September is historically known as the worst-performing month for U.S. equities. However, this year the month ended on a mixed note. The S&P 500 and the Dow fell 0.5% and 4.3%, respectively. On the other hand, the Nasdaq Composite rose 1.9%.

As a result, a few stocks have shown price strength. We have primarily targeted stocks that have recently been on a bull run. These stocks have a high chance of carrying the momentum forward.

Five such stocks are — Vince Holding Corp. (VNCE Quick QuoteVNCE - Free Report) , Vera Bradley Inc. (VRA Quick QuoteVRA - Free Report) , American Outdoor Brands Inc. (AOUT Quick QuoteAOUT - Free Report) , Nutex Health Inc. (NUTX Quick QuoteNUTX - Free Report) and Forum Energy Technologies Inc. (FET Quick QuoteFET - Free Report) .

If a stock is continuously witnessing an uptrend, there must be a solid reason, or it would probably have crashed. So, looking at stocks capable of beating the benchmark that they have set for themselves seems rational.
However, recent price strength alone cannot create magic. Therefore, other relevant parameters are needed to create a successful investment strategy.

Here’s how you should create the screen to shortlist the current as well as the potential winners.

Screening Parameters:

Percentage Change in Price (4 Weeks) greater than zero: This criterion shows that the stock has moved higher in the last four weeks. 

Percentage Change Price (12 Weeks) greater than 10: This indicates that the stock has seen momentum over the last three months. This lowers the risk of choosing stocks that may have drawn attention due to the overwhelming performance of the overall market in a very short period. 

Zacks Rank 1: No matter whether market conditions are good or bad, stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) have a proven history of outperformance. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Average Broker Rating 1: This indicates that brokers are also highly hopeful about the stock’s future performance. 

Current Price greater than 5: The stocks must all be trading at a minimum of $5.

Current Price/ 52-Week High-Low Range more than 85%: This criterion filters stocks that are trading near their respective 52-week highs. It indicates that these are strong enough in terms of price.

Just these few criteria narrowed down the search from over 7,700 stocks to eight.

Let’s discuss five out of those eight stocks here:

Vince Holding offers a broad range of women's and men's ready-to-wear including its signature cashmere sweaters, leather jackets, luxe leggings, dresses, silk and woven tops, denim and footwear. 

VNCE operates in two segments, Vince Wholesale and Vince Direct-to-Consumer. VNCE sells its products through its branded specialty retail stores, outlet stores, department stores, and specialty stores, as well as through its vince.com e-commerce platform.

The stock price of Vince Holding has soared 64.1% over the past four weeks. The company has an expected earnings growth rate of more than 100% for the current year (ending January 2027). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 12.1% over the last 30 days.

Vera Bradley is a designer, producer, marketer and retailer of accessories for women. VRA’s products include handbags, accessories and travel and leisure items. VRA sells its products through two reportable segments Indirect and Direct. 

VRA’s indirect business consists of sale of Vera Bradley products to independent retailers in the U.S. as well as select national retailers and third party e-commerce sites. VRA’s direct business consists of product sales through its full-price stores, its outlet stores, verabradley.com, and its annual outlet sale in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The stock price of Vera Bradley has jumped 52.5% in the past four weeks. It has an expected earnings growth rate of 62.7% for the current year (ending January 2027). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 21.4% over the last 30 days.

American Outdoor Brands is a provider of outdoor products and accessories, including hunting, fishing, camping, shooting and personal security and defense products, for rugged outdoor enthusiasts. 

AOUT produces products under the Caldwell, Crimson Trace, Wheeler, Tipton, Frankford Arsenal, Lockdown, BOG, Hooyman, Smith & Wesson Accessories, M&P Accessories, Thompson/Center Arms Accessories, Performance Center Accessories, Schrade, Old Timer, Uncle Henry, Imperial, BUBBA, UST, LaserLyte, and MEAT! brands.

The stock price of AOUT has surged 12.9% over the past four weeks. The company has expected earnings growth of more than 100% for the current year (ending April 2027). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 27.5% over the last 30 days.

Nutex Health is a physician-led, technology-enabled healthcare services company. NUTX’s  operating divisions include the Hospital division and the Population Health Management division. Hospital division implements and operates different health care models, including micro hospitals, specialty hospitals and hospital outpatient departments. NUTX’s Population Health Management division owns and operates provider networks such as Independent Physician Associations. 

The stock price of Nutex Health has advanced 12% in the past four weeks. It has an expected earnings growth rate of more than 100% for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 21.4% over the last 30 days.

Forum Energy Technologies is a global oilfield products company, serving the subsea, drilling, completion, production and infrastructure sectors of the oil and natural gas industry. FET designs and manufactures products, and engages in aftermarket services, parts supply and related services that complement the Company's product offering. 

The stock price of FET has gained 3.6% in the past four weeks. It has an expected earnings growth rate of more than 100% for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 31.1% over the last 30 days.