In the latest trading session, Nice (NICE) closed at $117.74, marking a +1.75% move from the previous day. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.62%. At the same time, the Dow added 0.99%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.65%.
Shares of the software company have appreciated by 9.46% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Computer and Technology sector's loss of 1.47%, and the S&P 500's gain of 0.59%.
Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Nice in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $3.23, reflecting a 6.95% increase from the same quarter last year. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $778.66 million, reflecting a 7.91% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.
Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $12.28 per share and revenue of $2.94 billion. These totals would mark changes of +10.43% and 0%, respectively, from last year.
Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Nice should also be noted by investors. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the business and profitability.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.
The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant within the past month. As of now, Nice holds a Zacks Rank of #5 (Strong Sell).
Valuation is also important, so investors should note that Nice has a Forward P/E ratio of 9.94 right now. This signifies a discount in comparison to the average Forward P/E of 24.53 for its industry.
Also, we should mention that NICE has a PEG ratio of 1.39. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. The average PEG ratio for the Internet - Software industry stood at 1.52 at the close of the market yesterday.
The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 58, positioning it in the top 24% of all 250+ industries.
The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Nice (NICE): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
Zacks Investment Research
