Top 7 Research Reports For July 29, 2016

Friday, July 29, 2016

Today's must-read reports are for Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) (AMGN), JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) (JPM) and Mondelez (MDLZ).

Zacks Rank # 2 (Buy) rated Amgen’s strong Q2 earnings report earlier this week - it beat on the top- and bottom-lines and guided higher - has helped the stock's positive momentum in recent weeks that followed a weak start earlier. The stock has gained in excess of 12% over the last four weeks, bringing it's year-to-date performance about in-line with the broader market. The analyst likes the company’s cost cutting initiatives, share buybacks and strong performance of key products. Amgen’s pipeline is also progressing well with quite a few regulatory and data updates scheduled for the coming quarters.(You can here .)

J.P. Morgan shares are down on the year, but they have gained some ground lately, particularly following the Q2 earnings report. The banking giant not only beat expectations, but also reiterated their outlook for the rest of the rest of the year despite a variety of new headwinds. Improvement in trading revenue, rise in mortgage banking fees and higher net interest income supported top line growth. The analyst likes the synergies gained from improving retail banking performance and cost-containment efforts, which will help the company improve its profitability. Further, approval of its 2016 capital plan is indicative of a strong balance sheet.(You can here .)

Mondelez beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings, but missed on revenues in the second-quarter report that added worries about the company's exposure to an uncertain macro environment in emerging markets. These near-term headwinds notwithstanding, the analyst likes the fact that margins have remained consistently strong backed by cost savings and productivity gains. Additionally, the company is refreshing its brand portfolio through product innovation and extending its brands to newer geographies and platforms. Mondelez is keen on expanding its business through acquisitions and has been regularly divesting non-core underperforming businesses (You can here .)

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) (ORCL), Thermo Fisher (TMO) and Toyota (TM).

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  Sheraz Mian

  Director of Research

  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 portfolios.

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  Today's Must Read/h6

  Featured Reports/h6

  The Zacks analyst thinks the addition of NetSuite capabilities to Oracle's cloud portfolio will give it a significant edge over peers.

  The covering analyst thinks raised FY16 guidance is indicative that better times lie ahead for Boston Scientific.

  Results gained from solid sales and improved operating income offset by currency headwinds, according to the covering analyst.

  Though Q2 results surpassed earnings and revenue estimates, the Zacks analyst believes a low interest rate scenario and exposure to risky assets will continue to hurt profitability.

  Product launches, emerging market growth and enhanced customer value proposition contributed to strong Q2 performance, according to the covering analyst.

  The Zacks analyst thinks the Q2 earnings beat driven by combined same-store net operating income growth is encouraging. However, huge exposure to office properties is a concern.

  The covering analyst believes device architecture, process flow and advanced packaging technology inflections will drive growth in future.

  New Upgrades/h6

  The Zacks analyst is encouraged by Lilly's long-term outlook which includes annual revenue growth of at least 5%, dividend increases & share buybacks.

  The covering analyst think Hess' results improved due to rationalization of its portfolio along with cost saving initiatives. These will help in tackling the current market of volatile commodity prices.

  Second-quarter earnings beat and upward outlook revision are encouraging. Foray into the Los Angeles market through the Colorado Center stake buyout is a strategic fit, according to the Zacks analyst.

  New Downgrades/h6

  Toyota's global sales declined 0.6% in the first half of 2016. As a result, it lost its leading spot to Volkswagen after retaining the position for four years in a row.

  The covering analyst stresses that the lawsuit will cause inordinate delay in the merger and losing the case will result in payment of severance charges.

  The Zacks Analyst believes that elevated deliveries in majority of UDR's markets, including San Francisco and New York, would result in lease-up pressures and adversely hurt top-line growth.

  Zacks Investment Research

  Written By: Zacks Investment Research