Validea's Leading IT Stocks According to Joel Greenblatt - 8/18/2025
Top Rated IT Stocks: Validea's Earnings Yield Investor model highlights HP Inc., Western Digital Corp., MicroStrategy Inc., Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., and Leidos Holdings Inc. as top-rated stocks based on Joel Greenblatt's investment strategy.
HP Inc. Overview: HP Inc. received a 100% rating, indicating strong interest due to its fundamentals in personal computing and printing solutions across various segments.
Western Digital Corp. Overview: With a 90% rating, Western Digital specializes in data storage devices and solutions, catering to diverse markets including cloud and consumer sectors.
MicroStrategy and Cognizant Ratings: Both MicroStrategy and Cognizant Technology Solutions scored 80%, focusing on software development and technology services, with MicroStrategy notably investing heavily in Bitcoin.
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- ADP Stock Potential: Automatic Data Processing (ADP) has seen a 25% decline in its stock price over the past six months, currently trading at a forward P/E of only 21 times; if market sentiment improves, the stock could rerate to 25-30 times forward earnings, enhancing investor confidence and improving valuation.
- American Water Works Merger Outlook: American Water Works (AWK) faces pressure from high interest rates and regulatory scrutiny, and while its merger with Essential Utilities has shareholder approval, it still requires regulatory clearance; if successful, it could help achieve long-term earnings and dividend growth targets of 7%-9%.
- PayPal Management Change: Following a CEO change, PayPal's stock has dropped nearly 21% due to weak earnings and market confidence; currently trading at less than 8 times forward earnings, a strategic alternative from the new management team could catalyze a rebound in shares.
- AI Impact Market Concerns: The market's fears regarding the potential disruptive effects of generative AI on various sectors have led to sell-offs in non-tech stocks, although this bearish sentiment may be overstated, necessitating close attention to the fundamental changes in affected companies.
Departure of Antitrust Chief: The antitrust chief of the Department of Justice is set to leave on Thursday, raising questions about the future of ongoing legal actions.
Impact on Live Nation Lawsuit: The departure is being closely monitored for its potential effects on the government's civil lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, a major player in the concert industry.
- Market Value Loss: On Thursday, Wall Street's tech sector saw over $500 billion wiped off market value across 10 major companies, indicating a sharp decline in investor confidence amid simultaneous pressures on both software and hardware sectors.
- Cisco Earnings Impact: Cisco's stock plummeted 11% despite reporting earnings of $1.04 per share, exceeding expectations, as the company’s gross margin guidance of 65.5%-66.5% fell short of the 68% consensus, highlighting the impact of rising hardware costs.
- Memory Shortage Risks: Lenovo confirmed mounting pressure on PC shipments, with CEO Yang Yuanqing stating that while unit pressures are expected, the company aims to maintain profitability, reflecting growing concerns over memory shortages in the industry.
- Software Sector Decline: The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF dropped over 3% on Thursday, with the sector down over 20% year-to-date, illustrating the ongoing impact of fears surrounding AI disruption on software stock performance.
- Market Dynamics: Wall Street experienced a decline on Thursday, particularly after the conclusion of the Morning Meeting, as the rotation from technology stocks to cyclicals continued, with industrials showing strong performance and driving portfolio results, indicating resilience in cyclical sectors.
- Stock Performance: Companies like Dupont, Dover, Honeywell, Linde, GE Vernova, and Eaton have shown extraordinary year-to-date performance, even as the S&P 500 has only seen slight gains, highlighting the significance of these cyclical stocks in the current market environment.
- Cisco Earnings Impact: Cisco's earnings report on Wednesday, despite a networking order growth exceeding 20%, saw shares drop over 10% on Thursday due to a dip in gross margins from rising memory prices, reflecting market concerns over its profitability.
- Apple Developments: Apple's shares fell more than 3% on Thursday, influenced by Cisco's warnings, and although iPhone sales remain strong, issues with the Siri upgrade testing and a delayed full launch could impact future market performance.

PC Market Decline: The global PC market is experiencing a downturn, with significant drops in shipments reported by major manufacturers.
Lenovo's Warning: Lenovo has issued a warning regarding potential pressure on PC shipments due to a shortage of memory components, which could exacerbate the market's challenges.









