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SM Energy and Insperity highlighted as Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day
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For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – February 18, 2022 – Zacks Equity Research Shares SM Energy (SM - Free Report) as the Bull of the Day, Insperity (NSP - Free Report) asthe Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Home Depot (HD - Free Report) and The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX - Free Report) .
SM Energy is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) that sports a B for Value and a A for Growth. This energy name is seeing some strength as oil prices press higher on geopolitical concerns. I should also note that an astute Stock Strategist from Zacks Investment Research highlighted this stock on his Aggressive Growth Stock video this week. You can find that video here. Let’s explore more about this stock in this Bull Of The Day article.
Description
Denver, CO-based SM Energy Company, previously known as St. Mary Land & Exploration Company, is an independent oil and gas company engaged in the exploration, exploitation, development, acquisition and production of natural gas and crude oil in North America. The company was founded in 1908 and incorporated in Delaware in the year 1915.
Earnings History
When I look at a stock, the first thing I do is look to see if the company is beating the number. This tells me right away where the market’s expectations have been for the company and how management has communicated to the market. A stock that consistently beats has management communicating expectations to Wall Street that can be achieved. That is what you want to see.
For SM, I see a decent history of beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate. There are three beats over the last four quarters. The three most recent quarters were the beats.
The average positive earnings surprise over the last fours quarters works out to be 126%.
Earnings Estimates Revisions
The Zacks Rank tells us which stocks are seeing earnings estimates move higher. For CRUS, I see annual estimates moving higher.
Over the last 60 days, I see a few increases.
This quarter has increased from $0.77 to $0.82.
Next quarter has dipped from $1.38 to $1.64.
The full fiscal year 2021 has moved from $1.40 to $1.46.
Next fiscal year has moved to $6.36 and that is up from $5.18.
Positive movement in earnings estimates like that is why this stock is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Valuation
The valuation for SM Energy is still very attractive despite posting solid topline growth and being poised to show some amazing bottomline growth over the next year. I see the stock trading at a 5x forward earnings multiple and 2.5x price to book multiple. Those are very low levels when you consider the 170% topline growth the company posted in the most recent quarter. Margins have also moved a lot higher over the last few quarters and higher margins will lead to higher EPS numbers.
Insperity is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) following a recent earnings miss. The stock was crushed after the print. That has been happening more and more of late, so let’s take a deeper look at this stock in this Bear of the Day article.
Description
Insperity provides an array of human resources (HR) and business solutions designed to help improve business performance. Since its formation in 1986, the company has evolved from being solely a professional employer organization (“PEO”) to a comprehensive business performance solutions provider.
Earnings History
When I look at a stock, the first thing I do is look to see if the company is beating the number. This tells me right away where the market’s expectations have been for the company and how management has communicated to the market. A stock that consistently beats has management communicating expectations to Wall Street that can be achieved. That is what you want to see.
In the case of NSP, I see three straight beats of the Zacks Consensus Estimate and one miss. The miss was the most recent report. This alone does not make the stock a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and it doesn’t make it a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) either.
The Zacks Rank does care about the earnings history, but it is much more heavily influenced by the movement of earnings estimates.
Earnings Estimates
The Zacks Rank tells us which stocks are seeing earnings estimates move higher or in this case lower. For NSP I see annual estimates moving lower.
The Zacks Rank is more heavily influenced by the move in the annual numbers, and the movement is mixed for those numbers.
The current year 2022 consensus number has dropped from $4.83 to $4.38.
The next year has dropped from $5.93 to $5.56 over the last 60 days.
Negative movement in earnings estimates like that is why this stock is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
It should be noted that a majority of stocks in the Zacks universe are seeing positive earnings estimate revisions. That means that the stocks that are seeing small but negative earnings estimate revisions are falling to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
Additional content:
Buy These Specialty Retailers Before Earnings
The market rebounded on Tuesday after three-straight sessions of declines that came on the back of January’s CPI release. Despite the fact that U.S. inflation climbed from 7% in December to 7.5% in January and remained at 40-year highs, fresh data out Wednesday showed resilient retail spending.
U.S. retail sales climbed at a seasonally adjusted 3.8% in January from the prior month. This represented the best monthly gain in retail spending since last March. The strong showing to start 2022 is a welcome sign and highlights the overall strength of the U.S. economy despite rising inflation.
Stocks were calm on Wednesday, with all three major U.S. indexes roughly flat on the day. Wall Street is also more convinced the Fed will raise rates by 0.50% instead of 0.25% at its next meeting on March 15-16.
The market has been preparing for higher rates for months now and the 10-year U.S. Treasury is already above 2% for the first time since 2019. Plus, S&P 500 earnings remain highly resilient to the current economic headwinds. All of this might mean investors want to consider adding a few retail stocks (also read: Record Earnings in Q4 Despite Economic Headwinds).
Home Depot – Q4 Financial Results Due Tuesday, February 22
Home Depot is one of the biggest home improvement retailers on the planet, with over 2,300 locations across the U.S. and a few other countries. The company grew its revenue at a really solid pace over the past decade, especially for a firm of its size and age, averaging over 5% sales expansion between 2011 and 2019. This included multiple years of roughly 7% top-line growth, as it attracts both professionals and do-it-yourselfers.
The coronavirus helped send its sales soaring in 2021 amid the housing boom and huge home improvement-focused spending. Home Depot’s revenue jumped 20% last year to $132 billion, with comps up 21%. HD is also coming off an impressive Q3 FY21 that showed its ability to grow its top and bottom lines during supply chain setbacks and rising labor costs.
HD handily beat our EPS estimate last quarter and its most recent EPS estimates for Q4 and FY22 are coming in above the current consensus. Zacks estimates call for Home Depot’s revenue to climb another 14% in FY21 to $150 billion, with FY22 projected to pop 2% (which would top FY19’s 1.8%). Meanwhile, its adjusted earnings are expected to jump 29% and 4%, respectively.
Home Depot, which lands a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) right now, has seen its shares surge 650% over the past 10 years to blow away the S&P 500’s 250% and its industry’s 480%. HD is up 25% in the last years vs. the benchmark’s 14% run. The stock has cooled off recently as part of the broader pullback, closing regular trading Wednesday 16% below its December records. And it’s trading nearly in line with its five-year median at 21.8X forward 12-month earnings and 20% below its highs.
Some investors might be worried they missed out on Home Depot. But the company and the stock were cruising well before the pandemic and it’s already taken a decent haircut in the last few months.
Wall Street remains high on the stock with 15 of the 21 brokerage recommendations Zacks has at either “Strong Buys” or “Buys.” On top of that, the housing market and home improvement spending are finally being driven by millennials and its Building Products – Retail space is in the top 12% of over 250 Zacks industries at the moment. Plus, Home Depot’s 1.89% dividend yield tops rival Lowe’s 1.4% and comes in not too far below the 10-year U.S. Treasury.
The TJX Companies, Inc. – Q4 Financial Results Due Tuesday, February 23
TJX is an off-price apparel and home décor retailer that operates roughly 4,685 stores in nine countries, including the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Germany. The company operates under T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods, as well as the much smaller Sierra and Homesense brands. The company has found success through both in-store retail and the expansion of its digital and e-commerce offerings.
TJX has carved out a strong niche within a rapidly evolving retail landscape that has seen Kohl's, Macy’s, and Nordstrom all struggle. TJX and its various brands compete for customers against the likes of titans such as Target in certain categories. The pandemic crushed TJX as many of its stores were forced to close, with revenue down 23% in 2020. Luckily, its stores are reopened and shoppers have, for the most part, rushed back to their favorite TJX locations and spent heavily online. The company’s revenue climbed 24% in Q3, while earnings popped 24%.
Zacks estimates call for its current-year (FY22) revenue to soar 52% to $49 billion to blow away its pre-pandemic total of $41.71 billion. Its sales are then projected to climb over 7% higher next year. Plus, its adjusted earnings are projected to skyrocket from $0.31 a share last year to $2.93 a share, with next year set to jump another 15%.
TJX’s earnings revisions have stagnated recently and it lands a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at the moment. The company has also blown away our EPS estimates in four out of the last five quarters. On top of that, 14 of the 15 brokerage recommendations Zacks has are “Strong Buys.” TJX also grabs an “A” grade for Growth in our Style Scores system and its 1.55% dividend yield easily tops its industry’s 0.92% average and the S&P 500’s 1.28%.
TJX stock is up 75% in the last five years to lag its industry and it’s climbed 35% in the past three years. The stock closed regular hours Wednesday 12% below its early January records at $67.10 per share. Better still, TJX trades 27% below its current Zacks consensus price target of $85 a share. In terms of valuation, TJX is hovering near year-long lows at 20.3X forward 12-month earnings vs. its industry’s 23.2X, which puts it around where it was before the pandemic.
7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days
Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."
Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +25.4% per year. So be sure to give these hand-picked 7 your immediate attention.
Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss.This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
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SM Energy and Insperity highlighted as Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – February 18, 2022 – Zacks Equity Research Shares SM Energy (SM - Free Report) as the Bull of the Day, Insperity (NSP - Free Report) asthe Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Home Depot (HD - Free Report) and The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX - Free Report) .
Here is a synopsis of all four stocks:
Bull of the Day:
SM Energy is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) that sports a B for Value and a A for Growth. This energy name is seeing some strength as oil prices press higher on geopolitical concerns. I should also note that an astute Stock Strategist from Zacks Investment Research highlighted this stock on his Aggressive Growth Stock video this week. You can find that video here. Let’s explore more about this stock in this Bull Of The Day article.
Description
Denver, CO-based SM Energy Company, previously known as St. Mary Land & Exploration Company, is an independent oil and gas company engaged in the exploration, exploitation, development, acquisition and production of natural gas and crude oil in North America. The company was founded in 1908 and incorporated in Delaware in the year 1915.
Earnings History
When I look at a stock, the first thing I do is look to see if the company is beating the number. This tells me right away where the market’s expectations have been for the company and how management has communicated to the market. A stock that consistently beats has management communicating expectations to Wall Street that can be achieved. That is what you want to see.
For SM, I see a decent history of beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate. There are three beats over the last four quarters. The three most recent quarters were the beats.
The average positive earnings surprise over the last fours quarters works out to be 126%.
Earnings Estimates Revisions
The Zacks Rank tells us which stocks are seeing earnings estimates move higher. For CRUS, I see annual estimates moving higher.
Over the last 60 days, I see a few increases.
This quarter has increased from $0.77 to $0.82.
Next quarter has dipped from $1.38 to $1.64.
The full fiscal year 2021 has moved from $1.40 to $1.46.
Next fiscal year has moved to $6.36 and that is up from $5.18.
Positive movement in earnings estimates like that is why this stock is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Valuation
The valuation for SM Energy is still very attractive despite posting solid topline growth and being poised to show some amazing bottomline growth over the next year. I see the stock trading at a 5x forward earnings multiple and 2.5x price to book multiple. Those are very low levels when you consider the 170% topline growth the company posted in the most recent quarter. Margins have also moved a lot higher over the last few quarters and higher margins will lead to higher EPS numbers.
Bear of the Day:
Insperity is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) following a recent earnings miss. The stock was crushed after the print. That has been happening more and more of late, so let’s take a deeper look at this stock in this Bear of the Day article.
Description
Insperity provides an array of human resources (HR) and business solutions designed to help improve business performance. Since its formation in 1986, the company has evolved from being solely a professional employer organization (“PEO”) to a comprehensive business performance solutions provider.
Earnings History
When I look at a stock, the first thing I do is look to see if the company is beating the number. This tells me right away where the market’s expectations have been for the company and how management has communicated to the market. A stock that consistently beats has management communicating expectations to Wall Street that can be achieved. That is what you want to see.
In the case of NSP, I see three straight beats of the Zacks Consensus Estimate and one miss. The miss was the most recent report. This alone does not make the stock a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and it doesn’t make it a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) either.
The Zacks Rank does care about the earnings history, but it is much more heavily influenced by the movement of earnings estimates.
Earnings Estimates
The Zacks Rank tells us which stocks are seeing earnings estimates move higher or in this case lower. For NSP I see annual estimates moving lower.
The Zacks Rank is more heavily influenced by the move in the annual numbers, and the movement is mixed for those numbers.
The current year 2022 consensus number has dropped from $4.83 to $4.38.
The next year has dropped from $5.93 to $5.56 over the last 60 days.
Negative movement in earnings estimates like that is why this stock is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
It should be noted that a majority of stocks in the Zacks universe are seeing positive earnings estimate revisions. That means that the stocks that are seeing small but negative earnings estimate revisions are falling to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
Additional content:
Buy These Specialty Retailers Before Earnings
The market rebounded on Tuesday after three-straight sessions of declines that came on the back of January’s CPI release. Despite the fact that U.S. inflation climbed from 7% in December to 7.5% in January and remained at 40-year highs, fresh data out Wednesday showed resilient retail spending.
U.S. retail sales climbed at a seasonally adjusted 3.8% in January from the prior month. This represented the best monthly gain in retail spending since last March. The strong showing to start 2022 is a welcome sign and highlights the overall strength of the U.S. economy despite rising inflation.
Stocks were calm on Wednesday, with all three major U.S. indexes roughly flat on the day. Wall Street is also more convinced the Fed will raise rates by 0.50% instead of 0.25% at its next meeting on March 15-16.
The market has been preparing for higher rates for months now and the 10-year U.S. Treasury is already above 2% for the first time since 2019. Plus, S&P 500 earnings remain highly resilient to the current economic headwinds. All of this might mean investors want to consider adding a few retail stocks (also read: Record Earnings in Q4 Despite Economic Headwinds).
Home Depot – Q4 Financial Results Due Tuesday, February 22
Home Depot is one of the biggest home improvement retailers on the planet, with over 2,300 locations across the U.S. and a few other countries. The company grew its revenue at a really solid pace over the past decade, especially for a firm of its size and age, averaging over 5% sales expansion between 2011 and 2019. This included multiple years of roughly 7% top-line growth, as it attracts both professionals and do-it-yourselfers.
The coronavirus helped send its sales soaring in 2021 amid the housing boom and huge home improvement-focused spending. Home Depot’s revenue jumped 20% last year to $132 billion, with comps up 21%. HD is also coming off an impressive Q3 FY21 that showed its ability to grow its top and bottom lines during supply chain setbacks and rising labor costs.
HD handily beat our EPS estimate last quarter and its most recent EPS estimates for Q4 and FY22 are coming in above the current consensus. Zacks estimates call for Home Depot’s revenue to climb another 14% in FY21 to $150 billion, with FY22 projected to pop 2% (which would top FY19’s 1.8%). Meanwhile, its adjusted earnings are expected to jump 29% and 4%, respectively.
Home Depot, which lands a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) right now, has seen its shares surge 650% over the past 10 years to blow away the S&P 500’s 250% and its industry’s 480%. HD is up 25% in the last years vs. the benchmark’s 14% run. The stock has cooled off recently as part of the broader pullback, closing regular trading Wednesday 16% below its December records. And it’s trading nearly in line with its five-year median at 21.8X forward 12-month earnings and 20% below its highs.
Some investors might be worried they missed out on Home Depot. But the company and the stock were cruising well before the pandemic and it’s already taken a decent haircut in the last few months.
Wall Street remains high on the stock with 15 of the 21 brokerage recommendations Zacks has at either “Strong Buys” or “Buys.” On top of that, the housing market and home improvement spending are finally being driven by millennials and its Building Products – Retail space is in the top 12% of over 250 Zacks industries at the moment. Plus, Home Depot’s 1.89% dividend yield tops rival Lowe’s 1.4% and comes in not too far below the 10-year U.S. Treasury.
The TJX Companies, Inc. – Q4 Financial Results Due Tuesday, February 23
TJX is an off-price apparel and home décor retailer that operates roughly 4,685 stores in nine countries, including the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Germany. The company operates under T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods, as well as the much smaller Sierra and Homesense brands. The company has found success through both in-store retail and the expansion of its digital and e-commerce offerings.
TJX has carved out a strong niche within a rapidly evolving retail landscape that has seen Kohl's, Macy’s, and Nordstrom all struggle. TJX and its various brands compete for customers against the likes of titans such as Target in certain categories. The pandemic crushed TJX as many of its stores were forced to close, with revenue down 23% in 2020. Luckily, its stores are reopened and shoppers have, for the most part, rushed back to their favorite TJX locations and spent heavily online. The company’s revenue climbed 24% in Q3, while earnings popped 24%.
Zacks estimates call for its current-year (FY22) revenue to soar 52% to $49 billion to blow away its pre-pandemic total of $41.71 billion. Its sales are then projected to climb over 7% higher next year. Plus, its adjusted earnings are projected to skyrocket from $0.31 a share last year to $2.93 a share, with next year set to jump another 15%.
TJX’s earnings revisions have stagnated recently and it lands a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at the moment. The company has also blown away our EPS estimates in four out of the last five quarters. On top of that, 14 of the 15 brokerage recommendations Zacks has are “Strong Buys.” TJX also grabs an “A” grade for Growth in our Style Scores system and its 1.55% dividend yield easily tops its industry’s 0.92% average and the S&P 500’s 1.28%.
TJX stock is up 75% in the last five years to lag its industry and it’s climbed 35% in the past three years. The stock closed regular hours Wednesday 12% below its early January records at $67.10 per share. Better still, TJX trades 27% below its current Zacks consensus price target of $85 a share. In terms of valuation, TJX is hovering near year-long lows at 20.3X forward 12-month earnings vs. its industry’s 23.2X, which puts it around where it was before the pandemic.
7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days
Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."
Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +25.4% per year. So be sure to give these hand-picked 7 your immediate attention.
See them now >>
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Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss.This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.