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4 Stocks With Upgraded Broker Ratings Worth Considering Now

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Though the macroeconomic environment is gradually becoming clearer, the path to rate cuts is still uncertain. Further, the central bank officials are pushing back rate cut expectations.

Hence, in such a situation, it is difficult for individual investors to pick stocks independently and generate solid returns. For this, one has to understand the fundamentals of a company and try to place them against the present economic background to figure out how it may fare as an investment.

One way to cut short this task is to follow brokers’ recommendations. In this regard, stocks like Oshkosh Corporation (OSK - Free Report) , MasTec, Inc. (MTZ - Free Report) , Xenia Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (XHR - Free Report) and Korn Ferry (KFY - Free Report) are worth a look.

As brokers directly communicate with the top management, they have a better insight into what is happening in a particular company. They assess companies’ publicly available documents and even attend conference calls.

Brokers have more understanding of the overall sector and industry. They place company fundamentals against the current economic backdrop to determine how a particular stock will fare as an investment.

When brokers upgrade a stock, one can easily rely on their judgment. However, depending on broker upgrades is not the correct way to build your investment portfolio. Several other factors should be taken into account to ensure steady returns.

Selecting the Winning Strategy

We have a screening strategy that will help in your search for potential winners:

Broker Rating Upgrades (Four Weeks) of 1% or More: The screen selects stocks that have witnessed broker rating upgrades of 1% or more over the last four weeks.

Current Price Greater Than $5: The stocks must trade above $5.

Average 20-Day Volume Greater Than 100,000: A large trading volume guarantees that the stock is easily tradable.

Zacks Rank Equal to #1 or 2: Despite good or bad market conditions, stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) have a proven record of success. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

VGM Score of A or B: Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2, offer the best upside potential.

Here are four stocks that qualified for the screening:

Headquartered in Oshkosh, WI, Oshkosh is a producer and seller of a varied range of vehicle bodies and specialty vehicles. OSK is also engaged in equipment financing and leasing solutions for its customers, primarily through third-party funding arrangements.

OSK’s earnings for 2024 are expected to rise 2.9%. Oshkosh, carrying a Zacks Rank #2, has witnessed a 6.7% upward revision in broker ratings over the past four weeks.

Headquartered in Coral Gables, FL, MasTec is a leading infrastructure construction company. MTZ is engaged in the engineering, building, installation, maintenance and upgrade of energy, communication and utility and other infrastructure.

MasTec’s 2024 earnings are projected to jump 25.4%. MTZ, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 at present, has witnessed a 9.1% upward revision in broker ratings over the past four weeks.

Xenia Hotels & Resorts, based in Orlando, FL, is a self-advised and self-administered REIT. XHR invests in luxury and upper upscale hotels and resorts, with a primary focus on the top 25 lodging markets and major leisure destinations.

Xenia Hotels & Resorts’ 2024 earnings are projected to grow 1.3%. XHR, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, has witnessed a 12.5% upward revision in broker ratings in the past four weeks.

Based in Los Angeles, CA, Korn Ferry provides organizational consulting services globally. KFY operates through four segments – Consulting, Digital, Executive Search and Recruitment Process Outsourcing & Professional Search.

Korn Ferry’s fiscal 2025 earnings are projected to rise 7%. KFY, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 at present, has witnessed a 20% upward revision in broker ratings over the past four weeks.

The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.

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Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks’ portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance

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