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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Zacks.com featured highlights Astrana Health, KT, Upbound, Noah Holdings and DXP Enterprises
Chicago, IL – July 11, 2025 – The stocks in this week's article are Astrana Health, Inc. ASTH, KT Corp. KT, Upbound Group, Inc. UPBD, Noah Holdings Ltd. NOAH and DXP Enterprises, Inc. DXPE. Investors are typically fixated on the price-to-earnings (P/E) strategy while seeking stocks trading at attractive prices. This straightforward, easy-to-calculate ratio is the most preferred among all valuation metrics in the investment toolkit for working out the fair market value of a stock. But even this ubiquitously used valuation metric is not without its pitfalls. Although P/E is the most popular valuation metric, a more complicated multiple called EV-to-EBITDA works even better. Often considered a better alternative to P/E, it gives the true picture of a company's valuation and earnings potential, and has a more complete approach to valuation. While P/E considers a firm's equity portion, EV-to-EBITDA determines its total value. Astrana Health, Inc., KT Corp., Upbound Group, Inc., Noah Holdings Ltd. and DXP Enterprises, Inc. are some stocks with impressive EV-to-EBITDA ratios. Here's Why EV-to-EBITDA is a Better Option Also referred to as enterprise multiple, EV-to-EBITDA is the enterprise value (EV) of a stock divided by its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). EV is the sum of a company's market capitalization, its debt and preferred stock minus cash and cash equivalents. In essence, it is the entire value of a company. EBITDA, the other element, gives a clearer picture of a company's profitability by removing the impact of non-cash expenses like depreciation and amortization that dampen net earnings. It is also often used as a proxy for cash flows. Typically, the lower the EV-to-EBITDA ratio, the more enticing it is. A low EV-to-EBITDA ratio could indicate that a stock is undervalued. Unlike the P/E ratio, EV-to-EBITDA takes debt on a company's balance sheet into account. For this reason, it is typically used to value acquisition targets. The ratio shows the amount of debt that the acquirer has to bear. Stocks flaunting a low EV-to-EBITDA multiple could be seen as attractive takeover candidates. P/E can't be used to value a loss-making firm. A firm's earnings are also subject to accounting estimates and management manipulation. In contrast, EV-to-EBITDA is harder to manipulate and can be used to value companies that have negative net earnings but are positive on the EBITDA front. EV-to-EBITDA is also a useful tool in measuring the value of firms that are highly leveraged and have a high degree of depreciation. It can also be used to compare companies with different levels of debt. EV-to-EBITDA is not devoid of limitations and alone cannot conclusively determine a stock's inherent potential and future performance. The multiple varies across industries and is usually not appropriate while comparing stocks in different industries, given their diverse capital expenditure requirements. Thus, instead of just relying on EV-to-EBITDA, you can club it with the other major ratios, such as price-to-book (P/B), P/E and price-to-sales (P/S) to achieve the desired results. Here are our five picks out of the 12 stocks that passed the screen: Astrana Health is a physician-centric healthcare company committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. This Zacks Rank #1 stock has a Value Score of A. Astrana Health has an expected earnings growth rate of 76.7% for 2025. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ASTH's 2025 earnings has moved up 16.9% over the past 60 days. KT Corporation is the biggest telecommunications operator in the Republic of Korea. This Zacks Rank #2 stock has a Value Score of A. KT has an expected earnings growth rate of 280% for 2025. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KT's 2025 earnings has been revised 2.3% upward over the past 60 days. Upbound Group is a leading lease-to-own provider with operations in the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico. This Zacks Rank #2 firm has a Value Score of A. Upbound Group has an expected year-over-year earnings growth rate of 9.1% for 2025. The consensus estimate for UPBD's 2025 earnings has been revised 0.5% upward over the past 60 days. Noah Holdings is a leading wealth management service provider in China. NOAH, a Zacks Rank #2 stock, has a Value Score of A. Noah Holdings has an expected year-over-year earnings growth rate of 28% for 2025. The consensus estimate for NOAH's 2025 earnings has been revised 4.6% upward over the past 60 days. DXP Enterprises provides innovative pumping solutions, supply-chain services, and maintenance, repair, operating and production services. This Zacks Rank #2 firm has a Value Score of B. DXP Enterprises has an expected earnings growth rate of 17.5% for 2025. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DXPE's 2025 earnings has been revised 0.4% higher over the past 60 days. You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge. The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out. Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today. For the rest of this Screen of the Week article please visit at: Follow us on Twitter: Join us on Facebook: Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Contact: Jim Giaquinto Company: Phone: 312-265-9268 Email: pr@ Visit: 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. 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 for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. 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 KT Corporation (KT) : Free Stock Analysis Report DXP Enterprises, Inc. (DXPE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Noah Holdings Ltd. (NOAH) : Free Stock Analysis Report Upbound Group, Inc. (UPBD) : Free Stock Analysis Report Astrana Health, Inc. (ASTH) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Korea Herald
03-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
KT unveils upgraded Korean LLM, eyes sovereign AI lead
Korean telecommunications giant KT Corp. on Thursday unveiled its upgraded large language model, Mi:dm 2.0, optimized for the Korean language, expressing its commitment to expanding the open-source artificial intelligence ecosystem and participating in the government's sovereign AI initiative. 'KT seeks to embed four key principles across all domains of AI: data sovereignty, user choice, Korean values and responsible operations,' said Shin Dong-hoon, chief AI officer at KT, during an online press briefing. 'Mi:dm 2.0 is the first model developed under our sovereign AI philosophy.' The telecom company is positioning itself as a strong contender in the government's foundational AI model development project, which is recruiting domestic AI consortia until July 21. If selected, participants can label their model as a "K-AI model," and their company as a "K-AI enterprise." "Because our AI philosophy aligns with the government's direction, we are preparing to participate in the sovereign AI foundation model project," Shin said. 'Over the past year, in collaboration with data alliance, we have built a model that embodies Korean values and culture — a major advantage in establishing a uniquely Korean AI." The Mi:dm 2.0 lineup comprises two models: the Mi:dm 2.0 base, featuring 11.5 billion parameters, and the lighter Mi:dm 2.0 mini, which has 2.3 billion parameters. Both support Korean and English, reflecting KT's ambition to lead with 'Korean AI' — a concept that refers to AI developed from Korea's ethos, knowledge and way of life. As part of its two-track strategy, KT is also enhancing Mi:dm 2.0 while co-developing a Korean-specialized version of GPT-4 in partnership with US IT giant Microsoft. 'We have never believed in giving up on our technology,' said the CAIO. 'Where we lack capabilities, we intend to collaborate with Microsoft to tune ChatGPT in a way that deeply understands Korean culture and values.' The telecom giant first commercialized its large-scale AI model in 2022 and has since integrated it into services like its AI contact center. The company said the upgraded LLM outperforms leading domestic and global models in understanding and generating Korean-language content, especially in culturally nuanced or professional domains. 'Our goal is to infuse the Korean spirit into every layer of our AI model lineup,' said Oh Seung-phil, chief technology officer. 'That is our mission and our philosophy.'
Korea Herald
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
KT fuses AI with sports, K-pop at MWC 2025
KT Corp. announced Monday that it is introducing an AI-driven K-culture experience zone at this year's Mobile World Congress trade show for mobile communications in Barcelona, Spain. Aimed at showcasing AI's role in everyday life, the zone, called "K-Stadium," features a futuristic sports arena and a K-pop dance challenge zone. K-Stadium is designed to enhance fan engagement using AI. One of its key features is an AI-powered real-time subtitle translation system, which provides multilingual subtitles for spectators who don't speak Korean. Another highlight is AI Lee Kang-in, a "digital human" modeled after the Korean national soccer player. Visitors can receive a personalized welcome message in his voice simply by entering their name. Additionally, fans can enjoy the 'AI Cheer Song' feature, which allows them to customize their own team anthem. The company plans to implement these AI features at KT WIZ Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, making it the first professional sports stadium in Korea to integrate AI-driven fan experiences. KT is also showcasing the K-Pop Dance Challenge, an interactive experience developed in collaboration with Genie Music. This program enables participants to dance alongside AI-generated performers using augmented reality and motion-capture technology, creating a realistic stage performance. Recognizing K-pop's global appeal, KT has made the challenge available in approximately 40 languages. "AI should be more than just technology; it should be a natural part of daily life that people around the world can experience and enjoy," said Yoon Tae-sik, head of KT's Brand Strategy Division. "Beyond MWC25, KT will continue expanding AI-driven experiences for all."
