With the United States and Iran pausing military strikes, oil prices have started to drop from the highs touched following the recent attacks by Iran and the Houthi militant group and subsequent retaliation by the United States.
 Oil prices have dropped following reports of Iran indicating that it would refrain from further attacks as long as the United States also halted military operations, fueling expectations that the conflict could move toward a diplomatic resolution. With tensions in the region picking up one day and subsiding the next, the atmosphere remains uncertain.
So, what's the way forward in this volatile scenario, in the absence of a lasting U.S.-Iran agreement? One way is to trust broker advice and bet on broker-favorite stocks like Delek US Holdings DK, Par Pacific PARR, PBF Energy PBF, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services ZIM and Nabors Industries NBR.
Since brokers meticulously follow the stocks in their coverage, they revise their earnings estimates after carefully examining the pros and cons of an event for the concerned company. Naturally, their estimate revisions serve as an important pointer regarding the price of a stock. Given this extensive know-how, brokers are deemed to be experts in the field of investing, equipped with thorough knowledge and a clear insight into the nitty-gritty of the investment world. Paying heed to such well-researched information is, therefore, advisable for investors to avoid the unfortunate scenario of one’s hard-earned money invested in stock markets going down the drain.
Screening Parameters  Â
# (Up- Down Rating)/ Total (4 weeks) =Top #75Â (This gives the list of top 75 companies that have witnessed net upgrades over the last 4 weeks).
% change in Q (1) est. (4 weeks) = Top #10Â (This gives the top 10 stocks that have witnessed earnings estimate revisions over the past 4 weeks for the upcoming quarter).
Price-to-Sales = Bot%10Â (The lower the ratio, the better. Companies meeting this criterion are in the bottom 10% of our universe of over 7,700 stocks concerning this ratio).
Current Price greater than 5Â (as a stock trading below $5 is unlikely to create significant interest for most investors).
Average Daily Volume greater than 100,000 shares over the last 20 trading days (Volume has to be significant to ensure that these are easily traded).
Market value ($ mil) = Top #3000Â (This gives us stocks that are the top 3000 in terms of market capitalization).
Com/ADR/Canadian= Com (This eliminates the ADR and Canadian stocks).
Here are five of the 10 stocks that made it through the screen:
Delek is gaining owing to its operational momentum, diversified earnings profile and stronger financial visibility. The company benefits from improving refinery operations, stable cash flows from its logistics business and ongoing optimization initiatives that are expected to enhance long-term profitability.
Delek, currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the last four quarters. The average beat is 69.9%. Shares of the company have surged in excess of 110% year to date.
Par Pacific is an integrated energy company that produces conventional and renewable fuels across the western United States. Its operations combine refining, logistics and fuel retailing, supported by a broad transportation and storage network.
Par Pacific, currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1, surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in two of the last four quarters and missed the mark twice, with an average beat of 69.9%.
PBF Energy is among the leading refiners in the United States. Strong refinery utilization in the United States to meet resilient demand is expected to continue to offset the negative impacts of elevated input costs, driven by high oil prices. This is aiding PBF’s bottom line.
PBF, currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1, surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in three of the last four quarters and missed the mark once, the average beat being 113.3%.
ZIM Integrated benefits from the recovery in freight rates, focus on niche markets and a shareholder-friendly approach. The company's investments in digitalization and innovative technologies enhance operational efficiency, positioning it to benefit from growing demand for sustainable shipping solutions.
ZIM, currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1, has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings being revised more than 113% upward over the past 60 days. Shares of the shipping company have risen in excess of 17% year to date.
Nabors is expanding its global footprint with new rig deployments, innovative drilling technologies, debt reduction and long-term contracts that strengthen revenue stability. Rising rig utilization is expected to support stronger pricing and margins, while its presence in more than 20 countries provides diversification and growth opportunities.Â
NBR, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), has a decent earnings surprise history. NBR surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in two of the last four quarters and missed the mark twice, the average beat being 13.6%.Â
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