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5 Stocks Riding Strong Price Momentum Into the Final Quarter
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Key Takeaways
U.S. stocks enter the final quarter with a mildly bullish setup despite yields and geopolitical risks.
PBF, BP and DK gained 173.3%, 31.4% and 130.2% in a year, respectively, with strong earnings growth.
CVE and CBRL gained 88.9% and 17% in a year, respectively, as their earnings estimates moved higher.
U.S. stocks enter the final quarter with a mildly bullish setup, helped by favorable seasonality, resilient corporate earnings and continued enthusiasm around artificial intelligence spending. The S&P 500 remains close to record territory, and expectations for solid profit growth could keep investor sentiment constructive.
Still, the path higher may not be smooth. Elevated Treasury yields are pressuring valuations and raising borrowing costs, while investors are also watching Federal Reserve policy and geopolitical developments. Even so, recent market action suggests that equities are holding up well despite these headwinds.
With the S&P 500 still within reach of 8,000 by year-end 2026, the broader tone remains cautiously positive. In this environment, focusing on stocks already outperforming the market through relative price strength can be a sensible strategy for investors seeking areas where momentum remains firm.
Earnings growth and valuation multiples are indeed important for investors to determine a stock's ability to offer considerable returns. However, these are also essential for determining whether a stock’s price performance is better than its peers or the industry average.
If a stock’s performance is lacking that of the broader groups, despite impressive earnings growth or valuation multiples, then something must be wrong.
It’s always advisable to stay away from these stocks and bet on those that are outperforming their respective industry or benchmark. This is because betting on a winner always proves to be lucrative.
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 are 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 five of the 10 stocks that made it through the screen:
PBF Energy: PBF Energy is a leading independent refiner of crude oil based in Parsippany, NJ. The company’s expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is currently 55.2%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 32.7%. PBF Energy has a VGM Score of A.
Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for PBF Energy’s 2026 earnings has moved up 44.5%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings indicates 648.7% growth. PBF shares have gained 173.3% in a year.
BP: It is an integrated oil and gas company with upstream, downstream and trading operations. Its portfolio spans global production, refining, customer businesses and low-carbon activities, supported by strong technical and commercial capabilities. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BP’s 2026 earnings indicates 152.8% growth. BP has a VGM Score of A.
BP beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the last four quarters. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 17.9%, on average. BP shares have gained 31.4% in a year.
Delek US Holdings: Brentwood, TN-based Delek US Holdings is an independent refiner, transporter and marketer of petroleum products. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings of DK indicates 143.3% growth. The company has a VGM Score of A.
DK has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 243%, on average. Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the downstream operator’s 2026 earnings has moved up from $8.32 per share to $16.06. Delek’s shares have gone up 130.2% in a year.
Cenovus Energy: It is an integrated energy company with oil sands, conventional and offshore production, supported by refining assets in Canada and the United States. Its diversified operations combine long-life resources, downstream capacity and growth investments. CVE has a market capitalization of $59 billion. It has a VGM Score of A.
Notably, over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cenovus Energy’s 2026 earnings has gone up 11.6%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings of CVE indicates 131.8% growth. Cenovus Energy shares have gained 88.9% in a year.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store: It owns and operates full-service restaurants that combine a restaurant and a retail store in the same unit. Cracker Barrel’s expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is currently 27%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 14.7%. CBRL has a VGM Score of A.
Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cracker Barrel’s fiscal 2027 earnings has moved up 21.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2027 earnings indicates 81.3% growth. CBRL shares have gained 17% in a year.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
5 Stocks Riding Strong Price Momentum Into the Final Quarter
Key Takeaways
U.S. stocks enter the final quarter with a mildly bullish setup, helped by favorable seasonality, resilient corporate earnings and continued enthusiasm around artificial intelligence spending. The S&P 500 remains close to record territory, and expectations for solid profit growth could keep investor sentiment constructive.
Still, the path higher may not be smooth. Elevated Treasury yields are pressuring valuations and raising borrowing costs, while investors are also watching Federal Reserve policy and geopolitical developments. Even so, recent market action suggests that equities are holding up well despite these headwinds.
With the S&P 500 still within reach of 8,000 by year-end 2026, the broader tone remains cautiously positive. In this environment, focusing on stocks already outperforming the market through relative price strength can be a sensible strategy for investors seeking areas where momentum remains firm.
At this stage, investors would be wise to consider companies such as PBF Energy (PBF - Free Report) , BP plc (BP - Free Report) , Delek US Holdings (DK - Free Report) , Cenovus Energy (CVE - Free Report) and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (CBRL - Free Report) .
Relative Price Strength Strategy
Earnings growth and valuation multiples are indeed important for investors to determine a stock's ability to offer considerable returns. However, these are also essential for determining whether a stock’s price performance is better than its peers or the industry average.
If a stock’s performance is lacking that of the broader groups, despite impressive earnings growth or valuation multiples, then something must be wrong.
It’s always advisable to stay away from these stocks and bet on those that are outperforming their respective industry or benchmark. This is because betting on a winner always proves to be lucrative.
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 are 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 five of the 10 stocks that made it through the screen:
PBF Energy: PBF Energy is a leading independent refiner of crude oil based in Parsippany, NJ. The company’s expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is currently 55.2%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 32.7%. PBF Energy has a VGM Score of A.
Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for PBF Energy’s 2026 earnings has moved up 44.5%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings indicates 648.7% growth. PBF shares have gained 173.3% in a year.
BP: It is an integrated oil and gas company with upstream, downstream and trading operations. Its portfolio spans global production, refining, customer businesses and low-carbon activities, supported by strong technical and commercial capabilities. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BP’s 2026 earnings indicates 152.8% growth. BP has a VGM Score of A.
BP beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the last four quarters. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 17.9%, on average. BP shares have gained 31.4% in a year.
Delek US Holdings: Brentwood, TN-based Delek US Holdings is an independent refiner, transporter and marketer of petroleum products. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings of DK indicates 143.3% growth. The company has a VGM Score of A.
DK has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 243%, on average. Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the downstream operator’s 2026 earnings has moved up from $8.32 per share to $16.06. Delek’s shares have gone up 130.2% in a year.
Cenovus Energy: It is an integrated energy company with oil sands, conventional and offshore production, supported by refining assets in Canada and the United States. Its diversified operations combine long-life resources, downstream capacity and growth investments. CVE has a market capitalization of $59 billion. It has a VGM Score of A.
Notably, over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cenovus Energy’s 2026 earnings has gone up 11.6%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings of CVE indicates 131.8% growth. Cenovus Energy shares have gained 88.9% in a year.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store: It owns and operates full-service restaurants that combine a restaurant and a retail store in the same unit. Cracker Barrel’s expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is currently 27%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 14.7%. CBRL has a VGM Score of A.
Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cracker Barrel’s fiscal 2027 earnings has moved up 21.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2027 earnings indicates 81.3% growth. CBRL shares have gained 17% in a year.