We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Top Stock Reports for Verizon, Express Scripts & Cigna
Read MoreHide Full Article
Friday, November 2, 2018
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 Verizon (VZ - Free Report) , Express Scripts , and Cigna (CI - Free Report) . These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today.
Verizon’s shares have gained +18.2% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Wireless National industry’s increase of +4.8% during the same period. Verizon recorded solid performance in third-quarter 2018, with healthy year-over-year growth in revenues and adjusted earnings that beat their respective expectations.
The Zacks analyst thinks the company remains poised to benefit from the upcoming 5G boom, led by healthy traction in the wireless business. Focus on online content delivery, mobile video and online advertising should also drive growth. However, the company continues to struggle in a highly competitive and saturated wireless market, where spectrum crunch has become a major issue, reducing its profitability to some extent.
Verizon continues to face softer wireline revenues and margins due to technology shifts and ongoing secular pressures from legacy technologies. In an effort to expand its customer base, Verizon is spending heavily on promotion and is also offering lucrative discounts, which is further weighing on margins.
Shares of Buy-rated Express Scripts have outperformed the Zacks Medical Services industry over the past year, gaining +60.6% vs. +33.9%. Express Scripts ended the third quarter on a solid note, beating both earnings and revenue expectations.
The Zacks analyst thinks the company has been gaining from the strong performance by the core PBM unit. Further, recently-acquired complementary medical-benefit solutions from eviCoreis likely to build a comprehensive PBM solution worldwide. Developments in the company’s Inside Rx program buoy optimism.
However, Express Scripts currently faces persistent drug pricing issues. The company is also getting acquired by Cigna by December 2018. Express Scripts announced that its biggest customer and leading health insurer Anthem is not likely to extend the PBM agreement with the company anymore.
Furthermore, the company has currently suspended share repurchase program because of the merger agreement with Cigna. Express Scripts has not provided any guidance for 2018.
Strong Buy-rated Cigna’s shares have gained +7.1% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Multi-Line Insurance industry, which has declined -13.9% over the same period. Cigna’s third-quarter earnings beat expectations and increased year over year. Strong performance across the company’s Global Health Care, Global Supplemental Benefits and Group Disability and Life businesses aided earnings.
The Zacks analyst emphasizes that the company is on track to buy Express Scripts, which should raise its rank in the health insurance industry and lead to long-term growth. The company has received approval for the merger from the Department of Justice. A robust Global Supplemental business, growing Government business, increasing membership, and strong capital position are other positives.
A strong 2018 outlook reflects business strength. However, the increase in leverage, rise in operating expenses and suspension of share buyback are concerns.
Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Ecolab (ECL - Free Report) , Fidelity National Information Services (FIS - Free Report) and eBay (EBAY - Free Report) .
Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies
It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +21.9% in 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +115.0%, +109.3%, +104.9%, +98.6%, and +67.1%.
And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 19X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation.
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 Trendsand Earnings Previewreports. If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, please click here>>>
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Image: Bigstock
Top Stock Reports for Verizon, Express Scripts & Cigna
Friday, November 2, 2018
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 Verizon (VZ - Free Report) , Express Scripts , and Cigna (CI - Free Report) . 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 >>>
Verizon’s shares have gained +18.2% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Wireless National industry’s increase of +4.8% during the same period. Verizon recorded solid performance in third-quarter 2018, with healthy year-over-year growth in revenues and adjusted earnings that beat their respective expectations.
The Zacks analyst thinks the company remains poised to benefit from the upcoming 5G boom, led by healthy traction in the wireless business. Focus on online content delivery, mobile video and online advertising should also drive growth. However, the company continues to struggle in a highly competitive and saturated wireless market, where spectrum crunch has become a major issue, reducing its profitability to some extent.
Verizon continues to face softer wireline revenues and margins due to technology shifts and ongoing secular pressures from legacy technologies. In an effort to expand its customer base, Verizon is spending heavily on promotion and is also offering lucrative discounts, which is further weighing on margins.
(You can read the full research report on Verizon here >>>).
Shares of Buy-rated Express Scripts have outperformed the Zacks Medical Services industry over the past year, gaining +60.6% vs. +33.9%. Express Scripts ended the third quarter on a solid note, beating both earnings and revenue expectations.
The Zacks analyst thinks the company has been gaining from the strong performance by the core PBM unit. Further, recently-acquired complementary medical-benefit solutions from eviCore is likely to build a comprehensive PBM solution worldwide. Developments in the company’s Inside Rx program buoy optimism.
However, Express Scripts currently faces persistent drug pricing issues. The company is also getting acquired by Cigna by December 2018. Express Scripts announced that its biggest customer and leading health insurer Anthem is not likely to extend the PBM agreement with the company anymore.
Furthermore, the company has currently suspended share repurchase program because of the merger agreement with Cigna. Express Scripts has not provided any guidance for 2018.
(You can read the full research report on Express Scripts here >>>).
Strong Buy-rated Cigna’s shares have gained +7.1% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Multi-Line Insurance industry, which has declined -13.9% over the same period. Cigna’s third-quarter earnings beat expectations and increased year over year. Strong performance across the company’s Global Health Care, Global Supplemental Benefits and Group Disability and Life businesses aided earnings.
The Zacks analyst emphasizes that the company is on track to buy Express Scripts, which should raise its rank in the health insurance industry and lead to long-term growth. The company has received approval for the merger from the Department of Justice. A robust Global Supplemental business, growing Government business, increasing membership, and strong capital position are other positives.
A strong 2018 outlook reflects business strength. However, the increase in leverage, rise in operating expenses and suspension of share buyback are concerns.
(You can read the full research report on Cigna here >>>).
Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Ecolab (ECL - Free Report) , Fidelity National Information Services (FIS - Free Report) and eBay (EBAY - Free Report) .
Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies
It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +21.9% in 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +115.0%, +109.3%, +104.9%, +98.6%, and +67.1%.
And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 19X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation.
See Them Free>>
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>>>