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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Starbucks, Medtronic, Monsanto, Halliburton and Sprint

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – September 7, 2017 – 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 includeStarbucks (Nasdaq:(SBUX - Free Report)  Free Report), Medtronic (NYSE:(MDT - Free Report)  Free Report), Monsanto (NYSE: Free Report), Halliburton (NYSE:(HAL - Free Report)  Free Report) and Sprint (NYSE:(S - Free Report)  Free Report).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:

Top Stock Reports for Starbucks, Monsanto & Medtronic

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 Starbucks (Nasdaq:(SBUX - Free Report) Free Report), Medtronic (NYSE:(MDT - Free Report) Free Report) and Monsanto (NYSE: Free Report). 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 >>>

Starbucks’ shares are up +0.6% year to date, underperforming the Zacks Food & Restaurants industry, which is up +8.1% over the same period. But the Zacks analyst likes Starbucks’s operating fundamentals such as solid global retail footprint, successful innovations, best-in-class loyalty program and digital offerings.

Again, digital initiatives like mobile order/pay, delivery services and third-party loyalty partnerships can stimulate stronger sales trends in the Americas. CPG growth across the world as well as China/Asia expansion will also lead to value creation.

However, incremental in spending is likely to create pressure on its bottom line in the near term. Also, economic, geopolitical and consumer headwinds continue to impact Starbucks' results.

(You canread the full research report on Starbucks here >>>).

Shares of Medtronic have underperformed the Zacks Medical Products industry over the last three months, losing -6.7% vs. a 0.3% gain. Apart from displaying successful integration and achievement of synergy targets, Medtronic’s major business groups continue to contribute to top-line growth which highlighted sustainability across all segments and geographies.

The stabilizing trend in the global Cardiac Rhythm & Heart Failure (CRHF) market is another upside. The Zacks analyst likes the solid growth trend in the U.S. as well as the healthy global acceptance of its advanced therapies. However, escalating costs and expenses are weighing on margins. Also, unfavorable foreign exchange continues to remain a drag.

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

Buy-ratedMonsanto’s shares have outperformed the Zacks Agricultural Products industry over the last one year, gaining +12% vs. +9%. Increasing demand for crop-yield enhancing products, such as Roundup Ready 2 Xtend Soybeans, and launch of non-imitable technological solutions are likely to boost the company's top-line performance.

Further, robust top-line performance, higher planted acreage, as well as lower U.S. corn and soybean costs are expected to bolster bottom-line results in the near term. Also, the successful accomplishment of Bayer's buyout deal is anticipated to open up a number of opportunities for Monsanto.

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

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Halliburton (NYSE:(HAL - Free Report) Free Report) and Sprint (NYSE:(S - Free Report) Free Report).

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Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1 Stock of the Day pick for free.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News

Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year.See these high-potential stocks free >>.

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