When it comes to short-term investing or trading, they say "the trend is your friend." And there's no denying that this is the most profitable strategy. But making sure of the sustainability of a trend to profit from it is easier said than done.The trend often reverses before exiting the trade, leading to a short-term capital loss for investors. So, for a profitable trade, one should confirm factors such as sound fundamentals, positive earnings estimate revisions, etc. that could keep the momentum in the st ...

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of identifying sustainable trends in short-term investing to maximize profits, highlighting the utility of a specific screening strategy to find 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 an upward price trend, focusing on those trading in the upper portion of their 52-week high-low range, indicating bullishness [3]. - Photronics (PLAB) is highlighted as a strong candidate for trend investing, having increased by 51.2% over the past 12 weeks, reflecting investor confidence in its potential upside [4]. - PLAB has also shown a 7.4% price increase over the last four weeks, confirming that the upward trend is still intact, and it is currently trading at 84.5% of its 52-week high-low range, suggesting a potential breakout [5]. Group 2: Fundamental Strength - PLAB 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 averaging an annual return of +25% since 1988, indicating the reliability of this ranking system [7]. - The average broker recommendation for PLAB is also 1 (Strong Buy), reflecting high optimism from the brokerage community regarding its near-term price performance [7]. Group 3: Additional Investment Opportunities - Besides PLAB, there are other stocks that meet the criteria of the "Recent Price Strength" screen, suggesting further investment opportunities for those looking to capitalize on similar trends [8]. - The article encourages investors to explore over 45 Zacks Premium Screens tailored to different investing styles, which can help identify potential winning stock picks [8].

Core Viewpoint - Photronics (PLAB) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), indicating a positive outlook on its earnings estimates, which is a significant factor influencing stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Performance - The Zacks rating system is based on changes in earnings estimates, which are closely correlated with stock price movements, making it a valuable tool for investors [2][4]. - The recent upgrade for Photronics reflects an improvement in its underlying business, suggesting that investor sentiment may lead to increased stock prices [5]. Earnings Estimate Revisions - Photronics is projected to earn $2.18 per share for the fiscal year ending October 2026, with no year-over-year change expected [8]. - Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Photronics has increased by 7.4%, indicating a positive trend in earnings estimates [8]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with Zacks Rank 1 stocks historically generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [7]. - Photronics' upgrade to Zacks Rank 1 places it in the top 5% of Zacks-covered stocks, suggesting a strong potential for market-beating returns in the near term [10].