Consumer staples stocks have the potential to weather the impact of the coronavirus better than the overall market going forward.

The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Agilysys, Masonite, SPX and Simply Good Foods

Simply Good Goods Co. stock jumped 7.1% in Monday premarket trading after the nutritional food company reported fiscal second quarter earnings and sales that beat expectations. Net income totaled $10.7 million, or 11 cents per share, down from $12.5 million, or 15 cents per share last year. Adjusted EPS of 23 cents beat the FactSet consensus for 17 cents. Sales of $227.1 million were up from 123.8 million last year and well ahead of the $221.0 million FactSet consensus. Simply good Foods portfolio includes Atkins and Quest Nutrition. March began with "positive spikes," according to Joseph Scalzo, the company's chief executive in a statement. However, there was a "significant slowdown" in the second half of the month. Due to volatility related to the coronavirus, Simply Good Foods has withdrawn its full-year fiscal 2020 guidance. Simply Good Foods stock is down 17.4% for the past year while the S&P 500 index is down 14% for the period.

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 6, 2020 / The Simply Good Foods Co. (NASDAQ:SMPL) will be discussing their earnings results in their 2020 Second Quarter Earnings call to be held on April 6, 2020 at 8:30 ...

The new organization design, which will become effective on August 31, 2020, will create an efficient and fully integrated organization that will continue to support and build two multi-category nutritional snacking brands in Atkins® and Quest®. The new organization design creates a deep and experienced omni-channel sales team, maintains the Company’s consumer-led brand marketing approach, results in a flexible and efficient supply chain, and delivers a corporate support platform built for scale and future M&A.  Through this milestone, the Company also remains on target to achieve its annualized synergy goal of $20 million by the end of fiscal 2022 as announced in connection with the Quest acquisition.

Bearish investors argue that that the market is over-stretched and its weakness started after the coronavirus outbreak and its subsequent impact on corporate profit margins and the economy.

This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios...

Those following along with The Simply Good Foods Company (NASDAQ:SMPL) will no doubt be intrigued by the recent...

Simply Good Foods (SMPL) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of 27.78% and 3.37%, respectively, for the quarter ended February 2020. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?

Simply Good Foods (SMPL) doesn't possess the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely earnings beat in its upcoming report. Get prepared with the key expectations.

With coronavirus fears on the rise, consumers are stocking up on food, drugs and other necessary supplies.

To the annoyance of some shareholders, Simply Good Foods (NASDAQ:SMPL) shares are down a considerable 36% in the last...

The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: AAON, Business First, Himax Technologies, Integer Holdings and The Simply Good Foods Company

DENVER, March 24, 2020 -- The Simply Good Foods Company (NASDAQ: SMPL) (“Simply Good Foods” or the “Company”), a developer, marketer and seller of branded nutritional foods and.

There’s a lot going on in the markets, and the only certainty is uncertainty. To cut through the fog, investment bank Goldman Sachs has been releasing reports on the stocks that it believes will bring returns to investors despite a cloudy economic horizon.David Kostin, Chief U.S. Equity Strategist at Goldman, believes that the Coronavirus outbreak won't have a lasting impact on the markets, and said in a note, “Investors who believe the economic consequences of the coronavirus will be limited should increase exposure to cyclicals and value stocks.”With this in mind, we pulled up three of Goldman Sachs’ recent stock picks which the renowned investment bank thinks can soar in the coming months. Using TipRanks’ Stock Comparison tool, we were able to read the fine print on what 2020 has in store for the three tickers. Let’s take a closer look.Simply Good Foods Company (SMPL)We’ll start with a mid-cap food and snack business, Simply Good Foods. In business since 2017, when it was formed through a corporate merger, Simply Good Foods develops and markets nutritional snacks and foods. The company operates in Colorado and Connecticut, where it offers nutrition bars, ready-to-drink shakes, and confectionery products under the Atkins and Simply Protein brand names.Early in January, SMPL released its fiscal Q1 earnings results, and the numbers showed that the nutritious snack business is solid in the Rockies’ Front Range. Revenues were way up year-over-year, coming in at $152.15 million, for a 26% annual gain. EPS was also strong. At 22 cents, it was up 22% year-over-year, and 4.7% above the forecast. It was the third time in a year that SMPL beat the EPS forecast.In the second half of 2019, SMPL completed its acquisition of competitor Quest Nutrition. The move cost SMPL $1 billion, which the company paid through a combination of cash and credit. It’s important to note that SMPL racked up its earnings and revenue annual gains while adding $460 million to its outstanding loan balance. SMPL management has plans in place to pay down a large portion of the debt during fiscal 2020.Goldman analyst Jason English is bullish on SMPL, adding the stock to his firm’s Conviction List. The analyst wrote, “We add Buy-rated SMPL to the Americas Conviction List given its portfolio of advantaged brands, especially in the bars segment, and reiterate our Buy rating on BRBR given the appeal of its Premier Protein brand. We see compelling fundamental rooted upside for both, as well as M&A optionality."English backs his Buy rating with a $34 price target, suggesting an upside potential here of 41% in the coming year. (To watch English’s track record, click here)SMPL has the luxury of a unanimous Strong Buy consensus rating. The average price target, $33, gives the stock an impressive 37% upside from the current share price of $24.06. (See Simply Good Foods stock analysis on TipRanks)WW International, Inc. (WW)Next up is Weight Watchers, the well-known diet program. What is less well-known about the company is that it is a billion-dollar empire, founded not just on weight loss programs and products, but also on fitness programs and healthy habits assistance. The company’s programs are designed to steer customers towards better overall health and wellness, not just weight loss – and the company brings in over $1.5 billion in annual revenues, based on customer subscriptions.In September 2018, Weight Watchers rebranded itself, using the initials WW as the name, to emphasize the shift to health and wellness. The move was well received in the industry, and WW has shown steady earnings in 2H19. In Q3, the company brought in $348.6 million in revenue, and showed EPS of 68 cents, beating the forecast by 1.5%.Looking ahead to Q4, the forecast predicts a sequential drop but continued year-over-year gains. EPS is expected at 37 cents. To put the quarter in context, the company has a history of stronger Q1 and Q2 performances, followed by lower second-half numbers. In other good news for the company, in December WW announced that it will be extending its partnership with Oprah Winfrey into the year 2025.Jason English, quoted above on SMPL, also reviews WW for Goldman Sachs. Looking at the stock’s prospects going forward, he wrote, “WW’s fundamental (and stock price) performance has historically run in cycles. Positive inflections in these cycles have typically been accompanied by multifaceted layers of new news to engage the consumer… On the back of our increased subscriber growth rate assumptions, our FY20 EPS expectations rise 47% and now rest 20% ahead of FactSet consensus… we also see potential for WW’s valuation to re-rate higher…”Seeing a discount in the stock at current prices, and strong positive prospects with the continuance of the Oprah partnership, English upgraded his stance on WW from Neutral to Buy. Supporting this, he gives the stock a $48 price target, implying a strong upside of 28%. (To watch English’s track record, click here)WW shares get an even split from Wall Street, with 3 Buys and 3 Holds averaging out to a Moderate Buy consensus rating. Shares are selling for $37.34, and the average price target, $43.40, indicates room for 17% growth to the upside in the next 12 months. (See WW stock analysis on TipRanks)Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (DPZ)The last stock on our list might seem incongruous, after health snacks and Weight Watchers, but Dominos Pizza has long been a staple of the stock markets. And, for the last two years, the company has been the world’s largest pizza delivery chain, by sales volume. The Ann Arbor, Michigan based company brings in approximately $3.5 billion in annual revenue – which is a whole lot of pizza served.Domino’s has been feeling pressure in the past year from the advent of third-party delivery companies (think GrubHub or Uber), which have been cutting into the fast-food industry’s margins. Domino’s image is built on fast delivery – a promise it has held to since the 1990s. The company has pushed back, with PR initiatives like fixing potholes, and with practical initiatives in robotic delivery systems. A program for the latter is under development in Houston, Texas.The pizza company is predicting mixed results going forward. In the Q3 report, DPZ beat expectations, with EPS at $2.05, while revenues, at $820.8 million, were almost exactly on the forecast. Looking ahead, the company lowered its forward guidance, citing increased delivery competition. In its note on earnings, management said it expects sales growth of 7% to 10% over three years, as opposed to the previous figure of 8% to 12%. At the same time, the company has a history of overcoming obstacles (it successfully turned around its reputation for poor quality in the early 2010s) and its last quarterly report showed that cash on hand had more than doubled while long-term debt declined slightly. DPZ will report Q4 results next week, and analysts expect EPS to come in at $2.94, for substantial gains both sequentially and year-over-year.Writing up DPZ for Goldman, Katherine Fogertey noted the upcoming quarterly release as reason for optimism. She writes, “[W]e expect the company’s overall commentary to support their long-term unit and system sales growth targets. Namely, we are encouraged by what we view as industry leading franchisee returns and expect fortressing can help delivery growth in carryout and further improve DPZ’s competitive advantage versus third party aggregators.”In line with her upbeat view of DPZ’s prospects, she upgraded her outlook and gave the stock a Buy rating. Her price target, $320, implies an upside potential of 16% over the coming year. (To watch Fogertey’s track record, click here)Domino’s Pizza shares are currently selling for $274.85, and have an average price target of $309.92. This gives the stock an upside potential of 13% in the coming year. Wall Street’s analyst corps is somewhat divided on this one, but leans toward buying – with 10 Buy ratings, 4 Holds, and 1 Sell, DPZ gets a Moderate Buy from the analyst consensus. (See Domino’s Pizza stock analysis at TipRanks)

We hate to say this but, we told you so. On February 27th we published an article with the title Recession is Imminent: We Need A Travel Ban NOW and predicted a US recession when the S&P 500 Index was trading at the 3150 level. We also told you to short the market and buy […]

DENVER, April 06, 2020 -- The Simply Good Foods Company (Nasdaq: SMPL) (“Simply Good Foods,” or the “Company”), a developer, marketer and seller of branded nutritional foods.

In a market flexing trillion-plus market caps and where 'FOMO' is the questionable ticker of choice, mid-cap growth stocks can be an attractive alternative for many investors' portfolios. Let's take a look at three of these companies which are also in position on their price charts for risk-adjusted purchases.From Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) to Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and most recently Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), the once-elusive, then exclusive $1 trillion market cap club has become a bit more inclusive these days. Moreover, the inclusion into this large-cap club has been driven by a common and unsustainable thread called FOMO.This "fear of missing out" behavior on the part of investors has also put most of these companies' price charts in a much riskier position. Because of their obvious influence, warnings the market has gone too far, too fast are spreading faster than the coronavirus. Yet there's more to the market.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 7 U.S. Stocks to Buy on Coronavirus Weakness In a market made up of stocks, today's price action and valuations aren't universally problematic. Mid-caps with valuations of $2 to $10 billion and more specifically, mid-cap growth stocks which sport solid business trends to support larger price gains, are available if you know where to look. Right now three companies of this caliber have caught our attention in a very big way. Alteryx (AYX) Source: Charts by TradingViewData science and analytics outfit Alteryx (NYSE:AYX) is the first of our mid-cap growth stocks to buy. The company is scheduled to report earnings this Thursday evening. Guidance from Alteryx's management calls for the company to grow sales by roughly 45% year-over-year.Expectations in front of the release are high, but rightfully so according to a recent analyst note from Wedbush. This mid-cap growth stock also has the benefit of a price chart built for success. Shares of AYX are currently forming a small handle consolidation within a monthly chart cup base. Further, as a first-stage corrective base and fairly recent IPO, there are plenty of reasons to see Alteryx stock as an even more attractive buy.Alteryx Strategy: I see AYX stock as a purchase in front of earnings. However, as a former options market-maker, I'd also suggest using a limited and reduced risk, slightly out-of-the-money bull call spread to improve investor's risk profile. Exelixis (EXEL) Source: Charts by TradingViewExelixis (NASDAQ:EXEL) is the next of our mid-cap growth stocks to buy. This cancer-fighting biotech is profitable and sports double-digit revenue growth which offers an almost numbingly price multiple of just 19x earnings. Need I say more? That's not a problem.Technically, shares of Exelixis have confirmed a bullish higher-low pattern above former key resistance dating back to 2002. The price action follows a successful test of this threshold in late 2018 during the broader market's correction. And with Exelixis' stock's stochastics confirming this pattern strength, the time to buy shares is now. * 7 Strong Value Stocks to Buy for 2020 Exelixis Strategy: With earnings slated for later this month, I like approaching this mid-cap growth stock with a married put strategy. This long stock and long put combination contains risk while allowing for open-ended upside in front of what's sure to be a volatile report. Simply Good Foods (SMPL) Source: Charts by TradingViewWhen it comes to the trend of healthier eating, Simply Good Foods (NASDAQ:SMPL) is a mid-cap growth stock worth biting into. Goldman Sachs agrees. What's more, not only is SMPL stock sporting solid double-digit sales gains which have that firm's attention, there's a delicious-looking price chart for strong risk-adjusted positioning.Technically, this mid-cap growth stock is on the cusp of establishing a double-bottom or "W" base on the weekly time frame. Even in healthy markets, all stocks correct. And with SMPL stock finding support off the 38% retracement level and an oversold stochastics well-positioned to back up a durable bottom, SMPL stock has all the right ingredients for an imminent buy decision.Simply Good Foods Strategy: Purchase Simply Good Foods if the weekly pivot low is confirmed by price action above $25.13 and supported by a bullish crossover from stochastics.Investment accounts under Christopher Tyler's management do not currently own positions in securities mentioned in this article. The information offered is based upon Christopher Tyler's observations and strictly intended for educational purposes only; the use of which is the responsibility of the individual. For additional market insights and related musings, follow Chris on Twitter @Options_CAT and StockTwits More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 7 U.S. Stocks to Buy on Coronavirus Weakness * 7 Smart Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy Now * 7 Low-Volatility Stocks to Buy In Jittery Times The post 3 Mid-Cap Growth Stocks to Buy appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Shares of Simply Good Foods (NASDAQ:SMPL) gained more than 8% in pre-market trading after the company reported better-than-expected Q2 results.Quarterly Results Earnings per share were up 53.33% over the past year to $0.23, which beat the estimate of $0.18.Revenue of $227,101,000 higher by 83.44% year over year, which beat the estimate of $220,900,000.Outlook Simply Good Foods hasn't issued any earnings guidance for the time being.Simply Good Foods hasn't issued any revenue guidance for the time being.Conference Call Details Date: Apr 06, 2020View more earnings on SMPLTime: 10:05 AM ETWebcast URL: http://public.viavid.com/player/index.php?id=138684Recent Stock Performance Company's 52-week high was at $31.3452-week low: $14.08Price action over last quarter: down 14.65%Company Overview Simply Good Foods provides nutritional bars (57% of sales), shakes (21%), treats (12%), and other nutritional products under the Atkins (57%), Quest (40%), and Simply Protein (3%) brands. The firm also licenses the Atkins brand to Bellisio Foods, which produces frozen meals. Atkins products are modeled after the philosophy of Dr. Robert Atkins, whose 1972 book, "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution," conferred the benefits of a high protein/low carbohydrate diet, and is credited with launching the low-carb diet trend. Quest, acquired in November 2019, also follows the high protein/low carbohydrate philosophy and targets active lifestyle consumers. Ninety-four percent of the firm's sales occur within North America.See more from Benzinga * 9 Communication Services Stocks Moving In Monday's Pre-Market Session * 16 Healthcare Stocks Moving In Monday's Pre-Market Session * 14 Industrials Stocks Moving In Monday's Pre-Market Session(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

After the last few trading sessions, with the markets taking a nose-dive, investors can be excused for wondering if they’re doing something wrong. They’re not. Markets run in cycles, and are sensitive to Black Swan events, two factors that are on market watchers’ minds.The economic expansion is in its eleventh year, a record streak. But with that longevity comes the worry – how much longer can this last? As for the Black Swans, the unpredictable events that hit the market but no one saw coming, one is in play right now. The coronavirus outbreak – emerging from China and now cropping up around the world – is disrupting trade and travel, with governments imposing quarantines and travel restrictions to try and cope as health officials warn that a pandemic could be on the horizon.This all just brings us back to the question: how do you find investment-grade stocks in a volatile market? There isn’t one sure answer; plenty of investment strategies can steer you toward profits. But there is one possibility that might make investing easier – just follow the insiders.Insiders – the corporate officers, board members, and others ‘in the know’ – don’t just manage the companies, they know the details. Legally, they are not supposed to trade that knowledge, or to blatantly trade on it, and disclosure rules by government regulators help to keep the insiders honest. Their honest stock transactions, however, can be highly informative. These are the people with the deepest knowledge of particular stocks. So, when they buy or sell, especially in bulk, take note!TipRanks has the tools to help you do just that. The Insiders’ Hot Stocks page shows which stocks top insiders are most active on, for both purchases and sales. You can sort insider trades by a variety of filters, including trading strategy. We’ve done some of the legwork for you, and pulled up three stocks with recent informative buy-side transactions. Here are the results.Bunge, Ltd. (BG)The first stock we’ll look at is Bunge, a global player in the food and agriculture market. Bunge works with oilseeds and grains used to make high-protein feed for livestock, as well as edible oils for commercial customers. The company buys and sells, stores, transports, and processes the raw materials for the end products. In addition, Bunge has operations in the sugar business, with sugarcane, wheat, and corn growing operations, mills, and ethanol processing facilities.Bunge’s niche is a profitable one, and it has consistently beaten earnings expectations over the past four quarters. The company’s Q4 beat, reporting EPS of $1.27 against a 22-cent forecast, was particularly strong. Consensus for the next report, due in the spring, is for 82 cents EPS.Bunge also offers investors a nice dividend. The payment, of 50 cents quarterly, annualizes to $2, and gives a yield of 4.3%. Not to mention BG’s dividend history is reliable, 18 years long and going strong.In recent days, no fewer than four insiders have made informative purchases on BG stock. These insiders include the CEO, CFO, and a member of the company’s Board of Directors – all high-level officers. Their transactions range in size from 3,750 shares worth over $199,000 to 37,000 shares now worth almost $2 million. Stock purchases on this level are more than just adjusting holdings for compensation purposes. And it gives BG stock a very positive confidence signal.This becomes clear when we consult with the analysts. 5-star analyst Kenneth Zaslow writes about BG for BMO Capital, saying, “BG’s EPS of $1.27 far exceeded consensus, as risk management, plant optimization, asset sales, and efficiency programs enabled BG to capture select opportunities, higher crush volumes, improved utilization rates, and strong oil margins… We are designating BG as our ‘Top Pick’ for 2020…”Zaslow backs his Buy rating with a $72 price target, implying an upside potential of 53%. (To watch Zaslow’s track record, click here)Even with just one recent Buy rating, BG shares are still looking strong. The stock’s average price target of $67 suggests a 43% upside from the share price of $46.87. (See Bunge stock analysis on TipRanks) Simply Good Foods Company (SMPL)Next up is food and snack company Simply Good Foods, a mid-cap player formed just three years ago as the fruit of a corporate merger. It operates in the states of Connecticut and Colorado, offering a range of nutritional snack foods including confectionery products, ready-to-drink shakes, and nutrition bars.SMPL released its fiscal Q1 results last month, and showed its third earnings beat in the last four quarters. EPS was 4.7% above estimates, at 22 cents, while revenue reflected a 26% annual gain and was reported at $152.15 million.Two of SMPL’s board members have bought heavily into the stock this month. The buys range from 10,000 shares to 89,000, and the dollar amounts range from $229,700 to $1.99 million. These purchases are interesting considering the company’s recent acquisition of a competitor. SMPL paid out $1 billion in cash and credit to buy Quest Nutrition. Despite adding some $460 million to its loan balance, SMPL was still able to post impressive quarterly results. It’s a piece of public information that helps to underline the Directors’ confidence.Wall Street is also confident in this company. Writing from Wells Fargo, 4-star analyst John Baumgartner says, “…we see an increasingly favorable 12-month risk/reward. We reiterate our thesis that FY20 revenue is setting up for a beat-and-raise path for both legacy Atkins and Quest…”Baumgartner places a Buy rating here, along with a $35 price target that indicates room for 59% upside growth. (To watch Baumgartner’s track record, click here)Deutsche Bank’s Faiza Alwy is also bullish. Alwy writes, “…solid trends in core bar and confection categories are helping drive robust growth. For legacy Atkins, this growth is entirely driven by velocity and attracting new consumers to the category who are focused on healthy eating – a trend that seems poised to continue longer-term.”Alwy’s price target of $32 implies a 45% possible upside to back a Buy rating. (To watch Alwy’s track record, click here)With 3 recent Buy-side ratings, SMPL gets a Strong Buy rating from the analyst consensus. Shares are selling for $22.06, and the $33 average price target suggests an upside growth potential of 50%. (See Simply Good Foods stock analysis on TipRanks) AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. (AQB)Last on our list today is a dollar stock. AquaBounty, based in Massachusetts, is a biotech company that focuses on genetically modified fish for farming. In short, AQB develops faster growing fish to make fish farming both more productive and more profitable. The company’s salmon has been approved for sale by both the US and Canadian governments. AquaBounty is also working on trout and tilapia strains.Earlier this month, the company announced a drive to raise capital through a sale of common stock. The offering was for 9 million shares at $1.50 each. A few days later, board member Randal Kirk purchased over 5 million shares at $1.50. Kirk is a 10%-plus owner of the company. An informative buy, indeed – Kirk’s purchase can be taken as a signal of confidence.AQB won’t report Q4 earnings until next week, but in Q3, the company beat the forecast by 22%. Looking ahead, the consensus is for continued improvement at the bottom line, as the company’s net loss moderates to just 1 cent per share.AquaBounty has only one recent analyst review, by Ben Klieve of National Research. Klieve’s $5 price target on the stock shows the degree of his confidence: it implies an upside growth potential of 184% for AQB. That’s a fast-growing fish. (To watch Klieve’s track record, click here)Klieve writes of the stock, “We believe in advance of its first harvest that the company will be able to formally announce customers are in hand, which we believe will not only better enable expansion but will also be a significant catalyst for the stock.” (See AQB price targets and analyst ratings on TipRanks)