Interactive Brokers highlighted as Zacks Bull and La-Z-Boy Bear of the Day

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – August 28, 2026 – Zacks Equity Research shares Interactive Brokers Group IBKR as the Bull of the Day and La-Z-Boy LZB as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Union Pacific Corp. UNP and Canadian National Railway Co. CNI.

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Interactive Brokers Groupis an automated global electronic brokerage firm providing trade execution, clearing, and custody services to individual and institutional investors. EPS revisions remain bullish across the board, with the stock sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Interactive Brokers Posts Strong Results

IBKR’s latest set of results came in comfortably above our expectations, posting adjusted earnings of $0.69 per share and revenues of $1.9 billion. Earnings climbed 35% YoY, while revenues jumped a similarly strong 28% from the same period last year.

Customer accounts jumped 34% YoY to roughly 5.2 million during the above-mentioned quarter, while Daily Average Revenue Trades (DARTs) climbed 36%. In addition, commission revenue and net interest income rose 30% and 23% YoY, respectively.

Growth is expected to remain rock-solid for IBKR, with current Zacks Consensus estimates suggesting 18% revenue growth on 23% higher earnings in its current fiscal year, with FY27 estimates suggesting 13% revenue growth on 18% higher earnings.

IBKR shares have enjoyed strong momentum alongside the improving earnings picture, gaining more than 16% over the last three months. While the stock isn’t cheap, robust account growth, rising trading activity, and positive EPS revisions overall keep the near-term outlook bright.

Bottom Line

Investors can implement a stellar strategy to find expected winners by taking advantage of the Zacks Rank – one of the most powerful market tools that provides a massive edge.

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.

Interactive Brokers would be an excellent stock for investors to consider, as displayed by its Zack Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Bear of the Day:

La-Z-Boy manufactures and sells residential furniture, best known for its iconic recliners and upholstered furniture offerings. Its products are sold through company-owned La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries, independent dealers, and other retail channels.

The stock is a current Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), reflecting a bearish shift in earnings expectations over recent months.

La-Z-Boy Posts Soft Results

LZB’s latest set of results came in below our expectations, posting adjusted earnings of $0.43 per share, reflecting a 10.4% miss relative to the Zacks Consensus Estimate and down 9% YoY. Sales of $476 million also missed our estimate by nearly 5%, falling 3% from the same period last year.

Its top line has remained rather stagnant over the past three years. 

LZB provided a somewhat soft sales outlook for the next period, also noting that investments in advertising, new stores, pricing initiatives, and its digital transformation are likely to weigh on profitability. Shares faced pressure following the release, now down nearly 15% overall over the past three months and erasing.

Bottom Line

Negative earnings estimate revisions and a soft sales outlook paint a challenging picture for the company’s shares in the near term.

La-Z-Boy 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:

2 Dividend-Paying Stocks from the Railroad Industry to Consider

Prospects of the Zacks Transportation - Rail industry’s participants are being weighed down by challenges like tariff-induced economic uncertainties, inflationary pressures and resultant high interest rates, as well as concerns regarding supply-chain disruptions. High fuel costs, due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, have been hurting the bottom-line growth of industry players.

Despite these headwinds, the industry has outperformed the Zacks S&P 500 Composite as well as the Zacks Transportation sector so far this year. Over this period, the industry has gained 31.8% compared with the S&P 500 Index’s northward movement of 11.8% and the broader sector’s surge of 14.5%.

Despite the challenges surrounding the industry, some railroad companies, like Union Pacific Corp.  and Canadian National Railway Co., have consistently paid dividends to their shareholders, thus highlighting their pro-shareholder stance.

Dividend growth stocks generally belong to mature companies, which are less susceptible to significant market swings, and act as a hedge against uncertainty-induced stock market volatility, as is the case currently. They offer downside protection with their consistent increase in payouts.

Additionally, these companies generally have strong fundamentals like a sustainable business model, a long track of profitability, rising cash flows, good liquidity and a strong balance sheet.

How to Pick Stocks With Solid Dividend Payouts?

Investing in dividend stocks is a prudent strategy that offers a dual advantage: steady income and a cushion against market volatility. It's no wonder investors actively seek companies with a consistent and growing dividend history. These stocks provide a reliable income stream, acting as a buffer during market downturns and contributing to overall portfolio stability.

To guide investors interested in the railroad industry, we came up with certain parameters using the Zacks Stocks Screener. We shortlisted transportation stocks based on the following:

a) A dividend payout ratio of less than 60% (the dividend payout ratio — dividends paid/net income — gives the proportion of earnings paid out as dividends to shareholders. A payout ratio below 60 looks quite sustainable).

b) A dividend yield of greater than 1% (dividend yield denotes the percentage of a company’s share price that it shells out as dividends annually).

The selected stocks have exhibited dividend growth in the past five years, apart from currently carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Union Pacific: Headquartered in Omaha, NE, Union Pacific, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States. Currently, UNP has a market capitalization of $183.92 billion.

UNP’s quarterly dividend leads to $5.52 per share (annualized), giving a 1.78% yield at the current stock price. The company’s payout ratio is 45% of its earnings at present. The five-year dividend growth rate is 3.55%. (Check Union Pacific’s dividend history here).

UNP has paid dividends on its common stock for 126 consecutive years, reflecting its pro-shareholder approach. Union Pacific’s consistent initiatives to reward its shareholders through dividends and share repurchases look encouraging. In 2023, the company returned $3.9 billion to its shareholders through dividends ($3.17 billion) and buybacks ($705 million). During 2024, UNP paid $3.21 billion in dividends and repurchased shares worth $1.50 billion. It paid $3.23 billion in dividends and repurchased shares worth $2.67 billion in 2025. During the first six months of 2026, UNP paid $1.64 billion in dividends and repurchased shares worth $26 million.

 Union Pacific Corporation dividend-ttm | Union Pacific Corporation Quote

Canadian National: Based in Montreal, Canada, Canadian National is involved in the rail, intermodal, trucking, and marine transportation and logistics business in Canada and the United States. Currently, CNI has a market capitalization of $76.93 billion.

CNI’s quarterly dividend leads to $2.67 per share (annualized), which gives it a 2.10% yield at the current stock price. This company’s payout ratio is 48% of its earnings at present. The five-year dividend growth rate is 5.60%. (Check Canadian National’s dividend history here).

CNI’s consistent efforts to reward its shareholders via dividends and buybacks are encouraging and highlight the company's financial strength. In 2023, CNI paid dividends of C$2.07 billion and repurchased shares worth C$4.55 billion. The company paid dividends of C$2.14 billion and repurchased shares worth C$2.60 billion in 2024.During 2025, it paid dividends of C$2.20 billion and repurchased shares worth C$2.05 billion. During the first six months of 2026, CNI paid $1.11 billion in dividends and repurchased shares worth $1.33 billion.

 Canadian National Railway Company dividend-yield-ttm | Canadian National Railway Company Quote

Such shareholder-friendly moves indicate the company’s commitment to creating value for shareholders and underline its confidence in its business.

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