Cboe Global Markets and General Mills have been highlighted as Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – February 24, 2026 – Zacks Equity Research shares Cboe Global Markets CBOE as the Bull of the Day and General Mills GIS as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on SLB SLB, Baker Hughes BKR and Halliburton Co. HAL.

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Cboe Global Markets is the world's leading derivatives and securities exchange network, delivering cutting-edge trading, clearing, and investment solutions worldwide, which include equities, derivatives, and FX.

The stock is a current Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) thanks to favorable earnings estimate revisions.

CBOE Shares Crush Mag 7

CBOE shares have been notably strong for some time now, outperforming the beloved Mag 7 group not just in 2026 by a wide margin but also over the last year as well.

Share performance has been led by a favorable environment, with CBOE regularly posting robust quarterly results over the period. The company broke several records throughout its latest period, with EPS of $3.06 growing 46% YoY to a new record alongside net revenue of $671.1 million (up 28% YoY) that also reflected a record.

The results also wrapped up its broader FY25, with net sales of $2.4 billion and EPS of $10.67 reflecting records, growing 17% and 24%, respectively. CBOE's top line has remained very strong over the years, a big driver behind the outsized share performance overall.

The company's Options segment has been a nice growth driver, posting net revenues of $433.1 million that grew 34% YoY to a new record throughout the above-mentioned period. CBOE has been breaking records across many key metrics over the past year overall, reflective of its continued favorable business environment.

Keep in mind that the stock also pays a decent dividend, currently yielding a solid 1.0% annually. While the yield isn't overly steep at the present, price gains and its 10.8% five-year annualized dividend growth rate bridge the gap in a big way.

Bottom Line

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The top 5% of all stocks receive the highly coveted Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). These stocks should outperform the market more than any other rank.

Cboe Global Markets (CBOE) would be an excellent stock for investors to consider, as displayed by its Zack Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Bear of the Day:

General Mills is a global manufacturer and marketer of branded consumer foods sold through retail stores.

Its principal product categories include ready-to-eat cereals, convenient meals, snacks, yogurt, super-premium ice creams, baking mixes and ingredients, and more. Analysts have taken a bearish stance on the company's outlook, landing it into a Zack Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

GIS Shares Face Continued Pressure

GIS shares have faced consistent selling pressure over the last year, down 26% compared to the S&P 500's impressive 18% gain. YTD performance is slightly improved but still worse relative to the general market, down nearly 3% in 2026 so far.

Quarterly results haven't been enough to keep sentiment positive, with shares seeing an initial post-earnings boost following the latest print before heading back lower.

Net sales were down 7% year-over-year in its latest period, driven by lower volumes and an unfavorable price mix. The company's profitability has also taken a notable hit, with its gross margin falling 210 basis points to 34.8% alongside a 32% YoY decline in operating profit throughout the above-mentioned quarter.

The profitability hit is certainly notable, helping explain the poor share performance and downward revisions. The company's next release is slated for mid-March, with sales revisions also showing a similarly bearish nature as the EPS outlook.

Bottom Line

Negative earnings estimate revisions paint a challenging picture for the company's shares in the near term.

General Mills is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), indicating that analysts have taken a bearish stance on the company's earnings outlook.

For those seeking strong stocks, the best idea would be to focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) – these stocks sport a notably stronger earnings outlook paired with the potential to deliver explosive gains in the near term.

Additional content:

Is It Justified to Bet On Undervalued SLB Stock Right Now?

SLB is currently considered cheap on a relative basis, with the stock trading at a trailing 12-month enterprise value to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EV/EBITDA) of 10.28X, representing a discount compared with the broader industry average of 10.48X and to Baker Hughes, another oilfield service major, which trades at 14.23X. Halliburton Co., belonging to the same space, is, however, valued at a lower 8.25X.

Is it time to bet on undervalued SLB right away? Before delving into it, investors should analyze the company's overall business fundamentals first.

SLB Sees Robust Offshore Oil & Gas Activities

SLB is expecting robust opportunities in offshore oil and gas projects, particularly in its subsea business, which provides equipment installed on the ocean floor to help extract energy. The company won about $4 billion in new subsea contracts last year and anticipates total awards to be more than $9 billion over the next two years.

The oilfield services giant expressed strong confidence that industry activity is picking up. During its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call, SLB mentioned anticipating more than 500 subsea trees, key equipment used in offshore oil and gas production, to be ordered in 2026 and 2027. That suggests a 20% improvement from the 2025 reported level, signaling growing demand and a strengthening offshore market. As a leading oilfield services provider, SLB expects to capitalize on this trend.

SLB's Diversification Beyond Traditional Oilfield Services

To lower its dependence on commodity price volatility, SLB has been focusing on the Data Center Solutions business, which the company believes to be the fastest-growing business in the coming days. The oilfield service giant is witnessing mounting opportunities from this business.

SLB also has a strong commitment to returning capital to shareholders. In 2026, the company decided to return more than $4 billion to shareholders through the employment of both stock repurchases and dividend payments.

What to Do with the Stock?

SLB has significantly lower exposure to debt capital than HAL, another industry giant. BKR, however, has lower debt exposure than SLB.

Despite the positive developments, SLB has underperformed the broader industry over the past year. Over the period, the SLB stock has gained 22%, underperforming the industry's 40.3% jump. BKR and HAL jumped 41.8% and 31.2%, respectively, over the same time frame.

Moreover, SLB is expecting a temporary slowdown in business at the beginning of 2026. Thus, it is not ideal for investors to bet on the stock right away, although it is undervalued. However, those who have already invested may continue to retain the Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock in their portfolios. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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