Thursday, July 7, 2016
Today's must-read reports are for Expedia (NASDAQ:EXPE) (EXPE), BP (LON:BP) (BP) and McKesson (NYSE:MCK) (MCK).
Despite languishing in the red year-to-date, shares of Expedia have notched up gains over the last quarter. This Zacks Rank # 1 (Strong Buy) rated stock continues to benefit from strong travel market trends. The analyst likes the company's prudent growth plan, a solid travel booking platform, contribution from a series of acquisitions, the Ctrip deal and management execution. (You can read the full research report on EXPE here.)
Zacks Rank # 2 (Buy) rated BP shares have gained nicely this year on the back of the oil price rebound. But the company's continued underperformance of its super-major peers likely reflects that management hasn't fully regained the market's trust following the Gulf of Mexico tragedy of a few years back. This lingering issue notwithstanding, our analyst likes BP’s long-term cost cutting plan and strategy of offloading non-core upstream properties. (You can read the full research report on BP here.)
McKesson’s shares have gained nearly 18% over the last three months. Estimates for this Zacks Rank # 2 (Buy) stock have been moving up lately given favorable trends in its distribution solutions segment, which has held up strongly despite weak pricing trends and customer consolidation. The analyst likes McKesson’s strategy of pursuing deals and acquisitions to drive growth, with the recent Celesio deal expected to strengthen McKesson’s foothold in Europe. (You can read the full research report on MCK here.)
Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Chevron (NYSE:CVX) (CVX), Avon (AVP) and Ventas (VTR).
- Chevron (CVX) to Expand Kazakh Oilfield
- Avon (AVP) Down to Zacks # Rank 5 (Strong Sell)
- Ventas (VTR) Inks $1.5 Billion Deal
You can find all of today's stock research reports here.
Note: Sheraz Mian regularly provides earnings analysis on Zacks.com and appears frequently in the print and electronic media. His weekly earnings related articles include Earnings Trends and Earnings Preview. He also provides weekly commentary to Zacks Premium subscribers and manages the Zacks Focus List and Top 10 portfolios. If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, please click here.
Today's Must Read
Featured Reports
Chevron (CVX) Commits to $37B Kazakh Oilfield Expansion
Chevron's approval of the expansion of Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield is an important landmark for the company, which considers the country crucial for its business, according to the Zacks analyst.
Becton, Dickinson (BDX) Bets on Expanding Product Portfolio
The covering analyst thinks Becton, Dickinson's expanding product portfolio based on recent regulatory approvals is a major positive.
FactSet (FDS) Completes Assets Sale, Updates Q4 View
The Zacks analyst believes FactSet's recently completed divestments will help it in focusing on higher margin businesses.
Assurant (NYSE:AIZ) Gains from American Title Buy
The Zacks analyst believes the acquisition will strengthen Assurant's capabilities in the housing market even as it projects the transaction to be accretive to earnings next year.
Ventas (VTR) Signs $1.5 Billion Life-Sciences Real Estate Deal
Ventas' deal to acquire life science and medical real estate assets from Wexford marks its entry into the growing university-affiliated life science real estate business.
Boston Properties (NYSE:BXP) Completes Colorado Center Stake Buyout
Boston Properties recently obtained a 49.8% stake in the Colorado Center in Santa Monica, CA. which is the company's first foray into the expanding Westside Los Angeles market.
TripAdvisor (TRIP) Appoints Gary Fritz as Chief Growth Officer
TripAdvisor Inc (NASDAQ:TRIP). appointed Gary Fritz as its chief growth officer and president of its Asia-Pacific operations to help implement formulated strategies across all brands.
New Upgrades
DeVry's (DV) Health Care and International Segments Support Sales
The Zacks analyst believes DeVry's Medical & Healthcare and International and Professional Education segments will do well in the upcoming quarter due to robust demand and campus expansions.
ON Smart Media Platform to Drive Outfront's (OUT) Growth
Outfront has expanded this platform in Minneapolis and St. Paul skyway systems, which is likely to re-define the advertising experience of consumers, according to the covering analyst.
Williams' (WMB) Large-Scale Projects to Rake in High Returns
The Zacks analyst thinks Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB)' large-scale value-creating projects position it for strong returns even in a low commodity price environment.
New Downgrades
Avon (AVP) Continues to Fight Currency Woes
The covering analyst stresses that Avon's significant international presence means it is exposed to adverse foreign currency fluctuations, which are expected to linger in 2016 and impact results.
Weyerhaeuser's (WY) Potential Dims on Near-Term Concerns
The Zacks analyst believes Weyerhaeuser's exposure to risks like geopolitical issues, forex movements, uncertain economic conditions and stiff market competition remain prime causes of concern.
Medivation's (MDVN) Dependence on Xtandi's Performance Worrying
While prostate cancer treatment, Xtandi, does represent huge commercial potential, any slowdown in Xtandi sales would have a negative impact on the shares, according to the Zacks analyst
VENTAS INC (VTR): Free Stock Analysis Report
MCKESSON CORP (MCK): Free Stock Analysis Report
EXPEDIA INC (EXPE): Free Stock Analysis Report
CHEVRON CORP (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report
BP PLC (BP): Free Stock Analysis Report
AVON PRODS INC (AVP): Free Stock Analysis Report
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Zacks Investment Research