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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Nautilus, Trex, Deckers, Overstock.com and Veritone

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – December 24, 2020 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Nautilus, Inc. , Trex Company, Inc. (TREX - Free Report) , Deckers Outdoor Corp. (DECK - Free Report) , Overstock.com, Inc. and Veritone, Inc. (VERI - Free Report) .

Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:

5 Russell 2000 Stocks That Have Crushed the Index in 2020

It has been an unusual year in the stock market — one that will go down in history. From the pandemic lows in late March to a record-setting rally as the year draws to a close, 2020 has been a rollercoaster.

If we look back at 2020, the S&P 500 hit a bottom of 2,237.40 on Mar 23. Since then, it has gained 64.8%, closing at 3,687.26 on Dec 22. Few people had actually expected such a ‘fast and strong’ recovery, thanks to the liquidity in the market.

In this article, we will discuss five of the Russell 2000 companies that are among the top gainers this year.

About the Index

The Russell 2000 Index measures the performance of the 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000 Index. It is one of the most widely used benchmarks for small-cap stocks because it is much broader than other indexes. This index, though very broad, composes less than 10% of the capitalization of the stock market.

The Russell 2000 Index has moved up 19.4% on a year-to-date basis. It closed at 1,989.88 on Dec 22.

Highly Volatile

Stocks in the Russell 2000 Index are relatively small, and that makes the index highly volatile. By and large, these stocks have a beta that is greater than one. High-beta stocks are supposed to be riskier but provide higher return potential. This makes it a favorite choice for aggressive investors.

5 Stocks That Hold Promise

We have selected five companies that have significantly outperformed the index so far this year. These frontrunners are well positioned to continue their winning streaks in 2021.

Nautilus, Inc.: Headquartered in Vancouver, WA, Nautilus is the global leader in innovative home fitness solutions. The company operates in two segments — Direct and Retail. Its diverse brand portfolio includes Bowflex, Nautilus, Schwinn and a broad selection of exercise bikes, cardio equipment, strength training products, as well as the JRNY digital fitness platform.

Nautilus currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and has a VGM Score of B. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 294%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its next-year earnings has been revised 60.7% upward over the past 60 days. Year to date, the stock has skyrocketed 1,162% compared with 39% growth of the industry.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Trex Company, Inc.: Headquartered in Winchester, VA, Trex is the world’s largest manufacturer of high-performance wood-alternative decking and railing. Stocked in more than 6,700 retail locations worldwide, Trex outdoor living products offer a wide range of style options with fewer maintenance requirements than wood. The company sells its products through wholesale distributors, retail lumber dealers, and home improvement retailers.

Trex carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The company delivered a trailing four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 18.5%, on average. The consensus estimate for its next-year earnings has been revised 7.3% upward over the past 60 days. Year to date, the stock has gained 91.4% compared with 28.8% growth of the industry.

Deckers Outdoor Corp., operating as Deckers Brands, is a global leader in designing, marketing and distributing innovative footwear, apparel and accessories for casual lifestyle use and high-performance activities. The company is headquartered in Goleta, CA. Its portfolio of brands includes UGG, Koolaburra, HOKA ONE ONE, Teva and Sanuk. Deckers Brands’ products are sold in more than 50 countries.

Deckers carries a Zacks Rank #2. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 480.5%, on average. The consensus estimate for its next-year earnings has been revised 14.3% upward over the past 60 days. Year to date, the stock has added 74.1% compared with 37% growth of the industry.

Overstock.com, Inc.: Headquartered in Midvale, UT, Overstock.com is a leading e-commerce home furnishings retailer and advocate of blockchain technology. The company operates through Retail, tZERO and Medici Ventures segments. Its e-commerce website sells a broad range of new home products at low prices. Further, the company focuses on the development and commercialization of financial applications of blockchain technology.

Overstock carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has a VGM Score of B. In the September quarter, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 317.4%. The consensus estimate for its next-year earnings has been revised 82.5% upward over the past 60 days. Year to date, the stock has returned 738.2% compared with 62.9% growth of the industry.

Veritone, Inc.: Headquartered in Costa Mesa, CA, Veritone is a leading provider of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and solutions. The company’s proprietary operating system, aiWARE, powers a diverse set of AI applications and intelligent process automation solutions that are transforming commercial and government organizations. The company’s AI developer tools enable its customers and partners to easily deploy custom applications that leverage the power of AI to improve operational efficiency.

Veritone has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The company delivered a trailing four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 14.1%, on average. The consensus estimate for its next-year earnings has been revised 19% upward over the past 60 days. Year to date, the stock has soared 1,116% compared with 13.1% growth of the industry.

Final Thoughts

Despite lingering worries, the optimism surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine, the Fed’s easing policy and ramped up federal infrastructure spending as part of getting the economy back on track will continue to support the market.

We have to see the developments on the new coronavirus strain in the U.K., and how the global markets react to it. One should remember that historic times create historic opportunities.

In 2021, we believe, there will be a correction, though not a major one, in the market. That said, the overall mood in Wall Street remains optimistic.  

Ride the trend...

Happy Investing!

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit http://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.


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