The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Amazon, AbbVie, Biogen, McCormick And Hyatt

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 30, 2017 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) , AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) , Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) , McCormick (NYSE:MKC) and Hyatt (NYSE:H) .

Here are highlights from Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:

Top Research Reports for Amazon, AbbVie and Biogen

The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Amazon, AbbVie and Biogen. These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today.

You can see all of today’s research reports here >>>

Amazon’s shares have outperformed the broader market in the year-to-date period (the stock is up +59.2% vs. the +17.7% gain for the S&P 500 as a whole). Amazon is benefiting from strong growth in all its businesses and especially the retail business remains very hard to beat on price, choice and convenience.

The Zacks analyst likes Amazon’s solid loyalty system, Prime. Its FBA strategy and content additions continue to add selection to Prime memberships. AWS generates much higher margins than retail, thus significantly impacting Amazon’s profitability. Devices and IoT are also potential growth areas.

However, increased operating expenses to support expansion of its business into new markets and territories, localize the availability of products and grow its content will keep margins under pressure.

(You can read the full research report on Amazon here >>>).

Shares of AbbVie have gained +52.4% year to date, outperforming the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry, which has gained +16.2% over the same period. AbbVie’s key drug Humira has been performing well. At the Q3 earnings call, AbbVie raised its long-term target for Humira sales based on strong demand trends for the drug, despite new competition.

Moreover, Imbruvica has multibillion dollar potential and AbbVie is exploring the possibility of label expansion into solid tumors and autoimmune diseases. Meanwhile, the past 2-3 months have been strong for the company as it presented promising data from several pivotal studies and gained regulatory approvals in the U.S., Europe, and Japan for its competitive HCV medicine Mavyret.

Additionally, it gained FDA approval for the sixth indication for Imbrivica and settled its Humira patent disputes with Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN). Also, several pivotal data readouts and regulatory milestones are expected in 2018. However, HCV sales continue to be hurt by intensifying competition.

(You can read the full research report on AbbVie here >>>).

Biogen's shares have outperformed the Zacks Biomedicals/Genetics industry in the last six months (+28.6% vs. +2.3%). Biogen has a strong position in the MS market with a wide range of products including Avonex, Tysabri, Tecfidera & Plegridy. The Zacks analyst also likes Biogen’s efforts to diversify beyond MS to other areas like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, stroke, among others.

Meanwhile, Spinraza has witnessed strong patient uptake in the U.S. and internationally. However, weakening MS trends is a concern. Tecfidera is witnessing slight decline in U.S. patient demand due to increasing competition from oral medicines and a slowdown in the overall MS market.

The recent Ocrevus launch by Roche is beginning to have a negative impact on MS franchise sales in the U.S., mainly Tysabri. At the call, the company said that seasonality and continued competitive pressure from Ocrevus’ launch will hurt the performance of its MS franchise in Q4.

(You can read the full research report on Biogen here >>>).

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include McCormick and Hyatt.

Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies

It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +18.8% from 2016 - Q1 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +157.0%, +128.0%, +97.8%, +94.7%, and +90.2% respectively.

And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - Q1 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 11X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation.

See Them Free>>

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch

Join us on Facebook (NASDAQ:FB): http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.

Media Contact

Zacks Investment Research

800-767-3771 ext. 9339

support@zacks.com

http://www.zacks.com

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit http://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.