Validea Benjamin Graham Strategy Daily Upgrade Report - 7/22/2025
Kronos Worldwide Stock Upgrade: Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (KRO) received an upgrade in its rating from 71% to 86% based on Benjamin Graham's value investing strategy, indicating strong interest due to the company's solid fundamentals and stock valuation.
Company Overview: Kronos is a global producer of titanium dioxide pigments used in various applications, offering over 50 grades of TiO2 products along with iron-based and specialty chemicals, catering to diverse customer needs.
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Dividend Stocks Gain Favor Amid Market Turbulence
- Investor Shift to Dividends: Amid market turbulence and uncertainty, many investors are turning to dividend-yielding stocks, which typically feature high free cash flows and substantial payouts to shareholders, thereby enhancing investor confidence and market stability.
- Analyst Ratings Overview: Benzinga offers insights into the latest analyst takes on high-yield stocks, allowing investors to visit the Analyst Stock Ratings page for informed decision-making, which is crucial during volatile market conditions.
- High-Yield Stocks in Materials: Within the materials sector, Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:KRO), Graphic Packaging Holding Co (NYSE:GPK), and Scotts Miracle-Gro Co (NYSE:SMG) are highlighted as attractive high-yield stocks, indicating significant investment potential in this industry.
- Analyst Accuracy Metrics: Benzinga's database enables traders to sort ratings by analyst accuracy, providing investors with a more reliable basis for decision-making, particularly when selecting high-dividend stocks in a fluctuating market.
Multiple Material Stocks Receive 'F' EPS Revision Grades, Indicating Weak Earnings Momentum
- EPS Revision Grade Analysis: As the earnings season approaches, an analysis reveals that several mid to low cap material stocks have received an 'F' EPS revision grade, indicating significant downward pressure on future earnings expectations, which may lead to decreased investor confidence.
- List of Affected Companies: Companies such as American Battery Technology Company (ABAT), Algoma Steel Group Inc. (ASTL), and Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) have all received an 'F' grade, highlighting serious challenges in their earnings momentum.
- Market Impact Assessment: The poor EPS revision grades of these companies could adversely affect their stock performance, prompting investors to carefully assess associated risks, especially during the earnings season when market sensitivity to earnings is heightened.
- Industry Outlook: With the earnings season underway, the overall performance of the materials sector may be dragged down by these low-rated companies, leading investors to seek out better-performing firms within the industry for potential investment opportunities.
Cisco Shares Rise 7%; Check Out 20 Stocks Making Moves in Premarket Trading
Cisco's Financial Performance: Cisco Systems, Inc. reported strong first-quarter fiscal 2026 results with revenue of $14.88 billion and adjusted earnings of $1.00 per share, leading to a 6.9% increase in share price during pre-market trading.
Notable Gainers: Several stocks saw significant pre-market gains, including Nuvve Holding Corp (+112%), Sonder Holdings Inc (+64.2%), and Firefly Aerospace Inc (+23.8%), following positive announcements and financial results.
Significant Losers: Korro Bio, Inc. experienced a drastic drop of 79.2% after announcing workforce reductions, while Ardent Health, Inc. fell 30.5% due to disappointing earnings and lowered guidance.
Market Overview: The pre-market trading session showed a mix of gains and losses across various stocks, with notable fluctuations in share prices following recent financial disclosures and corporate announcements.
Kronos Worldwide (KRO) Posts Q3 Loss, Falls Short of Revenue Projections
Quarterly Performance: Kronos Worldwide reported a quarterly loss of $0.18 per share, significantly worse than the expected loss of $0.06, and a decline from earnings of $0.62 per share a year ago. The company also missed revenue expectations, posting $456.9 million compared to the consensus estimate of $478.5 million.
Stock Performance: The company's shares have dropped approximately 51.5% since the start of the year, contrasting with a 15.6% gain in the S&P 500, raising concerns about its future performance.
Earnings Outlook: The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$0.08, with revenues projected at $399.82 million. The mixed trend in earnings estimate revisions has resulted in a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) for the stock.
Industry Context: The Chemical - Diversified industry, to which Kronos belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 9% of Zacks industries, indicating potential challenges ahead, while another sector company, Idaho Strategic Resources, is expected to report positive earnings growth.
Experts Predict VAW Will Reach $234
Vanguard Materials ETF Analysis: The Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW) has an implied analyst target price of $234.43, indicating a potential upside of 15.87% from its current trading price of $202.32.
Notable Holdings with Upside: Key underlying holdings such as Kronos Worldwide Inc (KRO), Ranpak Holdings Corp (PACK), and McEwen Inc (MUX) show significant upside potential, with target prices exceeding their recent trading prices by 20.77% to 36.36%.
Analyst Target Justification: The article raises questions about whether analysts' target prices are justified or overly optimistic, suggesting that high targets could lead to downgrades if they are based on outdated information.
Investor Research Importance: Investors are encouraged to conduct further research to assess the validity of analyst targets in light of recent company and industry developments.
Daily Upgrade Report for Validea's Benjamin Graham Strategy - September 18, 2025
Validea's Value Investor Model: Today's upgrades for Validea's Value Investor model, based on Benjamin Graham's strategy, highlight KRONOS WORLDWIDE, INC. (KRO) as a small-cap value stock with a rating increase from 71% to 86%, indicating strong interest due to its fundamentals and valuation.
Company Overview: Kronos Worldwide, Inc. is a global producer of titanium dioxide pigments used in various applications, offering over 50 grades of TiO2 and also manufacturing iron-based and specialty chemicals as by-products of its production processes.
Dividend Stocks Gain Favor Amid Market Turbulence
- Investor Shift to Dividends: Amid market turbulence and uncertainty, many investors are turning to dividend-yielding stocks, which typically feature high free cash flows and substantial payouts to shareholders, thereby enhancing investor confidence and market stability.
- Analyst Ratings Overview: Benzinga offers insights into the latest analyst takes on high-yield stocks, allowing investors to visit the Analyst Stock Ratings page for informed decision-making, which is crucial during volatile market conditions.
- High-Yield Stocks in Materials: Within the materials sector, Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:KRO), Graphic Packaging Holding Co (NYSE:GPK), and Scotts Miracle-Gro Co (NYSE:SMG) are highlighted as attractive high-yield stocks, indicating significant investment potential in this industry.
- Analyst Accuracy Metrics: Benzinga's database enables traders to sort ratings by analyst accuracy, providing investors with a more reliable basis for decision-making, particularly when selecting high-dividend stocks in a fluctuating market.
Multiple Material Stocks Receive 'F' EPS Revision Grades, Indicating Weak Earnings Momentum
- EPS Revision Grade Analysis: As the earnings season approaches, an analysis reveals that several mid to low cap material stocks have received an 'F' EPS revision grade, indicating significant downward pressure on future earnings expectations, which may lead to decreased investor confidence.
- List of Affected Companies: Companies such as American Battery Technology Company (ABAT), Algoma Steel Group Inc. (ASTL), and Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) have all received an 'F' grade, highlighting serious challenges in their earnings momentum.
- Market Impact Assessment: The poor EPS revision grades of these companies could adversely affect their stock performance, prompting investors to carefully assess associated risks, especially during the earnings season when market sensitivity to earnings is heightened.
- Industry Outlook: With the earnings season underway, the overall performance of the materials sector may be dragged down by these low-rated companies, leading investors to seek out better-performing firms within the industry for potential investment opportunities.
Cisco Shares Rise 7%; Check Out 20 Stocks Making Moves in Premarket Trading
Cisco's Financial Performance: Cisco Systems, Inc. reported strong first-quarter fiscal 2026 results with revenue of $14.88 billion and adjusted earnings of $1.00 per share, leading to a 6.9% increase in share price during pre-market trading.
Notable Gainers: Several stocks saw significant pre-market gains, including Nuvve Holding Corp (+112%), Sonder Holdings Inc (+64.2%), and Firefly Aerospace Inc (+23.8%), following positive announcements and financial results.
Significant Losers: Korro Bio, Inc. experienced a drastic drop of 79.2% after announcing workforce reductions, while Ardent Health, Inc. fell 30.5% due to disappointing earnings and lowered guidance.
Market Overview: The pre-market trading session showed a mix of gains and losses across various stocks, with notable fluctuations in share prices following recent financial disclosures and corporate announcements.
Kronos Worldwide (KRO) Posts Q3 Loss, Falls Short of Revenue Projections
Quarterly Performance: Kronos Worldwide reported a quarterly loss of $0.18 per share, significantly worse than the expected loss of $0.06, and a decline from earnings of $0.62 per share a year ago. The company also missed revenue expectations, posting $456.9 million compared to the consensus estimate of $478.5 million.
Stock Performance: The company's shares have dropped approximately 51.5% since the start of the year, contrasting with a 15.6% gain in the S&P 500, raising concerns about its future performance.
Earnings Outlook: The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$0.08, with revenues projected at $399.82 million. The mixed trend in earnings estimate revisions has resulted in a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) for the stock.
Industry Context: The Chemical - Diversified industry, to which Kronos belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 9% of Zacks industries, indicating potential challenges ahead, while another sector company, Idaho Strategic Resources, is expected to report positive earnings growth.
Experts Predict VAW Will Reach $234
Vanguard Materials ETF Analysis: The Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW) has an implied analyst target price of $234.43, indicating a potential upside of 15.87% from its current trading price of $202.32.
Notable Holdings with Upside: Key underlying holdings such as Kronos Worldwide Inc (KRO), Ranpak Holdings Corp (PACK), and McEwen Inc (MUX) show significant upside potential, with target prices exceeding their recent trading prices by 20.77% to 36.36%.
Analyst Target Justification: The article raises questions about whether analysts' target prices are justified or overly optimistic, suggesting that high targets could lead to downgrades if they are based on outdated information.
Investor Research Importance: Investors are encouraged to conduct further research to assess the validity of analyst targets in light of recent company and industry developments.
Daily Upgrade Report for Validea's Benjamin Graham Strategy - September 18, 2025
Validea's Value Investor Model: Today's upgrades for Validea's Value Investor model, based on Benjamin Graham's strategy, highlight KRONOS WORLDWIDE, INC. (KRO) as a small-cap value stock with a rating increase from 71% to 86%, indicating strong interest due to its fundamentals and valuation.
Company Overview: Kronos Worldwide, Inc. is a global producer of titanium dioxide pigments used in various applications, offering over 50 grades of TiO2 and also manufacturing iron-based and specialty chemicals as by-products of its production processes.
