Three of the five largest U.S. traded companies will report June-quarter earnings after markets close Tuesday. Those would be Apple, Alphabet and Microsoft.\u00a0We previewed the fourth of those companies, Facebook, earlier in the day.<\/p>\n
We also previewed the companies reporting earnings before markets open Wednesday: Boeing, McDonald\u2019s, Pfizer and Tilray.<\/p>\n
Before markets open on Thursday, we shall hear from four more companies that attract substantial followings of investors and analysts.<\/p>\n
Drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE: AZN) has seen a relatively modest share price gain of around 5.4% over the past 12 months. For the year to date, the shares are up nearly 17%, and since January of 2020, the stock is up about 20%. The company closed its $39 billion acquisition of Alexion last week. The deal will drive an expected $6 billion to the company\u2019s top line this year, as AstraZeneca begins its march from around $26.6 billion in 2020 revenue to $40 billion in 2025.<\/p>\n
Just six surveyed analysts cover the drugmaker, and five of them rate the stock a Buy or Strong Buy. At a recent price of around $57.25, the implied upside on the stock at a median price target of $65.50 is 14.4%. At the high price target of $69.40, the upside potential is around 21%.<\/p>\n
For the company\u2019s second quarter, analysts are forecasting revenue of $7.57 billion, an increase of 3.4% sequentially and 20.5% year over year. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) are tabbed to come in at $0.69, down by about 15.5% sequentially and down by 41.5% year over year. For the full fiscal year, the current revenue estimate is $31.75 billion, up nearly 20%, and the EPS estimate is $2.46, down by nearly 39%.<\/p>\n
AstraZeneca stock trades at 55.4 times expected 2021 EPS, 46.0 times estimated 2022 earnings and 38.9 times estimated 2023 earnings. The stock\u2019s 52-week trading range is $46.48 to $60.93. AstraZeneca pays an annual dividend of $1.40 (yield of 2.47%).<\/p>\n
Media giant Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA) has seen a share price increase of about 37% over the past 12 months. The year-to-date gain is a more modest 13%. All the share price increase has come since November of last year. The company\u2019s NBCUniversal group got off to a poor start with the Tokyo Olympics, but viewership has picked up and the company is hoping for an increase in subscribers to its Peacock streaming service following the games.<\/p>\n
Of 36 analysts covering Comcast, 30 rate the stock a Buy or Strong Buy, and another five rate the shares at Hold. At a price of around $58.40, the implied upside on the stock at a median price target of $65 is 11.3%. At the high price target of $75, the upside potential is around 28%.<\/p>\n
Analysts are forecasting second-quarter revenue of $27.16 billion, a dip of less than 1% sequentially and an increase of 12.6% year over year. Adjusted EPS of $0.66 are anticipated. That would be down by about 12.5% sequentially and by 4.3% year over year. For the full fiscal year, the current revenue estimate is $113.24 billion, up nearly almost 9.4%, and the EPS estimate is $2.46, or 13.7% higher.<\/p>\n
Comcast stock trades at 19.7 times expected 2021 EPS, 15.8 times estimated 2022 earnings and 14.0 times estimated 2023 earnings. Its 52-week range is $40.97 to $59.11. Comcast pays an annual dividend of $1.00 (yield of 1.71%).<\/p>\n
Dow Jones industrial average component Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) has posted a share price increase of around 9.4% over the past 12 months. For 2021 to date, the stock is up 1.6%, and since bottoming out on March 23 of last year, the stock is up 27%. Over the next few years, the company\u2019s Keytruda cancer drug may be on its way to becoming the world\u2019s best-selling prescription drug. One research firm forecast Keytruda sales of $25 billion by 2026. That\u2019s more than 50% of the company\u2019s forecast revenue for all of this year.<\/p>\n
Of 24 analysts covering the company, 18 rate the stock a Buy or Strong Buy and the other six have Hold ratings. At a price of around $77.85, the implied upside on the stock at a median price target of $96 is 23.3%. At the high price target of $107, the upside potential is around 37.4%.<\/p>\n
For its second quarter, analysts project revenue of $11.2 billion, a dip of about 7.3% sequentially, but an increase of 3% year over year. Adjusted EPS are expected to come in at $1.35, which would be down by about 3.3% sequentially and by 1.5% year over year. For the full fiscal year, the current revenue estimate is $46.55 billion, down by 3%, and the EPS estimate is $5.61, down by 5.5%.<\/p>\n
Merck stock trades at 13.8 times expected 2021 EPS, 12.0 times estimated 2022 earnings and 11.3 times estimated 2023 earnings. Its 52-week range is $98.44 to $83.78. Merck pays an annual dividend of $2.60 (yield of 3.37%).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n