The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Mastercard, Petrobras, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Microchip and Carnival

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – April 6, 2018 – 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 Mastercard MA, Petrobras PBR, Walgreens Boots Alliance WBA, Microchip MCHP and Carnival CCL.

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

Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:

Top Stock Reports for Mastercard, Petrobras and Walgreens

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 Mastercard, Petrobras and Walgreens Boots Alliance. 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 >>>

Buy-rated Mastercard’s shares have increased 54.5% over the last year, significantly outperforming the Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry’s gain of 33.2% during the same period. The Zacks analyst likes its solid market position, ongoing expansion and digital initiatives.

Also, there are significant opportunities from the secular shift toward electronic payments. The acquisitions of VocaLink and NuData Security complement the company’s efforts to participate in new payment flows and enhance its safety and security offerings.

The stock has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings being revised upward over the last 60 days. It, however, continues to face increasing costs. Also, higher incentives and rewards will put pressure on the bottom line.

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

Shares of Petrobras have outperformed the Zacks Emerging Markets Integrated Oil industry over the last three months, gaining +21.5% vs. +11.7%. Adding to the bullishness, Brazil's flagship oil company reported robust fourth quarter results. While its strong free cash flow performance reflects operational improvement and lower investments, Petrobras has been able to partly revive its financial health through divestments and spin offs.

The company's ambitious plan to boost volumes by 27% through 2022 also looks achievable considering its impressive pre-salt reservoirs portfolio. However, Petrobras still carries a massive net debt of $85 billion, with net debt-to-capitalization ratio of 51%. Weak oil products sales volume in Brazil and lower margins at its downstream unit are other headwinds. As such, the Zacks analyst maintains a cautious stance on the stock.

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

Walgreens Boots Alliance’s shares have done better than the embattled Zacks Drug Stores industry over the last year (WBA is down -10.5% vs. decline of -13.4% for the peer group). Walgreens Boots reported better-than-expected second quarter fiscal 2018 results. This time the company witnessed its highest sales in the last eight quarters.

The Zacks analyst likes Walgreens Boots' increase in sales at the Retail Pharmacy International. Moreover, the company has been gaining on account of strategic tie-ups. The company’s alliance with Express Scripts aiming to expand their existing group purchasing efforts is another positive.

This apart, the company’s decision to acquire a 40% stake in Sinopharm Holding Guoda Drugstores in China looks promising as it should provide a strong impetus to Walgreens Boots’ worldwide retail pharmacy business. However, declining Retail Pharmacy sales at CER was a disappointment. The company faces tough competition along with currency fluctuations.

(You can read the full research report on Walgreens Boots Alliance here >>>).

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Microchip and Carnival.

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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.

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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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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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Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras (PBR) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Carnival Corporation (CCL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Microchip Technology Incorporated (MCHP) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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