Group 1 - The article emphasizes the growing interest in small-cap value stocks as the market broadens beyond mega-cap tech stocks, which have dominated investment flows in recent years [2][21] - In Q4, the Russell 2000® Value Index returned 3.26%, outperforming the S&P 500's 2.66% gains, indicating a significant relative performance improvement for small stocks [3] - Small companies are projected to experience profit growth that will surpass large caps for the first time in 13 quarters, supported by favorable economic conditions such as lower interest rates and improved regulatory environments [4] Group 2 - Valuations of small stocks are becoming more attractive, with recent private acquisitions indicating increased investor interest; four holdings were taken private in the last quarter, raising the total to 14 for the year [5] - Despite the concentration of market capitalization, where just 10% of companies account for over 75% of the market, there is a belief that the small-cap rebound is still in its early stages [6] - The Heartland Value Fund gained 2.61% in Q4, slightly underperforming the Russell 2000® Value Index, but has outpaced it over longer time frames [9] Group 3 - Integer Holdings Corporation faced a significant stock decline of over 30% after lowering its growth outlook, but management remains optimistic about future growth and margin expansion [11] - Columbus McKinnon Corporation's stock dropped more than 40% following a $2.7 billion acquisition announcement, despite management's plans to improve growth and margin profiles post-acquisition [13][14] - Alexander & Baldwin's stock was down over 14% due to concerns about tourism, but the company was taken private at a 40% premium, indicating renewed investor interest in undervalued companies [20]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on "buying high and selling higher," contrasting with 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, leading to potential losses for investors [2] - A safer approach involves investing in bargain stocks that exhibit recent price momentum, utilizing tools like the Zacks Momentum Style Score to identify such opportunities [3] Group 2: Columbus McKinnon (CMCO) Analysis - Columbus McKinnon (CMCO) has shown a price increase of 3.1% over the past four weeks, indicating growing investor interest [4] - CMCO has gained 5.6% over the past 12 weeks, demonstrating its ability to deliver positive returns over a longer timeframe [5] - The stock has a beta of 1.3, suggesting it moves 30% more than the market in either direction, indicating fast-paced momentum [5] - CMCO holds a Momentum Score of B, suggesting it is an opportune time to invest in the stock [6] - The stock has a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) due to upward revisions in earnings estimates, which typically attract more investor interest [7] - CMCO is trading at a Price-to-Sales ratio of 0.45, indicating it is reasonably valued at 45 cents for each dollar of sales, providing room for growth [7] Group 3: Additional Investment Opportunities - Besides CMCO, 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]