Top Research Reports for NVIDIA, Medtronic & Gilead Sciences

Friday, December 9 2016

Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Gilead Sciences  (GILD), Medtronic (MDT) and NVIDIA (NVDA).

Gilead Sciences shares have been laggards this year, in line with the broader the biotech space, on persistent fears about drug pricing and other regulatory issues. The stock is down -28.1% in the year-to-date period vs. -26.6% decline for the Zacks Biotech industry in that same time period. Gilead's HCV franchise continues to witness slowdown in the U.S. and Europe due to lower sales of Harvoni. The mixed Q3 results and questions about product pipeline didn't help matters either. These are no doubt big challenges, but the analyst also points towards the company's robust late-stage pipeline. The company's HIV franchise has been performing well, thanks to the newly launched TAF-based products Genvoya, Descovy and Odefsey. (You can read the full research report on Gilead here >>)

Medtronic shares traded in line with the peer medical devices space for most of the year, but the stock has lagged the space since the mid-November release of quarterly results. The stock is now down -6.4% year-to-date versus -0.5% decline for the Zacks Medical Products industry. The lowered fiscal 2017 guidance is more disappointing, indicating slim chance of recovery soon. But the analyst likes Medtronic’s recent collaboration with Fitbit on diabetes care which may prove helpful in firming its grip on this space. Medtronic should also get a boost with recent FDA approvals and favorable data published. Also, we are looking forward to its $1.1 billion buyout of Heartware that should boost the Cardiac Rhythm & Heart Failure business. (You can read the full research report on Medtronic here>>)

Shares of Strong Buy rated NVIDIA have surged this year, gaining in excess of +188% versus the general semiconductors industry’s +25.1% gain.  The analyst likes NVIDIA’s sustained efforts toward attaining a robust position in several emerging industries such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), deep learning and driverless cars. Furthermore, by expanding its business avenues, the company will be able to reduce its dependency on the PC industry, which is currently declining. NVIDIA’s innovative product pipeline and strength in gaming and high-end notebook GPUs remain the positives. The company’s focus on GRID platforms can increase GPU adoption in data centers, giving it an advantage against its competitors. (You can read the full research report on NVIDIA here>>)

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Delta Air Lines (DAL), Accenture (ACN) and Simon Property Group (SPG).

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Sheraz Mian

Director of Research

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Today's Must Read

Gilead (GILD) to be Driven by HIV Franchise, Risks Persist

Medtronic (MDT) May Rebound on Fitbit Deal, Post a Dull Q2

NVIDIA (NVDA) Riding on Innovative Product Pipeline

Featured Reports

Accenture's (ACN) Solid Strategies Keep it on Growth Track

The Zacks analyst thinks Accenture's strategy of growing through acquisitions is encouraging. Also, Accenture's investment in digital and marketing capabilities will boost its long-term growth.

H&R Block (HRB) Incurs Narrower Loss in Q2, Revenues Up

The company remains focused on expanding its client base and lowering operating costs through stringent cost-cutting initiatives to drive future growth.

Brown-Forman (BF.B) Gains on Q2 Earnings, EPS View Intact

The Zacks analyst thinks expectations of strong underlying sales and operating income for fiscal 2017 helped keep EPS view intact.

Marvell (MRVL) Q3 Results Indicate Strong Momentum Ahead

The Zacks analyst thinks strong demand for Marvell's 4G LTE products will drive growth. Its recent restructuring initiatives are expected to drive Marvell's top line.

Simon (SPG) Focuses on Transformative Redevelopments

The Zacks analyst thinks transformative redevelopments are aiding Simon's growth momentum.

Duke Energy (DUK) Gains On Hefty Investment, Currency Hurts

The Zacks analyst applauds Duke Energy's investment in infrastructure and expansion projects to support its targeted earnings growth rate.

Anthem (ANTM) Grows on Membership; Share Price Depreciates

The Zacks analyst thinks Anthem's growing revenue, membership and margins bodes well for long term growth.

New Upgrades

Valero Energy (VLO) to Benefit from Higher Gasoline Demand

The Zacks analyst believes that higher gasoline demand is set to boost Valero's revenue going forward.

Ralph Lauren's (RL) Solid Strategies Keep it on Growth Track

The covering analyst thinks Ralph Lauren's solid brand portfolio, healthy financials and focus on profitable areas bodes well. Further, its Way Forward plan is likely to continue gross margin growth.

Unum (UNM) Poised For Growth on Strong Persistency, Sales

The Zacks analyst believes Unum's premiums will continue to increase fueled by solid persistency levels in core business lines and sturdy volume of sales, along with solid benefits experience.

New Downgrades

Delta (DAL) Downgraded on Lowered Q4 Operating Margin View

The Zacks analyst believes that Delta's Q4 earnings will be hurt by higher costs following the pilots' contract. As a result, Delta slashed its operating margin projection.

L Brands (LB) Expects Short Term Challenges to Hurt Results

The covering analyst thinks despite better-than-expected Q3 bottom line results, short term challenges, including expected softness at Victoria's Secret brand compelled management to lower view.

Fastenal's (FAST) Margins under Pressure, Revenues Soft

The Zacks analyst believes lower sales to manufacturing & construction customers, and currency risks are hurting gross margins.

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SIMON PROPERTY (SPG): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
NVIDIA CORP (NVDA): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
MEDTRONIC (MDT): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
DELTA AIR LINES (DAL): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
ACCENTURE PLC (ACN): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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