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2 Stocks to Gain From New Analyst Coverage Amid Uncertainty

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Key Takeaways

  • POWL shares surged 131.4% in 6 months, outpacing the industry's 8.5% growth.
  • EPS estimate for POWL's fiscal 2026 rose to $15.45, projecting 4% year-over-year growth.
  • MOV's fiscal 2027 EPS estimate jumped to $1.47, reflecting 29% growth over the past year.

Against today’s uncertain economic backdrop, marked by slowing growth, shifting interest-rate expectations, and a more selective risk appetite, new analyst coverage is gaining importance for investors.

Two stocks that have recently gained analyst attention are Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL - Free Report) and Movado Group, Inc. (MOV - Free Report) , likely drawing increased investor interest.

Why Analyst Coverage Commands Attention

When analysts at leading firms initiate coverage on a stock, they bring with them a network of institutional clients and a comprehensive financial analysis. They are often experts in specific industries or sectors, leveraging their specialized knowledge to conduct in-depth research and analysis. Analysts provide investors with crucial insights into a company’s financial performance, growth prospects, competitive position, and industry dynamics—information that can be challenging for individual investors to obtain on their own.

Do analysts add value to companies by initiating coverage? Absolutely. Their role as intermediaries grants them access to a wealth of relevant data, which they refine into actionable insights. Many investors rely heavily on analysts’ research, recognizing that a lack of information could lead to market inefficiencies.

Stocks selected for coverage are not chosen arbitrarily. New coverage generally reflects the analyst’s confidence in the company’s prospects. Sometimes, heightened investor interest in a particular stock prompts analysts to focus on it, aligning their efforts with market demand. Consequently, ratings for newly covered stocks often tend to be more favorable compared to those of stocks that are already under continuous coverage.

Furthermore, a shift in the average broker recommendation holds more significance than an isolated recommendation change. When an analyst issues a recommendation for a company with minimal or no existing coverage, it often captures investors' attention. This, in turn, can attract portfolio managers to take positions in the stock as additional information surfaces.

How Analyst Coverage Impacts Stock Performance

Analyst coverage can significantly impact stock performance by triggering various market reactions. The announcement of new coverage can cause immediate fluctuations in stock prices. Positive ratings can attract bullish investors, while neutral or negative ratings may spark sell-offs. Meanwhile, consistent, positive coverage from multiple analysts can contribute to sustained investor confidence, potentially leading to higher valuations. Conversely, if the coverage reveals previously unrecognized risks, it can hinder long-term performance.

Overall, new analyst coverage can act as a spotlight, illuminating stocks that might otherwise go unnoticed. Whether you’re discovering a hidden gem or gaining a fresh perspective on a well-known company, these reports can be a powerful addition to your investment toolkit.

Are there newly covered stocks on your radar? Now might be the perfect time to dig deeper and uncover your next winning investment.

So, it’s a good strategy to bet on stocks that have seen increased analyst coverage over the last few weeks.

Screening Criteria

The Number of Broker Ratings is greater than the Number of Broker Ratings four weeks ago (this will shortlist stocks that have recent new coverage).

Average Broker Rating less than Average Broker Rating four weeks ago (“less than” means “better than” four weeks ago).

Increased analyst coverage and improving average rating are the primary criteria of this strategy, but one should also consider other relevant parameters to make it foolproof.

Here are the other screening parameters:

Price greater than or equal to $5 (as a stock below $5 will not likely create significant interest for most investors).

Average Daily Volume greater than or equal to 100,000 shares (if the volume isn’t enough, it will not attract individual investors).

Here are two of the five stocks that passed the screen:

Powell Industries: Based in Houston, TX, Powell designs, manufactures, sells, and services custom-engineered equipment and systems. Powell currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Powell shares have surged 131.4% in the past six months, outperforming the industry’s 8.5% growth. The earnings per share (EPS) estimates for fiscal 2026 has trended upward to $15.45 from $15.27 over the past month. The estimated figures indicate 4% growth from a year ago for fiscal 2026.

Movado Group: Based in Paramus, NJ, Movado designs, sources, markets and distributes watches globally. Movado currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.

Movado shares have gained 61.3% in the past six months, outperforming the industry’s 24.1% growth. The EPS estimate for fiscal 2027 has increased to $1.47 from $1.39 over the past month. The estimated figures indicate 29% growth from a year ago.

You can get the remaining stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your trading. Further, you can also create your strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.


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Movado Group Inc. (MOV) - free report >>

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