Everyone likes betting on fast-moving trending stocks, but it isn't easy to determine the right entry point. These stocks often lose momentum when their future growth potential fails to justify their swelled-up valuation. In that phase, investors find themselves invested in shares that have limited to no upside or even a downside. So, betting on a stock just by looking at the traditional momentum parameters could be risky at times. It could be safer to invest in bargain stocks that have been witnessing pric ...

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of confirming the sustainability of stock trends for profitable short-term investing, highlighting the use of a specific screening strategy to identify stocks with strong fundamentals and positive price momentum [1][2]. Group 1: Stock Screening Strategy - The "Recent Price Strength" screen is designed to identify stocks with sufficient fundamental strength to maintain their recent uptrend, focusing on those trading in the upper portion of their 52-week high-low range, indicating bullishness [3]. - Sezzle Inc. (SEZL) is identified as a candidate that passed the screening, showing a price increase of 53.6% over 12 weeks, reflecting investor willingness to pay more for potential upside [4]. - SEZL has experienced a significant price increase of 125.6% over the past four weeks, indicating that the upward trend is still intact [5]. Group 2: Fundamental Strength - SEZL holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), placing it in the top 5% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimate revisions and EPS surprises, which are critical for near-term price movements [6]. - The Zacks Rank system has a strong historical performance, with Rank 1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988, suggesting a reliable indicator for stock selection [7]. - The Average Broker Recommendation for SEZL is also 1 (Strong Buy), indicating high optimism from the brokerage community regarding the stock's near-term performance [7]. Group 3: Additional Insights - The article suggests that SEZL's price trend is unlikely to reverse soon, and encourages investors to explore other stocks that meet the criteria of the "Recent Price Strength" screen [8]. - The importance of backtesting stock-picking strategies is highlighted, with the Zacks Research Wizard available for investors to validate the effectiveness of their strategies [9].

Core Viewpoint - Astronics Corporation (ATRO) is identified as a strong momentum stock with a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) and a Momentum Style Score of A, indicating potential for significant near-term price appreciation [3][11]. Company Performance - ATRO shares have increased by 9.14% over the past week, outperforming the Zacks Aerospace - Defense Equipment industry, which rose by 4.95% during the same period [5]. - Over the last month, ATRO's stock price has changed by 21.06%, compared to the industry's performance of 11.82% [5]. - In the past quarter, ATRO shares have surged by 43.51%, and over the last year, they have gained 44.28%, while the S&P 500 has seen declines of -5.75% and gains of 10.63%, respectively [6]. Trading Volume - The average 20-day trading volume for ATRO is 482,265 shares, which serves as a bullish indicator when combined with rising stock prices [7]. Earnings Outlook - In the last two months, one earnings estimate for ATRO has been revised upward, while none have been lowered, leading to an increase in the consensus estimate from $1.29 to $1.50 [9]. - For the next fiscal year, one estimate has also moved upwards with no downward revisions noted [9].

Group 1: BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BCRX) - BioCryst has a Zacks Rank 1 and the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increased by 285.7% over the last 60 days [1] - The company's shares gained 15% over the last three months, while the S&P 500 declined by 7.2% [1] - BioCryst possesses a Momentum Score of A [1] Group 2: WidePoint Corporation (WYY) - WidePoint has a Zacks Rank 1 and the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increased by 108.3% over the last 60 days [2] - The company's shares gained 35.7% over the last three months, compared to the S&P 500's decline of 7.2% [2] - WidePoint possesses a Momentum Score of B [2] Group 3: Rambus Inc. (RMBS) - Rambus has a Zacks Rank 1 and the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increased by 3.9% over the last 60 days [3] - The company's shares gained 11.6% over the past month, while the S&P 500 advanced by 6.9% [3] - Rambus possesses a Momentum Score of B [3]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on "buying high and selling higher" rather than traditional strategies of "buying low and selling high" [1] Group 1: Momentum Investing Strategy - Momentum investors often face challenges in determining the right entry point for fast-moving stocks, which can lead to limited upside or downside risks [2] - A safer approach involves investing in bargain stocks that exhibit recent price momentum, utilizing tools like the Zacks Momentum Style Score to identify these opportunities [3] Group 2: Trivago N.V. (TRVG) Analysis - Trivago N.V. (TRVG) has shown significant recent price momentum with a four-week price change of 35.1%, indicating growing investor interest [4] - Over the past 12 weeks, TRVG has gained 15.2%, and its beta of 1.49 suggests it moves 49% more than the market in either direction [5] - TRVG has a Momentum Score of B, indicating a favorable time to invest based on momentum [6] - The stock has a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) due to upward trends in earnings estimate revisions, which attract more investors [7] - TRVG is trading at a Price-to-Sales ratio of 0.65, suggesting it is undervalued as investors pay only 65 cents for each dollar of sales [7] Group 3: Additional Investment Opportunities - Besides TRVG, there are other stocks that meet the criteria of the 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen, presenting further investment opportunities [8] - Investors can explore over 45 Zacks Premium Screens tailored to different investing styles to identify potential winning stocks [9]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] Company Overview: AerCap (AER) - AerCap currently holds a Momentum Style Score of B and a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating strong potential for outperformance [2][3] - The stock has shown a price increase of 3.34% over the past week, compared to the Zacks Transportation - Equipment and Leasing industry, which increased by 3.54% [5] - Over the past month, AerCap's shares have risen by 21.08%, significantly outperforming the industry's 9.17% [5] - In the last quarter, AerCap shares increased by 10.23%, and over the past year, they gained 23.19%, while the S&P 500 saw declines of -7.56% and a modest increase of 9.65%, respectively [6] Trading Volume - AerCap's average 20-day trading volume is 1,922,641 shares, which serves as a bullish indicator when combined with rising stock prices [7] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, four earnings estimates for AerCap have been revised upwards, with no downward revisions, leading to an increase in the consensus estimate from $11.34 to $11.94 [9] - For the next fiscal year, four estimates have also moved upwards without any downward revisions [9] Conclusion - Given the positive momentum indicators and earnings outlook, AerCap is positioned as a strong buy candidate for investors seeking short-term opportunities [11]

Here are three stocks with buy rank and strong momentum characteristics for investors to consider today, May 7: Flotek Industries, Inc. (FTK) : This tech-driven green chemistry and data company has a Zacks Rank #1 and witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 9.3% over the last 60 days. Flotek's shares gained 2.5% over the last six months compared with the S&P 500's decline of 5.7%. The company possesses a Momentum Score of B. See the full list of top ranked stocks here ...

Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to complement the Zacks Rank, providing ratings based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics [2][3] Zacks Style Scores - Each stock is rated from A to F based on its value, growth, and momentum, with A indicating the highest potential for outperformance [3] - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios like P/E and Price/Sales [4] - The Growth Score emphasizes a company's financial health and future growth potential based on earnings and cash flow [5] - The Momentum Score identifies stocks with favorable price trends and earnings outlooks [6] - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to highlight stocks with attractive value, growth forecasts, and momentum [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that leverages earnings estimate revisions to guide investors in stock selection [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically achieved an average annual return of +25.41% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] - Investors are encouraged to focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal returns [10] Stock Highlight: Associated Banc-Corp - Associated Banc-Corp is currently rated 3 (Hold) with a VGM Score of B, indicating moderate potential [12] - The company has a Value Style Score of B, supported by a forward P/E ratio of 9.12, making it attractive for value investors [13] - Recent earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 have been revised upward, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by $0.03 to $2.48 per share, alongside an average earnings surprise of 4.2% [13]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on "buying high and selling higher" rather than traditional strategies of "buying low and selling high" [1] Group 1: Momentum Investing Characteristics - Momentum investing can be risky as stocks may lose momentum when their valuations exceed future growth potential [2] - Investing in bargain stocks with recent price momentum may be a safer approach [3] Group 2: Stem, Inc. (STEM) Analysis - STEM has shown a significant price increase of 46.4% over the past four weeks, indicating growing investor interest [4] - The stock gained 0.1% over the past 12 weeks and has a beta of 1.42, suggesting it moves 42% more than the market [5] - STEM has a Momentum Score of A, indicating a favorable time to invest [6] - The stock has a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) due to upward revisions in earnings estimates, which attract more investors [7] - STEM is trading at a Price-to-Sales ratio of 0.54, suggesting it is undervalued at 54 cents for each dollar of sales [7] Group 3: Additional Investment Opportunities - Besides STEM, there are other stocks that meet the criteria of the 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen [8] - Investors can explore over 45 Zacks Premium Screens tailored to different investing styles [9]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] Company Overview: CBOE Global - CBOE Global currently holds a Momentum Style Score of B, indicating potential as a solid momentum pick [3][12] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), which historically outperforms the market when combined with a Style Score of A or B [4] Price Performance - CBOE shares have increased by 5.99% over the past week, outperforming the Zacks Securities and Exchanges industry, which rose by 5.31% [6] - Over the past month, CBOE's price change is 11.77%, slightly below the industry's performance of 12.5% [6] - In the last quarter, CBOE shares rose by 10.47%, and over the past year, they gained 26.69%, while the S&P 500 saw declines of -6.46% and gains of 11.69%, respectively [7] Trading Volume - CBOE's average 20-day trading volume is 1,001,255 shares, which serves as a bullish indicator when combined with rising stock prices [8] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, 10 earnings estimates for CBOE have been revised upwards, with no downward revisions, increasing the consensus estimate from $8.99 to $9.51 [10] - For the next fiscal year, 9 estimates have moved higher, while 1 has been revised downwards [10]