Take the Zacks Approach to Beat the Markets: Urban Outfitters, Genesco, Costco in Focus

Market Performance - The Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 indexes gained 0.68% and 0.52% respectively, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 0.27% last week, indicating mixed market performance [1] - The manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) for January was reported at 50.9%, up from 49.2% in December, suggesting expansion in manufacturing activities [2] Employment and Wages - U.S. nonfarm payrolls increased by 143,000 jobs in January, below the estimate of 169,000, indicating a slowdown in job market growth [2] - The unemployment rate was recorded at 4.0%, the lowest since May, while average hourly earnings increased by 0.5%, exceeding analysts' expectations of 0.3% [2] Trade Relations - The trade war between the U.S. and China remains a concern, with China imposing targeted tariffs on U.S. imports in response to President Trump's trade policies [3] Stock Performance and Recommendations - Versus Systems Inc. (VS) shares gained 16.6% since being upgraded to Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) on December 13, outperforming the S&P 500 [4] - Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN) saw an 11.6% return since its upgrade to Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) on December 4 [5] - A hypothetical portfolio of Zacks Rank 1 stocks returned +22.3% in 2024, compared to +28% for the S&P 500 index [5] Focus List and Model Portfolios - Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) gained 89.8% over the past 12 weeks, while Deere & Company (DE) returned 18.2% in the same period [11] - The Zacks Focus List portfolio returned +29.54% in 2023, outperforming the S&P 500 index [12] - The Zacks Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP) returned +16.26% in 2024, compared to +24.89% for the S&P 500 index [15] Dividend Stocks - Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (ICE) returned 6.7% over the past 12 weeks, while Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (DGX) increased by 3.9% [17] - The Zacks Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP) returned +6.95% in 2024, underperforming the S&P 500 index [19] Long-term Performance - The Zacks Top 10 portfolio has produced a cumulative return of +1,998% since 2012, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 index's +461.86% [21]