Tuesday, February 28 2017

Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including AT&T (T), Visa (V) and Biogen (BIIB).

AT&T shares have surged +5.9% over the three months, outperforming the Zacks Wireless industry and competitor Verizon, which have gained +4.6% and lost -2% over the same period. While Q4 results were mixed, trends in the wireless business pointed towards stabilization in terms of the subscriber base and the churn rate.

Market participants also appear to be satisfied with AT&T's strategic moves like the DirectTV purchase and the pending Time Warner deal even as Verizon's path seems muddled. That said, there is no shortage of issues facing the company, like a saturated wireless market where spectrum crunch is a big issue, persistent losses in access lines, and stringent regulatory mandates. (You can read the full research report on AT&T here.)

Visa shares have outperformed the Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry over the past three months, gaining +11.2% vs. +9.1%. The company’s first-quarter fiscal 2017 earnings easily outpaced expectations. Results were aided by the acquisition of Visa Europe and solid growth in payments volume as well as processed transactions. The analyst likes the company’s strategic acquisitions and alliances, technology upgrades and effective marketing efforts. (You can read the full research report on Visa here.)

Biogen shares initially gained from the post-election rally, but have since underperformed the broader pharma space as the macro issues plaguing the space still continue. These issues notwithstanding, the analyst likes the stock’s strong position in the multiple sclerosis market primarily due to a wide range of products. Cost cutting efforts and MS franchise sales should continue to drive growth. Moreover, the upcoming spin-off of the hemophilia business will allow Biogen to focus on the neurology segment, its key area of expertise. (You can read the full research report on Biogen here.)

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Tesla (TSLA), Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and PG&E Corp (PCG).

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Mark Vickery

Senior Editor

Note: Sheraz Mian heads the Zacks Equity Research department and is a well-regarded expert of aggregate earnings. He is frequently quoted in the print and electronic media and publishes the weekly Earnings Trends and Earnings Preview reports. If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, please click here >>>