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Zacks Connect AI

Ten questions where Zacks makes the answer

Any AI assistant can recite a P/E ratio. These are the questions where Zacks' ratings, estimate data and analyst research turn a generic reply into a decision you can act on — grouped by the people who ask them.

Who Zacks Connect AI serves
  • Financial advisors
  • Portfolio managers
  • Equity analysts
  • Active investors
“LULU, NKE and COST all report soon. Where does Zacks' Most Accurate Estimate differ from consensus, and how often has each beaten?”
Here's where the most recent, most accurate analyst estimates sit against consensus for each company, how consensus moved over 90 days, and the last four surprises — with the current Zacks Rank for context:
Zacks data behind this answer
Earnings ESPEstimate trendSurprise historyZacks Rank
What's new in this set

Built around who's asking, and why Zacks is the right source

The first starter set showed what the connector can do. This set focuses on the moments where Zacks data is hard to get anywhere else.

Organized by role

Each question is written the way an advisor, portfolio manager, analyst or active investor would actually type it, so readers find their own job on the page.

Zacks signals up front

Zacks Rank, estimate revisions, Earnings ESP, Style Scores, Industry Rank, analyst research and what investors are watching on zacks.com — the data a web search can't supply.

Explained in plain words

Each question says what comes back and why it matters. The data behind each answer is named the way users talk about it, not by internal codes.

The ten questions

Questions by role

Tickers are examples — swap in your own. Every answer comes with dates and links back to zacks.com.

Financial advisorsPortfolio managersEquity analystsActive investors

Financial advisors

Answering client questions quickly, reviewing portfolios before meetings, and keeping a record of why a recommendation was made.

Question 1
The client-ready brief
Single stockClient conversation
“A client just asked me about NVDA. Write a one-page brief I can share: the Zacks Rank and what's behind it, Zacks' case for and against, and anything important published in the last few days. Put a date on every opinion.”

What comes back

  • Current Zacks Rank, recommendation, Style Scores and upside to the average analyst target
  • Zacks' written reasons to buy, reasons to sell and key risks, with the report date
  • The latest Zacks headlines with publish times
  • A link to zacks.com for every source

The Zacks edge

A quantitative rating, a written analyst position and fresh news from one trusted source, each dated and attributed — a brief that holds up in front of a client and a compliance reviewer.

Zacks data behind this answer
Zacks Rank & Style ScoresZacks research reportReal-time Zacks news
Question 2
The early-warning portfolio review
Up to 10 holdingsQuarterly review
“Before my quarterly review, here are a client's holdings: AAPL, JNJ, XOM, JPM, HD, PG, NEE, COST. Which ones does Zacks rate Sell or Strong Sell, where have analysts been cutting earnings estimates in the last 30 days, and how have broker ratings shifted this quarter?”

What comes back

  • One comparable row per holding: Zacks Rank, industry rank, year-to-date return against the S&P 500
  • Upward vs. downward estimate revisions over the last 7 to 180 days
  • Broker rating mix today vs. 4, 8 and 12 weeks ago

The Zacks edge

Estimate revisions are the signal the Zacks Rank is built on. Seeing them turn before the price does gives you something to say before the client asks.

Zacks data behind this answer
Side-by-side comparisonEstimate revisionsBroker rating trend
Question 3
True exposure across funds
ETFsConcentration
“My client owns SPY, QQQ and VUG. How much of their money sits in the same stocks, which single names carry the most combined weight, and how do the three funds compare on Zacks ETF Rank, expense ratio and top-10 concentration?”

What comes back

  • Top holdings of each fund by weight, with the holdings date
  • The overlap between funds and the biggest combined positions
  • Zacks ETF Rank, expense ratio, assets, top-10 share, risk and peer funds

The Zacks edge

Daily look-through holdings plus Zacks' own fund ratings. Hidden concentration shows up in seconds, not after an afternoon in a spreadsheet.

Zacks data behind this answer
ETF holdingsZacks ETF Rank & fund metrics

Portfolio managers

Positioning before catalysts, tracking how the Street's view is moving, and making sure each holding sits in a strong part of the market.

Question 4
The earnings-season edge
Before earnings2–10 stocks
“LULU, NKE and COST all report in the next few weeks. Where does Zacks' Most Accurate Estimate differ from consensus, how has consensus moved over the last 90 days, and how often has each company beaten in its last four quarters?”

What comes back

  • Earnings ESP: the Most Accurate Estimate vs. the Zacks consensus
  • Consensus estimates today vs. 7, 30, 60 and 90 days ago
  • Reported vs. expected results for recent quarters, and the next report date

The Zacks edge

Earnings ESP is a Zacks measure. It weighs the most recent, most accurate analyst estimates against consensus to show which way a surprise is leaning before the report.

Zacks data behind this answer
Earnings ESPEstimate trendSurprise historyZacks Rank
Question 5
Who on Wall Street is changing their mind
Analyst actionsSentiment
“For MU, AMD and INTC, show me every analyst upgrade or downgrade in the last 90 days with the change in price target, and tell me whether the overall broker consensus is getting more bullish or more bearish.”

What comes back

  • Each rating change, with old and new price targets
  • Consensus recommendation today vs. 30, 60 and 90 days ago
  • Average broker rating and the average target price

The Zacks edge

An analyst-by-analyst record of rating actions, collected across brokers in one consistent format. Sentiment shifts become data you can compare, not scattered headlines.

Zacks data behind this answer
Analyst upgrades & downgradesConsensus recommendation trendSide-by-side comparison
Question 6
Strong stocks in strong industries
Sector sleevePeers
“For my energy holdings — XOM, CVX, COP, EOG, SLB — which ones sit in Zacks' top-ranked industries, how does their expected earnings growth compare with their industry and the S&P 500, and which peers does Zacks rate higher?”

What comes back

  • Zacks Industry Rank and where each company's industry stands
  • Expected earnings growth vs. the industry and the S&P 500
  • Industry peers with their Zacks Ranks, to spot better-rated alternatives

The Zacks edge

Zacks ranks every industry it covers, not just every stock. Checking the industry first is central to the Zacks method, and the peer list turns a review into a list of alternatives.

Zacks data behind this answer
Zacks Industry RankEarnings growth vs. industryIndustry peers

Equity analysts

Comparing companies on clean, consistent numbers and following how an investment story has changed over time.

Question 7
Who's paying for growth, and is it working
Multi-yearPeer comparison
“Put MSFT, AMZN and GOOGL on the same footing: revenue, operating income, R&D, capital spending and free cash flow over the last five fiscal years and eight quarters, plus cash and long-term debt. Who is spending the most to grow, and is it showing up in margins?”

What comes back

  • Income statement, cash flow and balance sheet lines by year and quarter
  • The same line items for every company, so margins and R&D intensity compare directly
  • Free cash flow and net debt worked out from reported figures

The Zacks edge

Reported figures mapped to one consistent format across companies and periods. The comparison lines up without anyone cleaning filings by hand, and your assistant does the math from source numbers.

Zacks data behind this answer
Income statementCash flow statementBalance sheetFundamentals snapshot
Question 8
How the story changed
12-month viewAnalyst reasoning
“CRM has had a volatile year. Walk me through what Zacks analysts wrote about it over the last 12 months, in date order. What changed in their view after each earnings report, and how does that compare with today's Zacks Rank and Style Scores?”

What comes back

  • Zacks analyst articles, newest first or in date order, each with its publish date and link
  • The shift in the analysts' reasoning around each earnings report
  • Today's Zacks Rank and Style Scores, kept separate from past opinions

The Zacks edge

A dated, attributed trail of professional analysis — the reasoning, not just the rating. You see how the view evolved instead of a single snapshot.

Zacks data behind this answer
Zacks analyst commentaryZacks Rank & Style Scores

Active investors

Finding out what's moving and why, and telling a real opportunity from a stock that's cheap for a reason.

Question 9
What everyone's watching, and whether it's worth it
No ticker neededThis week
“Which stocks are investors suddenly paying attention to on Zacks this week? For the top five, give me the Zacks Rank and the latest Zacks headline explaining why they're moving.”

What comes back

  • The stocks with the fastest-growing investor attention on zacks.com, with sector
  • Each one's Zacks Rank, shown separately from its popularity
  • The newest Zacks articles on each, with publish times and links

The Zacks edge

A live read on what Zacks readers are researching, paired with the Zacks Rank as a quality check. Buzz and quality are shown side by side, never blended.

Zacks data behind this answer
Trending on ZacksReal-time Zacks newsZacks Rank
Question 10
Bargain or value trap
ValuationPeers
“PFE looks cheap on its P/E. Compare it with MRK, ABBV and BMY on forward P/E, PEG, expected growth and estimate revisions, then tell me what Zacks' analysts say. Is it a bargain or cheap for a reason?”

What comes back

  • Forward P/E, PEG and growth projections side by side
  • Value, Growth and Momentum Style Scores and recent estimate revisions
  • Zacks' reasons to buy and sell on PFE, with the report date

The Zacks edge

A low P/E alone doesn't tell the story. Style Scores and falling or rising estimates separate a genuine bargain from a value trap, and the analyst report explains why.

Zacks data behind this answer
Side-by-side comparisonStyle ScoresZacks research report
Data behind each answer

Which Zacks data answers which question

Each question draws on the Zacks data best suited to it. Side-by-side comparison and the Zacks Rank show up again and again, which matches how people already use the service.

Question Side-by-side comparison Zacks Rank & metrics Research report Analyst commentary Real-time news Trending on Zacks Fundamentals snapshot Income statement Balance sheet Cash flow ETF holdings
1 · Client-ready briefAdvisors                      
2 · Early-warning reviewAdvisors                      
3 · True exposure across fundsAdvisors                      
4 · Earnings-season edgePortfolio managers                      
5 · Who's changing their mindPortfolio managers                      
6 · Strong stocks, strong industriesPortfolio managers                        
7 · Who's paying for growthEquity analysts                      
8 · How the story changedEquity analysts                      
9 · What everyone's watchingActive investors                      
10 · Bargain or value trapActive investors                      
Questions using it 5 5 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
Main source for the answer Adds supporting detail
The tools your assistant can call

Every tool, what it does, and the data it provides

Your assistant picks the right tool on its own — users just ask in plain language. Coverage: 10,000+ North American stocks plus ETFs. Every answer is attributed to Zacks Investment Research and links back to zacks.com.

Zacks ratings and research

Zacks Rank & report metrics

get_zacks_metrics
One stock or ETF per question · live as of the last trading day
What it does

Returns the current numbers behind Zacks' reports for a single stock or ETF — the source for any question that needs a rating or a figure to compare.

“What's the Zacks Rank on CRM?” · “Is it cheap on forward P/E?”

Data it provides
  • Stocks: Zacks Rank and recommendation, Value/Growth/Momentum/VGM Style Scores, target price, last price and 52-week range, valuation multiples, EPS and sales estimates, Earnings ESP, surprise history, growth rates, industry rank and peers
  • ETFs: Zacks ETF Rank, category, assets, expense ratio, number of holdings, top-10 share, benchmark, risk and peer funds

Zacks research report

get_zacks_research
One analyst-covered stock or ETF · dated report
What it does

Brings back Zacks' published position on a company or fund: the thesis, the case for and against, and the risks — always with the date the report was written.

“What does Zacks think of AAPL?” · “What's the bear case?”

Data it provides
  • Stocks: overview, valuation view, summary, reasons to buy, reasons to sell, risks, last earnings report, recent news, and the Zacks Rank as of the report date
  • ETFs: Zacks opinion, key points, reasons to buy and sell, holdings breakdown, performance and investment objective

Zacks analyst commentary

get_zacks_commentary
One stock per question · look back 1 to 60 months, or a calendar year from 2021
What it does

Retrieves the articles in which Zacks analysts take a view — what an earnings report meant, whether a stock is worth buying after a move, how two names compare.

“Has Zacks' view on CRM changed this year?” · “Is it a buy after the drop?”

Data it provides
  • Full article text, headline, publish date and a link to zacks.com
  • Newest first, with paging to walk further back in time

Real-time Zacks news

get_real_time_news
Up to 5 tickers, or a news section with no ticker · last 72 hours
What it does

Answers “what's new?” — the latest Zacks articles on specific companies, a sector, or the market as a whole.

“Anything new on PFE?” · “What's driving the market today?”

Data it provides
  • Full article text, headline, publish date and time, and link
  • Sections include Market News, Economic Highlights, Ahead of Wall Street, Earnings, Earnings Call Takeaways, Price Surge/Plunge, Microcap Earnings, Corporate Actions, and Tech, Energy, Finance and Medical news

Trending on Zacks

get_zacks_trending_tickers
No ticker needed · 3-day trending or 7-day popular list
What it does

Shows which stocks investors are researching on zacks.com right now — the starting point when someone asks what's moving without naming a stock.

“What's hot this week?” · “What are people looking at?”

Data it provides
  • Ticker, company name, popularity rank and growth in attention
  • Zacks Rank for each stock (shown separately, since attention is not a rating), plus sector on the trending list

Comparing stocks

Side-by-side comparison

compare_stocks
2 to 10 stocks per question · stocks only, not ETFs
What it does

Lines up a short list of stocks on identical fields so they can be ranked and compared directly, then adds one deeper view of the user's choosing.

“Which of these is cheapest?” · “Rank my holdings by Zacks Rank.”

Data it provides
  • For every stock: Zacks Rank and recommendation, average broker rating, sector and industry rank, returns over 1/4/12/52 weeks and year to date, beta, market cap, P/E, PEG, price/sales, price/book, estimates, growth, dividend, average target price, ownership, short interest and next earnings date
  • Plus one deeper view: growth projections, estimate trend, estimate revisions, broker ratings over time, analyst upgrades and downgrades, Most Accurate Estimate vs. consensus, surprise history, detailed EPS and sales estimates, industry peers, key ratios, or condensed financial statements

Standardized financial statements

Fundamentals snapshot

get_company_snapshot
One or more companies · annual and quarterly
What it does

A quick, condensed view of a company's financial picture across periods — the fastest way to see a trend.

“How have AMZN's revenue and earnings trended?”

Data it provides
  • Revenue, gross profit, operating income, net income, diluted EPS, EBITDA, total assets, liabilities and equity, operating cash flow and cash

Income statement

get_income_statement
One or more companies · annual and quarterly
What it does

The full income statement in one consistent format, so revenue, costs and margins compare cleanly across companies.

“Compare R&D spending at MSFT and GOOGL.”

Data it provides
  • Revenue, cost of goods sold, gross profit, R&D, SG&A, operating income, interest, pre-tax income, tax, net income, basic and diluted EPS, EBIT and EBITDA

Balance sheet

get_balance_sheet
One or more companies · annual and quarterly
What it does

Shows what a company owns and owes, for questions about debt, liquidity and financial strength.

“How much debt does XOM carry compared with its cash?”

Data it provides
  • Cash and short-term investments, receivables, inventory, current assets, property and equipment, goodwill and intangibles, total assets, current liabilities, long-term debt, total liabilities, retained earnings and equity

Cash flow statement

get_cash_flow
One or more companies · annual and quarterly
What it does

Tracks where cash comes from and where it goes — the basis for free cash flow, dividend coverage and buyback questions.

“Is the dividend covered by cash flow?”

Data it provides
  • Operating cash flow, depreciation and amortization, capital spending, investing and financing cash flow, dividends paid, net buybacks, net change in cash and ending cash

Funds

ETF holdings

get_etf_holdings
One ETF per question · up to 100 holdings · updated daily
What it does

Shows what's actually inside a fund, largest positions first — for overlap and concentration checks.

“What are QQQ's top 25 holdings?”

Data it provides
  • Each holding's ticker, weight in the fund and share count, plus the date of the holdings snapshot
Good to know

How answers are presented, and what's not covered yet

Every answer is dated and sourced

  • Figures are attributed to Zacks Investment Research with links to zacks.com.
  • Research reports and commentary are Zacks' opinion as of their publish date, kept separate from today's Zacks Rank.
  • Your assistant calculates ratios and comparisons from reported figures, and says which numbers it used.
  • Answers are research, not personalized investment advice.

Not available in the beta

  • Screening the whole market (for example, “find every Rank #1 stock under $50”)
  • Long price histories and back-testing
  • Historical Zacks Rank and estimate archives
  • Mutual funds and stocks listed outside North America
  • Real-time quotes
Questions? Email our MCP specialist at MCP@Zacks.com.
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