The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: American Express, Verizon, eBay, KeyCorp and SAP

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 24, 2017 – 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 American Express AXP, Verizon VZ, eBay EBAY, KeyCorp KEY and SAP SAP.

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:

Top Analyst Reports for American Express, Verizon and eBay

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 American Express, Verizon and eBay. 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 >>>

Buy-rated American Express’ shares are up +39.5% over the last year, outperforming the Zacks Financial Miscellaneous Services industry, which has gained +29.9% over the same period. Its third-quarter earnings beat expectations and improved year over year.

Better-than-expected results were mainly backed by an increase in net interest income, higher Card spending at a lower tax rate and the effect of share buyback. The company continues to witness strong loan growth and credit metrics, plus lower operating costs.

The Zacks analyst likes its solid market position, strength in card business and significant opportunities from the secular shift toward electronic payments are growth drivers. Strategic initiatives focusing on the platinum card portfolio and the OptBlue program will drive business volume.

Cost reduction and return of significant capital to shareholders through dividend and share buyback are also positives. However, an increase in provision for losses, high rewards expense and cost of card member services are the other headwinds.

(You can read the full research report on American Express here >>>).

Shares of Verizon have lagged recently -- the stock is down -2.6% year to date vs. AT&T's -12.2% decline and the +17% gain for the S&P 500 index. Verizon posted mixed third-quarter 2017 financial results, with net gain of 603,000 postpaid and 139,000 prepaid wireless customers.

The Zacks analyst thinks these user additions came on the back of Verizon’s unlimited data plans. Verizon is teaming up with Amazon to deliver virtual network services at a global scale. The company’s 5G wireless network trials and deployment plans complements its 5G wireless expansion strategies.

Verizon plans to merge its Go90 content into its other digital platforms and is on track to boost its fiber suite through different deals. However, Verizon operates in a highly competitive and saturated wireless market.

Loss in wireline access lines, marketing costs of promotional plans, competitive video market are other major risks. Delay in OTT services' launch is a major drawback.

(You can read the full research report on Verizon here >>>).

eBay’s shares have underperformed the Zacks Internet Commerce industry in the year to date period (+26.7% vs. +50.7%). The company’s third-quarter 2017 earnings matched expectations while revenues beat the same. The Zacks analyst likes several initiatives taken by eBay, including building a solid foundation of structured data and artificial intelligence (AI), customer-to-customer (C2C) business and enhancing mobile experience.

While the separation from PayPal led to the loss of a good growth engine, eBay is well positioned for growth based on the aforesaid factors. However, weak global economy, slow e-commerce growth and stiff competition remain overhangs.

(You can read the full research report on eBay here >>>).

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include KeyCorp and SAP.

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Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1 Stock of the Day pick for free.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News

Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year.See these high-potential 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.

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KeyCorp (KEY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
eBay Inc. (EBAY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
SAP SE (SAP) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
American Express Company (AXP) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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