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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Oracle, Lockheed Martin, TJX, Aflac and Trane Technologies

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – February 9, 2023 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Oracle Corp. (ORCL - Free Report) , Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT - Free Report) , The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX - Free Report) , Aflac Inc. (AFL - Free Report) and Trane Technologies plc (TT - Free Report) .

Here are highlights from Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:

Top Stock Reports for Oracle, Lockheed Martin and TJX Companies

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 Oracle Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp. and The TJX Companies, Inc. 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 >>>

Oracle’s shares have outperformed the Zacks Computer - Software industry over the past year (+5.2% vs. -14.2%). The company benefited from strength in infrastructure and applications cloud businesses. Solid adoption of cloud-based applications, comprising NetSuite Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Fusion ERP and Fusion Human Capital Management (HCM), bodes well.

The Zacks analyst expects fiscal 2023 revenues to jump 13.6% over fiscal 2022. Solid demand for the Oracle Dedicated Region Cloud@Customer is anticipated to drive the top line. Oracle expects total cloud growth, including Cerner, to grow from 43% to 47% in USD for the next quarter. Partnerships with Accenture and Microsoft are helping Oracle win new clientele.

However, higher spending on product enhancements, especially toward the cloud platform, is likely to limit margin expansion. We expect fiscal 2023 non-GAAP operating expenses to jump 18.3% over fiscal 2022.

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

Shares of Lockheed Martin have outperformed the Zacks Aerospace - Defense industry over the past year (+18.7% vs. -8.1%). The company enjoys a consistent level of contract flows, and subsequent backlog growth bolsters its long-term revenue prospects. The company remains the largest U.S. defense contractor, with a steady inflow of orders from its leveraged presence in the Army, Air Force, Navy and IT programs.

Steady contract flows and subsequent backlog growth bolster its long-term revenue prospects. Budgetary provisions tend to boost its business. Yet strains between the U.S. and Turkey, as a result of the latter accepting Russian products, might hurt Lockheed's component supply from that country.

Lockheed is facing performance issues concerning some of its products, which, in turn, may hurt its results. Also, an uncertainty revolving around the possible sanction by China on Lockheed might impact the company.

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

Shares of The TJX Companies have outperformed the Zacks Retail - Discount Stores industry over the past year (+11.7% vs. +0.2%). The company’s off-price business model, strategic store locations, impressive brands and fashion products and supply-chain management have been working well. TJX is benefiting from its solid store and e-commerce growth efforts.

The company registered an improved pretax profit margin in the third quarter of fiscal 2023. Management is optimistic about its capabilities to provide impressive brands and gifts to its stores and online during the holiday season.

That being said, The TJX Companies has been grappling with increased freight costs. In addition, the company saw additional wage costs in the fiscal third quarter. Management is projecting nearly 130 basis points (bps) of incremental freight expense and 70 bps of wage costs for fiscal 2023.

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

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Aflac Inc. and Trane Technologies plc.

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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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