Over the last 6 months (previous two weeks notwithstanding), stocks have been on a tear.
Since the pandemic lows in late March, the Dow has surged by more than 59%, the S&P by 63%, and the Nasdaq by 81%!
It’s been a record-setting move.
And in spite of the pandemic, both the S&P and the Nasdaq (even with the recent pullback), are positive on the year: the S&P by 4.8%, and the Nasdaq by 23.2% YTD.
But the best part is that it looks like there’s a lot more upside to go.
And with expectations for unprecedented growth for the remainder of the year, record growth next year, near zero interest rates for the foreseeable future, and the possibility of a vaccine by year’s end (or sooner), stocks look poised to soar even more.
Although, like any year, there are always some headwinds out there: the economy has not fully reopened; we’re still fighting the virus; and there’s an election coming. So there’s that.
But whether you’re bullish on the market, or a bit wary, it’s now more important than ever to make sure you’re doing everything you can to get the most out of your trades.
Regardless of which camp you put yourself in, there will be distinct winners and losers as we move forward. So before you make your next trade, please read this first to learn how to put the probabilities of success on your side.
Knowledge Is Power
We’ve all heard the old adage; knowledge is power.
It’s a great saying because it’s true.
And that saying couldn’t be truer than when it comes to investing.
Take a look at your last big loser for example. After analyzing what went wrong, you soon discover some piece of information that -- ‘had you known beforehand, you never would have gotten into it in the first place’.
I’m not talking about things that are unknowable, like inside information or surprise announcements that can catch even the most professional of professionals off guard.
I’m talking about things that you could have known about or SHOULD have known about before you got in.
Did You Know?...
• Did you know that roughly half of a stock's price movement can be attributed to the group that it’s in?
• Did you also know that oftentimes a mediocre stock in a top performing group will outperform a ‘great’ stock in a poor performing group?
• And did you know that the top 50% of Zacks Ranked Industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1?
• And did you also know that the top 10% of industries outperformed the most?
More . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Deadline is Approaching Fast: Get Finding #1 Stocks Free
Zacks’ EVP Kevin Matras expects the market to be lifted by optimism over a vaccine by year’s end and an extra $44 billion pumped into the economy as a result of the latest enhancement to unemployment benefits.
But in order to capitalize on soaring stock prices, you have to know where to find the ones that will lead the market.
For a limited time, you can get your copy of Kevin’s book, Finding #1 Stocks free of charge (a $49.95 value). This 300-page hardbound book unfolds almost every stock-picking secret from the Zacks system that since 1988 has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24% per year.
In it, he shares his best stock-picking secrets, including the exact formulas for strategies that from 2017 through Q2 2020, produced gains of +122.2%, +153.0%, and even +156.8%.¹
This exclusive opportunity ends when inventory is depleted and no later than midnight Saturday, September 19th.
Get your free book now >>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was your last loser in one of the top industries or in one of the bottom industries?
If it was in one of the bottom industries, you should have known to not take a chance on something with a reduced probability of success.
That’s what is meant by ‘knowledge is power’. Knowable things that you need to know.
That’s not to say that stocks in crummy industries won’t go up -- they do. And that’s not to say that stocks in good industries won’t go down -- because they do too.
But more stocks go up in the top industries, and more stocks go down in the bottom industries.
And since there are over 10,000 stocks out there to pick and choose from, why settle for one with a reduced chance of making any money?
Did You Know?...
• Did you know that stocks with ‘just’ double-digit growth rates typically outperform stocks with triple-digit growth rates?
• Did you also know that stocks with crazy high growth rates test nearly as poorly as those with the lowest growth rates?
Did your last loser have a spectacular growth rate?
If so, and it got crushed, would you have picked it if you knew that stocks with the highest growth rates have spotty track records?
It seems logical to think that the companies with the highest growth rates would do the best. But it doesn’t always turn out to be the case.
One explanation for this is that sky high growth rates are unsustainable. And the moment a more normal (albeit still good) growth rate emerges, the stock gets a dose of reality as well.
For example, a company earning 1 cent a share that is now expected to earn 6 cents, has a 500% growth rate. But, if it receives a downward estimate revision to 5 cents, that’s a significant drop. Even though it still has a 400% growth rate, the estimates were just reduced by -16.7% and the price is likely to follow.
If you’ve ever wondered how a stock with a triple-digit growth rate could possibly go down -- that’s how.
Instead, I have found that comparing a stock to the median growth rate for its industry is the best way to find solid outperformers with a lesser chance to disappoint.
Did You Know?...
• Did you know that stocks receiving broker rating upgrades have historically outperformed those with no rating change by more than 1.5 times? And did you know they outperformed stocks receiving downgrades by more than 10 x as much? The next time one of your stocks is upgraded or downgraded, be sure to remember these statistics so you know how the odds stack up and whether they’re for you or against you.
• Did you know that stocks with a Price to Sales ratio of less than 1 have produced significantly superior results over companies with a Price to Sales ratio greater than 1? And did you know that those with a Price to Sales ratio of greater than 4 have typically shown to lose money? That doesn’t mean that all stocks with a P/S ratio of less than one will go up and those over four will go down, but you can greatly increase your odds of success by following these valuations.
• Did you know that the Zacks Rank is one of the best rating systems out there? And did you know that since 1988, the Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buy stocks have beaten the market in 26 of the last 32 years, with an average annual return of 24.7% per year? That’s nearly 2.5 x the returns of the S&P with an 81% annual win ratio.
• Did you know that two simple filters added to the Zacks Rank #1 stocks significantly increases its returns? What if you did? We have a screen that utilizes these two additional items to narrow that list down to 5 high probability stocks per week. Over the last 20 years (2000 thru 2019), it’s produced an average annual return of 54.1%, which is 9 x the market. That screen is aptly called the Filtered Zacks Rank 5 screen.
Do you know how well your stock picking strategies have performed?
Whether good or bad – do you know why?
Do you know if your favorite item to look for is helping you or hurting you?
Beat The Market On Your Next Trade
With stocks poised for another historic move, there's a simple way to add a big performance advantage for stock-picking success. It's called the Zacks Method for Trading: Home Study Course.
With this fun, interactive online program, you can master the Zacks Rank in your own home and at your own pace. You don’t have to attend a single class or seminar.
Zacks Method for Trading covers the investment ideas I just shared and guides you to better trading step by step, plus so much more.
You'll quickly see how to get the most out of the proven system that has more than doubled the market for over three decades. Discover what kind of trader you are, how to find stocks with the highest probability of success, and how to trade them so you can consistently beat the market no matter where stock prices are headed.
You’ll get the formulas behind our top-performing strategies suited for a variety of different trading styles. The best of these strategies produced up to +122.2%, +153.0%, and even +156.8% from 2017 through Q2 2020.¹
The course will also help you create and test your own stock-picking strategies.
Today is the perfect time to get in. I'm giving participants free hardbound copies of my book, Finding #1 Stocks, a $49.95 value. Its 300 pages unfold virtually every trading secret I’ve learned over the last 25 years to beat the market.
Please note: Copies of the book are limited and your opportunity to get one free ends midnight Saturday, September 19th, unless we run out of books first. If you're interested, I encourage you to check this out now.
Find out more about Zacks Home Study Course >>
Thanks and good trading,
Kevin
Zacks Executive VP Kevin Matras is responsible for all our trading and investing services. He developed many of our most powerful market-beating strategies and directs the Zacks Method for Trading: Home Study Course.
¹ The results listed above are not (or may not be) representative of the performance of all strategies developed by Zacks Investment Research.
Image: Bigstock
Read This Before Your Next Trade
Over the last 6 months (previous two weeks notwithstanding), stocks have been on a tear.
Since the pandemic lows in late March, the Dow has surged by more than 59%, the S&P by 63%, and the Nasdaq by 81%!
It’s been a record-setting move.
And in spite of the pandemic, both the S&P and the Nasdaq (even with the recent pullback), are positive on the year: the S&P by 4.8%, and the Nasdaq by 23.2% YTD.
But the best part is that it looks like there’s a lot more upside to go.
And with expectations for unprecedented growth for the remainder of the year, record growth next year, near zero interest rates for the foreseeable future, and the possibility of a vaccine by year’s end (or sooner), stocks look poised to soar even more.
Although, like any year, there are always some headwinds out there: the economy has not fully reopened; we’re still fighting the virus; and there’s an election coming. So there’s that.
But whether you’re bullish on the market, or a bit wary, it’s now more important than ever to make sure you’re doing everything you can to get the most out of your trades.
Regardless of which camp you put yourself in, there will be distinct winners and losers as we move forward. So before you make your next trade, please read this first to learn how to put the probabilities of success on your side.
Knowledge Is Power
We’ve all heard the old adage; knowledge is power.
It’s a great saying because it’s true.
And that saying couldn’t be truer than when it comes to investing.
Take a look at your last big loser for example. After analyzing what went wrong, you soon discover some piece of information that -- ‘had you known beforehand, you never would have gotten into it in the first place’.
I’m not talking about things that are unknowable, like inside information or surprise announcements that can catch even the most professional of professionals off guard.
I’m talking about things that you could have known about or SHOULD have known about before you got in.
Did You Know?...
• Did you know that roughly half of a stock's price movement can be attributed to the group that it’s in?
• Did you also know that oftentimes a mediocre stock in a top performing group will outperform a ‘great’ stock in a poor performing group?
• And did you know that the top 50% of Zacks Ranked Industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1?
• And did you also know that the top 10% of industries outperformed the most?
More . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Deadline is Approaching Fast: Get Finding #1 Stocks Free
Zacks’ EVP Kevin Matras expects the market to be lifted by optimism over a vaccine by year’s end and an extra $44 billion pumped into the economy as a result of the latest enhancement to unemployment benefits.
But in order to capitalize on soaring stock prices, you have to know where to find the ones that will lead the market.
For a limited time, you can get your copy of Kevin’s book, Finding #1 Stocks free of charge (a $49.95 value). This 300-page hardbound book unfolds almost every stock-picking secret from the Zacks system that since 1988 has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24% per year.
In it, he shares his best stock-picking secrets, including the exact formulas for strategies that from 2017 through Q2 2020, produced gains of +122.2%, +153.0%, and even +156.8%.¹
This exclusive opportunity ends when inventory is depleted and no later than midnight Saturday, September 19th.
Get your free book now >>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was your last loser in one of the top industries or in one of the bottom industries?
If it was in one of the bottom industries, you should have known to not take a chance on something with a reduced probability of success.
That’s what is meant by ‘knowledge is power’. Knowable things that you need to know.
That’s not to say that stocks in crummy industries won’t go up -- they do. And that’s not to say that stocks in good industries won’t go down -- because they do too.
But more stocks go up in the top industries, and more stocks go down in the bottom industries.
And since there are over 10,000 stocks out there to pick and choose from, why settle for one with a reduced chance of making any money?
Did You Know?...
• Did you know that stocks with ‘just’ double-digit growth rates typically outperform stocks with triple-digit growth rates?
• Did you also know that stocks with crazy high growth rates test nearly as poorly as those with the lowest growth rates?
Did your last loser have a spectacular growth rate?
If so, and it got crushed, would you have picked it if you knew that stocks with the highest growth rates have spotty track records?
It seems logical to think that the companies with the highest growth rates would do the best. But it doesn’t always turn out to be the case.
One explanation for this is that sky high growth rates are unsustainable. And the moment a more normal (albeit still good) growth rate emerges, the stock gets a dose of reality as well.
For example, a company earning 1 cent a share that is now expected to earn 6 cents, has a 500% growth rate. But, if it receives a downward estimate revision to 5 cents, that’s a significant drop. Even though it still has a 400% growth rate, the estimates were just reduced by -16.7% and the price is likely to follow.
If you’ve ever wondered how a stock with a triple-digit growth rate could possibly go down -- that’s how.
Instead, I have found that comparing a stock to the median growth rate for its industry is the best way to find solid outperformers with a lesser chance to disappoint.
Did You Know?...
• Did you know that stocks receiving broker rating upgrades have historically outperformed those with no rating change by more than 1.5 times? And did you know they outperformed stocks receiving downgrades by more than 10 x as much? The next time one of your stocks is upgraded or downgraded, be sure to remember these statistics so you know how the odds stack up and whether they’re for you or against you.
• Did you know that stocks with a Price to Sales ratio of less than 1 have produced significantly superior results over companies with a Price to Sales ratio greater than 1? And did you know that those with a Price to Sales ratio of greater than 4 have typically shown to lose money? That doesn’t mean that all stocks with a P/S ratio of less than one will go up and those over four will go down, but you can greatly increase your odds of success by following these valuations.
• Did you know that the Zacks Rank is one of the best rating systems out there? And did you know that since 1988, the Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buy stocks have beaten the market in 26 of the last 32 years, with an average annual return of 24.7% per year? That’s nearly 2.5 x the returns of the S&P with an 81% annual win ratio.
• Did you know that two simple filters added to the Zacks Rank #1 stocks significantly increases its returns? What if you did? We have a screen that utilizes these two additional items to narrow that list down to 5 high probability stocks per week. Over the last 20 years (2000 thru 2019), it’s produced an average annual return of 54.1%, which is 9 x the market. That screen is aptly called the Filtered Zacks Rank 5 screen.
Do you know how well your stock picking strategies have performed?
Whether good or bad – do you know why?
Do you know if your favorite item to look for is helping you or hurting you?
Beat The Market On Your Next Trade
With stocks poised for another historic move, there's a simple way to add a big performance advantage for stock-picking success. It's called the Zacks Method for Trading: Home Study Course.
With this fun, interactive online program, you can master the Zacks Rank in your own home and at your own pace. You don’t have to attend a single class or seminar.
Zacks Method for Trading covers the investment ideas I just shared and guides you to better trading step by step, plus so much more.
You'll quickly see how to get the most out of the proven system that has more than doubled the market for over three decades. Discover what kind of trader you are, how to find stocks with the highest probability of success, and how to trade them so you can consistently beat the market no matter where stock prices are headed.
You’ll get the formulas behind our top-performing strategies suited for a variety of different trading styles. The best of these strategies produced up to +122.2%, +153.0%, and even +156.8% from 2017 through Q2 2020.¹
The course will also help you create and test your own stock-picking strategies.
Today is the perfect time to get in. I'm giving participants free hardbound copies of my book, Finding #1 Stocks, a $49.95 value. Its 300 pages unfold virtually every trading secret I’ve learned over the last 25 years to beat the market.
Please note: Copies of the book are limited and your opportunity to get one free ends midnight Saturday, September 19th, unless we run out of books first. If you're interested, I encourage you to check this out now.
Find out more about Zacks Home Study Course >>
Thanks and good trading,
Kevin
Zacks Executive VP Kevin Matras is responsible for all our trading and investing services. He developed many of our most powerful market-beating strategies and directs the Zacks Method for Trading: Home Study Course.
¹ The results listed above are not (or may not be) representative of the performance of all strategies developed by Zacks Investment Research.