We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Buy 5 Non-AI Stocks That Have Surged Year to Date to Tap Market Rally
Read MoreHide Full Article
Key Takeaways
ADM is gaining from Nutrition growth, BioSolutions expansion and stronger digital capabilities.
CASY and ROST are seeing sales growth from pricing, merchandising and store expansion efforts.
NUE and IMO are benefiting from higher demand, expansion projects and improving profitability.
Wall Street has been witnessing an astonishing rally since the beginning of 2023, barring some minor fluctuations. The prolonged rally has been primarily driven by the global artificial intelligence (AI) technology boom. Generative and agentic AI have transformed the entire landscape of the information technology sector worldwide.
A handful of non-AI stocks have also jumped year to date. Investment in these stocks with a favorable Zacks Rank should be fruitful in 2026. Five such non-AI stocks are: Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. (ADM - Free Report) , Casey's General Stores Inc. (CASY - Free Report) , Nucor Corp. (NUE - Free Report) , Ross Stores Inc. (ROST - Free Report) and Imperial Oil Ltd. (IMO - Free Report) .
The chart below shows the price performance of our five picks year to date.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Archer-Daniels-Midland Co.
Zacks Rank #2 Archer-Daniels-Midland is benefiting from a rebound in its Nutrition segment. Human Nutrition is gaining traction, with the Flavors portfolio benefiting from solid North American demand, international customer wins and improved margins from a favorable mix and disciplined pricing.
ADM continues to advance its Optimize, Drive and Grow pillars, enhancing productivity, accelerating cost savings, expanding BioSolutions and leveraging digital tools to unlock margin opportunities and strengthen customer reach.
ADM is actively managing productivity and innovation as well as aligning work to the interconnected trends in food security, health and wellbeing. The company is well-positioned for sustainable long-term profit growth across new avenues.
ADM has been creating additional margin opportunities, opening up channels to customers, advancing digital technologies in areas like farmer needs, the extension of Regen Act programs and partnerships, and the growth of its BioSolutions platform.
Archer-Daniels-Midland has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 6.5% and 32.4%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 5.3% over the last 30 days.
Casey's General Stores Inc.
Zacks Rank #2 Casey's General Stores shows strong growth momentum, supported by resilient inside sales, driven by prepared foods, beverages and high-margin grocery categories. Effective pricing, product innovation and a favorable product mix continue to enhance CASY’s margins and customer traffic.
We anticipate the inside gross margin to expand 60 basis points year over year in fiscal 2026. CASY’s fuel segment is outperforming industry trends, strengthening market share and profitability despite price fluctuations.
The Fikes/CEFCO acquisition is boosting scale, operational efficiency and long-term growth potential, supported by integration synergies. CASY’s strong cash flow generation and stable financial position provide flexibility for investments, expansion, and shareholder returns, reinforcing confidence in its sustained growth trajectory and overall business strength.
Casey's General Stores has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 10.8% and 12.4%, respectively, for the current year (ending April 2027). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 1.5% over the last 30 days.
Nucor Corp.
Zacks Rank #1 Nucor is committed to expanding its production capabilities and growing its business through strategic acquisitions. NUE’s efforts to boost production capacity through several growth projects should drive profitability. Nucor is also seeing strong momentum in non-residential construction.
NUE remains focused on achieving greater penetration in the automotive market. NUE is committed to maximizing returns to its shareholders by leveraging strong cash flows. Higher steel prices are also expected to support Nucor’s margins. Steel mills' price hikes amid a recovery in demand in key markets and tighter supply have led to an uptick in steel prices.
Nucor has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 14% and 92.5%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 1.8% over the last seven days.
Ross Stores Inc.
Zacks Rank #2 Ross Stores has been benefiting from the strong execution of its off-price retail model. ROST continues to benefit from solid demand for value-driven merchandise, delivering 21% sales growth and 17% comps growth in first-quarter fiscal 2026, supported by effective merchandising and marketing initiatives.
ROST is also progressing well on store-expansion plans, with long-term growth potential across both banners, targeting 2,900 Ross Dress for Less and 700 dd’s DISCOUNTS stores. For fiscal 2026, ROST expects comps growth of 6-7%, with earnings of $7.50-$7.74, up 13-17% year over year.
Solid financial flexibility, disciplined capital allocation and ongoing share repurchases highlight ROST’s commitment to shareholder returns, underscoring a robust business for continued growth.
Ross Stores has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 8.2% and 15.6%, respectively, for the current year (ending January 2027). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 3.9% over the last seven days.
Imperial Oil Ltd.
Zacks Rank #1 Imperial Oil’s integrated business model, spanning oil sands production, refining, petrochemicals and retail operations, provides stable earnings and lowers exposure to oil-price volatility. Backing from parent Exxon Mobil strengthens IMO’s financial flexibility and access to low-cost capital.
IMO also maintains a growth pipeline, with expansion plans at Kearl and Cold Lake alongside projects like Mahihkan and Grand Rapids SA-SAGD that can increase production while improving recovery rates and lowering costs. Operating cash flow supports dividends and share repurchases, while IMO’s downstream and renewable diesel operations enhance profitability during periods of strong fuel demand.
Imperial Oil has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 28.6% and 70.7%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 4.7% over the last seven days.
Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)
Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report
predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
Buy 5 Non-AI Stocks That Have Surged Year to Date to Tap Market Rally
Key Takeaways
Wall Street has been witnessing an astonishing rally since the beginning of 2023, barring some minor fluctuations. The prolonged rally has been primarily driven by the global artificial intelligence (AI) technology boom. Generative and agentic AI have transformed the entire landscape of the information technology sector worldwide.
A handful of non-AI stocks have also jumped year to date. Investment in these stocks with a favorable Zacks Rank should be fruitful in 2026. Five such non-AI stocks are: Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. (ADM - Free Report) , Casey's General Stores Inc. (CASY - Free Report) , Nucor Corp. (NUE - Free Report) , Ross Stores Inc. (ROST - Free Report) and Imperial Oil Ltd. (IMO - Free Report) .
Each of our picks currently carries either a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The chart below shows the price performance of our five picks year to date.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Archer-Daniels-Midland Co.
Zacks Rank #2 Archer-Daniels-Midland is benefiting from a rebound in its Nutrition segment. Human Nutrition is gaining traction, with the Flavors portfolio benefiting from solid North American demand, international customer wins and improved margins from a favorable mix and disciplined pricing.
ADM continues to advance its Optimize, Drive and Grow pillars, enhancing productivity, accelerating cost savings, expanding BioSolutions and leveraging digital tools to unlock margin opportunities and strengthen customer reach.
ADM is actively managing productivity and innovation as well as aligning work to the interconnected trends in food security, health and wellbeing. The company is well-positioned for sustainable long-term profit growth across new avenues.
ADM has been creating additional margin opportunities, opening up channels to customers, advancing digital technologies in areas like farmer needs, the extension of Regen Act programs and partnerships, and the growth of its BioSolutions platform.
Archer-Daniels-Midland has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 6.5% and 32.4%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 5.3% over the last 30 days.
Casey's General Stores Inc.
Zacks Rank #2 Casey's General Stores shows strong growth momentum, supported by resilient inside sales, driven by prepared foods, beverages and high-margin grocery categories. Effective pricing, product innovation and a favorable product mix continue to enhance CASY’s margins and customer traffic.
We anticipate the inside gross margin to expand 60 basis points year over year in fiscal 2026. CASY’s fuel segment is outperforming industry trends, strengthening market share and profitability despite price fluctuations.
The Fikes/CEFCO acquisition is boosting scale, operational efficiency and long-term growth potential, supported by integration synergies. CASY’s strong cash flow generation and stable financial position provide flexibility for investments, expansion, and shareholder returns, reinforcing confidence in its sustained growth trajectory and overall business strength.
Casey's General Stores has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 10.8% and 12.4%, respectively, for the current year (ending April 2027). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 1.5% over the last 30 days.
Nucor Corp.
Zacks Rank #1 Nucor is committed to expanding its production capabilities and growing its business through strategic acquisitions. NUE’s efforts to boost production capacity through several growth projects should drive profitability. Nucor is also seeing strong momentum in non-residential construction.
NUE remains focused on achieving greater penetration in the automotive market. NUE is committed to maximizing returns to its shareholders by leveraging strong cash flows. Higher steel prices are also expected to support Nucor’s margins. Steel mills' price hikes amid a recovery in demand in key markets and tighter supply have led to an uptick in steel prices.
Nucor has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 14% and 92.5%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 1.8% over the last seven days.
Ross Stores Inc.
Zacks Rank #2 Ross Stores has been benefiting from the strong execution of its off-price retail model. ROST continues to benefit from solid demand for value-driven merchandise, delivering 21% sales growth and 17% comps growth in first-quarter fiscal 2026, supported by effective merchandising and marketing initiatives.
ROST is also progressing well on store-expansion plans, with long-term growth potential across both banners, targeting 2,900 Ross Dress for Less and 700 dd’s DISCOUNTS stores. For fiscal 2026, ROST expects comps growth of 6-7%, with earnings of $7.50-$7.74, up 13-17% year over year.
Solid financial flexibility, disciplined capital allocation and ongoing share repurchases highlight ROST’s commitment to shareholder returns, underscoring a robust business for continued growth.
Ross Stores has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 8.2% and 15.6%, respectively, for the current year (ending January 2027). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 3.9% over the last seven days.
Imperial Oil Ltd.
Zacks Rank #1 Imperial Oil’s integrated business model, spanning oil sands production, refining, petrochemicals and retail operations, provides stable earnings and lowers exposure to oil-price volatility. Backing from parent Exxon Mobil strengthens IMO’s financial flexibility and access to low-cost capital.
IMO also maintains a growth pipeline, with expansion plans at Kearl and Cold Lake alongside projects like Mahihkan and Grand Rapids SA-SAGD that can increase production while improving recovery rates and lowering costs. Operating cash flow supports dividends and share repurchases, while IMO’s downstream and renewable diesel operations enhance profitability during periods of strong fuel demand.
Imperial Oil has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 28.6% and 70.7%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 4.7% over the last seven days.