridge, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -2.93%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Enbridge will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Enbridge would post earnings of $0.43 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.46, delivering a surprise of +6.98%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Enbridge doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Expected Results of an Industry PlayerSouth Bow Corporation (SOBO - Free Report) , another stock in the Zacks Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $0.43 for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of -8.5%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $484.75 million, up 5.2% from the year-ago quarter.

The consensus EPS estimate for South Bow Corporation has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. However, a lower Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -10.59%.

When combined with a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell), this Earnings ESP makes it difficult to conclusively predict that South Bow Corporation will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

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.

Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.82% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.

As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.

For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: CF Industries (CF - Free Report) CF Industries Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Northbrook, IL, is one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of nitrogenous fertilizer and other nitrogen products globally. The company’s principal nitrogenous fertilizer products are ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate solution (UAN) and ammonium nitrate (AN).

CF is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

It also boasts a Value Style Score of A thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 8.01; value investors should take notice.

For fiscal 2026, two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.28 to $14.75 per share. CF boasts an average earnings surprise of +7.1%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, CF should be on investors' short list.

AbbVie just handed shareholders their latest raise while your CD rate sits frozen, but the comparison between a guaranteed payment and a growing dividend gets complicated fast once taxes, price swings, and reinvestment risk enter the picture.

The FDIC national average yield on a 12-month certificate of deposit was 1.76% APY as of October 1, 2026, up from 1.73% on September 1, 2026. Once you open a CD, the bank cannot cut that rate for the rest of the term. The day this edition went out, October 30, 2026, AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV | ABBV Price Prediction) raised its quarterly dividend to $1.82 from $1.73 per share. A CD can never give you a raise like that. The same board, though, can also cut the payout.

How a CD Locks Your Rate and What Happens at Maturity
A CD is a bank deposit you agree to leave alone for a set term, such as 12 months. In return, the bank pays a stated annual percentage yield that stays fixed from the day you open the account until the day it matures. The 1.76% figure is the FDIC’s national average for 12-month CDs under $100,000. That average changes over time. It is published monthly and was last updated October 19, 2026. Your CD rate stays where it was when you opened it, while the national average keeps moving.

It pays to shop around. The national average combines rates from banks across the country, and top online banks routinely pay well above it.

The lock works against you, too. If you take money out before maturity, the bank charges an early-withdrawal penalty. That is usually a set number of months of interest, and on a CD you’ve held only briefly, it can cut into principal. Each bank sets its own penalty, and the terms are in the account agreement.

When the CD matures, the bank pays back your principal plus interest. Many banks automatically roll the money into a new CD at whatever rate they offer that day. This is reinvestment risk: if rates have fallen by then, the next CD pays less and your income drops without you doing anything. The national average rose 0.03 percentage points over the month ended October 1, but falling CD rates can signal Fed easing. A retiree with a ladder of 12-month CDs resets part of their income every year.

CDs bought through a brokerage, called brokered CDs, carry one more risk. You can sell them before maturity on a secondary market, but the price depends on where rates are at that point. If rates have risen since you bought, buyers will pay less than face value, and you can lose principal. Holding to maturity avoids that price risk.

FDIC insurance covers CDs at insured banks up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. Money above that cap at one bank, in the same ownership category, has no coverage. The insurance protects you if the bank fails. It does nothing about inflation, which shrinks what a fixed payment can buy every year the CD runs.

For comparison, the 10-year Treasury yield was 5.05% on October 28, 2026, well above the national CD average. Selling Treasuries before maturity after rates rise means taking a loss, but the gap shows how far the average bank CD falls behind other government-backed income.

Dividend Safety Comes Before Dividend Yield
This edition compares the CD with six long-running dividend payers: Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO), Verizon (NYSE:VZ), Southern Company (NYSE:SO) and AbbVie.

A dividend yield is the annual dividend divided by the stock’s price. It tells you the income rate at today’s price and nothing about how the stock will perform. A CD returns your principal at maturity. A stock’s price can fall, and the yield gives no warning. So the first question in any comparison with a CD is how safe the payout is.

Company
Latest Quarterly Dividend
Annualized Forward Dividend
Dividend Yield (Oct. 30, 2026)

Johnson & Johnson
$1.34
$5.36
Not available

Procter & Gamble
$1.0885
$4.354
Not available

Coca-Cola
$0.53
$2.12
2.20%

Verizon
$0.7075
$2.83
6.4%

Southern Company
$0.76
$3.04
Not available

AbbVie
$1.73 (raised to $1.82, paid Feb. 16, 2027)
$6.92 (at the prior rate)
2.27%

What a Dividend Can Do That a CD Cannot
A 12-month CD pays the same rate in month twelve as in month one. These dividends have kept rising. Johnson & Johnson’s quarterly payout went from $1.24 to $1.30 to $1.34 over its last increases, and the 2026 raise was its 64th consecutive year of dividend growth. P&G lifted its quarterly dividend to $1.0885 from $1.0568, its 70th consecutive annual increase, and targets more than $10B in dividends in fiscal 2027. Coca-Cola’s quarterly payment rose from $0.40 in 2019 to $0.53 in 2026. Southern Company went from $0.74 to $0.76. AbbVie rose from $1.41 in 2022 to $1.73 in 2026 before announcing the new rate. AbbVie CEO Robert A. Michael said in the announcement: “Given our strong outlook and significant momentum, we are once again increasing AbbVie’s full-year guidance and raising our quarterly dividend.”

Where Each Payout Could Come Under Pressure
A company’s board announces the dividend each quarter, and nothing requires it to keep paying the same amount. A CD rate is a contract that holds for the full term. Dividend payments are not guaranteed and can be changed by the company. Each of these six has a pressure point to watch:

Verizon: The group’s highest yield, 6.4%, sits on top of $166.2B in outstanding debt, and interest expense rose 17.2% YoY. Meanwhile, third-quarter free cash flow grew 13.88% to $7.80B, and management raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $5.04-$5.06.
Southern Company: Regulated utility cash flows are the classic support for a steady, slowly rising dividend. Higher interest expense and heavy capital spending to serve data-center demand are real strains on that model.
AbbVie: Humira sales fell 31.2% as biosimilars arrived. Skyrizi at $5.78B (+22.7%) and Rinvoq at $2.71B (+23.9%) more than made up the difference, and full-year adjusted diluted EPS guidance moved up to $13.95-$13.99.
Johnson & Johnson: STELARA sales fell 55.2% to biosimilars, and second-quarter results included $267M in legal charges. Oncology grew 17.3% over the same period.
Procter & Gamble: The company expects about $1.4B in after-tax commodity pressure in fiscal 2027 and kept core EPS guidance at $6.89 to $7.11.
Coca-Cola: Management raised 2026 free cash flow guidance to at least $13.0B, which gives the dividend a wide margin. The shares trade at 30 times earnings, though, leaving the price exposed if growth slows.

Price Swings Add a Second Layer of Risk
A CD you keep until it matures never shows you a lower balance. A stock can. Verizon dropped 3.43% in the month ended October 29, 2026, and Coca-Cola fell 2.64% in the week to that date. Prices rose too: Johnson & Johnson gained 50.8% in the year to October 29. Still, a retiree forced to sell shares on a bad day gets whatever price the market offers.

Tax Treatment Often Decides the Winner
CD interest is taxed as ordinary income at your federal rate, and usually by your state too. Under IRS guidance, you generally include CD interest in income when you actually receive it or are entitled to receive it without paying a substantial penalty. The same applies to CDs of one year or less that pay all their interest at maturity.

Qualified dividends are taxed more lightly. They qualify for the 0%, 15%, or 20% rate applied to capital gains, not ordinary income rates. Dividends from US companies like these six generally qualify if you hold the shares long enough. Under 26 U.S.C. § 1(h)(11)(B)(iii), a dividend loses qualified status if the shares fail the section 246(c) holding test, applied here as a 60-day requirement within 121 days. A purchase just before a payout, followed by a quick sale, means the dividend is taxed at ordinary rates, the same as CD interest.

Two details matter for retirees. First, the tax difference only applies in taxable accounts. IRS Publication 550 says its rules do not apply to investments held in individual retirement arrangements (IRAs), section 401(k) plans, and other qualified retirement plans. Interest earned in a tax-deferred retirement account is tax-deferred, and withdrawals are generally taxed as ordinary income whether the money came from CD interest or dividends. Second, CD interest can increase a retiree’s taxable income and push more Social Security benefits into the taxable zone. Qualified dividends count toward that same income test, so their lower rate does not keep them out of it.

Who Each Option Suits
A CD fits a retiree who needs a known payment for a set term, keeps deposits within the FDIC’s $250,000 limits at each bank, and can leave the money alone until maturity. A group of established dividend payers like these six suits a retiree who can handle share-price moves and the chance of a dividend cut in exchange for historically growing income. In a taxable account, the qualified-dividend rate pushes the after-tax math toward dividend income for higher-bracket retirees. Inside a traditional IRA, that advantage goes away.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Dividends keep paying whether you sell or not, and four healthcare giants quietly generate serious retirement income while you sleep. But not every yield here is as safe as it looks.

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

When you retire, every share you sell to pay the bills stops earning. Dividends work the other way: the cash comes in, and the shares stay put. Healthcare is a reasonable place to look for that cash, since people keep needing prescription drugs and health coverage whether markets rise or fall.

Below is what $250,000 would produce if split evenly ($62,500 each) across four large healthcare dividend payers: about $8,000 a year in passive income. Every figure uses the current dividend rate and closing prices from October 29, 2026. The stocks are counted down from lowest yield to highest.

UnitedHealth Group Has the Lowest Yield but the Widest Cushion

Stock #4: UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH | UNH Price Prediction)
Forward Yield: 2.26%
Shares for $62,500: 152.10
Annual Passive Income: ~$1,411.50

UnitedHealth runs two businesses. UnitedHealthcare covers 48.3 million medical members, and Optum handles care delivery, analytics, and pharmacy benefits. The yield is low partly because the stock trades at $410.91, and partly because management also returns cash through buybacks: $5.0 billion so far this year through the third quarter.

Its dividend is the best covered of the four. The $2.32 quarterly payout uses about 45% of the company’s raised forecast of at least $20.50 in adjusted EPS. The medical care ratio improved to 88.4% from 89.9%. The risks: Medicare Advantage membership is down 935K since the end of 2025, and the DOJ is looking into its Medicare business.

Merck Raises Its Outlook as Keytruda’s New Version Gains Ground

Stock #3: Merck (NYSE:MRK)
Forward Yield: 2.32%
Shares for $62,500: 427.12
Annual Passive Income: ~$1,452.20

Merck sells prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal health products. Its biggest earners are the Keytruda cancer franchise, which brought in $8.60 billion in the third quarter, and Gardasil. Like other mature drugmakers, it pays out much of its cash and still funds a late-stage pipeline, including sac-TMT and a cancer vaccine developed with Moderna.

The dividend safety picture needs some context. Over a full year, the $0.85 quarterly dividend adds up to more than the company’s adjusted (non-GAAP) EPS guidance of $2.77 to $2.82. That guidance, though, includes $6.05 per share of one-time charges from the Cidara, Terns and SciBrunch deals. Third-quarter adjusted EPS of $2.49 beat the $2.09 consensus, and the dividend has risen from $0.77 in 2024. The main drag is generic competition eating into sales of Bridion and Januvia.

AbbVie Gives Shareholders a Fresh Raise

Stock #2: AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV)
Forward Yield: 2.50%
Shares for $62,500: 214.93
Annual Passive Income: ~$1,564.70

AbbVie sells drugs in immunology, neuroscience, and oncology, plus aesthetics products. Skyrizi and Rinvoq have replaced Humira as its growth drivers. In the third quarter, Skyrizi grew 22.7% to $5.78B, and Rinvoq rose 23.9%, offsetting a 31.2% drop in Humira as cheaper biosimilars took share.

On October 30, 2026, the board raised the quarterly dividend about 5.2%, from $1.73 to $1.82, payable February 16, 2027. The new $7.28 annual rate uses about 52% of the company’s raised adjusted EPS guidance of $13.95 to $13.99. Its spot in the S&P Dividend Aristocrats Index reflects a long record of raising the dividend every year.

Pfizer Supplies the Most Income

Stock #1: Pfizer (NYSE:PFE)
Forward Yield: 5.74%
Shares for $62,500: 2,086.81
Annual Passive Income: ~$3,589.32

Pfizer sells Eliquis, the Prevnar vaccine, Vyndaqel, and a growing set of cancer drugs. Its yield is the highest of the four because the stock, at $29.95, has lagged as COVID-19 sales faded, while the $0.43 quarterly dividend stayed the same. Paxlovid sales fell 95% on an operational basis in the second quarter.

The $1.72 annual payout uses about 59% of adjusted EPS guidance of $2.80 to $3.00. Second-quarter adjusted EPS of $0.77 beat the $0.68 consensus. The risks are real, though. The dividend has stayed at $0.43 since early 2025; no buybacks are planned for 2026, and competition from generics and biosimilars is expected to cost about $1.1 billion in revenue. The next payment is due December 7, 2026.

Four Healthcare Payers, One Income Total

Name
Yield
Annual Dividend Income

UnitedHealth Group
2.26%
$1,411.50

Merck
2.32%
$1,452.20

AbbVie
2.50%
$1,564.70

Pfizer
5.74%
$3,589.32

Total
3.21%
$8,017.72

Together, these four positions produce $8,017.72 a year in passive income from a $250,000 investment, for a blended yield of 3.21%. Pfizer contributes $3,589.32, AbbVie adds $1,564.70, Merck brings in $1,452.20, and UnitedHealth provides $1,411.50.

Pfizer delivers the most income and also carries the most dividend risk: it has the highest payout ratio of the group and a dividend that hasn’t grown. Merck’s coverage looks thin on paper, but most of the gap comes from one-time deal charges. UnitedHealth and AbbVie have the widest cushions and the most recent raises.

For retirees, part of the appeal is the schedule. Each company pays quarterly, so the checks are spread across the year, and you don’t need to sell shares to get the cash. That is the whole idea behind a dividend ladder, which this article showed how to build in a free guide to income that never touches the principal.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Key Takeaways DVA's Q3 adjusted EPS jumped 52.2% to $3.82, while revenues rose 4.6% to $3.58 billion, beating estimates.Strong IKC and international growth lifted revenues, while U.S. dialysis treatments rose 1.2% yoy.DaVita narrowed its 2026 EPS outlook to $14.30-$15.20 amid higher patient care costs and margin pressure.
DaVita Inc. (DVA - Free Report) delivered adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.82 in the third quarter of 2026, up 52.2% year over year. The figure surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.1%.

The company reported GAAP EPS of $3.40, reflecting a 66.7% year-over-year increase.

Year to date, the company’s shares have climbed 70.1%, outperforming the industry’s 29.6% growth and the broader S&P 500 Index’s 11.2% gain.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

DaVita's Q3 Revenues in DetailRevenues of $3.58 billion increased 4.6% year over year. The figure topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.34%. Strong performance in Integrated Kidney Care (IKC) and international operations supported results. Total U.S. dialysis treatments increased 1.2% year over year, while higher technology spending pressured operating costs.

Dialysis patient service revenues totaled $3.41 billion in the third quarter, reflecting a 3.3% increase from the year-ago period. Other revenues reached $169.9 million, up 39.1% year over year.

U.S. dialysis revenues totaled $3.03 billion compared with $2.97 billion in the prior-year quarter. Other ancillary services revenues increased to $549.7 million from $452.1 million a year ago, supported by growth in integrated care and international operations.

Revenue per treatment (RPT) was $415.25, down 0.1% sequentially. Per management, RPT increased approximately 1.1% year over year, reflecting normal rate increases, partially offset by unfavorable commercial payer mix and lower phosphate binder reimbursement.

DVA's U.S. Dialysis PerformanceTotal U.S. dialysis treatments reached 7,329,644, averaging 92,780 treatments per day. This represented a sequential per-day increase of 0.1%. Normalized non-acquired treatment growth was 0.4% year over year.

Management highlighted improving patient mortality as a key contributor to census growth. However, an uptick in missed treatments partially offset the improvement in treatment volumes.

U.S. dialysis operating income totaled $544 million, up from $538 million sequentially. Patient care costs per treatment reached $280.22, increasing 1.1% from the preceding quarter. Higher medical supplies expenses were the primary contributor, partially offset by lower pharmaceutical costs.

DaVita’s Q3 Margin DetailsIn the quarter under review, DaVita’s gross profit increased 3.6% year over year to $1.13 billion. However, the gross margin contracted approximately 30 basis points (bps) to 31.5%.

General & administrative expenses declined 1.4% year over year to $408.7 million.

Adjusted operating profit totaled $561 million, reflecting an 8.5% year-over-year increase. Adjusted operating margin expanded 56 bps year over year to 15.7%.

DVA’s Financial PositionDaVita exited third-quarter 2026 with cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of $566.3 million compared with $688.9 million at the end of the second quarter of 2026. Total debt (including the current portion) at the end of third-quarter 2026 was $10.77 billion compared with $10.78 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2026.

Cumulative net cash provided by operating activities at the end of third-quarter 2026 was $1.33 billion compared with $1.35 billion a year ago.

During the three months ended Sept. 30, 2026, DVA repurchased approximately 0.6 million shares for $111 million. Subsequent to Sept. 30, through Oct. 27, 2026, the company repurchased an additional 0.5 million shares of its common stock for $87 million.

DVA's Updated 2026 GuidanceDaVita narrowed its adjusted operating income guidance for 2026 to $2.175-$2.25 billion from the previous range of $2.15-$2.35 billion. Adjusted EPS is now expected to be between $14.30 and $15.20 compared with the earlier projection of $14.10-$15.20.

Management raised its IKC-adjusted operating income expectation to at least $65 million, an improvement of at least $25 million over its previous guidance. International adjusted operating income is expected to be approximately $135 million.

The company maintained its full-year free cash flow outlook of $1-$1.25 billion.

Our Take on DVADaVita ended the third quarter of 2026 with better-than-expected results. The uptick in the company’s top and bottom lines was encouraging. Solid revenues from both sources and year-over-year growth in total U.S. dialysis treatments were promising. An improvement in normalized non-acquired treatment growth was also recorded.

On the earnings call, management highlighted strong performance in its IKC business, supported by higher shared savings from value-based care arrangements. The company also announced the nationwide rollout of expanded hemodialysis dialyzers following successful pilot programs across 150 centers involving more than 10,000 patients. Management expects the technology to improve clinical outcomes, with mortality-related volume benefits beginning in the second half of 2028. These developments align with DVA’s focus on improving patient care and operational efficiency and raise our optimism about the stock.

However, the sequential decline in RPT and higher patient care costs per treatment were disappointing.

DVA’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderCurrently, DaVita carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks from the broader medical space are OPKO Health (OPK - Free Report) , Intuitive Surgical (ISRG - Free Report) and Globus Medical (GMED - Free Report) .

OPKO Health, currently flaunting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), reported a second-quarter 2026 adjusted loss of 1 cent per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 87.5%. Revenues of $163.6 million beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 24.7%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

OPK has an estimated earnings growth rate of 23.3% for 2026. The company’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 95.1%.

Intuitive Surgical, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), reported third-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $3.00, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.6%. Revenues of $3.05 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.9%.

Intuitive Surgical has a long-term estimated growth rate of 14.9%. ISRG’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 15.1%.

Globus Medical, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2, reported a second-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $1.34, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 19.6%. Revenues of $789.6 million beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.4%.

GMED has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 12.4%. The company’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 27.9%.

Wall Street watches a company's quarterly report closely to understand as much as possible about its recent performance and what to expect going forward. Of course, one figure often stands out among the rest: earnings.

We know earnings results are vital, but how a company performs compared to bottom line expectations can be even more important when it comes to stock prices, especially in the near-term. This means that investors might want to take advantage of these earnings surprises.

Now that we know how important earnings and earnings surprises are, it's time to show investors how to take advantage of these events to boost their returns by utilizing the Zacks Earnings ESP filter.

The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Earnings ESP is more formally known as the Expected Surprise Prediction, and it aims to grab the inside track on the latest analyst estimate revisions ahead of a company's report. The idea is relatively intuitive as a newer projection might be based on more complete information.

Now that we understand the basic idea, let's look at how the Expected Surprise Prediction works. The ESP is calculated by comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the percentage difference between the two giving us the Zacks ESP figure.

In fact, when we combined a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better and a positive Earnings ESP, stocks produced a positive surprise 70% of the time. Perhaps most importantly, using these parameters has helped produce 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.

Stocks with a ranking of #3 (Hold), or 60% of all stocks covered by the Zacks Rank, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with rankings of #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy), or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market; Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.

Should You Consider Halozyme Therapeutics?The final step today is to look at a stock that meets our ESP qualifications. Halozyme Therapeutics (HALO - Free Report) earns a #3 (Hold) six days from its next quarterly earnings release on November 5, 2026, and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $2.34 a share.

Halozyme Therapeutics' Earnings ESP sits at +2.78%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $2.34 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.28. HALO is also part of a large group of stocks that boast a positive ESP. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

HALO is part of a big group of Medical stocks that boast a positive ESP, and investors may want to take a look at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY - Free Report) as well.

Bristol Myers Squibb is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on February 4, 2027. BMY's Most Accurate Estimate sits at $1.65 a share 97 days from its next earnings release.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Bristol Myers Squibb is $1.63, and when you take the percentage difference between that number and its Most Accurate Estimate, you get the Earnings ESP figure of +0.89%.

HALO and BMY's positive ESP metrics may signal that a positive earnings surprise for both stocks is on the horizon.

Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>

Analysts on Wall Street project that Albemarle (ALB - Free Report) will announce quarterly earnings of $2.56 per share in its forthcoming report, representing an increase of 1447.4% year over year. Revenues are projected to reach $1.49 billion, increasing 14.1% from the same quarter last year.

The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has undergone a downward revision of 14% in the past 30 days, bringing it to its present level. This represents how the covering analysts, as a whole, have reassessed their initial estimates during this timeframe.

Prior to a company's earnings announcement, it is crucial to consider revisions to earnings estimates. This serves as a significant indicator for predicting potential investor actions regarding the stock. Empirical research has consistently demonstrated a robust correlation between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.

While investors typically use consensus earnings and revenue estimates as indicators of quarterly business performance, exploring analysts' projections for specific key metrics can offer valuable insights.

Given this perspective, it's time to examine the average forecasts of specific Albemarle metrics that are routinely monitored and predicted by Wall Street analysts.

Analysts forecast 'Net Sales- Specialties' to reach $378.24 million. The estimate suggests a change of +9.7% year over year.

Analysts predict that the 'Net Sales- Energy Storage' will reach $1.11 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +57.2%.

The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Adjusted EBITDA- Specialties' of $70.52 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $75.54 million in the same quarter of the previous year.

Analysts' assessment points toward 'Adjusted EBITDA- Energy Storage' reaching $584.79 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $124.08 million in the same quarter last year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Albemarle here>>>

Shares of Albemarle have experienced a change of -11.2% in the past month compared to the +0.7% move of the Zacks S&P 500 composite. With a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), ALB is expected to mirror the overall market performance in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

On its third-quarter 2026 earnings call, held on Oct. 29, 2026, Fiverr (FVRR -5.91%) raised its full-year revenue guidance to between $374 million and $380 million as strength in e-commerce services offset search-driven traffic pressure on its core marketplace. For long-term investors, the performance highlights a strategic pivot away from low-value search traffic toward high-value corporate projects and artificial intelligence integrations. Three key takeaways from management explain how the business is adapting to this landscape.

1. Search Disruption Forces a Shift Away From Traditional Web FunnelsDecline in organic search clicks is reducing low-value marketplace traffic, prompting management to rebuild buyer acquisition around artificial intelligence assistants rather than traditional search engines.

More and more journeys now start and end inside an AI assistant. Organic clicks are falling across the web and acquisition costs are rising for everyone who depends on them. We expect that pressure on marketplace traffic to continue into 2027.
-- Micha Kaufman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer2. High-Value Projects Drive Expansion in Buyer SpendWhile active buyer count fell due to reduced low-end traffic, spend per buyer expanded as complex projects priced at $1,000 or more reached 16% of completed gross order amount, the total dollar value of orders placed.

Spend per buyer rose 12.9% year-over-year, driven by an ongoing mix shift across the marketplace from low-value transactional projects to $1,000-plus projects.
-- Esti Dadon, Chief Financial Officer3. Artificial Intelligence Tools Accelerate Larger Engagement SizesManagement launched Mira, an artificial intelligence headhunter that matches clients with freelancers, to capture larger orders and improve project completion rates.

A Mira introduction converts at the same rate as a normal conversation on Fiverr, and the median order value for the headhunter experience is 5x larger.
-- Micha Kaufman, Founder and Chief Executive OfficerLooking AheadOperating expenses are declining as management maintains cost discipline to offset traffic headwinds. The company is leveraging its talent database, pricing discipline, and cash balance of $316.2 million to fund its operational transition.

We will continue to run a lean organization through Q4 and into 2027, and we expect operating expenses to be lower year-over-year in 2027.
-- Esti Dadon, Chief Financial OfficerManagement is focusing resources on transforming how buyers discover talent, aiming to capture automated artificial intelligence traffic as web search wanes.

To take a step back, the search era built Fiverr; the AI era is where we intend to lead. We have the talent, the data, the balance sheet, and the focus to get there.
-- Micha Kaufman, Founder and Chief Executive OfficerThe Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Fiverr International. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Memory stocks including Micron Technology, SK Hynix and SanDisk fell sharply on Friday as disappointing earnings from Amazon and Intel triggered a broader sell-off in technology and semiconductor shares. Micron MU declined about 5%, while SK Hynix fell over 7% and SanDisk dropped more than 10% despite reporting stronger-than-expected fiscal first-quarter earnings and issuing an upbeat outlook, as the stock got caught in the broader sell-off and analysts also flagged valuation concerns.

Shares of Micron (MU -5.37%) stumbled out of the gate Friday morning, falling as much as 5.9%. As of 11:28 a.m. ET, the stock was still down 4.7%.

The catalyst that sent the semiconductor specialist lower was a competitor's bullish financial report, which wasn't enough to ease investor concerns about the future of artificial intelligence (AI).

Image source: The Motley Fool.

You want chips with that?Rival memory chipmaker Sandisk (SNDK -11.77%) released its financial results, which were by all accounts bullish. For its fiscal 2027 first quarter (ended Oct. 2), the company delivered revenue that soared 378% year over year and 23% quarter over quarter to $11 billion. This fueled adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $49.51, which grew more than 40-fold.

For context, analysts' consensus estimates were for revenue of $10.7 billion and adjusted EPS of $46.67, so the company cleared both hurdles by a wide margin.

Unrelenting demand for the memory chips that underpin AI continued. Data center revenue was the highlight, surging 1,682% year over year to $4.8 billion, while edge computing revenue of $5.8 billion jumped 320%.

Sandisk even provided a robust second-quarter forecast that surpassed Wall Street's expectations, guiding for revenue of $12.4 billion and adjusted gross margin of 85%, both at the midpoint of its guidance.

On the heels of its stellar financial report, Sandisk stock plunged as much as 11% on Friday, dragging other memory chipmakers down with it.

MU Micron Technology$884.09-$50.18 (-5.37%)

NASDAQ · As of 11:47 AM ET 10/30/26

So what does this have to do with Micron?The reason for the stalling stock prices is complex. Sandisk and Micron stocks have gained 488% and 293%, respectively, over the past year, driven higher by surging demand for the memory chips used for AI. After runs of this magnitude, investors are increasingly concerned that the good times can't last -- particularly when it comes to AI.

Moreover, the Big Three memory chipmakers -- Sandisk, Micron, and SK Hynix -- tend to move together, and that phenomenon held true today.

Finally, Micron stock is selling for just 12 times earnings. For investors who believe that AI still has room to run, this represents an attractive buying opportunity.

BlackBerry (BB - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.

Shares of this cybersecurity software and services company have returned +0.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.7% change. The Zacks Internet - Software industry, to which BlackBerry belongs, has lost 6.5% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.

We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, BlackBerry is expected to post earnings of $0.05 per share, indicating no change. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $0.21 points to a change of +31.3% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $0.23 indicates a change of +9.5% from what BlackBerry is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for BlackBerry.

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Revenue Growth ForecastEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.

In the case of BlackBerry, the consensus sales estimate of $148.5 million for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +4.7%. The $628.84 million and $682.59 million estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +14.5% and +8.5%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryBlackBerry reported revenues of $163.3 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +26%. EPS of $0.07 for the same period compares with $0.04 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $143 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +14.2%. The EPS surprise was +75%.

The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.

ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.

While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.

The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

BlackBerry is graded F on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about BlackBerry. However, its Zacks Rank #2 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.

For the quarter ended September 2026, Regeneron (REGN - Free Report) reported revenue of $5.12 billion, up 36.3% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $20.07, compared to $11.83 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +12.43% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.55 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $16.08, the EPS surprise was +24.81%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Regeneron performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Revenues- Praluent (alirocumab)- ROW: $179.4 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $160.47 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +21.2%.Revenues- Praluent (alirocumab)- U.S.: $81.5 million versus $80.66 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +20.4% change.Revenues- Kevzara (sarilumab)- ROW: $62.9 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $66.25 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +23.1%.Revenues- Kevzara (sarilumab)- U.S.: $192.7 million compared to the $125.93 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +87.3% year over year.Revenues- Net product sales: $1.81 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $1.62 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +13.7%.Revenues- Other revenue: $310 million compared to the $219.31 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +56.4% year over year.Revenues- Collaboration revenue: $3 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $2.75 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +52.4%.Revenues- Collaboration revenue- Sanofi: $2.72 billion compared to the $2.51 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +68.5% year over year.Revenues- Collaboration revenue- Bayer: $267 million compared to the $261.48 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -22.6% year over year.Revenues- Dupixent (dupilumab)- Total: $6.54 billion versus $6.09 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +34.7% change.Revenues- Kevzara (sarilumab)- Total: $255.6 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $192.17 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +66%.Revenues- Praluent (alirocumab)- Total: $260.9 million versus $241.12 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +21% change.View all Key Company Metrics for Regeneron here>>>

Shares of Regeneron have returned +11.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Regeneron's blockbuster earnings sent its stock soaring, but the real story is how that move ripples through the health care ETFs sitting inside millions of retirement accounts, and whether fund holders are more exposed than they realize.

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Regeneron (NASDAQ:REGN | REGN Price Prediction) shares rose 13.55% in Friday’s session, trading at $929.69 as of 9:45 AM ET on Oct 30, 2026. For a biotech worth roughly $94.03 billion, a double-digit move matters for more than its own shareholders. It flows straight into the health care and biotech index funds that sit in millions of retirement accounts.

Earnings Beat Lit the Fuse Before the Open The catalyst was Regeneron’s third-quarter earnings report, released before the market opened. Non-GAAP EPS came in at $20.07, well ahead of the $16.1941 consensus estimate. Revenue reached $5.1158 billion, up 36.27% year over year and beating the $4.56194128 billion estimate.

Sanofi collaboration revenue climbed 68% to $2.724 billion on Dupixent strength and the full repayment of the Sanofi development balance. U.S. EYLEA HD sales rose 62% and Libtayo grew 51%. Management also raised full-year non-GAAP gross margin guidance to approximately 86% from 84%–85%. The chief executive called it “an exceptional quarter by every measure.”

Which Health Care ETFs Own Regeneron Right Now Regeneron is a component of the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq-100, so it appears in broad index funds, though at a weight small enough that today’s move barely shows. The sector funds tell a more useful story.

ETF REGN Weight Today’s Move Expense Ratio XLV 1.08% +1.8% Not disclosed XBI 0.96% Not available Not disclosed IBB Not disclosed +1.25% 0.44% VHT Not disclosed Not available 0.09% The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSEARCA:XLV) held 705,889 Regeneron shares worth $440,150,027.06 as of June 30, 2026. At about 1.08% of assets, Regeneron’s surge adds roughly 0.15 percentage points to the fund. XLV’s 1.8% gain this morning therefore reflects a broader health care bid, with Regeneron providing only part of the lift.

The SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (NYSEARCA:XBI) uses an equal-weighted approach, so Regeneron sits beside small-cap names like Apogee Therapeutics at 1.49% and Moderna at 1.41%. Its June weight means a contribution of roughly 0.13 percentage points from today’s move.

The cap-weighted iShares Biotechnology ETF (NASDAQ:IBB) rose 1.25% early in the session. Because IBB weights by market value, a mega-cap like Regeneron typically ranks near the top of the fund, making it the most direct ETF channel for this rally. The Vanguard Health Care ETF (NYSEARCA:VHT) offers similar broad sector exposure to XLV at a 0.09% expense ratio.

Regeneron Trailed Its Sector Funds Until Today Even after this jump, Regeneron is up 20.91% year to date, behind XLV’s 22.52% and IBB’s 30.83%. The one-month picture looks different: Regeneron gained 23.87%, against 9.73% for XLV and 4.53% for IBB. Fund holders got this catch-up rally automatically, without picking the stock.

Overlap Risk Retirement Savers Often Miss Concentration in XLV comes mainly from Eli Lilly, at 16.51% of net assets, and Johnson & Johnson, at 10.64%. Regeneron is a mid-tier position. Overlap builds up when an investor piles funds: an S&P 500 index fund, a Nasdaq-100 fund, a health care ETF and a cap-weighted biotech fund can all own the same large biotechs. Each layer adds exposure to the same handful of names.

Investors who want broader biotech participation with less single-name dependence can compare XBI’s equal-weight design with IBB’s cap weighting. The two funds will respond very differently the next time a mega-cap biotech jumps or falls on a single earnings report.

Upcoming Catalysts That Could Move These Funds Again Regeneron expects an FDA decision on cemdisiran in generalized myasthenia gravis next month. It also hosts an investor roundtable on November 10, 2026, and a $1.0 billion Sanofi up-front payment will be recorded as revenue in the fourth quarter. On the risk side, U.S. sales of the original EYLEA fell 41% under biosimilar pressure. ETF holders should keep an eye on the stock, along with each fund’s next holdings update, to see what portion of this rally reaches their portfolios.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM -5.43%), popularly known as TSMC, is one of the most important companies in the semiconductor ecosystem, as it is the world's largest semiconductor foundry, manufacturing chips for other companies.

TSMC doesn't design any chips of its own. It manufactures chips for fabless chipmakers, including Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Broadcom, as well as consumer electronics giants such as Apple and Sony. The chips made by TSMC find their way into multiple applications, such as data center servers, vehicles, personal computers, and smartphones.

Not surprisingly, TSMC stock has been an outstanding investment in recent years. A $10,000 investment made in TSMC five years ago is now worth over $38,000. The good news is that it isn't too late to buy this semiconductor stock. Let's look at the reasons why it is a good idea to put $10,000 into TSMC even after the terrific gains it has clocked over the past five years.

Image source: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing.

TSMC's addressable market is getting biggerTSMC dominates the global pure-play foundry market with an estimated market share of 73%, according to Counterpoint Research. However, TSMC is now more than just a pure-play foundry company. It also provides advanced packaging, testing, and photomasking services. TSMC calls this expanded market Foundry 2.0, which encompasses the overall semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem, excluding memory chips.

TSM Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing$408.38-$23.43 (-5.43%)

NYSE · As of 11:44 AM ET 10/30/26

Counterpoint Research notes that the global Foundry 2.0 market's revenue increased by an impressive 25% year over year in Q2 to $96.6 billion, up from the 24% increase in Q1. TSMC is the biggest player in Foundry 2.0, controlling 42% of this space in Q2. Notably, TSMC's share of the Foundry 2.0 market has increased from 38% at the end of 2025.

Even better, Counterpoint Research expects TSMC's Foundry 2.0 revenue to grow by 50% year over year in the second half of 2026, implying an improvement over the 34% revenue growth seen in Q2. So, TSMC's share of the Foundry 2.0 market is likely to get even better by the end of the year.

Importantly, the Foundry 2.0 market is anticipated to keep growing at a healthy pace over the long run. Market research firm IDC expects the Foundry 2.0 market's revenue to exceed $360 billion in 2026. Even better, the firm expects this market to clock a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% through 2030, indicating that TSMC's addressable opportunity could increase to almost $550 billion by the end of the decade.

I won't be surprised to see TSMC's Foundry 2.0 share increasing further by the end of the decade, driven by the strong demand for its advanced chip manufacturing. Specifically, TSMC sees demand for its advanced manufacturing nodes used in artificial intelligence (AI) applications increasing at a high 50% CAGR through 2029.

So, there is a strong chance that TSMC will outpace the broader market over the next four years. Also, the stronger market share will improve TSMC's pricing power. The foundry giant is expected to implement price hikes of up to 10% in 2027, as Reuters reported in July. TSMC is therefore on track to benefit from strong volumes and favorable pricing, which should ensure robust top- and bottom-line growth for the company.

Here's why it is a good idea to invest $10,000 in this stockTSMC's dominant position in the foundry market, the secular growth of this space, and the price hikes that it is on track to implement explain why the company's earnings are poised to increase at a nice pace through 2028.

TSM EPS Estimates for Current Fiscal Year data by YCharts

According to the chart above, TSMC's earnings could jump by 34% next year and by 27% in 2028. For comparison, its earnings are projected to jump by 64% this year. However, don't be surprised to see TSMC's earnings per share (EPS) growth outpacing the market's expectations in the future. Analysts have already raised their long-term EPS growth estimates and may become more bullish given the factors discussed above.

TSM EPS LT Growth Estimates data by YCharts

Assuming TSMC's earnings increase by 40% a year in 2029 and 2030, its EPS could jump to $58.45 by the end of the decade (using 2028's projected EPS of $29.82 as the base). If this semiconductor stock trades at even 19 times earnings at that time, in line with the S&P 500 index's forward earnings multiple, its price could reach $1,110, implying 153% upside.

So, a $10,000 investment in TSMC right now could be worth more than $25,000 by 2030, suggesting investors can still consider buying this semiconductor giant in anticipation of further gains.

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.

Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.82% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Anheuser-Busch Inbev (BUD - Free Report) Anheuser-Busch InBev, alias AB InBev, is a global brewing company with more than 500 iconic brands. The company’s leading position in majority of its markets and strong global footprint provide economies-of-scale advantages and support the global growth of its multi-country brands. Its strategy is based on efforts to develop a portfolio of brands that cater to extensive consumer needs within the market, in terms of price range, flavor profiles and brand meaning.

BUD is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 18.15; value investors should take notice.

Two analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.00 to $4.38 per share. BUD also boasts an average earnings surprise of +7.3%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, BUD should be on investors' short list.

The recommendations of Wall Street analysts are often relied on by investors when deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock. Media reports about these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts changing their ratings often affect a stock's price. Do they really matter, though?

Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about ServiceNow (NOW - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.

ServiceNow currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.38, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 47 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.38 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the 47 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 39 are Strong Buy and three are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 83% and 6.4% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for NOW

Check price target & stock forecast for ServiceNow here>>>

While the ABR calls for buying ServiceNow, it may not be wise to make an investment decision solely based on this information. Several studies have shown limited to no success of brokerage recommendations in guiding investors to pick stocks with the best price increase potential.

Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations.

In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), is a reliable indicator of a stock's near-term price performance. So, validating the Zacks Rank with ABR could go a long way in making a profitable investment decision.

ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks RankIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.

The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

Analysts employed by brokerage firms have been and continue to be overly optimistic with their recommendations. Since the ratings issued by these analysts are more favorable than their research would support because of the vested interest of their employers, they mislead investors far more often than they guide.

On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.

Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.

Is NOW a Good Investment?Looking at the earnings estimate revisions for ServiceNow, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has declined 0.5% over the past month to $4.05.

Analysts' growing pessimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates lower, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to plunge in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for ServiceNow. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

Therefore, it could be wise to take the Buy-equivalent ABR for ServiceNow with a grain of salt.

Not every rising dividend yield signals good news, but four familiar companies just handed shareholders bigger checks while their stock prices climbed. The distinction separating these raisers from the rest is worth understanding before you buy.

A dividend yield can rise for two reasons. The share price can drop while the payout stays the same, which usually signals trouble ahead. Or the company can raise the payout faster than the stock rises, putting more cash in your account while your principal holds up. The second kind is the focus here. Visa (NYSE: V) gave the clearest example recently, raising its quarterly dividend by 16%. Visa and the three names below all raised their payouts while their shares finished the past year higher. Their starting yields are low, so the appeal is a payout that grows every year.

Visa Keeps Writing Bigger Checks as the Stock Climbs Visa runs one of the world’s largest electronic payments networks, connecting consumers, merchants and banks across more than 200 countries and territories. It makes its revenue by collecting fees on the transactions that run over its network.

The new quarterly dividend is $0.78 per share, up from $0.67, for an annualized forward payout of $3.12. At $415 a share, that works out to a forward yield of about 0.75%. The starting yield is small. The growth is what matters: Visa’s dividend record shows a higher quarterly rate every year since 2016, when it paid $0.14 a quarter. Since the $0.375 rate declared in 2021, the payout has risen 108%. Over the past year, the stock returned 22.57%, so the yield rose entirely because the dividend did.

Coverage is wide. Trailing dividends of $2.79 come to about 22.6% of trailing earnings of $12.32 per share. In fiscal 2026, operating cash flow of $23.728 billion less capital spending of $1.671 billion left roughly $22.06 billion of free cash flow. That was enough to fund $20.5 billion of buybacks on top of the dividend, and Visa still has $24.4 billion left under its repurchase authorization.

The case for more increases comes straight from the income statement. Fiscal 2026 revenue rose 14.76% to $45.903 billion, and processed transactions reached 74.2 billion in the fourth quarter. The chief executive called fiscal 2026 “a milestone year”. The risk to watch is the ongoing interchange multidistrict litigation, which already has significant provisions and could drain cash otherwise headed to shareholders.

JPMorgan Chase Turns Record Profits Into Steady Raises JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM | JPM Price Prediction) is the largest U.S. bank, with $5.0 trillion in assets spread across consumer banking under the Chase brand, investment banking, and asset management.

The bank’s latest quarterly dividend is $1.65, a 10% increase from $1.50. The annualized forward payout is $6.60, which, at $345.44 a share, comes to a forward yield of about 1.91%, the highest on this list. The dividend has increased six times since the $1.00 quarterly rate in early 2023, for a cumulative gain of 65%. The shares rose 15.23% over the past year, so the payout beat a rising stock.

The safety read is solid. Trailing dividends of $6.15 equal about 25.8% of trailing earnings of $23.84 per share. For a bank, capital is the better test: JPMorgan reported a CET1 ratio of 14.3% and authorized a new $50 billion buyback program. Excluding one-time gains, second-quarter adjusted EPS was $6.14, up 13% year over year, with a 23% return on tangible common equity.

For income investors, the bull case is breadth. Investment banking fees jumped 30% and net interest income rose 10%, so the dividend draws on several profit drivers at once. The catch is credit. The card net charge-off rate stood at 3.33%, and the allowance for credit losses rose 12% to $31.4 billion. Jamie Dimon, the CEO at the time of the release, warned that risks are “shifting below the surface like tectonic plates.”

Unlike Broadcom, Walmart Extends a Decades-Long Habit of Higher Payouts For contrast, consider Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO). Broadcom’s quarterly dividend has held at $0.65 for four straight payments while its shares fell 13.52% over the past year, so its yield is rising from the price side.

Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) runs more than 10,900 stores in 19 countries, serving about 280 million customers a week. Its quarterly dividend rose to $0.2475 from $0.235, a 5.3% increase, for a forward annual payout of $0.99. At $121.25, that is a yield of about 0.82%. The dividend record shows a higher quarterly rate every year from 2000 through 2023. After a 3-for-1 stock split that took effect in February 2024, the split-adjusted rate rose from $0.2075 to $0.235, and today it is higher still. The stock gained 19.33% over the past year.

Coverage is comfortable. The trailing payout of $0.9775 equals about 35.4% of trailing earnings of $2.76 per share. Walmart’s free cash flow yield of 1.55% sits above its dividend yield. The debt-to-equity ratio is 0.67, interest coverage is 10.66 times, and the company still has $25.1 billion left on a $30 billion buyback authorization.

The bull case is a retailer becoming a higher-margin platform. Second-quarter revenue rose 5.9% to $187.94 billion, global e-commerce grew 23%, and advertising rose 38%. Management raised its full-year adjusted EPS outlook to $2.80 to $2.87. The risk is spending. Capital expenditures of $6.7 billion drove first-quarter free cash flow to negative $1.9 billion, and at that time capex guidance was raised to about 4.0% of net sales.

Caterpillar Lifts the Payout While Orders Stack Up Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) makes construction and mining equipment, drivers, industrial gas turbines and locomotives, and it finances customers through Cat Financial. Its quarterly dividend rose to $1.63 from $1.51, a 7.9% raise, for a forward annual payout of $6.52. At $634, the forward yield is about 1.03%. Over the long run, the quarterly rate has risen from $0.42 in the 2009 and 2010 records to today’s level.

The shares are up 9.21% over the past year and 11.62% year to date, but they dropped 23.12% over the past month as the stock slid after its third-quarter report. Part of the latest bump in yield therefore comes from the pullback. Over the full year, the dividend increase drove most of the gain.

Coverage leaves plenty of room. Trailing dividends of $6.28 equal about 27.0% of trailing earnings of $23.23 per share. In the third quarter, operating cash flow of $4.4 billion covered $0.7 billion of dividends and $1.2 billion of buybacks, and the company ended the period with $7.929 billion in cash.

The bull case is demand. Third-quarter revenue rose 17.3% to $20.682 billion, and Power Generation sales jumped 30% on turbines and drivers for data centers. The CEO cited “strong order rates and a record backlog.” The risk is trade policy: tariffs are lifting material costs, and Caterpillar operates in a cyclical industry where a slowdown would squeeze the cash that funds increases.

Who These Four Dividend Raisers Suit Best Visa, JPMorgan Chase, Walmart, and Caterpillar all pay out well under half of their earnings and keep raising the dividend while their stocks finish the year higher. That profile tends to match investors with a long horizon who want growing income and can accept starting yields at or below 2%. Investors focused on high current income may find these yields too low. Investors building a paycheck for the next decade may want to research these names further (we ranked ten long-tenured dividend growers by valuation in a free Dividend Kings report, here).

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Key Takeaways Stryker lowers 2026 organic sales growth guidance to 6.5%-7% and adjusted EPS outlook to $14.80-$14.90.SYK faces slower hip and knee procedures, supply constraints and commercial disruptions affecting execution.MedSurg and Neurotechnology sales grew 9.1%, while operating margin rose 60 basis points to 26.2%.
Stryker Corporation (SYK - Free Report) lowered its 2026 outlook after third-quarter performance fell short of management's expectations, reflecting weaker hip and knee procedures, peripheral vascular supply disruptions and commercial execution challenges.

During the earnings call, executives discussed slowing joint replacement demand, corrective actions and a strong medical technology pipeline. Management also emphasized continued capital equipment demand, margin expansion and opportunities in surgical robotics heading into 2027.

Third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $3.52 missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.56. Revenues of $6.52 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.57 billion by 0.90%.

SYK Cuts 2026 Outlook Amid Procedure WeaknessStryker revised its full-year organic sales growth guidance to 6.5%-7% and adjusted earnings per share guidance to $14.80-$14.90.

Chairman and CEO Kevin Lobo attributed the revision to weaker joint replacement procedures and operational distractions. CFO Preston Wells indicated that fourth-quarter organic growth should remain broadly comparable to the third quarter.

Stryker Faces Slower Hip and Knee DemandLobo identified affordability pressures, higher insurance deductibles and increased preauthorization denials as factors delaying joint replacement procedures.

During the Q&A, a JPMorgan analyst questioned the extent of the slowdown. Lobo estimated annual hip and knee market growth at approximately 2.5%, below historical levels.

Management also acknowledged weaker competitive conversion activity. The earlier cybersecurity incident and July SAP implementation disrupted commercial execution, particularly for Mako RPS and Triathlon Gold.

SYK Highlights Strength in Medical TechnologyMedSurg and Neurotechnology delivered 9.1% organic growth, supported by Endoscopy, Medical and capital equipment demand.

Wells reported 13% U.S. organic Endoscopy growth, reflecting operating room infrastructure investment and Sports Medicine strength. U.S. Medical sales advanced 10%, supported by Sage and Smart Care.

Orthopaedics organic sales increased 5.9%, with Ortho Tech benefiting from strong Mako installations and orthopedic power tools. Management expects Trauma and Extremities to deliver stronger growth in the fourth quarter.

Stryker Addresses Peripheral Vascular DisruptionsLobo reported progress restoring Peripheral Vascular product availability after manufacturing-related supply constraints affected performance.

Third-quarter sales benefited from a one-time regulatory milestone payment associated with the company's China joint venture. Management expects inventory availability to normalize through year-end.

During the Q&A, a Piper Sandler analyst questioned the recovery trajectory. Lobo highlighted the planned commercialization of AVS' intravascular lithotripsy platform in 2027 and anticipated PEERLESS II clinical data as future growth opportunities.

SYK Expands Robotics and Innovation InvestmentsStryker announced a strategic investment in CMR Surgical alongside an agreement to become the exclusive U.S. sales agent for its Versius robotic platform.

Responding to a Wells Fargo analyst, Lobo described the investment structure as a way to limit financial and development exposure while establishing a U.S. commercial presence. He indicated that Stryker ultimately intends to acquire the business.

Management also highlighted upcoming product introductions, including Neptune, Sonopet 3, System 10 and the 1888 endoscopy platform. A powered hip impaction solution is planned for 2027 to strengthen competitive positioning.

Stryker Maintains Margin and Capital DisciplineAdjusted operating margin increased 60 basis points to 26.2%, supported by operational efficiencies and expense management.

Wells emphasized that margin improvements helped offset the earnings impact of weaker sales. During the Q&A, management reaffirmed its commitment to further manufacturing efficiencies despite unfavorable Orthopaedics sales mix.

Stryker repurchased $1 billion of shares during the quarter and received an additional $3 billion repurchase authorization. Wells reiterated that strategic acquisitions remain the primary capital allocation priority.

SYK Focuses on Execution Ahead of Leadership TransitionLobo expressed confidence in Stryker's diversified portfolio and innovation pipeline while acknowledging uncertainty surrounding joint replacement recovery.

The company's priorities include improving commercial execution, restoring supply availability and maintaining strong capital equipment demand. Incoming CEO Spencer Stiles will inherit these objectives as Stryker prepares its 2027 operating plans.

Zacks Rank and Style Scores Reflect CautionSYK currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), reflecting an unfavorable near-term earnings estimate revision outlook. Its Value Score of D indicates relatively weak valuation characteristics, while its Growth Score of B reflects more favorable growth attributes. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The stock's Momentum Score of C and VGM Score of C indicate neutral characteristics in these categories. Although its Growth Score is favorable, the Zacks Rank #4 remains a cautionary signal under the Zacks framework. The rank can change as analysts revise earnings estimates following the third-quarter results.

General Dynamics (GD - Free Report) reported $14.57 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 12.9%. EPS of $4.49 for the same period compares to $3.88 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +6.43% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $13.69 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $4.14, the EPS surprise was +8.45%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how General Dynamics performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Revenue- Technologies: $3.68 billion versus $3.47 billion estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +10.8% change.Revenue- Marine Systems: $4.96 billion versus $4.33 billion estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +21.1% change.Revenue- Combat Systems: $2.39 billion compared to the $2.46 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +6% year over year.Revenue- Aerospace: $3.54 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $3.41 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +9.3%.Operating earnings- Aerospace: $513 million compared to the $489.16 million average estimate based on three analysts.Operating earnings- Combat Systems: $330 million compared to the $340.17 million average estimate based on three analysts.Operating earnings- Technologies: $346 million versus $322.37 million estimated by three analysts on average.Operating earnings- Marine Systems: $391 million versus $325.23 million estimated by three analysts on average.Operating earnings- Corporate: $-53 million versus $-52.5 million estimated by two analysts on average.View all Key Company Metrics for General Dynamics here>>>

Shares of General Dynamics have returned +11.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Republic Services NYSE: RSG reported third-quarter 2026 results marked by higher pricing, improving commercial volume trends and growth in its Environmental Solutions business, while elevated diesel costs and healthcare expenses weighed on margins.