Zacks.com featured highlights: MKS Instruments, Westlake Chemical, Anthem, Lear and Lazard
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – May 26, 2017 - Stocks in this week’s article include MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKSI – Free Report ), Westlake Chemical Corporation (NYSE: WLK – Free Report ), Anthem Inc. (NYSE: ANTM – Free Report ), Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA – Free Report ) and Lazard Ltd. (NYSE: LAZ – Free Report ).
Screen of the Week of Zacks Investment Research:
Cool Dividend Growth Stocks for a Sluggish Summer
With the start of historically weak summer months for the U.S. stock market, investors are honing in on the dividend growth strategy for a consistently increase their payout. As such, investors can enjoy rising current income while anticipating capital appreciation irrespective of market conditions.
A Peep into the Strategy
Stocks that have a strong history of dividend growth generally act as a hedge against economic or political uncertainty as these belong to mature companies, which are less susceptible to large swings in the market while simultaneously offer downside protection with their consistent increase in payouts.
These stocks pose a sustainable business model, a long track of profitability, rising cash flows, good liquidity, a strong balance sheet and some value characteristics. All these superior fundamentals make dividend growth a promising investment as opposed to their traditional dividend counterparts. Further, a history of strong dividend growth indicates that a future hike is likely. This makes the portfolio healthy and safe.
Furthermore, these have a long history of outperformance over the long term. However, it does not necessarily mean that they have the highest yields.
Here are the screening parameters that could result in a winning dividend growth portfolio:
5-Year Historical Dividend Growth greater than zero : This selects stocks with a solid dividend growth history.
5-Year Historical Sales Growth greater than zero : This represents stocks with a strong record of growing revenue.
5-Year Historical EPS Growth greater than zero : This represents stocks with a solid earnings growth history.
Next 3–5 Year EPS Growth Rate greater than zero : This represents the rate at which a company’s earnings are expected to grow. Improving earnings should help companies sustain dividend payments.
Price/Cash Flow less than M-Industry : A ratio less than M-industry indicates that the stock is undervalued in that industry and that an investor needs to pay less for better cash flow generated by the company.
52-Week Price Change greater than S&P 500 (Market Weight) : This ensures that the stock appreciated more than the S&P 500 over the past one year.
Top Zacks Rank : Stocks having a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) generally outperform their peers in all types of market environment.
VGM Style Score of B or better : This is simply a weighted combination of Value, Growth and Momentum. This when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 offers the best upside potential.
Here are five of the 17 stocks that fit the bill:
MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI – Free Report ): This Massachusetts-based company is a leading worldwide developer, manufacturer and supplier of instruments, components and subsystems used to measure, control and analyze gases in semiconductor manufacturing and similar industrial manufacturing processes. The company has seen strong earnings estimate revision of $1.00 over the past 90 days for this year and has an expected earnings growth rate of 63.83%. It has a VGM Style Score of B and sports a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here .
Westlake Chemical Corporation (NYSE:WLK – Free Report ): This Texas-based company is a vertically integrated international manufacturer and supplier of petrochemicals, polymers and fabricated products. It has seen solid earnings estimate revision of five cents for this year over the past three months, with an expected earnings growth rate of 12.82%. The stock has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM Style Score of B.
Anthem Inc. (NYSE:ANTM – Free Report ): This Indiana-based company operates as a health benefits company in the United States. The stock has seen positive earnings estimate revision of 25 cents over the past 90 days for this year with an expected earnings growth rate of 6.86%. The stock has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM Style Score of A.
Lear Corporation (NYSE:LEA – Free Report ): This Michigan-based company is a global leader in designing, developing, engineering, manufacturing, assembling and supplying automotive seating, electrical distribution systems and related components primarily to automotive original equipment manufacturers worldwide. For this year, the company has seen an impressive earnings estimate revision of 62 cents over the past 90 days and has an expected earnings growth rate of 15.46%. It has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM Style Score of A.
Lazard Ltd. (NYSE:LAZ – Free Report ): This Bermuda-based company is a preeminent international financial advisory and asset management firm that has long specialized in crafting solutions to the complex financial and strategic challenges of their clients. The company has seen solid earnings estimate revision of 20 cents over the past 90 days for this year and has an expected earnings growth rate of 9.14%. It has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM Style Score of B.
You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.
The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.
Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today .
Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.
Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks’ portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance .
Zacks Restaurant Recommendations: In addition to dining at these special places, you can feast on their stock shares. A Zacks Special Report spotlights 5 recent IPOs to watch plus 2 stocks that offer immediate promise in a booming sector. Download it free »
Sign up now for your free trial today and start picking better stocks immediately. And with the backtesting feature, you can test your ideas to see how you can improve your trading in both up markets and down markets. Don’t wait for the market to get better before you decide to do better. Start learning how to be a better trader today: https://at.zacks.com/?id=111
Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.
About Screen of the Week
Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine. But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use. Each week, Zacks Profit from the Pros free email newsletter shares a new screening strategy. Learn more about it here https://at.zacks.com/?id=112
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Click here for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros .
Get the full Report on MKSI - FREE
Get the full Report on WLK - FREE
Get the full Report on ANTM - FREE
Get the full Report on LEA - FREE
Get the full Report on LAZ - FREE
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZacksInvestmentResearch
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Contact: Jim Giaquinto
Company: Zacks.com
Phone: 312-265-9268
Email: pr@zacks.com
Visit: https://www.zacks.com/performance
Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer .
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.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Click for Free MKS Instruments, Inc. (MKSI) Stock Analysis Report >>
Click for Free Westlake Chemical Corporation (WLK) Stock Analysis Report >>
Click for Free Anthem, Inc. (ANTM) Stock Analysis Report >>
Click for Free Lazard Ltd. (LAZ) Stock Analysis Report >>
Click for Free Lear Corporation (LEA) Stock Analysis Report >>
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Zacks Investment Research
