Monday, August 24, 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 Amgen Inc. (AMGN), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO) and PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP), as well as two micro-cap stocks C&F Financial Corp. (CFFI) and Acorn Energy, Inc. (ACFN).  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 >>>

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You can read today's AWS here >>> Focus on Mid-Week: NVIDIA Earnings, PCE Report

Today's Featured Research Reports

Amgen’s shares have outperformed the Zacks Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry over the year-to-date period (+37% vs. +12.1%). The company beat second-quarter estimates for both earnings and sales. Key medicines like Evenity, Repatha and Uplizna, as well as newer medicines like Imdelltra, Tavneos and Tezspire, are driving sales, more than offsetting declining revenues from oncology biosimilars and mature products like Enbrel. 

New biosimilar launches are also contributing to top-line growth. Furthermore, Amgen has several key pipeline assets, with a primary focus on the obesity candidate, MariTide. 

However, price declines and increased competition are hurting sales of some products. Sales of best-selling drugs, Prolia and Xgeva, are declining sharply in 2026 due to biosimilar launches. Recent pipeline setbacks and the upcoming LOE cliff are concerns.

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

Shares of Thermo Fisher have outperformed the Zacks Medical - Instruments industry over the year-to-date period (+8.8% vs. -6.3%). The company is gaining from improving customer activity across all end markets, continued share gains and disciplined execution of its growth strategy. Pharma and biotech demand is advancing, led by bioproduction, clinical research and the research and safety channel. 

Clario and the filtration and separation business are bolstering the company’s capabilities and supporting revenue synergies. New products, AI-enabled workflows and expanded customer collaboration centers reinforce its competitive position. Management raised its 2026 revenue and adjusted EPS outlook after better-than-expected second-quarter results. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects 2026 EPS of $25.12 on revenues of $47.80 billion. Still, macroeconomic uncertainty, currency volatility, acquisition-related leverage and intense competition remain key risks.

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

PepsiCo’s shares have gained +2% over the year-to-date period against the Zacks Beverages - Soft drinks industry’s gain of +20.3%. The company is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies, supported by a diversified portfolio of category-leading brands, broad global distribution and cash generation. 

PepsiCo continues to benefit from robust international growth, expanding global volume trends, sustained product innovation and productivity initiatives that support long-term earnings potential. Management also reaffirmed its 2026 guidance, reflecting confidence in the business despite a challenging operating environment. 

However, North American demand remains soft, pricing power is moderating, affordability investments and higher input costs continue to pressure margins, and earnings are expected to be weighted toward the fourth quarter of 2026, increasing execution risk. These balanced opportunities and challenges support PEP’s investment view.

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

Shares of C&F Financial have outperformed the Zacks Banks - Southeast industry over the year-to-date period (+18.6% vs. +14.6%). This microcap company with a market capitalization of $276.20 million has a diversified community banking, mortgage and consumer finance model which supports earnings stability. Loan growth, easing deposit costs and a higher-yielding securities portfolio are strengthening spread income, while mortgage activity broadens fee revenues. 

Strong capital and liquidity support expansion and shareholder returns. Growth in western Virginia and a shift toward stronger consumer borrowers may aid longer-term performance. However, loan growth is outpacing deposit growth, increasing reliance on costly borrowings, while falling rates could pressure margins. 

Consumer finance faces elevated credit costs and portfolio runoff. Commercial real estate concentration heightens sensitivity to property weakness, and expansion expenses may limit operating leverage if new markets mature slowly. External shocks could also weaken credit demand and borrower health.

(You can read the full research report on C&F Financial here >>>)

Acorn Energy’s shares have gained +24.6% over the year-to-date period against the Zacks Electronics - Miscellaneous Products industry’s gain of +40.6%. This microcap company with a market capitalization of $47.21 million has near-term risks that center on hardware normalization, deployment timing and execution across newer growth channels. 

Lower telecom hardware shipments and the run-off of deferred hardware revenue could keep growth volatile, while OMNI360 remains pre-revenue and the Champion partnership provides limited visibility. Customer concentration, installation delays and revenue-mix shifts may also constrain operating leverage. However, the expanding high-margin monitoring base strengthens recurring revenues and visibility as endpoints and renewals grow. 

Telecom renewals, Champion, OMNI360, OEM opportunities and product modernization provide multiple avenues for expansion, supported by a debt-free balance sheet and positive cash flow. The valuation appears modest, offering potential upside if recurring revenue growth and commercialization efforts gain traction.

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

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI), Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) and Sempra (SRE).

Mark Vickery
Senior Editor

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>>>