Friday, August 8, 2025

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 JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), Chevron Corp. (CVX) and Shopify Inc. (SHOP), as well as a micro-cap stock Crawford United Corp. (CRAWA). The Zacks microcap research is unique as our research content on these small and under-the-radar companies is the only research of its type in the country.

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 >>>

Ahead of Wall Street

The daily 'Ahead of Wall Street' article is a must-read for all investors who would like to be ready for that day's trading action. The article comes out before the market opens, attempting to make sense of that morning's economic releases and how they will affect that day's market action. You can read this article for free on our home page and can actually sign up there to get an email notification as this article comes out each morning.

You can read today's AWS here >>> Pre-markets Higher, Early Q2 Reports Modest

Today's Featured Research Reports

Shares of JPMorgan Chase have gained +43.9% over the past year against the Zacks Financial - Investment Bank industry’s gain of +48%. The company’s shares were driven by continued operational strength. Business expansion initiatives, loan demand and relatively high interest rates will drive net interest income (NII) growth. 

The Zacks analyst projects NII to witness a CAGR of 2.9% by 2027. A solid pipeline and market leadership continue to support investment banking (IB) business, though capital markets volatility and high mortgage rates will likely weigh on fee income. As such, our estimates for non-interest income don’t show a favorable trend this year. 

Technology and marketing investments will keep operating expenses elevated. We expect expenses to indicate a CAGR of 4.2% by 2027. Weak asset quality due to a tough macroeconomic environment is another concern. We anticipate provisions to increase 14.4% this year.

(You can read the full research report on JPMorgan Chase here >>>)

Chevron’s shares have outperformed the Zacks Oil and Gas - Integrated - International industry over the past year (+11.5% vs. +1.4%). The company is strengthened by its strategic acquisition of Hess, which boosts long-term production and free cash flow. 

Chevron also demonstrates strong operational performance with record production from its U.S. Permian Basin assets and significant projected growth from its GoA and Tengiz projects. A robust financial structure, a high investment-grade rating, and an attractive dividend yield further support Chevron's stability. 

However, several factors temper this positive outlook. Upstream earnings fell despite record production, primarily due to lower oil prices. Meanwhile, geopolitical complexities in international operations add a layer of risk. Furthermore, the stock's high valuation relative to its peers suggests limited near-term upside. Given these conflicting positive and negative points, a neutral stance is advised.

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

Shares of Shopify have outperformed the Zacks Internet - Services industry over the year-to-date period (+39.4% vs. +6.4%). The company’s second-quarter performance benefited from strong growth in its merchant base. New merchant-friendly tools like Shop Minis, Shop Cash, and Sign in with Shop, Shop Pay solutions helped the company to win merchants regularly. 

Strong adoption of these solutions holds promise for Shopify’s prospects. The company’s investment in AI-driven tools, such as Catalog, Universal Cart, and Sidekick, helped merchants improve customer engagement and streamline operations. 

Shopify also gained traction with large brands like Starbucks and Canada Goose, showcasing its enterprise appeal. An expanding partner base further expanded the company’s merchant base. However, Shopify faced gross margin pressure due to higher hosting costs, the return to three-month paid trials, and the expanded PayPal partnership, which carried lower margins.

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

Crawford United’s shares have outperformed the Zacks Manufacturing - General Industrial industry over the past year (+78.4% vs. +10.4%). This microcap company with a market capitalization of $234.43 million offers resilient growth through its diversified segments and end-markets. Second-quarter 2025 revenues rose 24.5% year over year, led by 34.6% growth in Commercial Air Handling from acquisitions and strong institutional demand. 

Industrial & Transportation Products rebounded with 16.7% revenue growth. Accretive M&A has enhanced vertical integration and margin stability, despite near-term dilution. Gross margin expanded to 31% from 27.7%, supported by higher-margin projects and scalable platforms. Strong liquidity and conservative leverage support ongoing investment. 

Yet recent acquisitions show limited profitability lift, SG&A rose 30.9% year to date and inventory inefficiencies pressure cash flow. Goodwill risks persist amid integration challenges. The stock trades at a steep discount, offering upside if execution improves.

(You can read the full research report on Crawford United here >>>)

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX), Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) and Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. (AEM).

Mark Vickery
Senior Editor

Note: Sheraz Mian heads the Zacks Equity Research department and is a well-regarded expert of aggregate earnings. He is frequently quoted in the print and electronic media and publishes the weekly Earnings Trends and Earnings Preview reports. If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, please click here>>>