Bull of the Day: Primerica (PRI)

Primerica, a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), provides financial services to middle-income households in the United States and Canada. The company’s mission is to serve families by helping them make informed financial decisions and providing them with a strategy and means to gain financial independence.PRI stock is displaying relative strength, buoyed by a bullish move in the broader financial sector. The price movement is a sign of strength as we head further into the new year. Increasing volume has attracted investor attention as buying pressure accumulates in this top-ranked stock.Primerica is part of the Zacks Insurance – Life Insurance industry group, which currently ranks in the top 36% out of more than 250 industries. Because this group is ranked in the top half of all Zacks Ranked Industries, we expect it to outperform the market over the next 3 to 6 months, just as it has over the past year.Note the favorable metrics for this industry group below:Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchHistorical research studies suggest that approximately half of a stock’s price appreciation is due to its industry grouping. In fact, the top 50% of Zacks Ranked Industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.It’s no secret that investing in stocks that are part of leading industry groups can give us a leg up relative to the market. By focusing on leading stocks within the top industries, we can dramatically improve our stock-picking success.Company DescriptionPrimerica assists its customers in meeting their needs for term life insurance, mutual funds, retirement plans, variable annuities, and other financial products. Its representatives utilize a proprietary financial needs analysis (FNA) tool and an educational approach to demonstrate how its products can help achieve their clients’ goals.In addition, Primerica offers mortgage loans, homeowners’ insurance, prepaid legal services, and identity theft services. Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, the company distributes and sells its products through licensed sales representatives.Growth in policies issued and equity market appreciation are aiding its results. Primerica hasn’t shied away from divesting non-core assets to improve profitability.Primerica should benefit from the strong demand for protection products. Its business model makes it well-positioned to cater to the middle-income market's increased demand for financial security in the current market environment.Earnings Trends and Future Estimates Primerica PRI has built up an impressive reporting history, surpassing earnings estimates in two of the past three quarters. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter average surprise of 4.89%.Back in November, Primerica reported third-quarter earnings of $5.68 per share, an 18.83% surprise over the $4.78/share consensus estimate. Revenues of $770.1 million also exceeded projections by 4.1%.Analysts are bullish on the stock and have raised fourth-quarter earnings estimates by 1.02% in the past 60 days. The Q4 Zacks Consensus Estimate now stands at $4.96 per share, reflecting EPS growth of 16.7% relative to the year-ago period on 5.9% revenue growth ($767.2 million).Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchLet’s Get TechnicalThis market leader has seen its stock advance nearly 35% over the past 9 months. Only stocks that are in extremely powerful uptrends are able to experience this type of outperformance. This is the kind of stock we want to include in our portfolio – one that is trending well and receiving positive earnings estimate revisions.Image Source: StockChartsNotice how the 200-day (red line) moving average is sloping up. The stock has been making a series of higher highs throughout the past year. With both strong fundamental and technical indicators, PRI stock is poised to continue its outperformance.Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. As we know, Primerica has recently witnessed positive revisions. As long as this trend remains intact (and PRI continues to deliver earnings beats), the stock will likely continue its bullish run.Bottom LineBacked by a leading industry group and history of earnings beats, it’s not difficult to see why PRI stock is a compelling investment. Robust fundamentals combined with an appealing technical trend certainly justify adding shares to the mix.In addition to ongoing share price momentum, Primerica currently pays a $3.60 (1.24%) dividend, which adds to the overall appeal of owning the stock.Recent positive earnings estimate revisions should also serve to create a ‘floor’ in terms of any sudden or unexpected downside moves. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to put PRI on your shortlist.Free Today: Profiting from The Future’s Brightest Energy SourceThe demand for electricity is growing exponentially. At the same time, we’re working to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. Nuclear energy is an ideal replacement.Leaders from the US and 21 other countries recently committed to TRIPLING the world’s nuclear energy capacities. 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