Wednesday, November 17, 2021
 

The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B), The Home Depot, Inc. (HD), and Mastercard Inc. (MA). These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today.
 

You can see all of today’s research reports here >>>
 

Shares of Berkshire Hathaway have outperformed the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry over the past year (+23.2% vs. +17.1%). The Zacks analyst believes that Berkshire's inorganic growth story remains impressive with strategic acquisitions.

A strong cash position supports earnings-accretive bolt-on buyouts, and indicates the company's financial flexibility. Continued insurance business growth fuels an increase in float, drives earnings and generates maximum return on equity.
 

However, exposure to catastrophe loss induces earnings volatility and also affects the property and casualty underwriting results of Berkshire. Huge capital expenditures remains a headwind for the company.
 

(You can read the full research report on Berkshire Hathaway here >>>)
 

Shares of Home Depot have gained +47.7% in the year to date period, against the Zacks Building Products - Retail industry’s gain of +43.8%. The company boasts a robust surprise trend, with six straight quarters of earnings and sales beats reported as of Q3 2021. The Zacks analyst believes results have been boosted by continued demand for home-improvement projects, a robust housing market and ongoing investments.
 

The company is gaining from growth in Pro and DIY customer categories, as well as momentum in digital. However, the company reported soft gross margin in the fiscal third quarter, mainly driven by higher costs of goods sold arising from higher transportation costs. Supply chain headwinds also marred results to some extent.
 

(You can read the full research report on Home Depot here >>>)
 

Shares of Mastercard have gained +3.5% in the year-to-date period against the Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry’s loss of -19.6%. Mastercard’s third-quarter earnings beat estimates, driven by higher consumer spending. The company executed several acquisitions, which helped grow its addressable markets and drive new revenue streams. Deal wins, renewed agreements and an expanded service suite are expected to aid long-term growth.
 

The COVID crisis accelerated the use of electronic forms of payment, with much greater adoption of digital and contactless solutions. This provides an opportunity for the company’s business to expedite its shift to the digital mode. It is well-poised to gain from its steady cash-generating abilities. Its strong capital position enables the company to pursue acquisitions and deploy capital. However, steep costs might stress margins. High rebates and incentives may weigh on revenues.
 

(You can read the full research report on Mastercard here >>>)
 

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Dominion Energy (D), Intuit Inc. (INTU), and Sony Group Corp. (SONY).
 

Mark Vickery
Senior Editor

Note: Sheraz Mian heads the Zacks Equity Research department and is a well-regarded expert of aggregate earnings. He is frequently quoted in the print and electronic media and publishes the weekly Earnings Trends and Earnings Preview reports. If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, please click here>>>