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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Pfizer, PayPal, Raytheon, Aetna and Kinder Morgan

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – Feb 2, 2018 – 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 Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) , PayPal (PYPL - Free Report) , Raytheon , Aetna and Kinder Morgan (KMI - Free Report) .

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

Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:

Top Analyst Reports for Pfizer, PayPal and Raytheon

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 Pfizer, PayPal and Raytheon. 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 >>>

Buy-rated Pfizer’s shares have outperformed the peer group over the last six months (the stock is up +12.5% over this period vs. a +9% increase for the Zacks Large-Cap Pharmaceuticals industry). Pfizer beat estimates for earnings as well as sales in the fourth quarter and provided an upbeat outlook for 2018.

Pfizer is facing headwinds in the form of genericization of key drugs, supply challenges in the legacy Hospira portfolio, pricing pressure and rising competition, which are hurting the top line. Nonetheless, the Zacks analyst thinks new products like Ibrance, contribution from acquisitions, cost cuts, lower taxes and share buybacks should help the company achieve its guidance.

Pfizer also boasts a strong pipeline and expects approximately 25 to 30 drug approvals over the next five years, including around 15 products that have blockbuster potential. Its growing immuno-oncology portfolio offers a strong potential.

Bavencio is being considered a key long-term growth driver for Pfizer. Pfizer has also been working on strengthening its product portfolio through acquisitions and licensing deals.

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

Shares of Buy-rated PayPal have outperformed the Zacks Internet Software industry over the last one year (+115.6% vs. +33.2%). PayPal reported strong fourth-quarter 2017 results driven by record customer account addition, accelerated push into mobile and significant increase in total payments volume.

Quarterly revenues and earnings both came above the company’s expectations.  The Zacks analyst likes PayPal’s ongoing strategic partnerships with Visa and MasterCard since they offer great flexibility and choice to consumers. Partnerships with Google, Facebook, Pinterest, Alibaba, Intuit and other major retailers and financial institutions are also delivering positive results.

However, eBay’s decision to select Adyen as its new primary payment processor doesn’t bode well for PayPal. Notably, eBay accounts for 13% of PayPal’s total payment volume (TPV), thereby contributing a major portion to its total revenues. Moreover, continuous exposure to foreign exchange and interest rate risks are concerns.

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

Buy-rated Raytheon’s shares have risen around +43.5% over the last one year, outperforming the Zacks Defense Equipment industry, which has increased +42.1% over the same period. Raytheon ended 2017 on a mixed note. While its fourth-quarter earnings figure comfortably surpassed expectations, the top-line number failed to meet the consensus estimate.

Year over year, tax reform had an adverse impact on bottom-line growth, whereas revenues saw an uptick. Raytheon is one of the best-positioned large-cap defense players due to its non-platform-centric focus. Thanks to its wide range of combat-proven defense products, the company continues to receive numerous orders from both Pentagon as well as foreign allies.

Moreover, the company is a strong cash generator, which allows it to pay attractive dividend to shareholders. On the flip side, factors like tough competition and political uncertainty continue to be major headwinds for Raytheon.

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

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Aetna and Kinder Morgan.

Wall Street’s Next Amazon

Zacks EVP Kevin Matras believes this familiar stock has only just begun its climb to become one of the greatest investments of all time. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in pure genius.

Click for details >>

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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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.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Pfizer Inc. (PFE) - free report >>

Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI) - free report >>

PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) - free report >>