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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Amazon.com, Oracle and Merck
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For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – April 2, 2025 – 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: Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN - Free Report) , Oracle Corp. (ORCL - Free Report) and Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK - Free Report) .
Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:
Top Analyst Reports for Amazon, Oracle and Merck
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 Amazon.com, Inc., Oracle Corp. and Merck & Co., Inc.. These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today.
The daily 'Ahead of Wall Street' article is a must-read for all investors who would like to be ready for that day's trading action. The article comes out before the market opens and attempts to make sense of that morning's economic releases and how they will affect that day's market action. You can read this article for free on our home page and can actually sign up there to get an email notification as this article comes out each morning.
Shares of Amazon.com have gained +4.1% over the past year against the Zacks Internet - Commerce industry's gain of +15.4%. The company's top-line is driven by steady momentum in Prime and AWS. Strengthening AWS services portfolio and its growing adoption rate is contributing well to AWS performance. Ultrafast delivery services and expanding content portfolio are beneficial.
Strengthening relationships with third-party sellers is a positive. Robust advertising businesses are also contributing well. Amazon's expanding global presence remains a positive. Growing capabilities in grocery, pharmacy, healthcare and autonomous driving are other positives. Deepening focus into generative AI is a major plus. We expect 2025 net sales to increase 8.6% from 2025.
However, Amazon announced disappointing guidance for the first quarter. Management cited foreign exchange headwinds and the absence of an extra Leap Year Day as factors likely to impact growth in the current quarter.
Oracle's shares have outperformed the Zacks Computer - Software industry over the past year (+13.8% vs. -6.2%). The company reported mixed fiscal Q3 2025 results, wherein earnings and revenues missed estimates. Revenues were driven by continued momentum from its Oracle Cloud Infrastructure business, including from winning cloud-computing contracts from AI-focused startups.
ORCL's continued investment in cloud infrastructure positions it well for sustained growth in the dynamic software industry. ORCL's partnership with Amazon for Oracle Database@AWS and general availability of Oracle Database@Google bodes well. Oracle's Gen 2 Cloud is driving artificial intelligence clientele. Its share buybacks and dividend policy are noteworthy.
The Zacks analyst expect fiscal 2025 net sales to grow 7.7% from fiscal 2024. However, higher spending on product enhancements, toward the cloud platform amid increasing competition in the cloud domain is likely to limit margin expansion.
Shares of Merck have underperformed the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry over the past year (-29.7% vs. -4.7%). The company is facing rising competitive pressure on the diabetes franchise and persistent challenges for Gardasil in China remain overhangs. There are concerns about Merck's ability to successfully navigate the Keytruda loss of exclusivity period and potential competition for Keytruda.
However, Keytruda's sales are expected to remain strong until it loses patent protection. Estimates are stable ahead of Q1 results. Merck has a positive record of earnings surprises in recent quarters.
Nevertheless, Blockbuster drug Keytruda and new products have been driving Merck's sales. With continued label expansion into new indications, particularly earlier-stage launches, Keytruda is expected to see continued growth. Animal health is also contributing to growth. Merck boasts a strong cancer pipeline.
Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.
Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.
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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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Amazon.com, Oracle and Merck
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – April 2, 2025 – 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: Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN - Free Report) , Oracle Corp. (ORCL - Free Report) and Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK - Free Report) .
Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:
Top Analyst Reports for Amazon, Oracle and Merck
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 Amazon.com, Inc., Oracle Corp. and Merck & Co., Inc.. 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 >>>
Ahead of Wall Street
The daily 'Ahead of Wall Street' article is a must-read for all investors who would like to be ready for that day's trading action. The article comes out before the market opens and attempts to make sense of that morning's economic releases and how they will affect that day's market action. You can read this article for free on our home page and can actually sign up there to get an email notification as this article comes out each morning.
You can read today's AWS here >>> Countdown to "Liberation Day;" Pre-Markets in the Red
Today's Featured Research Reports
Shares of Amazon.com have gained +4.1% over the past year against the Zacks Internet - Commerce industry's gain of +15.4%. The company's top-line is driven by steady momentum in Prime and AWS. Strengthening AWS services portfolio and its growing adoption rate is contributing well to AWS performance. Ultrafast delivery services and expanding content portfolio are beneficial.
Strengthening relationships with third-party sellers is a positive. Robust advertising businesses are also contributing well. Amazon's expanding global presence remains a positive. Growing capabilities in grocery, pharmacy, healthcare and autonomous driving are other positives. Deepening focus into generative AI is a major plus. We expect 2025 net sales to increase 8.6% from 2025.
However, Amazon announced disappointing guidance for the first quarter. Management cited foreign exchange headwinds and the absence of an extra Leap Year Day as factors likely to impact growth in the current quarter.
(You can read the full research report on Amazon.com here >>>)
Oracle's shares have outperformed the Zacks Computer - Software industry over the past year (+13.8% vs. -6.2%). The company reported mixed fiscal Q3 2025 results, wherein earnings and revenues missed estimates. Revenues were driven by continued momentum from its Oracle Cloud Infrastructure business, including from winning cloud-computing contracts from AI-focused startups.
ORCL's continued investment in cloud infrastructure positions it well for sustained growth in the dynamic software industry. ORCL's partnership with Amazon for Oracle Database@AWS and general availability of Oracle Database@Google bodes well. Oracle's Gen 2 Cloud is driving artificial intelligence clientele. Its share buybacks and dividend policy are noteworthy.
The Zacks analyst expect fiscal 2025 net sales to grow 7.7% from fiscal 2024. However, higher spending on product enhancements, toward the cloud platform amid increasing competition in the cloud domain is likely to limit margin expansion.
(You can read the full research report on Oracle here >>>)
Shares of Merck have underperformed the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry over the past year (-29.7% vs. -4.7%). The company is facing rising competitive pressure on the diabetes franchise and persistent challenges for Gardasil in China remain overhangs. There are concerns about Merck's ability to successfully navigate the Keytruda loss of exclusivity period and potential competition for Keytruda.
However, Keytruda's sales are expected to remain strong until it loses patent protection. Estimates are stable ahead of Q1 results. Merck has a positive record of earnings surprises in recent quarters.
Nevertheless, Blockbuster drug Keytruda and new products have been driving Merck's sales. With continued label expansion into new indications, particularly earlier-stage launches, Keytruda is expected to see continued growth. Animal health is also contributing to growth. Merck boasts a strong cancer pipeline.
(You can read the full research report on Merck here >>>)
Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?
Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.
Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.
See 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.