Wednesday, April 21, 2021

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 NIKE (NKE), Applied Materials (AMAT), and Square (SQ). 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 >>>

Shares of NIKE have modestly lagged the Zacks Shoes and Retail Apparel industry in the last one-year period (+45.7% vs. +48%) as a result of lower revenues in the wholesale business and NIKE-owned stores due to the pandemic-led disruptions.

Nonetheless, the top and bottom-line improved year over year in third quarter, while earnings beat estimates for the third time. Furthermore, NIKE brand’s digital sales improved in double digits across North America, Greater China, and APLA, while experiencing growth in triple digits in EMEA.

Despite the uncertainty regarding the impacts of the pandemic, management is confident of its earlier-stated fiscal 2021 view. It continues to anticipate low to mid-teens revenue growth for fiscal 2021.

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

Applied Materials shares have gained +113.4% over the last six months against the Zacks Semiconductor Equipment - Wafer Fabrication industry’s gain of +74.3%. The Zacks analyst believes that Applied Materials is being driven by strong momentum across Semiconductor Systems and Applied Global Services.

Further, solid demand for silicon in several applications across various markets remains a tailwind. Additionally, growing momentum among long-term service agreements is contributing well.

Meanwhile, increased customer spending in foundry and logic on the back of rising need for specialty nodes in automotive, power, 5G rollout, IoT, communications and image sensor markets, is a major positive. However, mounting expenses are a major concern. Also, rising competition poses risk to the company’s market position.

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

Shares of Square have gained +12.1% in the past three months against the Zacks Internet Software industry’s loss of -14.1%. The Zacks analyst believes that Square is benefiting from strong Cash App engagement and its expanding customer base.

Additionally, the company’s strengthening momentum across sellers and online channels, and growing card-not-present GPV are expected to remain major tailwinds. Moreover, robust online products, such as Square Online Store, Invoices, Virtual Terminal and eCommerce API are likely to accelerate the GPV growth in the near term.

However, uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic remain concerns. Higher investments and increasing product development expenses might hurt margins. Rising competition and foreign exchange headwinds remain concerns.

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

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Dominion Energy (D), Boston Scientific (BSX) and Petrobras (PBR).

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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>>>