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Barrick Mining and Whirlpool have been highlighted as Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day
Read MoreHide Full Article
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – August 7, 2025 – Zacks Equity Research shares Barrick Mining Corp. (B - Free Report) as the Bull of the Day and Whirlpool (WHR - Free Report) as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on The Coca-Cola Company (KO - Free Report) , PepsiCo Inc. (PEP - Free Report) and Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (KDP - Free Report) .
Gold mining stocks are on fire, and they’re still cheap.
With gold prices hovering near all-time highs and on the verge of another breakout, the sector has been gaining strong price and earnings momentum. Many of the leading miners now sport PEG ratios below 1, making them some of the most compelling value-and-growth opportunities in the market today. Among them, Barrick Mining Corp. stands out as a clear leader.
Barrick Mining is one of the world’s largest gold producers, with a diversified portfolio of high-quality mines across North America, Africa, and the Middle East. This scale provides a unique competitive advantage, giving Barrick operational flexibility, strong cash flows, and the ability to invest in long-term growth projects while still returning value to shareholders.
From a numbers perspective, the story is even more compelling: Barrick combines strong price momentum, deeply discounted valuation, robust growth forecasts, and a top Zacks Rank, making it a standout choice in a sector that is starting to attract institutional attention.
Why Gold Stock Back in Focus
The macro backdrop for gold has rarely been more supportive. Central banks are buying gold at the fastest pace in decades as they diversify away from the US dollar, while geopolitical tensions, from US-China trade friction to Middle East conflicts, are keeping safe-haven demand elevated.
At the same time, expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts later this year are boosting gold’s appeal by reducing the opportunity cost of holding the metal. Combined with renewed interest from institutional investors, this creates a powerful tailwind for gold prices, and by extension, for the miners that produce it.
Barrick Mining Corporation Stock gets Upgrades
Analysts have been steadily raising their earnings estimates, reflecting the improving outlook for both gold prices and Barrick’s margins, giving it a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) rating. Over the last two months, FY2025 earnings estimates have climbed 11.4%, while FY2026 projections are up 10%. Longer term, earnings are expected to grow at an impressive 33.5% annually over the next three to five years.
Barrick Shares Trading at a Discount
Even after its recent rally, Barrick shares remain undervalued, thanks to the significantly higher earnings estimates. The stock trades at just 11.5x forward earnings, well below the industry average of 16x and its own 10-year median of 20.1x.
When you factor in its earnings growth potential, the picture becomes even more attractive: Barrick sports a PEG ratio of just 0.34, a level that suggests the stock could be significantly undervalued relative to its growth trajectory.
Should Investors Buy Barrick Stock?
With gold near a breakout, earnings on the rise, and shares trading at a steep discount, Barrick offers an appealing mix of momentum, value, and growth. Add in a top Zacks Rank, and it’s hard to ignore the opportunity here.
For investors looking to gain exposure to gold or simply diversify into a sector that thrives in periods of geopolitical and economic uncertainty, Barrick Mining Corporation looks like one of the best ways to play the trend.
It’s been a rough year for Whirlpool. The stock is down 28% year-to-date, and the pressure shows little sign of easing. The company is facing a very challenging macro environment, with higher costs, intensifying competition from Asian imports, and soft consumer demand all weighing on results.
With considerable downside momentum, falling earnings estimates and stagnant sales, the stock is one investors should avoid for now.
Whirlpool Earnings Downgrades Drag Stock Lower
The pain was underscored in the company’s latest quarterly report. Q2 revenue fell 5.4% year-over-year to $3.77 billion, missing expectations, while adjusted EPS came in at $1.34, well below consensus estimates and last year’s $2.39. Net income tumbled 70% to $65 million, and profit margins contracted sharply.
Analysts have responded by slashing their forecasts. Earnings estimates have cratered 26.6% for this year and 25.5% for next year, pushing Whirlpool to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Sales are projected to decline 7.2% in 2025 and another 3.6% in 2026, reflecting persistent headwinds from tariff-driven stockpiling by competitors and weaker demand.
Whirlpool Shares Still Trade at a Premium
Despite these challenges, Whirlpool stock is not particularly cheap. It currently trades at 13.6x forward earnings, above the industry average of 11.2x and its own 10-year median of 9.4x. If earnings continue to fall or sentiment weakens further, that premium valuation leaves plenty of room for downside risk as the multiple compresses toward industry norms.
Should Investors Avoid Whirlpool Stock?
In a more favorable backdrop, Whirlpool’s global brand and product portfolio might warrant a premium. But with falling earnings, weakening sales, and compressed margins, the near-term outlook appears grim. Add in negative free cash flow, and it’s no wonder the stock has been punished.
Until earnings estimates stabilize and management demonstrates a clear path to margin recovery, investors may be better off avoiding Whirlpool.
Additional content:
Will Coca-Cola's Coffee Bet Perk Up Global Beverage Sales
The Coca-Cola Company’s long-standing ambition to break into the global coffee segment remains a work in progress. The company’s acquisition of Costa aimed to unlock multiple verticals, including store-based retail, ready-to-drink (RTD) formats and at-home coffee experiences. While the Costa brand has shown strength in-store, particularly in the U.K., its broader expansion into RTD and vending solutions has not delivered at the pace the company had hoped.
Management acknowledged that the investment hypothesis has not fully materialized, with much of Costa’s growth still concentrated in physical locations rather than diversified platforms.
That said, Coca-Cola is not backing off on the coffee opportunity. With the category being large, fragmented and still growing globally, the company is reassessing its strategy. Management emphasized the importance of reflecting on past learnings and exploring avenues for expansion. Despite underperformance relative to expectations, Costa remains a profitable and strategically important brand. Coca-Cola has focused on affordability, store refreshment and speed of service to stabilize Costa’s performance while it works on longer-term transformation initiatives.
Looking ahead, KO is likely to pursue a more measured and insight-driven approach to coffee. With the beverage giant already boasting $30-billion brands and a deep innovation pipeline, Costa’s transformation will hinge on its ability to tap into global consumption trends and leverage Coca-Cola’s system capabilities. While the coffee bet has not perked up global sales meaningfully, it remains a strategic growth lever with untapped potential if execution aligns with evolving consumer behavior.
KO’s Peers Deepen Coffee Ambitions: PEP & KDP Step Up Their Game
Apart from Coca-Cola, PepsiCo Inc. and Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. have been steadily brewing their presence in the global coffee arena, each leveraging unique brand partnerships and distribution strengths to tap into the high-growth category.
PepsiCo’s coffee presence remains limited, with no direct updates in its second-quarter 2025 remarks regarding new coffee-specific products or partnerships. While PEP continues to see strong growth across segments like zero-sugar sodas, functional hydration and prebiotic beverages like poppi, coffee is not yet a core focus. However, with an emphasis on expanding in fast-growing beverage categories and improving channel presence, PepsiCo can still explore selective coffee innovations or partnerships in the future.
Keurig Dr Pepper’s coffee business showed sequential improvement in second-quarter 2025, led by better pod pricing and resilient volume trends. While brewer shipments remained pressured due to tight retailer inventory, point-of-sale consumption was stable. The company is expanding into premium and cold segments, with Lavazza dessert-inspired K-Cups and La Colombe RTD coffee gaining traction. Though near-term performance faces cost and tariff headwinds, KDP remains focused on long-term growth via innovation and next-gen systems.
The Zacks Rundown for Coca-Cola
KO shares have risen 10.9% year to date compared with the industry’s growth of 3.7%.
From a valuation standpoint, Coca-Cola trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 22.11X, significantly higher than the industry’s 17.39X.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KO’s 2025 and 2026 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 3.1% and 8.3%, respectively. Earnings estimates for 2025 have been unchanged in the past 30 days.
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Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer.
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 https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
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Barrick Mining and Whirlpool have been highlighted as Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – August 7, 2025 – Zacks Equity Research shares Barrick Mining Corp. (B - Free Report) as the Bull of the Day and Whirlpool (WHR - Free Report) as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on The Coca-Cola Company (KO - Free Report) , PepsiCo Inc. (PEP - Free Report) and Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (KDP - Free Report) .
Here is a synopsis of all five stocks.
Bull of the Day:
Gold mining stocks are on fire, and they’re still cheap.
With gold prices hovering near all-time highs and on the verge of another breakout, the sector has been gaining strong price and earnings momentum. Many of the leading miners now sport PEG ratios below 1, making them some of the most compelling value-and-growth opportunities in the market today. Among them, Barrick Mining Corp. stands out as a clear leader.
Barrick Mining is one of the world’s largest gold producers, with a diversified portfolio of high-quality mines across North America, Africa, and the Middle East. This scale provides a unique competitive advantage, giving Barrick operational flexibility, strong cash flows, and the ability to invest in long-term growth projects while still returning value to shareholders.
From a numbers perspective, the story is even more compelling: Barrick combines strong price momentum, deeply discounted valuation, robust growth forecasts, and a top Zacks Rank, making it a standout choice in a sector that is starting to attract institutional attention.
Why Gold Stock Back in Focus
The macro backdrop for gold has rarely been more supportive. Central banks are buying gold at the fastest pace in decades as they diversify away from the US dollar, while geopolitical tensions, from US-China trade friction to Middle East conflicts, are keeping safe-haven demand elevated.
At the same time, expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts later this year are boosting gold’s appeal by reducing the opportunity cost of holding the metal. Combined with renewed interest from institutional investors, this creates a powerful tailwind for gold prices, and by extension, for the miners that produce it.
Barrick Mining Corporation Stock gets Upgrades
Analysts have been steadily raising their earnings estimates, reflecting the improving outlook for both gold prices and Barrick’s margins, giving it a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) rating. Over the last two months, FY2025 earnings estimates have climbed 11.4%, while FY2026 projections are up 10%. Longer term, earnings are expected to grow at an impressive 33.5% annually over the next three to five years.
Barrick Shares Trading at a Discount
Even after its recent rally, Barrick shares remain undervalued, thanks to the significantly higher earnings estimates. The stock trades at just 11.5x forward earnings, well below the industry average of 16x and its own 10-year median of 20.1x.
When you factor in its earnings growth potential, the picture becomes even more attractive: Barrick sports a PEG ratio of just 0.34, a level that suggests the stock could be significantly undervalued relative to its growth trajectory.
Should Investors Buy Barrick Stock?
With gold near a breakout, earnings on the rise, and shares trading at a steep discount, Barrick offers an appealing mix of momentum, value, and growth. Add in a top Zacks Rank, and it’s hard to ignore the opportunity here.
For investors looking to gain exposure to gold or simply diversify into a sector that thrives in periods of geopolitical and economic uncertainty, Barrick Mining Corporation looks like one of the best ways to play the trend.
Bear of the Day:
It’s been a rough year for Whirlpool. The stock is down 28% year-to-date, and the pressure shows little sign of easing. The company is facing a very challenging macro environment, with higher costs, intensifying competition from Asian imports, and soft consumer demand all weighing on results.
With considerable downside momentum, falling earnings estimates and stagnant sales, the stock is one investors should avoid for now.
Whirlpool Earnings Downgrades Drag Stock Lower
The pain was underscored in the company’s latest quarterly report. Q2 revenue fell 5.4% year-over-year to $3.77 billion, missing expectations, while adjusted EPS came in at $1.34, well below consensus estimates and last year’s $2.39. Net income tumbled 70% to $65 million, and profit margins contracted sharply.
Analysts have responded by slashing their forecasts. Earnings estimates have cratered 26.6% for this year and 25.5% for next year, pushing Whirlpool to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Sales are projected to decline 7.2% in 2025 and another 3.6% in 2026, reflecting persistent headwinds from tariff-driven stockpiling by competitors and weaker demand.
Whirlpool Shares Still Trade at a Premium
Despite these challenges, Whirlpool stock is not particularly cheap. It currently trades at 13.6x forward earnings, above the industry average of 11.2x and its own 10-year median of 9.4x. If earnings continue to fall or sentiment weakens further, that premium valuation leaves plenty of room for downside risk as the multiple compresses toward industry norms.
Should Investors Avoid Whirlpool Stock?
In a more favorable backdrop, Whirlpool’s global brand and product portfolio might warrant a premium. But with falling earnings, weakening sales, and compressed margins, the near-term outlook appears grim. Add in negative free cash flow, and it’s no wonder the stock has been punished.
Until earnings estimates stabilize and management demonstrates a clear path to margin recovery, investors may be better off avoiding Whirlpool.
Additional content:
Will Coca-Cola's Coffee Bet Perk Up Global Beverage Sales
The Coca-Cola Company’s long-standing ambition to break into the global coffee segment remains a work in progress. The company’s acquisition of Costa aimed to unlock multiple verticals, including store-based retail, ready-to-drink (RTD) formats and at-home coffee experiences. While the Costa brand has shown strength in-store, particularly in the U.K., its broader expansion into RTD and vending solutions has not delivered at the pace the company had hoped.
Management acknowledged that the investment hypothesis has not fully materialized, with much of Costa’s growth still concentrated in physical locations rather than diversified platforms.
That said, Coca-Cola is not backing off on the coffee opportunity. With the category being large, fragmented and still growing globally, the company is reassessing its strategy. Management emphasized the importance of reflecting on past learnings and exploring avenues for expansion. Despite underperformance relative to expectations, Costa remains a profitable and strategically important brand. Coca-Cola has focused on affordability, store refreshment and speed of service to stabilize Costa’s performance while it works on longer-term transformation initiatives.
Looking ahead, KO is likely to pursue a more measured and insight-driven approach to coffee. With the beverage giant already boasting $30-billion brands and a deep innovation pipeline, Costa’s transformation will hinge on its ability to tap into global consumption trends and leverage Coca-Cola’s system capabilities. While the coffee bet has not perked up global sales meaningfully, it remains a strategic growth lever with untapped potential if execution aligns with evolving consumer behavior.
KO’s Peers Deepen Coffee Ambitions: PEP & KDP Step Up Their Game
Apart from Coca-Cola, PepsiCo Inc. and Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. have been steadily brewing their presence in the global coffee arena, each leveraging unique brand partnerships and distribution strengths to tap into the high-growth category.
PepsiCo’s coffee presence remains limited, with no direct updates in its second-quarter 2025 remarks regarding new coffee-specific products or partnerships. While PEP continues to see strong growth across segments like zero-sugar sodas, functional hydration and prebiotic beverages like poppi, coffee is not yet a core focus. However, with an emphasis on expanding in fast-growing beverage categories and improving channel presence, PepsiCo can still explore selective coffee innovations or partnerships in the future.
Keurig Dr Pepper’s coffee business showed sequential improvement in second-quarter 2025, led by better pod pricing and resilient volume trends. While brewer shipments remained pressured due to tight retailer inventory, point-of-sale consumption was stable. The company is expanding into premium and cold segments, with Lavazza dessert-inspired K-Cups and La Colombe RTD coffee gaining traction. Though near-term performance faces cost and tariff headwinds, KDP remains focused on long-term growth via innovation and next-gen systems.
The Zacks Rundown for Coca-Cola
KO shares have risen 10.9% year to date compared with the industry’s growth of 3.7%.
From a valuation standpoint, Coca-Cola trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 22.11X, significantly higher than the industry’s 17.39X.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KO’s 2025 and 2026 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 3.1% and 8.3%, respectively. Earnings estimates for 2025 have been unchanged in the past 30 days.
Coca-Cola currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Free: Instant Access to Zacks' Market-Crushing Strategies
Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.
Today you can tap into those powerful strategies – and the high-potential stocks they uncover – free. No strings attached.
Get all the details here >>
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Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer.
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 https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.