Friday, January 20 2017

Today's Research Daily features the updated scorecard for the Q4 earnings season and new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Bank of America (BAC) and Intel (INTC). To see all of today's research reports, click here >>>

Q4 Earnings Scorecard: We now have Q4 results from 63 S&P 500 members that combined account for 19.1% of the index's total market capitalization. The reporting cycle ramps materially next week, with more than 100 S&P 500 members posting numbers. Total earnings for the 63 index members that have reported are up +4.7% on +2.7% higher revenues, with 66.7% beating EPS estimates and 50.8% beating revenue estimates. Other than positive EPS surprises that are currently tracking below the proportion we have been seeing from the same group of 63 index members, the 2016 Q4 results thus far represent an improvement over other recent historical periods in all respects.

Buy rated Bank of America’s fourth-quarter 2016 earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate, driven by impressive growth in trading revenue and mortgage banking fees. The company’s shares have been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the changed macro backdrop following the election, which includes expectations of faster economic growth and overhaul of the country's tax and regulatory systems. No doubt, Bank of America shares have been strong performers since the election - up +32.5% since November 8th vs. +19.8% gain for the Zacks Major Banks industry in that time period, but the analyst still sees plenty of upside in this Buy-rated stock. (You can read the full research report on Bank of America here >>)

Intel,  which reports Q4 results after the market's close on Thursday, January 26th, has performed in-line with the broader Tech sector, but lagged the red-hot semiconductors space. Continued weakness in the PC space, greater competition from ARM-based chips and major customers like Google looking for alternatives are some of the headwinds for Intel. But the Zacks analyst sees the Data center business as promising. Also, while the broader product and price range, greater integration in products, process technology lead, and Windows 10-related PC refresh can help the client business.(You can read the full research report on Intel here >>)

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Skyworks (SWKS), Dean Foods (DF) CSX Corp (CSX).

Today's Private Buys & Sells from Zacks Research
 While we share the above news with the public, our sensitive recommendations are hidden from everyone but selected members. Would you like to peek behind the curtain and view them? Starting today, for the next month, you can follow all Zacks' private buys and sells in real time from value to momentum  . . . from stocks under $10 to ETF and option moves . . . from insider trades to companies that are about to report positive earnings surprises (we've called them with 80%+ accuracy). You can even look inside portfolios so exclusive that they are normally closed to new investors. Click here for Zacks' secret trades >>

Sheraz Mian

Director of Research

Note: Note: Sheraz Mian regularly provides earnings analysis on Zacks.com and appears frequently in the print and electronic media. His weekly earnings related articles include Earnings Trends and Earnings Preview.

Note: If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, please click here>>