Sandisk and Home Depot have been highlighted as Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – December 1, 2025 – Zacks Equity Research shares Sandisk SNDK as the Bull of the Day and Home Depot HD asthe Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on NVIDIA Corp. NVDA and BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. BBAI.

Here is a synopsis of all four stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Sandisk is a Zack Rank #1 (Strong Buy) that develops, manufactures, and sells data storage devices and solutions built on NAND flash technology.

Sandisk was originally a publicly traded company under the ticker SNDK before being acquired by Western Digital in 2016. Earlier this year, Western Digital spun off its flash business, bringing Sandisk back to the market as an independent company and relisting it on Nasdaq under the SNDK ticker.

The stock has become one of the standout performers of 2025, and investors are watching closely to see whether 2026 can continue that momentum.

About the Company

Founded in 2024, Sandisk is headquartered in Milpitas, California. Its product lineup includes solid state drives for desktop and notebook PCs, gaming consoles, and set top boxes, along with flash based embedded storage used in mobile phones, tablets, notebooks, wearables, automotive systems, Internet of Things devices, industrial equipment, and connected home applications.

SNDK is valued at $31 billion and has a Forward PE of 17. The stock has Zacks Style Scores of "D" in Value, but "A" in Momentum.

Q3 Earnings Beat

Sandisk delivered a standout first quarter, easily topping expectations with EPS with a 37% EPS beat. Revenue came in at $2.38 billion versus $2.12 billion expected and profitability improved meaningfully as gross margin climbed to 29.8%, up 3.6 points both sequentially and year-over-year.

The company also reached net cash positive status six months ahead of schedule, with $1.44 billion in cash outweighing $1.35 billion in gross debt, while generating $448 million in adjusted free cash flow, a 19.4% margin, and reducing inventory to $1.91 billion from $2.08 billion.

Guidance for the second quarter was even stronger, with Sandisk projecting EPS of $3.00–$3.40 versus $2.01 expected and revenue of $2.55–$2.65 billion versus $2.33 billion expected, alongside a sharp gross margin expansion to 41–43%. Management pointed to extremely tight supply-demand conditions expected through 2026 and into 2027, driving customers to sign multi-quarter agreements and pushing products onto allocation across markets.

Demand remains broad, with data center revenue up 26% quarter over quarter, solid edge momentum from PC refresh cycles and AI-driven smartphone storage needs, and a strengthening consumer pipeline supported by new gaming partnerships heading into the holidays.

Estimates Head Higher

Sandisk has seen positive analyst commentary from analysts that has come with updates and rising earnings estimates.

For the current quarter, estimates have gone from $1.77 to $3.25, up 83% over the last 7 days. For next quarter, we see similar movement with estimates going from $1.45 to $3.63, a move of 120%.

For the current year, estimates have gone from $6.31 to $12.59, a jump of 99%.

The longer-term looks even more promising, with estimates for next year going from $10.39 to $24.04, an increase of 130%.

Analyst price targets have been going higher with those estimates:

Wedbush has an Outperform and price targets went from $220 to $260.

Benchmark Reiterated their Buy, with a lift from $125 to $260.

Goldman went from $140 to $280 with a Neutral rating.

The Technical Take

Sandisk has made a big run already, moving from the $50 area to $284 in just a few months. Investors understandably might not want to chase this stock higher, so let's look at some entry levels on a pullback.

21-day moving average: $228

50-day: $172

Fibonacci 50% retrace: $165

Fibonacci 61.8% retrace: $136

That stock has already pulled back to that 50-day MA, where it found aggressive buyers. Look for that $165-180 area as support as the bulls try to push the stock back to highs before the year is out.

In Summary

Sandisk has reemerged as a top momentum name in 2025 after its spin-off from Western Digital, supported by surging demand for NAND flash solutions and a powerful return to profitability.

The company delivered a major earnings beat, issued bullish guidance, and highlighted tight supply-demand conditions that are expected to persist through 2026 and into 2027. Analysts have responded with sharply higher estimates and rising price targets, reflecting confidence in both near-term execution and longer-term growth potential.

While the stock has already made an exceptional run, technical support levels offer potential entry points for investors looking to participate in the ongoing uptrend.

Bear of the Day:

Home Depot is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) that is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer. The company offers a broad mix of branded and proprietary building materials, tools, décor, and lawn and garden products through more than 2,300 stores and an expansive network of branches and distribution centers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

While the stock has pulled back, investors might want to avoid any dip buying until earnings come out on November 13th. Estimates have been falling and with a valuation so high any disappointment on EPS or the outlook could take shares lower.

About the Company

Home Depot was founded in 1978. is based in Atlanta, GA and has 470,000 employees.

The company serves three primary customer groups: DIY homeowners, DIFM customers who use professional installation services, and professional contractors, remodelers, and tradespeople.

Home Depot combines its large-format stores, extensive distribution network, and e-commerce platforms, including homedepot.com and several specialty websites, to provide an integrated, omnichannel shopping experience for consumers and professionals alike.

The company has a market cap over $350B, with a Zacks Style Score of "F" in Value and "B" in Momentum.

Q3 Earnings Miss

Home Depot reported third-quarter earnings of $3.74 per share, missing the consensus estimate of $3.81, while revenue came in slightly above expectations at $41.4 billion.

The miss was blamed by a lack of storm activity, which weighed on demand in certain categories, as well as ongoing consumer uncertainty and continued pressure in the housing market. Comparable sales were essentially flat, with total U.S. same-store sales up just 0.1% and customer transactions declining 1.4% year over year. The company noted that underlying demand remained stable sequentially, but anticipated seasonal pickup in the third quarter did not materialize.

Looking ahead, Home Depot trimmed its full-year EPS outlook to roughly $14.02, down about 6% from last year and below the prior estimate of $14.97, while total revenue is expected to grow around 3% thanks in part to GM's contributions.

Same-store sales are now expected to be "slightly positive" year over year, and the company reduced its planned new store openings slightly. Management highlighted that consumer caution and a slower housing market continue to weigh on home improvement spending, with no immediate catalysts for acceleration, though digital sales remain strong and the professional customer segment is benefiting from AI-enabled tools and enhanced service offerings.

Earnings Estimates Drop

Home Depot saw pressure on the stock initially as earnings estimates were cut across the board.

For the current quarter, estimates fell 11%, dropping from $2.91 to $2.62. Next quarter also weakened, falling 4%.

For the current year, numbers have dropped $15.01 to $14.64, or 2%. And next year we see a similar trend, with estimates lowered by almost 5% over the last 90 days.

Technical Take

The stock traded near 2024 lows after the earnings report, but has since bounced back 9% off the lows. That recent bottom around $325-$330, was the Liberation Day bottom, so investors should keep an eye on that level.

A move below recent support will put further pressure on the stock and likely take HD below $300.

To the upside, investors should look to sell the bounces at resistance. The 21-day moving average is $360, the 200-day MA is$376 and the 50-day MA is $380. That 50-day is close to moving below the 200-day, which would trigger a "Death Cross" and more program selling.

In Summary

Home Depot faces a challenging backdrop of slower housing activity, cautious consumers, and seasonal headwinds that have pressured both earnings and guidance. While digital momentum and professional customer initiatives provide some support, the recent EPS miss and downward revisions to estimates suggest investors should remain cautious. Technical signals also point to potential downside risk if key support levels fail, making HD a stock to monitor closely rather than buy on dips until clearer catalysts emerge.

Additional content:

Is BigBear.ai Stock the Next NVIDIA — and Should You Buy?

The artificial intelligence (AI) boom has fueled rapid growth for NVIDIA Corp., whose shares increased 33.2% over the past year. However, in the same period, the smaller BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. capitalized on the rising demand for the AI software solutions market and climbed 181%. Does this imply that BigBear.ai could become the "next NVIDIA" and merit investor attention now? Let's see –

2 Reasons to Be Bullish on BigBear.ai Stock

At the beginning of the year, the federal government's willingness to boost domestic growth in technology fueled BigBear.ai's shares to record highs. However, later, President Trump's substantial cuts to federal spending impacted BigBear.ai's share price. As a result of the reduced funding, BigBear.ai's revenues fell 20% year over year to $33.1 million in the third quarter, following an 18% year-over-year decline to $32.5 million in the second quarter.

But BigBear.ai's top-line performance is poised to rebound following its definitive deal to acquire Ask Sage for $250 million, which is a rapidly expanding generative AI platform built for secure AI deployment in regulated fields, including defense and national security, citing ir.bigbear.ai. Ask Sage is widely adopted, with agencies ranging from the Defense Health Agency to the US Space Force employing it. Now, Ask Sage supports 100,000 users across 16,000 government teams.

CEO of BigBear.ai, Kevin McAleenan, said, "by integrating Ask Sage with BigBear.ai, we are creating what the market has been asking for: a secure, integrated AI platform that connects software, data, and mission services in one place." Banking on the Ask Sage acquisition to accelerate revenue growth, BigBear.ai is sticking to its full-year sales guidance between $125 million and $140 million.

In addition to an expected improvement in revenues, BigBear.ai also benefits from a strong balance sheet. Its balance sheet strengthened sequentially, culminating in a record $456.6 million in cash as of September 30, 2025, giving the company a strong foundation to ramp up growth. A strong cash position will help BigBear.ai to fund growth initiatives, pursue additional acquisitions, and scale its operations at a faster pace.

Is BBAI Worth Investing In Now? Could it be the Next NVIDIA?

BigBear.ai is set for growth with the Ask Sage acquisition and a strong cash cushion, and McAleenan expects the increased government spending next year, thanks to Trump's "big, beautiful bill," to further boost the company's business. Lest we forget, the company did post a net income of $2.5 million for the third quarter, whereas it had posted a net loss of $15.1 million in the same period a year ago, a significant milestone toward profitability.???

Brokers are also optimistic about BigBear.ai's growth in the future. Consequently, they forecast the average short-term price target for BBAI stock at $6.67, reflecting a 10.8% increase from the last closing price of $6.02. The highest target is $8, suggesting a potential upside of 32.9%. Therefore, investors can confidently bet on BigBear.ai stock. BigBear.ai carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at the moment. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here.

However, to say BigBear.ai is the "next NVIDIA" is premature. This is because BigBear.ai's loss from operations of $21.9 million in the third quarter more than doubled the $10.5 million loss a year earlier. The increase in operating losses, coupled with declining sales, may slow the company's growth momentum.

NVIDIA, on the other hand, has consistently delivered an increase in revenue and profit, driven by its dominance in AI hardware and a strong competitive edge provided by its CUDA software platform, which is likely to continue fueling its expansion (read more: 3 Reasons to Buy NVIDIA After Its Massive 62% Revenue Surge).

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