Mortgage rates are easing up, and the yield curve is finally playing nice, which means the mREIT space just got a whole lot more interesting.
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to get in on some serious income potential, this is your sign to stop sitting on the fence and start doing the math.

Early Access (Sponsored)
A new research report highlights 5 stocks with the strongest potential to double in the year ahead.
Each was selected from thousands of companies and shows a rare mix of:
Strong fundamentals
Bullish technical setups
Past versions of this report delivered gains of +175%, +498%, and even +673%¹ — and the latest edition is free for a short time.
Available only until MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
Download the free report
*This free resource is being sent by Zacks. We identify investment resources you may choose to use in making your own decisions. Use of this resource is subject to the Zacks Terms of Service.
*Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investing involves risk. This material does not constitute investment, legal, accounting, or tax advice. Zacks Investment Research is not a licensed dealer, broker, or investment adviser.

Don’t Let These Undervalued Stocks Slip Through Your Fingers!
We now send our favorite value picks via text, too, so you’ll get the same actionable news without having to open your inbox.

Real Estate
Mortgage Rates Ease, and This mREIT Feels the Yield Curve Love

If you’re wondering why Annaly Capital Management Inc (NYSE: NLY) is back in the conversation, the answer is pretty simple: the rate environment just flipped in its favor, and the market noticed.
Falling mortgage rates improve affordability and kick refinancing back into gear; both are big wins for agency-focused players like NLY. And this isn’t a one-trick pony.
Annaly’s heavy allocation to Agency MBS, paired with a growing mortgage servicing rights platform, gives it multiple ways to win as the cycle turns.
The company has been quietly cleaning house too, by exiting non-core businesses and doubling down on housing finance where risk-adjusted returns actually make sense.
The Spread Is Breathing Again
Easing rate volatility and growing expectations for further cuts are giving mortgage REITs room to stretch.
As spreads stabilize, net interest income has a cleaner runway, and that’s exactly the setup you want to be watching.
Liquidity is solid. The dividend is eye-catching. And in a market desperately hunting for dependable cash flow, that combination is doing a lot of the heavy lifting right now.
The Dividend Is Still Running the Show
Double-digit yields keeping income strategies alive is no small thing.
NLY continues to prioritize liquidity and capital flexibility while keeping those payouts intact… which is the kind of financial discipline that tends to age well.

Defense
Backlogs Are Stacking Up, and the Navy Keeps Placing Orders

Patience finally paid off here. Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc (NYSE: HII) spent a while grinding through post-pandemic supply chain headaches and labor bottlenecks, and now that the smoke has cleared, what’s left is a company executing cleanly with the market’s full attention.
As the largest U.S. naval shipbuilder, handling both nuclear and conventional vessels for the Navy and Coast Guard, HII sits squarely in the path of Washington’s push to modernize and scale its fleet. That’s not a small tailwind.
Revenue has been climbing steadily, margins are improving as projects mature, and hedge funds have been quietly adding exposure.
Recent earnings reflected all of this, with stronger results and expanding order visibility driving a serious run over the past year.
A Growing Backlog Means a Cleaner Revenue Story
Orders keep stacking up, and a bigger backlog translates directly into smoother execution and more predictable margins.
When visibility improves this much, the stock tends to stay in focus, and right now, HII has plenty of both.
After-Market Services: The Revenue That Never Stops
Beyond the headline shipbuilding work, after-market service contracts create a recurring revenue engine that keeps the cash flow story consistent, and consistency is exactly what you want to see.

Future Stars (Sponsored)
$1,000 in just seven stocks in 2004 could have turned into a million-dollar portfolio today…
Back then… one financial expert begged people to look at Nvidia -- when it was trading at just $1.10!
Now… he’s urging you to look at a new group of seven stocks…
Check this Out (The NEXT Magnificent Seven)

Consumer Finance
The Dip Is Loud, and the Valuation Debate Is Even Louder

Capital One Financial Corp (NYSE: COF) just had a rough patch in its share price, and depending on who you ask, that’s either a flashing buy signal or a reason to hold your cards a little closer.
This is a company that moves with market sentiment — sometimes sharply — and that volatility is exactly why everyone’s talking.
Some valuation models suggest COF is trading well below what it’s actually worth. Others think it’s still running a little hot.
That gap between narratives is where the opportunity lives, and where your own read on the numbers matters most.
P/E ratios, excess return models, and fair value estimates are all telling slightly different stories right now.
The question isn’t which one is right — it’s which one aligns with your timeframe and risk tolerance. Capital One has reignited the debate, and that alone makes it worth a closer look this week.
Short-Term Pain, Long-Term Potential?
The recent pullback has created a real gap between where the stock is trading and what long-term fundamentals suggest it’s worth.
That gap is either an opportunity or a warning, and the answer depends entirely on your lens.
Pick Your Metric, Play Your Angle
Excess returns, P/E ratios, and custom fair value models are each pointing somewhere slightly different.
Looking at all of them together gives you a fuller picture of where the real risk-reward sits, and helps you decide whether now is the moment to swipe right or wait for a better match.

Actionable Picks This Week
Century Aluminum Co (NASDAQ: CENX) has been building momentum so steadily that it’s almost easy to miss — until you look at the 12-week chart and realize it hasn’t really slowed down.
The stock is hovering near the top of its 52-week range, which hints at a potential breakout for anyone chasing short-term moves.
Strong earnings revisions and broad broker confidence mean both the fundamentals and the sentiment are pointed in the same direction.
When an aluminum producer starts heating up even as metals markets wobble, that’s worth paying attention to.
Deluxe Corp (NYSE: DLX) has been quietly racking up gains — over 6% in the past month — without making a lot of noise about it. EPS revisions and price consensus trends are both tracking upward, suggesting this isn’t just a blip.
The fundamentals back it up: steady revenue, solid earnings outlook, and the rare combination of momentum and measurable strength arriving at the same time.
DLX isn’t just riding a trend right now — it looks like it’s setting one.
OFG Bancorp (NYSE: OFG) isn’t trying to be flashy, and that’s kind of the point.
Cash flow metrics are solid, P/CF and P/S ratios are attractive, and the valuation suggests the market hasn’t fully caught on yet.
For anyone hunting for a financially sound, reasonably priced bank stock with real upside potential and measured downside risk, OFG is making a quiet but compelling case this week.

Now Accessible (Sponsored)
For decades, one type of investment was reserved for the ultra-wealthy.
Then Trump signed Executive Order 14330 - and opened it to everyone.
Now you can get into this boom for less than $20.
See what changed

Fast Movers to Watch
China Yuchai International Ltd (NYSE: CYD) isn’t making headlines today, but the setup is getting interesting.
Steady price gains, rising volume, and earnings estimates nudging upward are all stacking in its favor.
The diesel engine maker has been consistently outperforming its industry without much fanfare.
Don’t expect fireworks — but CYD looks like it’s laying the foundation for something stronger down the road.Sysco Corp (NYSE: SYY) is the kind of stock that rewards patience over excitement.
Steady earnings revisions and solid valuation metrics have it quietly building its case as a value play in the foodservice space.
Nothing explosive is happening right now — but the pieces are in position, and as the market evolves, SYY could be one of those ‘why didn’t I grab it earlier’ moments.JJill Inc (NYSE: JILL) has a habit of beating estimates, and the revisions heading into the next quarterly report are pointing in a familiar direction.
With steady demand for women’s apparel and a lean operational approach keeping costs in check, the company is setting itself up for a quiet win.
Keep this one on your watchlist ahead of earnings.

Poll: Which market would you most want full transparency on?

Everything Else
Kohl is rolling out a “Deal Bar” offering items under $10 chainwide, betting that bargain-bin browsing drives foot traffic and turns into full-basket trips.
Ford is putting numbers on the board for an affordable electric future: a $30,000 midsize electric pickup built on its new UEV platform.
Macy’s overhaul and merchandising shake-up have analysts revisiting their models, with fresh coverage assessing just how much upside the restructuring could unlock.
Intel shares pulled back after investors gave a lukewarm reception to recent updates — debate centers on pricing strategy and the product roadmap.

That's our coverage for today; thanks for reading! Reply to this email with feedback or any value names you'd like us to dig into.
Best Regards,
—Noah Zelvis
Undervalued Edge




