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4 Stocks Trading Near 52-Week High That Can Scale Higher

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Investors generally consider 52-week high as a criterion to pick stocks. This is because stocks near that level are perceived to be winners.

However, given the high price, investors often wonder if the stock is overpriced. While the speculations are not absolutely baseless, all stocks hitting a 52-week high are not necessarily overpriced.

In fact, investors might lose out on top gainers in an attempt to avoid the steep prices.

A good stock can maintain the momentum and keep scaling new highs. So, more information on a stock is necessary to understand whether there is scope for further upside.

Here we discuss a strategy to find the right stocks, which borrows from the basics of momentum investing, this technique bets on “buy high, sell higher.”

52-Week High: A Good Indicator

Many a time, stocks hitting a 52-week high fail to scale higher despite having potential. This is because investors fear that the stocks are overvalued and expect the price to crash.

In fact, overvaluation is natural for most of these stocks as investors’ focus (or willingness to pay premium) has helped them reach the level. But that does not always indicate an impending decline. Factors such as robust sales, surging profit levels, earnings growth prospects and strategic acquisitions that encouraged investors to bet on these stocks could keep them motivated if there is no tangible negative. In other words, the momentum might continue.

Also, when a string of positive developments dominates the market, investors find their under-reaction unwarranted, even if there are no company-specific driving forces.

Setting the Right Filters

We ran a screen to zero in on 52-week high stocks (trading near the high level) that hold tremendous upside potential. The screen includes parameters to shortlist stocks with strong earnings growth expectations, sturdy value metrics and price momentum.

Moreover, the screen filters stocks that are relatively undervalued compared to their peers, in terms of earnings as well as sales, ensuring continuation of their rally for some time.

Current Price/52 Week High >= .80

This is the ratio between the current price and the highest price at which the stock has traded in the past 52 weeks. A value greater than 0.8 implies that the stock is trading within 20% of its 52-week high range.

% Change Price – 4 Weeks > 0

It ensures that the stock price has moved north over the past four weeks.

% Change Price – 12 Weeks > 0

This metric guarantees a continued upward price momentum for the stock over the past three months as well.

Price/Sales <= XIndMed

The lower, the better.

P/E using F(1) Estimate <= XIndMed

This metric measures the amount an investor puts into a company to obtain one dollar of earnings. It narrows down the list of stocks to those that are undervalued compared to the industry.

One-Year EPS Growth F(1)/F(0) >= XIndMed

This helps choose stocks that have higher growth rates than the industry. This is a meaningful indicator, as decent earnings growth adds to investor optimism.

Zacks Rank <=3

No screening is complete without Zacks Rank, which has proved its worth since inception. It is a fundamental truth that stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) have always managed to brave adversities and beat the market. Stocks with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) have also shown strong potential when combined with the above filters. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Current Price >= 5

This parameter will help screen stocks that are trading at $5 or higher.

Volume – 20 days (shares) >= 100000

Inclusion of this metric ensures that there is substantial volume of shares, so trading is easier.

Here are four stocks that made it through the screen:

Electromed, Inc. (ELMD - Free Report) is headquartered in New Prague, MN. The company manufactures, markets and sells products that provide airway clearance therapy to patients with compromised pulmonary function. Electromed currently carries a Zacks Rank #1. It delivered a trailing four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 675%, on average.

Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, Emergent Biosolutions Inc. (EBS - Free Report) is a global specialty biopharmaceutical company that aims to offer specialized products to health care providers and governments to fulfil unmet medical needs and combat emerging public health threats. This Zacks #3 Ranked player delivered a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of 34.73%, on average.

Chesterbrook, PA-based AmerisourceBergen is one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical services companies. It focuses on providing drug distribution and related services to reduce health care costs and improve patient outcomes. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. It pulled off a trailing four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 5.73%, on average.

Tarrytown, NY-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN - Free Report) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of treatments targeting serious medical conditions. The company’s portfolio boasts marketed drugs like Eylea (for several eye diseases), Dupixent and Praluent (heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia). The company carries a Zacks Rank #3 currently. It pulled off a trailing four-quarter positive surprise of 1.44%, on average.

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Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.
 
Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks’ portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance


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Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) - free report >>

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