Friday, April 22, 2022

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 The Home Depot, Inc. (HD), Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ), and Anthem, Inc. (ANTM). 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 >>>
 

Home Depot shares have declined -2.2% over the past year against the Zacks Building Products - Retail industry’s gain of +0.7% on creeping worries for the housing industry outlook in light of rising interest rates. The company reported soft gross margin in the fiscal fourth quarter driven by a higher cost of goods sold. Supply chain headwinds also marred results to some extent.
 

The Zacks analyst believes that the company may benefit due to strong demand for home-improvement projects, robust housing market trends, and ongoing investments, along with continued strength in both Pro and DIY categories as well as digital momentum. Its interconnected retail strategy and underlying technology infrastructure could help boost web traffic aiding digital sales.
 

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

Shares of Verizon have outperformed the Zacks Wireless National industry over the past year (+0.6% vs. -4.0%). The company plans to accelerate the availability of its 5G Ultra Wideband network, covering 175 million people by the end of 2022. The telecom giant’s growth strategy includes 5G mobility, nationwide broadband and mobile edge computing, and business solutions. Verizon has inked deals with satellite providers for early clearance of the additional C-band spectrum it acquired in 2021. The company is building the entire network infrastructure to provide the most amazing 5G experience to customers.
 

However, it operates in an intensely competitive market. Hefty expenses on promotions and lucrative discounts to attract customers could hurt its profitability. High auctioning expenses for the mid-band spectrum are expected to further compromise its margins.
 

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

Shares of Anthem have outperformed the Zacks Medical - HMOs industry over the past year (+36.8% vs. +32.2%). The company’s improving top line can be attributed to a premium rate increase and higher memberships. The Zacks analyst believes that acquisitions and collaborations have enabled the company to boost its Medicare Advantage growth and strengthen its business portfolio. Its well-performing Medicare and Medicaid businesses coupled with several contract wins are expected to drive its membership. A solid earnings guidance for 2022 bodes well.
 

Anthem announced its plan to change its name to Elevance Health to boost its market position. However, escalating costs continue to put pressure on the bottom line. Its weak balance sheet with massive debts of nearly $20 billion can affect financial flexibility.
 

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

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Salesforce, Inc. (CRM), BHP Group Limited (BHP), and BP p.l.c. (BP).

Sheraz Mian
 
Director of Research
 

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>>>