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Leidos (LDOS) Stock Declines While Market Improves: Some Information for Investors

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Leidos (LDOS - Free Report) closed at $114.60 in the latest trading session, marking a -6.19% move from the prior day. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a gain of 1.65% for the day. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.92%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 3.07%.

The stock of security and engineering company has fallen by 1.24% in the past month, lagging the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 0.33% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.48%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Leidos in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $2.94, reflecting a 8.41% decrease from the same quarter last year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $4.36 billion, up 2.62% from the year-ago period.

Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $12.25 per share and revenue of $17.98 billion, indicating changes of +2.17% and +4.7%, respectively, compared to the previous year.

Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Leidos. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the business operations and its ability to generate profits.

Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged. As of now, Leidos holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

From a valuation perspective, Leidos is currently exchanging hands at a Forward P/E ratio of 9.97. This valuation marks a discount compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 14.15.

We can additionally observe that LDOS currently boasts a PEG ratio of 1.55. The PEG ratio is akin to the commonly utilized P/E ratio, but this measure also incorporates the company's anticipated earnings growth rate. By the end of yesterday's trading, the Computers - IT Services industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.16.

The Computers - IT Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 180, placing it within the bottom 27% of over 250 industries.

The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.

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