Monday, April 27, 2026

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 Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), Intel Corp. (INTC) and Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT), as well as two micro-cap stocks Perma-Pipe International Holdings, Inc. (PPIH). The Zacks microcap research is unique as our research content on these small and under-the-radar companies is the only research of its type in the country.

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 >>>

Ahead of Wall Street

The daily 'Ahead of Wall Street' article is a must-read for all investors who would like to be ready for that day's trading action. The article comes out before the market opens, attempting to make sense of that morning's economic releases and how they will affect that day's market action. You can read this article for free on our home page and can actually sign up there to get an email notification as this article comes out each morning.

You can read today's AWS here >>> Pre-Markets Sluggish Ahead of a Busy Week

Today's Featured Research Reports

Amazon’s shares have outperformed the Zacks Internet - Commerce industry over the past six months (+15.2% vs. +4.1%). The company’s international expansion and diversification across e-commerce, AWS cloud services, advertising, and streaming create multiple revenue streams while reducing concentration risk. 

For 1Q’26, Amazon guided revenue of $173.5-$178.5 billion and operating income of $16.5-$21.5 billion, with a $1 billion year-over-year cost increase from Amazon LEO satellites. AI integration across operations enhances personalization, logistics, and AWS offerings, strengthening competitive positioning. 

However, substantial capital expenditure requirements for AI infrastructure and data centers strain financial resources and compress margins. The company’s expanding debt burden reduces financial flexibility amid rising interest rates. Intensifying competition from Walmart, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud is an overhang.

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

Shares of Intel have outperformed the Zacks Semiconductor - General industry over the past six months (+102.7% vs. +9.1%). The company reported strong first-quarter 2026 results, with both adjusted earnings and revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Its AI solutions will benefit the semiconductor ecosystem by reducing costs, improving performance, and enabling a scalable, open AI environment. Intel Xeon 6 CPUs will power Google’s Cloud data centers for ML workloads and fast-response applications. 

Intel is also expanding into the rapidly growing Edge AI landscape with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, which offer significantly better large language model performance, video analytics, and higher throughput on vision language action models. 

However, intensifying competition from AMD in the PC market is hindering growth. High debt levels remain a concern. Latent U.S.-China geopolitical tensions and the war in the Middle East are likely to impact prospects.

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

Applied Materials’ shares have outperformed the Zacks Electronics - Semiconductors industry over the past six months (+80.5% vs. +27.1%). The company is benefiting from strength in the Semiconductor Systems, owing to a rebound in the semiconductor industry, particularly in the foundry and logic space. 

Consistent progress in the services is aiding Applied Global Services’ performance. Solid momentum in the subscription and display businesses is a plus. Its strength in IoT, Communications, Auto, Power and Sensors (ICAPS) is likely to continue aiding its position in the semiconductor industry. Its diversified portfolio remains its key growth driver. 

However, increasing U.S.-China tensions and export restrictions on semiconductor manufacturing equipment may undermine its near-term growth prospects. Rising operating costs and intense competition remain other major concerns.

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

Shares of Perma-Pipe International have outperformed the Zacks Steel - Pipe and Tube industry over the past year (+155.4% vs. +91.5%). This microcap company with a market capitalization of $260.76 million delivered strong, volume-driven earnings growth in FY25, with revenue rising to $210.9 million and net income nearly doubling. Growth prospects are strengthening with increasing exposure to AI-driven data center infrastructure, adding a structurally growing and less cyclical end market alongside its core energy and district heating business. 

Perma-Pipe International’s diversified global footprint (70%+ international revenues) continues to support project wins across the Middle East, North America, and Canada, enabling steady execution across multiple infrastructure cycles. Liquidity has improved, supported by higher cash, working capital expansion, and refinancing. 

However, key risks include internal control weaknesses and reliance on cost-to-complete accounting, which may affect earnings quality. A backlog decline could indicate some moderation in future growth. Valuation remains attractive relative to peers. 

(You can read the full research report on Perma-Pipe International here >>>)

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Sanofi (SNY), Ciena Corp. (CIEN) and Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI).

Mark Vickery
Senior Edtior

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>>>