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Earnings Growth & Price Strength Make CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) a Stock to Watch

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Breaking Down the Zacks Focus List

If you could, wouldn't you jump at the chance for access to a curated list of stocks to kickstart your investing journey?

That's what the Zacks Focus List offers. It's a portfolio of 50 stocks that serve as a starting point for long-term investors to build their individual portfolios. The stocks included in the list are set to outperform the market over the next 12 months.

Additionally, each selection is accompanied by a full Zacks Analyst Report, something that makes the Focus List even more valuable. The report explains in detail why each stock was picked and why we believe it's good for the long-term.

The portfolio's past performance only solidifies why investors should consider it as a starting point. For 2020, the Focus List gained 13.85% on an annualized basis compared to the S&P 500's return of 9.38%. Cumulatively, the portfolio has returned 2,519.23% while the S&P returned 854.95%. Returns are for the period of February 1, 1996 to March 31, 2021.

Focus List Methodology

When stocks are picked for the Focus List, it reflects our enduring reliance on the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Earnings estimates, or expectations of growth and profitability, come from brokerage analysts who track publicly traded companies; these analysts work together with company management to analyze every aspect that may affect future earnings, like interest rates, the economy, and sector and industry optimism.

Earnings estimate revisions are very important, since investors also need to take into consideration what a company will earn in the future.

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The Focus List is comprised of stocks hand-picked from a long list of #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy) ranked companies, meaning that each new addition boasts a bullish earnings consensus among analysts.

It can be very profitable to buy stocks with rising earnings estimates, as stock prices respond to revisions. By adding Focus List stocks, there's a great chance you'll be getting into companies whose future earnings estimates will be raised, which can lead to price momentum.

Focus List Spotlight: CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP - Free Report)

Switzerland-based CRISPR Therapeutics AG is a leading gene editing company focused on developing CRISPR/Cas9-based therapeutics. The company is rapidly leveraging its CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing platform to make therapies for the treatment of hemoglobinopathies, cancer, diabetes and other diseases.

CRSP, a #3 (Hold) stock, was added to the Focus List on May 18, 2021 at $109.22 per share. Since then, shares have increased 14.47% to $125.02.

For fiscal 2021, six analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $4.22 to $4.88. CRSP boasts an average earnings surprise of 21.6%.

Earnings for CRSP are forecasted to see growth of 192.3% for the current fiscal year as well.

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