Advertisement
Singapore markets closed
  • Straits Times Index

    3,224.01
    -27.70 (-0.85%)
     
  • Nikkei

    40,168.07
    -594.66 (-1.46%)
     
  • Hang Seng

    16,541.42
    +148.58 (+0.91%)
     
  • FTSE 100

    7,952.62
    +20.64 (+0.26%)
     
  • Bitcoin USD

    70,757.53
    +1,767.76 (+2.56%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,254.35
    +5.86 (+0.11%)
     
  • Dow

    39,807.37
    +47.29 (+0.12%)
     
  • Nasdaq

    16,379.46
    -20.06 (-0.12%)
     
  • Gold

    2,254.80
    +42.10 (+1.90%)
     
  • Crude Oil

    83.11
    +1.76 (+2.16%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.2060
    +0.0100 (+0.24%)
     
  • FTSE Bursa Malaysia

    1,530.60
    -7.82 (-0.51%)
     
  • Jakarta Composite Index

    7,288.81
    -21.28 (-0.29%)
     
  • PSE Index

    6,903.53
    +5.36 (+0.08%)
     

The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Verizon, Express Scripts, Cigna, Ecolab and eBay

The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Verizon, Express Scripts, Cigna, Ecolab and eBay

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 5, 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 Verizon VZ, Express Scripts ESRX, Cigna CI, Ecolab ECL and eBay EBAY.

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

Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:

Top Stock Reports for Verizon, Express Scripts and Cigna

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 Verizon, Express Scripts and Cigna. These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today.

ADVERTISEMENT

You can see all of today’s research reports here >>>

Verizon’s shares have gained +18.2% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Wireless National industry’s increase of +4.8% during the same period. Verizon recorded solid performance in third-quarter 2018, with healthy year-over-year growth in revenues and adjusted earnings that beat their respective expectations.

The Zacks analyst thinks the company remains poised to benefit from the upcoming 5G boom, led by healthy traction in the wireless business. Focus on online content delivery, mobile video and online advertising should also drive growth. However, the company continues to struggle in a highly competitive and saturated wireless market, where spectrum crunch has become a major issue, reducing its profitability to some extent.

Verizon continues to face softer wireline revenues and margins due to technology shifts and ongoing secular pressures from legacy technologies. In an effort to expand its customer base, Verizon is spending heavily on promotion and is also offering lucrative discounts, which is further weighing on margins.

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

Shares of Buy-rated Express Scripts have outperformed the Zacks Medical Services industry over the past year, gaining +60.6% vs. +33.9%. Express Scripts ended the third quarter on a solid note, beating both earnings and revenue expectations.

The Zacks analyst thinks the company has been gaining from the strong performance by the core PBM unit. Further, recently-acquired complementary medical-benefit solutions from eviCore is likely to build a comprehensive PBM solution worldwide. Developments in the company’s Inside Rx program buoy optimism.

However, Express Scripts currently faces persistent drug pricing issues. The company is also getting acquired by Cigna by December 2018. Express Scripts announced that its biggest customer and leading health insurer Anthem is not likely to extend the PBM agreement with the company anymore.

Furthermore, the company has currently suspended share repurchase program because of the merger agreement with Cigna. Express Scripts has not provided any guidance for 2018.

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

Strong Buy-rated Cigna’s shares have gained +7.1% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Multi-Line Insurance industry, which has declined -13.9% over the same period. Cigna’s third-quarter earnings beat expectations and increased year over year. Strong performance across the company’s Global Health Care, Global Supplemental Benefits and Group Disability and Life businesses aided earnings.

The Zacks analyst emphasizes that the company is on track to buy Express Scripts, which should raise its rank in the health insurance industry and lead to long-term growth. The company has received approval for the merger from the Department of Justice. A robust Global Supplemental business, growing Government business, increasing membership, and strong capital position are other positives.

A strong 2018 outlook reflects business strength.  However, the increase in leverage, rise in operating expenses and suspension of share buyback are concerns.

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

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Ecolab and eBay.

Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies

It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +21.9% in 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +115.0%, +109.3%, +104.9%, +98.6%, and +67.1%.

And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 19X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation.

See Them 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 >>.

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch

Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.

Media Contact

Zacks Investment Research

800-767-3771 ext. 9339

support@zacks.com

https://www.zacks.com/

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.


Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
 
eBay Inc. (EBAY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Ecolab Inc. (ECL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Cigna Corporation (CI) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Express Scripts Holding Company (ESRX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
 
Zacks Investment Research