Geopolitical headlines have kept U.S. markets alert, particularly tensions around Iran and the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route. Concerns over disruptions to energy supplies pushed oil prices higher, creating pressure on equities. Still, history suggests that regional conflicts often cause temporary market swings rather than lasting damage. Investors continue to watch the situation closely while balancing the risks tied to energy costs and global trade flows.

At the same time, the broader economic picture remains relatively stable. Inflation has eased from last year’s highs, and policymakers are monitoring both price trends and a gradually cooling labor market. Authorities have also moved to release oil reserves to ease supply concerns. These steps, along with expectations that tensions may eventually ease, have helped prevent a deeper market pullback.

In such an environment, relative price strength becomes a useful guide. Stocks that keep outperforming despite uncertainty often signal where investor confidence truly lies, making them attractive opportunities in a volatile market.

At this stage, investors would be wise to consider companies such as TechnipFMC plc (FTI Quick QuoteFTI - Free Report) , GigaCloud Technology (GCT Quick QuoteGCT - Free Report) , Dave Inc. (DAVE Quick QuoteDAVE - Free Report) and Eni S.p.A. (E Quick QuoteE - Free Report) .

Relative Price Strength Strategy

Investors generally gauge a stock’s potential returns by examining earnings growth and valuation multiples. At the same time, it’s essential to measure the performance of such a stock relative to its industry, peers, or an appropriate benchmark.

If you see that a stock is underperforming on fundamental factors, it would be prudent to move on and find a better alternative. However, those outperforming their respective sectors in terms of price should be selected because they stand a better chance of providing considerable returns.

Then again, it is imperative that you determine whether or not an investment has relevant upside potential when considering stocks with significant relative price strength. Stocks delivering better than the S&P 500 for 1 to 3 months, at least, and having solid fundamentals, indicate room for growth and the best way to go about this strategy.

Finally, it is crucial to find out whether analysts are optimistic about the upcoming earnings of these companies. In order to do this, we have added positive estimate revisions for the current quarter’s (Q1) earnings to our screen. When a stock undergoes an upward revision, it leads to additional price gains.

Screening Parameters

Relative % Price change – 12 weeks greater than 0

Relative % Price change – 4 weeks greater than 0

Relative % Price change – 1 week greater than 0

(We have considered those stocks that have been outperforming the S&P 500 over the last 12 weeks, four weeks and one week.)

% Change (Q1) Est. over 4 Weeks greater than 0: Positive current-quarter estimate revisions over the last four weeks.

Zacks Rank equal to 1: Only Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks — that have returned more than 26% annually over the last 26 years and surpassed the S&P 500 in 23 of the last 26 years — can get through. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Current Price greater than or equal to $5 and Average 20-day Volume greater than or equal to 50,000: A minimum price of $5 is a good standard to screen low-priced stocks, while a high trading volume would imply adequate liquidity.

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

Here are the four stocks that made it through the screen:

TechnipFMC plc: Headquartered in Newcastle, England and Houston, TX, TechnipFMC is a global provider of subsea and surface technologies for oil and gas projects. The company’s expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is currently 18.8%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 12.8%. FTI has a VGM Score of B.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TechnipFMC’s 2026 earnings per share indicates 18% year-over-year growth. The company beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in three of the last four quarters and missed in the other, with the average being 15.9%. FTI shares have increased 142.9% in a year.

GigaCloud Technology: It is a leading provider of comprehensive global B2B technology solutions for large-parcel merchandise. GigaCloud Technology beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the last four quarters, with the average being 64.5%. Headquartered in El Monte, CA, the company has a VGM Score of A.

GigaCloud Technology has a market capitalization of $1.6 billion. Notably, over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the firm’s 2026 earnings has moved up 17.1%. GCT’s shares have surged 205.4% in a year.

Dave: It is a digital banking platform helping underserved users manage money with ease. DAVE’s tools include budgeting support, interest-free cash advances, side income opportunities, and a modern checking account — all designed to boost financial health. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings of the company indicates 9.9% growth. DAVE has a VGM Score of A.

Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for DAVE’s 2026 earnings has moved up 3.5%. The company has a market capitalization of $3 billion. DAVE shares have gone up 173% in a year.

Eni S.p.A.: It is a Rome, Italy-headquartered integrated energy company. Eni has a market capitalization of around $82 billion. The company has a VGM Score of A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Eni’s 2026 earnings per share indicates 10.3% year-over-year growth. Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its 2026 earnings has moved up 13.2%. Eni shares have gained nearly 67% in a year.