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Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights FactSet Research Systems, Nielsen Holdings and Black Knight
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For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – February 25, 2022 – Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS - Free Report) , Nielsen Holdings plc and Black Knight, Inc. .
The increased adoption and success of the work-from-home trend is enabling the Zacks Business – Information Services industry to address the pandemic-induced rising demand for services that ensure risk mitigation, cost reduction and productivity improvement.
The heightening technology adoption is benefiting companies like FactSet Research Systems Inc., Nielsen Holdings plc and Black Knight, Inc., supporting them to offer digitally-transformed, personalized and value-added services.
About the Industry
The Zacks Business – Information Services industry comprises companies that offer a range of services, including software, data, risks, research, information and analytics solutions. These companies operate in a dynamic business environment characterized by evolving customer behavior, preference and demographics.
Amid the pandemic, the key focus within the industry is currently on channelizing money and efforts toward more effective operational components, such as technology, digital transformation and data-driven decision making to identify demand sources and target end markets. Prominent players include information-measurement giant Nielsen, ratings, benchmarks, analytics, and data provider S&P Global and provider of data-analytics solutions Verisk Analytics.
4 Trends Shaping the Future of Information Industry
Demand Environment Healthy: The industry is mature and has witnessed a progressively growing business environment in the past few years. With the economy gradually recovering from the pandemic blues, revenues, income and cash flows are likely to see healthy growth.
Emergence of Customer-Centric Solutions: The coronavirus pandemic has stoked a many-fold increase in demand for specific solutions that ensure risk mitigation, cost reduction and productivity improvement. This, in turn, has opened up more business opportunities for industry players. These companies are now modifying their business strategies to offer more customer-centric solutions.
Digital Transformation is the Key: Companies focused on digital transformation are positioned to recover quickly post the global health crisis. This is because digital transformation substantially enhances operational efficiency, facilitates the time to market and boosts a firm’s ability to quickly and efficiently meet customer expectations.
Increased Adoption of Technologies: Automation in assembling and the use of big data in enhancing business information will fuel the industry’s growth in the days to come. Companies are shifting from conventional data solutions to technical and domain-specific expertise, data analytics solutions, financial consultancy and operational consultancy services.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bright Near-Term Prospects
The Business – Information Services industry is housed within the broader Zacks Business Services sector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #82, which places it in the top 32% of more than 250 Zacks industries.
The group’s Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates solid near-term growth prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, let’s take a look at the industry’s recent stock-market performance and current valuation.
Industry's Price Performance
Over the past year, the Zacks Business – Information Services industry has underperformed the S&P 500 composite but outperformed the broader sector.
While the industry has depreciated 5%, the S&P 500 composite rallied 9.7%. The broader sector fell 46.8%.
Industry's Current Valuation
On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which is commonly used for valuing business information services stocks, the industry is currently trading at 25.78X compared with the S&P 500’s 19.18X and the sector’s 25.36.
Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 32.73X, as low as 25.78X and at the median of 30.77X.
3 Business Information Service Stocks to Consider
We are presenting three stocks that are well-positioned to grow in the near term.
FactSet Research Systems: This integrated financial information and analytical applications provider has a business model and investment plan that make its operations more relevant to the challenging situations of today. The company is making investments in digital transformation and personalized and value-added solutions. Its three-year plan is focused on technology transformation, data creation for private markets and the expansion of content for banking. These will help the company expand the client base and further strengthen its foothold in the market in the upcoming period.
The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the ongoing-year EPS has been revised 0.16% upward in the past 60 days to $12.39. The stock has appreciated 26.9% over the past year.
Nielsen: The measurement giant has a dominant position in the U.S. television market. It is the leading and primary provider of audience measurement information and analytics for TV in the country. As new technologies enable video viewing online, both content providers and advertisers are looking for a known and trusted source to compare performance and reach. Since they have traditionally relied on Nielsen for TV, it positions the company very strongly to cater to this trend.
Nielsen currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 EPS has been unchanged at $1.75 in the past 60 days. The stock has surged 69.5% over the past year.
Black Knight: This integrated software, data and analytics solutions provider benefits from an expanding client base, strengthening client relationships through innovative solutions, strategic acquisitions and a robust digital footprint.
The company carries a Zacks Rank of 2, presently. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current-year earnings has moved 0.37% north to $2.68 in the past 60 days.
Zacks Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
It’s a little-known chemical company that’s up 65% over last year, yet still dirt cheap. With unrelenting demand, soaring 2022 earnings estimates, and $1.5 billion for repurchasing shares, retail investors could jump in at any time.
This company could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in little more than 9 months and NVIDIA which boomed +175.9% in one year.
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
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Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights FactSet Research Systems, Nielsen Holdings and Black Knight
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – February 25, 2022 – Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS - Free Report) , Nielsen Holdings plc and Black Knight, Inc. .
Industry: Info Services
Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/1872358/3-top-stocks-from-the-booming-business-information-industry
The increased adoption and success of the work-from-home trend is enabling the Zacks Business – Information Services industry to address the pandemic-induced rising demand for services that ensure risk mitigation, cost reduction and productivity improvement.
The heightening technology adoption is benefiting companies like FactSet Research Systems Inc., Nielsen Holdings plc and Black Knight, Inc., supporting them to offer digitally-transformed, personalized and value-added services.
About the Industry
The Zacks Business – Information Services industry comprises companies that offer a range of services, including software, data, risks, research, information and analytics solutions. These companies operate in a dynamic business environment characterized by evolving customer behavior, preference and demographics.
Amid the pandemic, the key focus within the industry is currently on channelizing money and efforts toward more effective operational components, such as technology, digital transformation and data-driven decision making to identify demand sources and target end markets. Prominent players include information-measurement giant Nielsen, ratings, benchmarks, analytics, and data provider S&P Global and provider of data-analytics solutions Verisk Analytics.
4 Trends Shaping the Future of Information Industry
Demand Environment Healthy: The industry is mature and has witnessed a progressively growing business environment in the past few years. With the economy gradually recovering from the pandemic blues, revenues, income and cash flows are likely to see healthy growth.
Emergence of Customer-Centric Solutions: The coronavirus pandemic has stoked a many-fold increase in demand for specific solutions that ensure risk mitigation, cost reduction and productivity improvement. This, in turn, has opened up more business opportunities for industry players. These companies are now modifying their business strategies to offer more customer-centric solutions.
Digital Transformation is the Key: Companies focused on digital transformation are positioned to recover quickly post the global health crisis. This is because digital transformation substantially enhances operational efficiency, facilitates the time to market and boosts a firm’s ability to quickly and efficiently meet customer expectations.
Increased Adoption of Technologies: Automation in assembling and the use of big data in enhancing business information will fuel the industry’s growth in the days to come. Companies are shifting from conventional data solutions to technical and domain-specific expertise, data analytics solutions, financial consultancy and operational consultancy services.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bright Near-Term Prospects
The Business – Information Services industry is housed within the broader Zacks Business Services sector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #82, which places it in the top 32% of more than 250 Zacks industries.
The group’s Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates solid near-term growth prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, let’s take a look at the industry’s recent stock-market performance and current valuation.
Industry's Price Performance
Over the past year, the Zacks Business – Information Services industry has underperformed the S&P 500 composite but outperformed the broader sector.
While the industry has depreciated 5%, the S&P 500 composite rallied 9.7%. The broader sector fell 46.8%.
Industry's Current Valuation
On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which is commonly used for valuing business information services stocks, the industry is currently trading at 25.78X compared with the S&P 500’s 19.18X and the sector’s 25.36.
Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 32.73X, as low as 25.78X and at the median of 30.77X.
3 Business Information Service Stocks to Consider
We are presenting three stocks that are well-positioned to grow in the near term.
FactSet Research Systems: This integrated financial information and analytical applications provider has a business model and investment plan that make its operations more relevant to the challenging situations of today. The company is making investments in digital transformation and personalized and value-added solutions. Its three-year plan is focused on technology transformation, data creation for private markets and the expansion of content for banking. These will help the company expand the client base and further strengthen its foothold in the market in the upcoming period.
The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the ongoing-year EPS has been revised 0.16% upward in the past 60 days to $12.39. The stock has appreciated 26.9% over the past year.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Nielsen: The measurement giant has a dominant position in the U.S. television market. It is the leading and primary provider of audience measurement information and analytics for TV in the country. As new technologies enable video viewing online, both content providers and advertisers are looking for a known and trusted source to compare performance and reach. Since they have traditionally relied on Nielsen for TV, it positions the company very strongly to cater to this trend.
Nielsen currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 EPS has been unchanged at $1.75 in the past 60 days. The stock has surged 69.5% over the past year.
Black Knight: This integrated software, data and analytics solutions provider benefits from an expanding client base, strengthening client relationships through innovative solutions, strategic acquisitions and a robust digital footprint.
The company carries a Zacks Rank of 2, presently. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current-year earnings has moved 0.37% north to $2.68 in the past 60 days.
Zacks Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
It’s a little-known chemical company that’s up 65% over last year, yet still dirt cheap. With unrelenting demand, soaring 2022 earnings estimates, and $1.5 billion for repurchasing shares, retail investors could jump in at any time.
This company could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in little more than 9 months and NVIDIA which boomed +175.9% in one year.
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Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.