Attention Investors! The POWR Ratings have been run once again. These ratings provide the vast majority of the information you need to make truly well-informed and educated investing decisions.
Take a look at the latest POWR Ratings for yourself, and you will find a precious few stock ascended to an A grade, meaning Strong Buy. However, dozens of stocks were upgraded to B grades, meaning they qualify as Buys.
Below, we zero in on three of the latest POWR Ratings upgrades: Flower Foods (FLO), Meredith Corporation (MDP), and Williams-Sonoma (WSM).
Flower Foods (FLO)
Based in beautiful Thomasville, GA, FLO makes packaged baked goods. FLO's delights include snack cakes, rolls, buns, tortillas, and bread. FLO is making great strides in building technologically enhanced bakeries.
FLO has A grades in the Quality and Growth components of the POWR Ratings along with a B grade in the Value component. If you are curious as to how FLO fares in the remainder of the POWR Ratings components such as Sentiment, Momentum, and Stability, you can find out by clicking here. Of the 82 stocks in the Food Makers industry, FLO is ranked 4th. Click here to find more top stocks in this industry.
Analysts have established an average target price of $24.50 for FLO, indicating a potential 10% upside. The analysts' high target price for the stock is $28, while the low is $22. FLO's forward P/E ratio is a reasonable 21.3, meaning the stock is not overpriced at its current trading level. It is also important to note FLO has a 3.39% dividend.
FLO is in the black despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It is clear there is strong demand for FLO's leading brands, especially the company's branded products available on retail store shelves. The company's pivot to retail has expanded profit margins all the more. All in all, FLO is on pace to enjoy 5% annual sales growth.
Meredith Corporation (MDP)
MDP is a marketing and media business intent on delivering advertisers' messages to targeted prospects. MDP has an A grade in the POWR Ratings' growth component along with B grades in the Quality and Value components. Click here to find out how MDP fares in terms of the Momentum, Sentiment, and Stability components.
Of the 15 publicly traded companies in the Entertainment - Publishing industry, MDP is ranked second. Click here to find other top stocks in this industry. MDP has a year-to-date return of 76.93% and a one-month return of 36.98%.
MDP has an astonishingly low forward P/E ratio of 6.59, meaning it is undervalued. Though the pandemic took a toll on the advertising industry, MDP pivoted accordingly by improving its financial flexibility and controlling costs to boost growth in free cash flow and operating profit. Furthermore, MDP executives are prioritizing debt reduction, a statement that is music to the ears of prospective investors.
Williams-Sonoma (WSM)
WSM is a retailer of top-notch home products. All in all, WSM has five brands and operating segments, including the popular Pottery Barn. Slightly more than one-third of WSM's revenue stems from Pottery Barn sales. In short, consumers who need home items can find what they need in a WSM-owned store.
WSM has A grades in the Momentum, Quality, and Growth components of the POWR Ratings. You can find out how the stock fares in the Value, Sentiment, and Stability components of the POWR Ratings by clicking here.
WSM is ranked fourth out of 64 stocks in the Home Improvement & Goods industry. Click here to find other top stocks trading in this industry.
WSM has a year-to-date price return of 77.48% after returning 42.31% in 2000. Of the 18 analysts who have issued recommendations for WSM, two consider it a Strong Buy, two consider the stock a Buy, and 14 consider it a Hold.
WSM's fourth-quarter earnings were much better than expected, with comparable sales spiking more than 25% compared to the same quarter one year ago. Prospective investors will be delighted to learn WSM enjoyed nearly 50% growth in e-commerce sales during the quarter.
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FLO shares were trading at $24.08 per share on Tuesday morning, up $0.03 (+0.12%). Year-to-date, FLO has gained 7.37%, versus a 4.97% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.
About the Author: Patrick Ryan
Patrick Ryan has more than a dozen years of investing experience with a focus on information technology, consumer and entertainment sectors. In addition to working for StockNews, Patrick has also written for Wealth Authority and Fallon Wealth Management.
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