Research Coverage on Small and Micro-Cap Companies, Zacks Small Cap Research

Zacks Small Cap Research

Research Coverage on Small and Micro-Cap Companies

Zacks Small Cap Research provides research coverage on small- and micro-cap companies that are “under-followed” or “under-valued” by Wall Street. We produce high quality equity research for the institutional and retail investor on microcap firms we believe are well positioned for future growth. The Zacks SCR analyst team has an average of 20 years of experience in investment research. We conduct significant due diligence in an effort to maintain the highest quality small-cap universe.

Equity Bottom-Up

CoreCivic, Inc. provides detention and corrections services to governmental agencies. The Company designs, constructs, owns, manages, and renovates jails, prisons, government agencies, and inmate transportation companies. CoreCivic operates throughout the United States.

<ul><li>We remain optimistic about CXW's new business activities, operating improvements and cost containment efforts.</li><li>Over time, we expect occupancies at CXW facilities to continue to increase, the pending ICE termination of services at CXW's South Texas Family Residential Center notwithstanding, as ICE & multiple government entities seek capacity.</li><li>CXW also continues to strengthen its balance sheet, with a 2Q24 debt offering concurrent with a tender offer for 2026 8.25% notes.</li></ul>

We remain optimistic about CXW's new business activities, operating improvements and cost containment efforts.Over time, we expect occupancies at CXW facilities to continue to increase, the pending ICE termination of services at CXW's South Texas Family Residential Center notwithstanding, as ICE & multiple government entities seek capacity.CXW also continues to strengthen its balance sheet, with a 2Q24 debt offering concurrent with a tender offer for 2026 8.25% notes.

CXW: Strong History of Contract Retention  Preview 2Q24 Results

Top 10 Mega Caps | Artificial Intelligence, Mint Finance

Uttkarsh Kohli

Top 10 Mega Caps | Artificial Intelligence

Deep Fundamental Analysis

Mint Finance

Mint Finance's investment research blends deep fundamental analysis with technical & quant insights. Investment strategies straddle across multiple asset classes with risk management embedded into every trade to deliver an outsized reward-to-risk ratio.

Mint Finance's research is centered around three key themes. First, energy transition and climate change. Second, artificial intelligence. Third, shifting world order with its impact across politics and monetary economics.

Microsoft Corporation operates as a software company. The Company offers applications, extra cloud storage, and advanced security solutions. Microsoft serves customers worldwide.

<ul>
<li>Azure Revenue Growth: Microsoft’s Azure revenue soared 21% YoY to $26.7B in Q3 2024, driven by advanced AI capabilities and increased enterprise adoption.</li>
<li>AI &amp; Personal Computing: AI-driven Copilot+ PCs and hybrid AI solutions are reshaping the market, with AI-capable PC shipments projected to rise from 19% in 2024 to 60% by 2027.</li>
<li>Gaming + Activision: The $68.7B Activision acquisition boosted gaming revenue by 51% YoY, with Game Pass subscribers exceeding 30M and expanding Microsoft's position in cloud gaming.</li>
</ul>


Azure Revenue Growth: Microsoft’s Azure revenue soared 21% YoY to $26.7B in Q3 2024, driven by advanced AI capabilities and increased enterprise adoption.
AI &amp; Personal Computing: AI-driven Copilot+ PCs and hybrid AI solutions are reshaping the market, with AI-capable PC shipments projected to rise from 19% in 2024 to 60% by 2027.
Gaming + Activision: The $68.7B Activision acquisition boosted gaming revenue by 51% YoY, with Game Pass subscribers exceeding 30M and expanding Microsoft's position in cloud gaming.


[Q2 Earnings Preview] Microsoft Flying High on Tailwinds from Azure Surge, AI Leap & Gaming Boost

Junior Finance Analyst, Steno Research

Ulrik Simmelholt

Junior Finance Analyst

Macro and Geopolitical Research House

Steno Research

Steno Research is a new macro and geopolitical research house. We are based out of Copenhagen, Denmark, but have an international team and a strong network of sources and partners around the world. The team is lead by Andreas Steno, previous global head of strategy at Nordea Bank, and Mikkel Rosenvold, former chief consultant in the Danish Ministry of Finance.

Commodities

Copper is a chemical element with symbol Cu (from Latin: cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a reddish-orange color. It is used as a conductor of heat and electricity, as a building material and as a constituent of various metal alloys, such as Sterling silver used in jewelry, cupronickel used to make marine hardware and coins and constantan used in strain gauges and thermocouples for temperature measurement.

<ul><li>Take aways: China will flood markets with copper supply</li><li>Copper har decoupled from macro fundamentals according to our PCA tool</li><li>It’s a tuck or war between positioning and fundamentals in metals. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Crude tumbling despite all time highs in global flight data and crowded congestion</span></li></ul>

Take aways: China will flood markets with copper supplyCopper har decoupled from macro fundamentals according to our PCA toolIt’s a tuck or war between positioning and fundamentals in metals. Crude tumbling despite all time highs in global flight data and crowded congestion

Energy Cable: More pain to come in copper, while Nat Gas is a long trade?

Founder, BWS Financial Inc

Hamed Khorsand

Founder

Independent Stock Specific Research

BWS Financial Inc

BWS provides independent stock specific research focused on companies with distinct value that are going through a special situation where there is a tangible catalyst not priced in. The catalyst can be anything from new product, restructuring, M&A, management change, change in business strategy, etc. BWS’s focus is to understand the change and evaluate the potential return for investors.

BWS utilizes a self formed proprietary approach in discovering stocks by putting great emphasis on deep research. BWS does generate short recommendations following a similar criteria.

Symbotic Inc operates as an automation technology company. The Company specializes in supply chain with its end-to-end, AI-powered robotic, and software platform. Symbotic serves the retail, wholesale, and food companies worldwide.

<ul>
<li>We are initiating coverage of Symbotic (SYM) with a Sell Rating and $10 target. </li>
<li>The latest quarterly report from SYM suggests there could be little in the form of catalysts with the biggest news being related to a business owned by the CEO</li>
<li>We believe investors are putting too much reliance on SYM generating revenue from Wal-Mart (WMT) even though WMT is also using SYM’s competition for warehouse automation. </li>
</ul>


We are initiating coverage of Symbotic (SYM) with a Sell Rating and $10 target. 
The latest quarterly report from SYM suggests there could be little in the form of catalysts with the biggest news being related to a business owned by the CEO
We believe investors are putting too much reliance on SYM generating revenue from Wal-Mart (WMT) even though WMT is also using SYM’s competition for warehouse automation. 


Equity Research Focusing on the Consumer Sector, Small Cap Consumer Research

Small Cap Consumer Research

Equity Research Focusing on the Consumer Sector

Small Cap Consumer Research, LLC is a leading company-sponsored equity research provider focusing on the consumer sector (apparel, brand licensing and specialty retailing segments).

Vera Bradley, Inc. designs, produces and retails fashion accessories for women. The Company markets handbags, accessories and travel and leisure items through its chain of retail stores and independent retailers.

<ul><li>We are reiterating our Buy rating, $10 price target and projections for Vera Bradley after visiting Long Island and Connecticut Vera Bradley locations.</li><li>With the launch of the New Day on July 11th, Vera Bradley entered a new era for their main line stores, with new fabrics, new looks, lighter and brighter fixtures, a new logo and a new spokesperson (Zooey Deschanel).</li><li>When the shock of the new has passed, the look and offerings are impressive and, we believe, when fully launched, will satisfy both the traditional Vera Bradley shopper looking for exciting patterns and features and drive new, younger customers that will be attracted to the compelling fashion, combinations, colors and versatility of the offerings.</li></ul>

We are reiterating our Buy rating, $10 price target and projections for Vera Bradley after visiting Long Island and Connecticut Vera Bradley locations.With the launch of the New Day on July 11th, Vera Bradley entered a new era for their main line stores, with new fabrics, new looks, lighter and brighter fixtures, a new logo and a new spokesperson (Zooey Deschanel).When the shock of the new has passed, the look and offerings are impressive and, we believe, when fully launched, will satisfy both the traditional Vera Bradley shopper looking for exciting patterns and features and drive new, younger customers that will be attracted to the compelling fashion, combinations, colors and versatility of the offerings.

VRA: Snapping the Store: New Day Arrives; Reiterate Buy Rating, $10 PT