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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: IBM, Celgene, Procter & Gamble, Valero and Sprint

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 19, 2017 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include IBM Corp (NYSE:(IBM - Free Report) Free Report), Celgene (Nasdaq: Free Report), Procter & Gamble (NYSE:(PG - Free Report)  Free Report), Valero (NYSE:(VLO - Free Report)  Free Report) and Sprint (NYSE:(S - Free Report)  Free Report).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:

Top Stock Reports for IBM, Celgene and P&G

The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 12 major stocks, including IBM Corp (NYSE:(IBM - Free Report) Free Report), Celgene (Nasdaq: Free Report) and Procter & Gamble (NYSE:(PG - Free Report) 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 >>>

IBM Corp’s shares have underperformed the broader market on a year to date basis, losing -9.2% vs. the S&P 500’s +16.4% gain. IBM’s third-quarter results benefited from higher cognitive solutions and systems revenues.

Cognitive revenues grew on strong demand for security, IoT and analytics offerings. The new z14 mainframe product drove systems revenues. IBM expects strong revenue growth in the fourth quarter on a sequential basis, driven by an anticipated solid demand for the z14 mainframe.

The Zacks analyst likes the company’s continuing strength in cloud, mobile, security and analytics as well as its cost savings actions and expects these factors to drive profitability. The company’s expanding footprint in the rapidly growing blockchain market is another positive. Continuing share buyback and dividend payout are major attractions for investors. However, intensifying competition in most of the markets is a major concern.

(You canread the full research report on IBM Corp here >>>).

Shares of Celgene have outperformed the Zacks Biomedical and Genetics industry in the year so far, gaining +20% vs. +14.7%. Celgene’s Revlimid continued to outperform driven by further market share increases in newly diagnosed myeloma and the continued increase in treatment duration.

Other key products – Pomalyst/Imnovid, Abraxane and Otezla – also performed well. The consecutive increase in annual earnings guidance is also a positive. Celgene continues to progress with its label expansion efforts and pipeline development with sNDA submission for Revlimid in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma targeted for first-quarter 2018.

The approval of Idhifa in the U.S. for relapsed and/or refractory acute myeloid leukemia has further boosted the company’s portfolio. However, Celgene is highly dependent on Revlimid while foreign exchange headwinds are expected to continue while Abraxane sales are under competitive pressure.

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

Procter & Gamble’s shares have underperformed the Zacks Soap and Cleaning Materials industry so far this year (+13% vs. +23.5%). But the Zacks analyst likes the company’s strong brand recognition, diversified portfolio, impressive product development capabilities and marketing prowess as well as strong cash flow productivity.

The company is investing in its brands and products as well as redesigning the supply chain to improve productivity and organic growth. However, slowing market growth, weak volumes and major foreign exchange headwinds have been hurting sales. Soft consumer-spending environment in developed markets and uncertainties in emerging countries also add to the worries.

That said, P&G is speeding up innovations and investments to counter the softening industry growth. Its productivity improvements and cost-saving efforts are also consistently helping to boost profit level.

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

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Valero (NYSE:(VLO - Free Report) Free Report) and Sprint (NYSE:(S - Free Report) Free Report).

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Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1 Stock of the Day pick for free.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News

Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year.See these high-potential stocks free >>.

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