Market Signal Briefing

Key Takeaways Barrick posted Q4 adjusted EPS of $1.04, beating estimates, while reported profit rose to $2.4B.B's sales climbed 64.5% to $6.0B as realized gold prices jumped 57.2% despite lower gold output.Barrick ended the quarter with $6.7B cash, lower debt, and generated $2.73B in operating cash flow. Barrick Mining Corporation (B - Free Report) recorded profits (on a reported basis) of $2,406 million or $1.43 per share for fourth-quarter 2025, up from $996 million or 57 cents per share in the year-ago quarter.

Barring one-time items, adjusted earnings per share were $1.04. The figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 85 cents. 

Barrick recorded total sales of $5,997 million, up 64.5% year over year. The metric beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5,096.9 million. 

B’s Operational HighlightsTotal gold production was 871,000 ounces in the reported quarter, down around 19.4% year over year. The average realized price of gold was $4,177 per ounce in the quarter, up around 57.2%.

The cost of sales increased around 33.3% year over year to $1,904 per ounce. All-in-sustaining costs (AISC) moved up 9% to $1,581 per ounce in the quarter. 

B’s Financial PositionAt the end of the quarter, Barrick had cash and cash equivalents of $6,706 million, up 64.5% from the prior-year quarter. The company’s total debt was $4,703 million at the end of the quarter, down 0.5% year over year. 

The operating cash flow was $2.73 billion for the quarter, whereas the free cash flow was $1.62 billion. 

B’s GuidanceFor 2026, Barrick anticipates attributable gold production to be in the range of 2.90-3.25 million ounces. 

AISC is projected at $1,760-$1,950 per ounce for 2026. Cash costs per ounce are forecast to be $1,330-$1,470. The company also expects to see a cost of sales of $1,870-$2,070 per ounce. 

Barrick expects a copper production of 190,000-220,000 tons at AISC of $3.45-$3.75 per pound, cash costs per ounce of $2.20-$2.45 and cost of sales of $3.05-$3.35 per pound for 2026. 

Barrick’s Price PerformanceB’s shares have gained 156.2% in the past year against the industry’s 128.7% rise.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

B’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderB currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). 

Better-ranked stocks worth a look in the basic materials space include Albemarle Corporation (ALB - Free Report) , Coeur Mining, Inc. (CDE - Free Report)  and Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. (ASM - Free Report) .

Albemarle is slated to report fourth-quarter results on Feb. 11. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at a loss of 53 cents. ALB beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters while missing once, with the average earnings surprise being 35.28%. ALB sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. 

Coeur is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results on Feb. 18. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CDE’s fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at 33 cents. CDE beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last two quarters and missed once, with the average earnings surprise being 106.61%. CDE currently sports a Zacks Rank #1. 

Avino Silver is slated to report fourth-quarter results on March 11. The consensus estimate for ASM’s earnings is pegged at 6 cents. ASM, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), beats the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters, with the average earnings surprise being 150%. 

HomeStock IdeasLong IdeasCommunication Services

SummaryThere has been a lot of hysteria and media attention over the midpoint of Alphabet Inc., aka Google's 2026 cap-ex guidance: $180 billion. A big number and a surprise? Yes. Irrational? Definitely not.Much less attention was paid to what matters: GOOGL's very strong Q4 report, particularly Google Search (+17% yoy) and Google Cloud (+48% yoy), and GC's $240 billion backlog (+55% sequentially).In my opinion, in its entirety, Google is the global AI leader because it has the biggest and most diversified wide-moat platform on which to monetize AI.Meantime, in the long run, Nvidia's high-margin GPUs are attracting a lot of serious competition, specifically from Broadcom's XPUs and Google GPUs for the inference market.As a result, by the end of 2027 (if not before), I fully expect Google's superior platform will enable it to leapfrog Nvidia and to become the largest company on the planet by market cap. vzphotos/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

I swore I would stop covering mega-cap technology stocks because they are so well covered on Seeking Alpha, so it's pretty hard for me to stand out from the crowd. Yet, once again I am motivated to

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of AMZN, AVGO, GOOG either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. 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.

I am an electronics engineer, not a CFA. The information and data presented in this article were obtained from company documents and/or sources believed to be reliable, but have not been independently verified. Therefore, the author cannot guarantee their accuracy. Please do your own research and contact a qualified investment advisor. I am not responsible for the investment decisions you make.

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.

Micron Technology remains a top 'AI picks and shovels' play, directly benefiting from surging AI data center capex by tech giants. Micron's margins are expanding due to an 'unprecedented' AI memory chip shortage, with further tightening likely as 2026 capex accelerates. Despite a 4x share price increase in 12 months, Micron trades at an attractive 11.5x FY2026 forward P/E, supported by robust EPS growth.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces an investigation into Hub Group Inc. (NASDAQ:HUBG) for potential violations of the federal securities laws.

On February 5, 2026, after market close, Hub Group announced that it would delay the full release of its fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results and will restate its financial statements for the first three quarters of 2025

Share If you invested in Hub Group, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/hub-group-class-action-lawsuit.

Why is Hub Group Being Investigated for Violations of the Federal Securities Laws?

Hub Group is a supply chain solutions provider that offers transportation and logistics management services. Hub Group is one of the largest freight transportation providers in North America.

BFA is investigating whether Hub Group misrepresented its purchased transportation costs and accounts payable for the first nine months of 2025.

Why did Hub Group’s Stock Drop?

On February 5, 2026, after market close, Hub Group announced that it would delay the full release of its fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results and will restate its financial statements for the first three quarters of 2025 due to an error that understated purchased transportation costs and accounts payable. Hub Group did not estimate what the financial impact would be nor did it provide a date for when it would restate its financial statements.

On this news, the price of Hub Group stock dropped over 24% during the course of trading on February 6, 2026.

Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/hub-group-class-action-lawsuit.

What Can You Do?

If you invested in Hub Group, you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.

All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.

Submit your information by visiting:

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/hub-group-class-action-lawsuit

Or contact:
Adam McCall
[email protected]
212.789.3619

Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?

BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named “Elite Trial Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, “Litigation Stars” by Benchmark Litigation, among the top “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” by Lawdragon, “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” by Law360 and “SuperLawyers” by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.

For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com.

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/hub-group-class-action-lawsuit

Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

, /PRNewswire/ -- National plaintiffs' law firm Berger Montague PC announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: RARE) ("Ultragenyx" or the "Company") on behalf of investors who purchased Ultragenyx common stock during the period from August 3, 2023 through December 26, 2025 (the "Class Period").

Investor Deadline: Investors who purchased Ultragenyx common stock during the Class Period may, no later than April 6, 2026, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class. To learn your rights, CLICK HERE.

Ultragenyx is a biopharmaceutical company that acquires and develops novel products for treatment of rare genetic diseases. It is headquartered in Novato, Calif.

According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants issued overwhelmingly positive statements to investors concerning the ORBIT and COSMIC Phase 3 programs, clinical trials to test setrusumab as a treatment for Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

When, on December 29, 2025, Ultragenyx disclosed that neither study achieved its primary endpoint of reducing the annualized clinical fracture rate, the price of its shares dropped more than 42%, from a closing price of $34.19 per share on December 26, 2025 to a close of $19.72 per share on December 29, 2025.

If you are a Ultragenyx investor and would like to learn more about this action, CLICK HERE or please contact Berger Montague: Andrew Abramowitz at [email protected] or (215) 875-3015, or Caitlin Adorni at [email protected] or (267)764-4865.

About Berger Montague
Berger Montague is one of the nation's preeminent law firms focusing on complex civil litigation, class actions, and mass torts in federal and state courts throughout the United States. With more than $2.4 billion in 2025 post-trial judgments alone, the Firm is a leader in the fields of complex litigation, antitrust, consumer protection, defective products, environmental law, employment law, securities, and whistleblower cases, among many other practice areas. For over 55 years, Berger Montague has played leading roles in precedent-setting cases and has recovered over $50 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Berger Montague is headquartered in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago; Malvern, PA; Minneapolis; San Diego; San Francisco; Toronto, Canada; Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, DE.

For more information or to discuss your rights, please contact:
Andrew Abramowitz
Berger Montague
(215) 875-3015
[email protected]

Caitlin Adorni
Berger Montague
(267) 764-4865
[email protected]

SOURCE Berger Montague

In the first half of 2025, Nintendo OTCMKTS: NTDOY was not only one of the best-performing consumer discretionary stocks but a market standout as well. It surged 76% in anticipation of the company's long-awaited Switch2 release.

RXO, Inc. (RXO) Q4 2025 Earnings Call February 6, 2026 8:00 AM EST

Company Participants

Drew Wilkerson - Chairman & CEO
James Harris - Chief Financial Officer
Jared Weisfeld - Chief Strategy Officer

Conference Call Participants

Ravi Shanker - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Stephanie Benjamin Moore - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Scott Group - Wolfe Research, LLC
Lucas de Servera - Truist Securities, Inc., Research Division
Ariel Rosa - Citigroup Inc., Research Division
Ken Hoexter - BofA Securities, Research Division
Thomas Wadewitz - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Brian Ossenbeck - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Matthew Milask - Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Welcome to the RXO Q4 2025 Earnings Conference Call and Webcast. My name is Ina, and I will be your operator for today's call. Please note that this conference is being recorded. [Operator Instructions]

During this call, the company will make certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, which, by their nature, involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. A discussion of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially is contained in the company's SEC filings as well as in its earnings release.

You should refer to a copy of the company's earnings release in the Investor Relations section on the company's website for additional important information regarding forward-looking statements and disclosures and reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures that the company uses when it's discussing its results.

I will now turn the call over to Drew Wilkerson. Mr. Wilkerson, you may begin.

Drew Wilkerson
Chairman & CEO

Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining today. With me here in Charlotte are RXO's Chief Financial Officer, James Harris; and Chief Strategy Officer, Jared Weisfeld. This morning, I want to cover 3 key points. First, we continue to take decisive

Key Takeaways ExxonMobil delivered record Permian production of 1.8M oil-equivalent barrels per day in the fourth quarter.XOM is using a new lightweight proppant to boost fracs, deployed in 25% of wells in 2025.ExxonMobil sees no near-term Permian peak and plans to lift output to 2.5M boe/d beyond 2030. Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM - Free Report) , a U.S. oil and gas giant, generates a significant portion of its revenues from exploration and production activities. The company’s upstream production growth is primarily driven by its major oil projects in two key regions – the Permian Basin and offshore oil and gas resources in Guyana. These advantaged assets are characterized by lower emissions, lower cost of production and higher returns.

In the Permian Basin, the company has achieved record production levels of 1.8 million oil-equivalent barrels per day in the fourth quarter. On its latest earnings call, the company mentioned that it has been using a new lightweight proppant for its wells, which can penetrate deeper into fracs, improving the efficiency of the hydraulic fracturing process and enhancing recovery rates. In 2025, this proppant had been deployed to 25% of the wells, and the company plans to extend this to 50% of new wells in 2026. Interestingly, the company highlights that it does not see a near-term peak for Permian production. Rather, it intends to continue the production growth in the Permian Basin. 

XOM is leveraging innovation and technology to improve production from the Permian Basin. The company plans to increase Permian production volumes to 2.5 million oil-equivalent barrels a day beyond 2030. ExxonMobil’s deep inventory of high-quality acreage in the Permian Basin, combined with the use of newer technologies, is expected to sustain production growth and generate long-term value for shareholders.

Growing Permian Production: COP and CVXConocoPhillips (COP - Free Report) and Chevron Corporation (CVX - Free Report) are two energy firms with an extensive footprint in the Permian Basin.

ConocoPhillips’ portfolio includes assets in the prolific shale basins of the United States, the oil sands in Canada, and conventional assets in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, which support low-cost production. Notably, in the U.S. Lower 48, COP has an advantaged inventory position that can support operations at a break-even cost as low as $40 per barrel WTI cost. ConocoPhillips’ acquisition of Marathon Oil in 2024 also bolstered its footprint in the Permian Basin, bringing additional high-quality assets.

Chevron Corporation has an unmatched portfolio of high-quality assets in the Permian Basin that continues to drive peer-leading organic growth. Increasing production from the Permian has contributed to higher net oil-equivalent production in the third quarter for CVX. Chevron is also the largest mineral owner in the Permian, enabling it to capture royalty benefits. The company's oil and gas fields maintain industry-leading profit margins that should ensure resilience during periods of challenging commodity prices.

XOM’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of ExxonMobil have risen 34.2% over the past year compared with the 23.8% increase of the composite stocks belonging to the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, XOM trades at a trailing 12-month enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of 9.43X. This is above the broader industry average of 5.72X.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for XOM’s 2026 earnings has seen upward revisions over the past seven days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

XOM currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) while CVX and COP have a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

A logo of Blackstone is pictured in Manhattan, New York City, U.S. July 29, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

CompaniesNEW YORK, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Private markets firm TPG (TPG.O), opens new tab has agreed to buy a majority stake in Sabre Industries from Blackstone (BX.N), opens new tab, the companies said on Friday, in a deal two people familiar with the matter said valued the power infrastructure company at around $3.5 billion.

Blackstone will maintain a significant minority stake in Texas-based Sabre, which makes components for electricity and communications infrastructure. It has around 2,800 employees and its biggest business is in the utility sector, the companies said in a statement.

Jumpstart your morning with the latest legal news delivered straight to your inbox from The Daily Docket newsletter. Sign up here.

Blackstone bought Sabre in 2021, and TPG's purchase price represents a four-times increase on its initial investment, a person familiar with the matter said.

The buildout of data centers for artificial intelligence and cloud computing has attracted large amounts of private capital in recent years and is expected to require much more.

Blackstone President and Chief Operating Officer Jon Gray said this week that investing in the "picks and shovels" is the safest way to play the AI megatrend, referring to data centers and systems they rely on.

Reporting by Isla Binnie Editing by Rod Nickel

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Isla Binnie reports on how company directors and executives manage stakeholder and shareholder interests, with a focus on compensation, corporate crises, dealmaking and succession. She also covers how politics, regulation, environmental issues and the broader economy affect boardroom discussions. Isla previously covered business, politics and general news in Spain and Italy. She trained with Reuters in London and covered emerging markets debt for the International Financing Review (IFR).

NEW YORK, Feb. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tradewinds Universal Inc. (OTC: TRWD), a fully reporting public holding company focused on the sin sector, today highlighted continued execution of its long-term growth strategy centered on strategic acquisitions, operational modernization, and consolidation opportunities within the fragmented adult nightlife and experiential entertainment industry.

Tradewinds Universal’s strategy is grounded in a fundamental industry dynamic: while hospitality and entertainment sectors have increasingly adopted institutional capital, brand consolidation, and technology-driven operations, large portions of the adult nightlife industry remain independently owned and operationally fragmented. Management believes this environment presents a significant opportunity to create scalable enterprise value through disciplined expansion and standardized operational practices.

Industry research estimates the U.S. grown up night club sector generates approximately $10 billion in annual revenue, while the broader bars and nightclubs industry exceeds $39 billion annually, reflecting continued consumer demand for in-person entertainment experiences. Tradewinds Universal believes operators capable of combining strong branding, operational consistency, and access to public capital markets are positioned to benefit from long-term consolidation trends within the sector.

Real Venues. Real Revenue. Real Strategy.

Tradewinds Universal’s approach is centered on building tangible operating assets supported by real-world cash flow rather than speculative growth models. The company’s guiding principle — “Real Venues. Real Revenue. Real Strategy.” — reflects management’s focus on acquiring and partnering with established entertainment businesses that demonstrate existing customer demand and operational performance.

Watch: TRWD: Redefining Entertainment | The Rise of Hippo Nation - https://youtu.be/6EEn06S0tpc

By integrating venue operations with centralized marketing, digital engagement systems, and standardized management processes, Tradewinds aims to improve revenue visibility while creating a repeatable framework for expansion across multiple markets.

Management believes this model differentiates Tradewinds from purely digital entertainment platforms by emphasizing physical destinations that benefit from recurring customer engagement and strong local market positioning.

“Tradewinds is focused on building a scalable platform within an industry that has historically lacked institutional structure,” said Andrew Read, CEO of Tradewinds Universal. “Our objective is to align strong operators, proven venues, and modern technology into a unified ecosystem designed to support long-term shareholder value.”

Increasing Visibility as Industry Attention Grows

As interest in the modernization and professionalization of the nightlife sector continues to grow, Tradewinds Universal and its strategic partners have begun attracting increased industry and media attention. Recently, Peppermint Hippo founder Alan Chang appeared on the podcast hosted by entrepreneur and celebrity podcaster Brad Lea, where he discussed his background, business philosophy, and long-term vision for building premium entertainment experiences.

During the conversation, Chang spoke candidly about operational discipline, branding strategy, and the evolution of the live entertainment experience, providing insight into the approach behind the company’s growth initiatives. Tradewinds Universal encourages investors and industry observers to view the episode as it provides additional perspective on management’s strategy and the broader opportunity within the sector.

Watch: Brad Lea TV – Dropping Bombs https://youtu.be/rfWtgFoPdBo?si=s0SWiXAEvwMBEqTd

Industry Tailwinds Supporting Expansion

Demand for experiential entertainment has continued to strengthen as consumers increasingly prioritize social and in-person experiences. Analysts note that venue-based entertainment maintains resilience due to its emphasis on live interaction, premium service environments, and repeat customer engagement.

Tradewinds Universal believes the combination of strong consumer demand, limited institutional competition, and fragmented ownership structures creates a favorable environment for strategic acquisitions and partnerships. As consolidation accelerates across hospitality sectors, management intends to position the company as a growth-oriented operator capable of capturing market share through disciplined execution.

Building a Public Platform for Long-Term Value Creation

Tradewinds Universal’s long-term roadmap includes expansion through accretive acquisitions, development of proprietary digital reservation and engagement systems, and continued brand growth supported by coordinated marketing and investor outreach initiatives.

As a fully reporting public company, Tradewinds believes its structure provides flexibility to pursue opportunities that are often inaccessible to independent operators while maintaining transparency for shareholders.

“Our focus remains on executing a repeatable growth strategy built around real operating businesses,” added Read. “We believe the industry is entering a period of transformation, and Tradewinds intends to be at the forefront of that evolution.”

About Peppermint Hippo
Founded in 2018 by Alan Chang, Peppermint Hippo has grown from a single club in Toledo, Ohio, into one of the fastest-rising names in nightlife entertainment. The opening of its flagship Las Vegas location in 2021 — the only club of its kind on the Strip — cemented its reputation as an industry leader.

Today, Peppermint Hippo and its affiliated entities such as Las Tóxicas operate over 10 clubs nationwide, eight proudly carrying the Peppermint Hippo name. Each location offers a “Mini-Vegas” experience through upscale design, professional entertainment, and elevated hospitality. 

About Tradewinds Universal
Tradewinds Universal, Inc. (OTCID: TRWD) is a fully reporting, publicly traded holding company focused on acquiring and scaling businesses with long-term value and growth potential. From its beginnings in lifestyle and health to its expansion into hospitality and entertainment, including strategic arrangements with operating partners, TRWD is building a diversified portfolio designed to withstand economic cycles while creating sustainable shareholder value.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding TRWD’s marketing initiatives, operational plans, growth prospects, and anticipated acquisitions. These statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially.

Investor Relations Contact
John Stock
Tradewinds Universal, Inc.
(619) 483-1008
[email protected]

Key Takeaways MCK posted Q3 EPS of $9.34, topping estimates, as revenues rose 11.4% to $106.16B.MCK's results were driven by higher prescription volumes and strong growth in oncology and multispecialty.MCK raised fiscal 2026 EPS guidance to $38.80$39.20 and lifted expected revenue growth to 12-16%. McKesson Corporation (MCK - Free Report) reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $9.34, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.31 by 0.3%. The bottom line improved 16.3% on a year-over-year basis. The EPS growth was driven by strong operational growth across the business, including contributions from acquisitions in the Oncology & Multispecialty segment.

GAAP EPS was $9.59 compared with $6.95 in the year-ago quarter. The significant improvement in EPS was due to a pre-tax credit within the North American Pharmaceutical segment related to the Rite Aid bankruptcy

Revenue DetailsRevenues of $106.16 billion beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.5%. The top line surged 11.4% year over year, primarily driven by increased prescription volumes from retail national account customers and growth in the distribution of oncology and specialty products, including contributions from Oncology & Multispecialty segment.

Higher contributions from the Prescription Technology Solutions segment also aided the top line.

Shares of MCK have gained 36.1% in the past six months compared to the industry’s 17.1% rise. The S&P 500 Index has increased 11.1% in the same time frame.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Q3 Segmental AnalysisThe company started reporting under new reportable segments and organizational structure, effective from the second quarter of fiscal 2026. The current reporting segments are North American Pharmaceutical, Oncology & Multispecialty, Prescription Technology Solutions and Medical-Surgical Solutions.

Revenues from the North American Pharmaceutical segment totaled $88.3 billion, up 9% year over year. Per management, the upside was primarily driven by increased prescription volumes, including higher volumes from retail national account customers and specialty products.

The U.S. Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions segment reported an adjusted operating profit of $872 million, up 6% from the prior-year quarter’s level. This was due to growth in the distribution of specialty products to health systems.

Revenues from the Oncology & Multispecialty segment amounted to $13 billion, up 37% year over year. This improvement can be attributed to growth in provider solutions and specialty distribution, and contributions from acquisitions.

Adjusted operating profit at the segment totaled $366 million, up 57% from the year-ago reported figure.

Revenues from the Prescription Technology Solutions segment totaled $1.5 billion, up 9% year over year. This uptick was due to increased prescription volumes in the third-party logistics and technology services businesses.

The segment reported an adjusted operating profit of $277 million, up 18% year over year, driven by higher demand for access solutions.

Revenues from the Medical-Surgical Solutions segment totaled $3 billion, up 1% year over year. Sales were driven by higher volumes of specialty pharmaceuticals.

The Medical-Surgical segment reported an adjusted operating profit of $265 million, down 10% year over year. This is due to reduced volumes across physician office settings and a milder incidence of illness for the season.

MarginsAdjusted gross profit in the reported quarter was $3.66 billion, up 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. The figure represented 3.45% of net revenues, down nearly 5 basis points (bps) year over year.

The company reported an adjusted operating income of $1.81 billion, up 13.4% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. Operating margin was 1.9%, expanding nearly 22 bps year over year.

Financial UpdateCash and cash equivalents totaled $2.96 billion compared with $4 billion in the second quarter of fiscal 2026.

Cumulative net cash provided by operating activities amounted to $2.73 billion against cumulative net cash used in operating activities of $1.66 billion in the year-earlier period.

Fiscal 2026 GuidanceMcKesson raised its EPS guidance to $38.80-$39.20 from $38.35-$38.85 for fiscal 2026. The company now expects total revenues to grow 12-16% compared with the previous guidance of 11-15%.

Summing UpMcKesson exited the third quarter of fiscal 2026 on a positive note, with earnings and sales beating estimates.The company’s quarterly performance remained broad-based, with contributions from all major segments. Specialty distribution was again a standout, supported by strong volumes and continued market share gains in community oncology.

MCK’s oncology and multispecialty platforms, together with its expanding suite of biopharma services programs, continue to drive demand among customers. The portfolio transformation also advanced, with progress toward separating the Medical-Surgical Solutions business and continued momentum from recent acquisitions in oncology and eye care. MCK expects to complete the spin-off of the Medical-Surgical Solutions business by the second half of calendar 2027. The company completed the divestiture of its retail and distribution businesses in Norway, marking the final phase of its full exit from European operations.

Management once again raised full-year guidance, underscoring confidence in sustained demand, strong specialty and technology platforms, and a streamlined portfolio.

MCK’s Zacks Rank and Stocks to ConsiderMcKesson currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Align Technology (ALGN - Free Report) , Phibro Animal Health (PAHC - Free Report) and AtriCure (ATRC - Free Report) , each presently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Align Technology shares have gained 28.3% in the past six months. Estimates for the company’s first-quarter 2026 EPS have remained constant at $2.32 in the past 30 days. ALGN’s earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed in one quarter, delivering an average surprise of 6.16%. In the last reported quarter, it posted an earnings surprise of 10.03%.

Estimates for Phibro Animal Health’s third-quarter fiscal 2026 EPS have remained constant at 69 cents in the past 30 days. Shares of the company have risen 88.8% in the past six months. PAHC’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 20.15%. In the last reported quarter, it delivered an earnings surprise of 26.09%.

AtriCure shares have declined 0.8% in the past six months. Estimates for the company’s fourth-quarter 2025 loss per share have remained stable at 4 cents in the past 30 days. ATRC’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 67.06%. In the last reported quarter, it posted an earnings surprise of 90.91%.

Key Takeaways Bayer's phase III OCEANIC-STROKE trial showed asundexian cut recurrent ischemic stroke risk by 26%.BAYRY said the drug met safety goals, with no increase in major bleeding versus placebo.Bayer plans to submit the data for approval, strengthening its cardiovascular pipeline and growth outlook. Bayer (BAYRY - Free Report) presented positive results from the late-stage OCEANIC-STROKE study evaluating the use of its investigational, once-daily, oral, factor XIa inhibitor asundexian (50mg) compared to placebo, both in combination with antiplatelet therapy.

Asundexian is being evaluated as a potential treatment for secondary stroke prevention. The results were presented at the International Stroke Conference (ISC) 2026.

Per Bayer, OCEANIC-STROKE is the first successfully completed phase III study of a factor XIa inhibitor, which demonstrated superiority in reducing recurrent ischemic stroke compared to placebo.

More on BAYRY’s AsundexianThe phase III OCEANIC-STROKE (n=12,327 patients) investigated the efficacy and safety of the oral factor XIa inhibitor asundexian 50 mg once-daily compared to placebo, for prevention of ischemic stroke in patients after a non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA) in combination with antiplatelet therapy.

The primary endpoint was time to ischemic stroke and the primary safety endpoint was major bleeding.

Asundexian significantly reduced ischemic stroke by 26% in patients after a non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack, with no increase in the risk of ISTH (International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis) major bleeding.

The benefit was consistent across all major patient subgroups, regardless of age, sex, stroke subtype, stroke severity, or background antiplatelet regimen.

Regulatory momentum also appears favorable. Asundexian has already received Fast Track designation from the FDA for stroke prevention following non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke, and Bayer plans to submit the OCEANIC-STROKE data to regulatory authorities for marketing approval.

Asundexian is viewed as a potential blockbuster opportunity in a market where recurrent stroke risk remains high.

Bayer Advances Cardiovascular PortfolioA potential approval of asundexian will strengthen BAYRY’s cardiovascular portfolio, which comprises Kerendia.

In 2025, the FDA approved a label expansion of Kerendia for the treatment of adult patients with heart failure (HF) and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≥40%.

With the latest FDA approval, Kerendia has become the only non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist approved in the United States for chronic kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes and for HF with LVEF of ≥40%.

Additional regulatory reviews are underway globally, while ongoing phase III programs further broaden Kerendia’s addressable population across cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic conditions.

The European Commission granted marketing authorization to Beyonttra (acoramidis), marketed by Bridge Bio in the United States, to treat wild-type or variant transthyretin amyloidosis in adult patients with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM).

Bayer is also shaping the future of cardiology through next-generation assets, including AB-1002, a single-dose gene therapy for congestive heart failure developed with AskBio, which is progressing in phase II, and several early- and mid-stage programs targeting thrombosis, atrial fibrillation and genetically defined cardiomyopathies.

The company also secured exclusive rights in Japan to aficamten from Cytokinetics (CYTK - Free Report) . The candidate is a cardiac myosin inhibitor in development for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Cytokinetics recently won FDA approval for aficamten for the treatment of patients with obstructive HCM (in the United States), under the brand name Myqorzo.

Strategic partnerships and licensing deals further enhance Bayer’s precision cardiology portfolio.

Shares have skyrocketed 151.9% over the past year compared with the industry’s gain of 14%. The stupendous performance can be attributed to new drug approvals, encouraging pipeline progress, improved performance of the Crop Science business and positive updates on the ongoing litigations.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Bayer’s new drugs, such as prostate cancer drug Nubeqa and Kerendia, continue to maintain their impressive momentum in the Pharmaceutical division and offset the negative impact of a decline in Xarelto sales.

The strong performance of these drugs makes up for the decline in sales of oral anticoagulant Xarelto, which is co-developed with Johnson & Johnson (JNJ - Free Report) .

Xarelto is marketed by Johnson & Johnson in the United States. Bayer earns license revenues from JNJ for Xarelto sales in the United States.

Eylea sales continue to face pressure from generics. The introduction of Eylea 8 mg, with its extended dosing intervals, has partially offset the decline and supported its overall performance.

Label expansion of key drugs and approval of additional drugs should further boost sales from this business.

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many 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? 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.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight 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 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 The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.83% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and 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.

To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure 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: McKesson (MCK - Free Report) McKesson Corporation, headquartered in Irving, TX, is one of the largest global healthcare companies and the leading pharmaceutical distributor in North America. The company operates across four business segments: U.S. Pharmaceutical, which distributes branded, generic, and specialty drugs; RxTS, which provides patient access, affordability, and third-party logistics services for biopharma manufacturers and payors; Medical-Surgical Solutions, supplying alternate-site providers such as physician offices and home health; and International, primarily focused in Canada. Specialty pharmaceuticals, oncology services, and GLP-1 medications for diabetes and obesity are key growth engines. In FY25, GLP-1 revenues alone reached nearly $41 billion.

MCK 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. MCK has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 17.3% for the current fiscal year.

For fiscal 2026, two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.12 to $38.75 per share. MCK boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.6%.

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

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many 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? 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 ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most 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 investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy 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 The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.83% 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.

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.

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

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

Stock to Watch: Quest Diagnostics (DGX - Free Report) Headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey, Quest Diagnostics Inc. provides diagnostic information services to a broad range of customers within its primary customer channels of physicians, hospitals, patients, and consumers. The company provides services to Independent Delivery Networks (IDN) throughout the United States, through its Professional Lab Services (PLS) offerings, which allow them to build and execute their laboratory strategy, improve quality, reduce healthcare costs, and focus on core competencies. The company is a key provider of reference testing for approximately half of the hospitals in the United States.

DGX is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. DGX has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 9.7% for the current fiscal year.

One analyst revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2025. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.01 to $9.80 per share. DGX boasts an average earnings surprise of +2.5%.

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

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 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? 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.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

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 investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy 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 The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.83% 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.

To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important 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.

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: Huntington Ingalls (HII - Free Report) Based in Newport News, VA, Huntington Ingalls Industries designs, builds and maintains nuclear-powered ships such as aircraft carriers and submarines, and non-nuclear ships, such as surface combatants, expeditionary warfare/amphibious assault and coastal defense surface ships for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard and provides after-market services for military ships around the globe.

HII is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. HII has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 12.4% for the current fiscal year.

Five analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.18 to $17.30 per share. HII also boasts an average earnings surprise of +17.7%.

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

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.

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? 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 given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning 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 The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.83% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and 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.

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

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

Stock to Watch: Haemonetics (HAE - Free Report) Haemonetics Corporation provides blood management solutions to customers encompassing blood and plasma collectors, hospitals and health care providers globally. The company’s portfolio of integrated devices, information management, and consulting services offers blood management solutions for each facet of the blood supply chain, helping better clinical outcomes. Blood and its components (plasma, platelets, and red cells) have several vital and frequently life-saving clinical applications.

HAE 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. HAE has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 8.1% for the current fiscal year.

One analyst revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.01 to $4.94 per share. HAE also boasts an average earnings surprise of +6.8%.

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

Key Takeaways DGX is set to report Q4 results on Feb. 10, with sales and EPS expected to grow 4.8% and 5.4%, respectively.DGX's DIS business is expected to post strong Q4 growth, aided by physician demand and Fresenius assets. Quest Diagnostics sees Advanced Diagnostics and consumer testing lift Q4, with non-GAAP income up 11.6%. Quest Diagnostics (DGX - Free Report) is set to release fourth-quarter 2025 results on Feb. 10, before the market opens.

The renowned diagnostics provider posted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.60 in the last reported quarter, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.59%. The company topped earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 2.54%.

DGX’s Q4 EstimatesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $2.75 billion, indicating an increase of 4.8% from the year-ago reported figure.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS suggests a 5.4% rise to $2.35.

Estimate Revision Trend Ahead of DGX’s Q4 EarningsEstimates for Quest Diagnostics’ Q4 earnings have remained stable in the past 30 days.

Here’s a brief review of the company’s performance leading up to the announcement.

Factors Likely to Influence DGX’s Q4 ResultsQuest Diagnostics’ core Diagnostics Information Services (“DIS”) business is expected to have delivered strong revenues in the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by its organic growth in its physician, hospital and consumer channels. The company’s solid commercial execution is likely to have led physicians to order more tests per requisition, sustaining the demand momentum for its clinical solutions. 

Last quarter, DGX completed the acquisition of select clinical testing assets from Fresenius Medical Care. Under a separate enterprise agreement, Quest also began to roll out clinical lab testing to Fresenius Medical Care's dialysis centers, which serve about 200,000 dialysis patients annually in the United States. Together, these developments might have favored physician channel revenues in the fourth quarter. Our model assumes a 2.8% acquired contribution to DIS revenues in the to-be-reported quarter. 

In Advanced Diagnostics, DGX is expected to have generated robust revenues across several clinical areas, including advanced cardiometabolic, endocrine and autoimmune disease testing with its ANAlyzeR autoimmune solution. Growth in Brain Health might have been led by AD-detect blood tests for assessing Alzheimer's disease risk. In oncology, Quest Diagnostics is likely to have continued ramping up its commercial outreach to drive market adoption of the Haystack MRD test.

Collaborative Lab Solutions might have contributed to growth in the hospital channel. Alongside reference testing and outreach laboratory acquisitions, Quest Diagnostics continued to provide hospitals with strategic access to leading diagnostic innovations without the need to operate in-house laboratories. Last quarter, Quest Diagnostics and Corewell Health, a leading health system, announced plans to establish a laboratory services joint venture in Michigan, featuring a state-of-the-art facility designed to serve the entire state.

An enhanced questhealth.com platform is likely to have contributed to strong fourth-quarter revenues. Through partnerships with leading consumer health and wellness brands, Quest Diagnostics is delivering its broad test menu and advanced technology directly within established consumer platforms, which might have supported growth in the consumer-initiated testing channel in the fourth quarter. 

Going by our model, the company’s DIS revenues are likely to increase 4.7% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2025.

In terms of operational excellence, Quest Diagnostics must have continued to expand the use of automation, robotics, and AI to improve quality, customer and employee experiences and productivity. Last quarter, Quest announced Epic as the technology partner for Project Nova, a multiyear order-to-cash transformation. This development should have contributed to the company’s top-line growth. Our model expects the company’s operating income (non-GAAP basis) to increase 11.6% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2025. 

What Our Model Unveils for DGXPer our proven model, a stock with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold), along with a positive Earnings ESP, has a higher chance of beating estimates, which is not the case here, as you can see.

Earnings ESP: Quest Diagnostics has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Top MedTech PicksHere are some medical stocks worth considering, as these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this time around:

Veracyte (VCYT - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +7.98% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The company is expected to release fourth-quarter 2025 results soon. 

VCYT’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 45.12%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s fourth-quarter EPS suggests a decline of 13.9% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.

Cardinal Health (CAH - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +2.30% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The company is slated to release second-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Feb. 5. 

CAH’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed in one, the average surprise being 9.36%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal second-quarter EPS implies a year-over-year increase of 20.7%.

Merit Medical Systems (MMSI - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.09% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is expected to release fourth-quarter 2025 results soon.

MMSI’s earnings topped estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 14.1%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter EPS implies an increase of 3.2% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.

ATLANTA, Feb. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A shareholder class action lawsuit has been filed against POMDOCTOR LIMITED (“Pomdoctor” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: POM). The lawsuit alleges that Defendants issued false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose material adverse facts, including allegations that: (i) Pomdoctor was the subject of a fraudulent stock promotion scheme involving social media-based misinformation and impersonated financial professionals; (ii) insiders and/or affiliates used offshore or nominee accounts to facilitate the coordinated dumping of shares during a price inflation campaign; and (iii) Pomdoctor’s public statements and risk disclosures omitted any mention of the false rumors and artificial trading activity driving the stock price.

If you purchased Pomdoctor shares between October 9, 2025 and December 11, 2025, and experienced a significant loss on that investment, you are encouraged to discuss your legal rights by contacting Corey D. Holzer, Esq. at [email protected], by toll-free telephone at (888) 508-6832, or by visiting the firm’s website at www.holzerlaw.com/case/pomdoctor/ for more information.

The deadline to ask the court to be appointed lead plaintiff in the case is April 6, 2026.

Holzer & Holzer, LLC, an ISS top rated securities litigation law firm for 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025, dedicates its practice to vigorous representation of shareholders and investors in litigation nationwide, including shareholder class action and derivative litigation. Since its founding in 2000, Holzer & Holzer attorneys have played critical roles in recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for shareholders victimized by fraud and other corporate misconduct. More information about the firm is available through its website, www.holzerlaw.com, and upon request from the firm. Holzer & Holzer, LLC has paid for the dissemination of this promotional communication, and Corey Holzer is the attorney responsible for its content.  

CONTACT:
Corey Holzer, Esq.
(888) 508-6832 (toll-free)
[email protected]

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many 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.

It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight 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 investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy 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 The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.83% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

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.

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: Kennametal (KMT - Free Report) Based in Latrobe, PA, Kennametal Inc. is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of high-speed metal cutting tools, tooling systems and wear-resistant parts. Its products are marketed through a number of channels to the end users, comprising manufacturers of machine tools, transportation vehicles and various components, airframe, aerospace components, machinery (light and heavy), components (energy-related), and others. Also, the company’s products are used by manufacturers and suppliers in the oil and gas exploration, road construction, and other industries.

KMT is a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Industrial Products stock. KMT has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 27.5% over the past four weeks.

For fiscal 2026, three analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.25 to $1.60 per share. KMT boasts an average earnings surprise of +35.4%.

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

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 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.

It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.

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 ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most 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 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 The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.83% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and 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.

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

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: ArcelorMittal (MT - Free Report) Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal is the world’s leading steel and mining company. With a presence in more than 60 countries, it operates a balanced portfolio of cost competitive steel plants across both the developed and developing world. It is the leader in all the main sectors – automotive, household appliances, packaging and construction.

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

Momentum investors should take note of this Basic Materials stock. MT has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 21% over the past four weeks.

Two analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.10 to $4.93 per share. MT also boasts an average earnings surprise of +26.6%.

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

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 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 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 ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most 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 investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy 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 The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.83% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and 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.

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.

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: Baker Hughes (BKR - Free Report) Based in Houston, TX, Baker Hughes Company is one of the world’s largest oilfield service providers. The integrated oilfield products and digital solutions of Baker Hughes help customers efficiently and cost-effectively refine and transport hydrocarbons with low environmental concerns. Moreover, with growing demand for clean energy and the need to curb greenhouse gas emissions, countries around the world are investing in LNG terminals. This has given Baker Hughes the opportunity to expand its reach beyond oilfields in order to capitalize on contracts for manufacturing equipment that is being used in LNG facilities.

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

Momentum investors should take note of this Oils-Energy stock. BKR has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 14.3% over the past four weeks.

Five analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.04 to $2.64 per share. BKR also boasts an average earnings surprise of +12.7%.

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

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? 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.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

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 trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

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 The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.83% 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.

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.

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.

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.

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: Hasbro (HAS - Free Report) Based in Pawtucket, RI, Hasbro Inc. is engaged in the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys. The company, founded in 1923, offers traditional, high-tech and digital toys, games and licensed products under various well-known brands.

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

Momentum investors should take note of this Consumer Discretionary stock. HAS has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 7.1% over the past four weeks.

One analyst revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2025, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.01 to $5.02 per share. HAS also boasts an average earnings surprise of +36%.

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

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many 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 is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight 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 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 +23.83% 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.

To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure 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.

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

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

Stock to Watch: Akamai Technologies (AKAM - Free Report) Akamai Technologies, Inc. is a global provider of content delivery network (CDN) and cloud infrastructure services.

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

Momentum investors should take note of this Computer and Technology stock. AKAM has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 6.7% over the past four weeks.

For fiscal 2025, one analyst revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.00 to $7.03 per share. AKAM boasts an average earnings surprise of +10.5%.

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

Maplebear Inc., aka Instacart, faces mounting long-term headwinds from in-house competition, regulatory pressures, and consumer belt-tightening despite recent CART share price declines. Local laws in Seattle and New York City are driving up costs, forcing CART to raise fees and cut driver incentives, resulting in declining order volumes. While CART's fundamentals—20x GAAP P/E, 2.8x P/S, 14.15% net margin, and 17.56% FCF margin—appear solid, slow revenue growth and competitive threats raise concerns.

Deutsche Bank has reiterated its 'Buy' rating on Anglo American PLC with a 3,500p price target, arguing that asset disposals and copper volume recovery are on track despite near-term production adjustments.

The investment bank's view follows Anglo's fourth-quarter production report, which came in broadly as expected. Copper output of 170,000 tonnes fell slightly short of the 180,000-tonne consensus, while iron ore beat expectations at 15.1 million tonnes versus 14.3 million tonnes forecast.

Anglo also extended its production guidance through 2028 for the first time.

Analyst Liam Fitzpatrick, in a note, details that 2026 copper production was cut from a range of 760,000-820,000 tonnes to 700,000-760,000 tonnes, a move flagged in the company's third-quarter update. The 2027 outlook was trimmed marginally by 10,000 tonnes to 750,000-810,000 tonnes.

The upside story centres on 2028, when Anglo expects copper production to expand to 790,000-850,000 tonnes "due to higher grades at Collahuasi and Los Bronces," Fitzpatrick wrote.

On the disposal front, Anglo confirmed "the formal sale process for coking coal is underway and 'progressing well'" while "the De Beers disposal process is 'continuing'." Both transactions are key to Anglo's portfolio restructuring strategy following its rejection of BHP's takeover approach last year.