10 Stocks Shaking the Market

Some stocks are one-hit wonders, making a big splash when they first appear, then quickly fizzling into obscurity or oblivion. But for other stocks, that initial big move is only a preview for even bigger and better gains to come.

Today, we've compiled 10 stocks that made some of the biggest upward moves over the past month. We'll then pair that list with the ratings issued by our Motley Fool CAPS community. The higher each stock's rating, the greater CAPS members' faith in that company's ability to keep on beating the market.

Thirty-day % change from Jan. 27 to Feb. 26.

As the markets whipsaw to changes in consumer sentiment, there will be weeks like this one where we see gains that are exceptionally ahead of the pace of the movers and shakers of prior weeks. So before we get shaken out again, let's see why the CAPS community thinks some of these companies might continue to outperform the market.

A mighty temblor
Now that Boeing (NYSE: BA) has finally gotten its 787 Dreamliner aloft, the orders for planes can start rolling off the assembly line. UAL, the parent of United Airlines, recently announced the completion of a 25-plane order with Boeing, along with the potential for an additional 50 planes in the future. The deal is estimated at around $4.2 billion.

With United upgrading its fleet to these luxury airliners, it is saying its future is well in hand and no longer teeters on the edge of the precipice. CAPS member faraim says it underscores just how far the reversal of fortune has progressed:

UAL Corp. has seriously leaned out the business. They cut back on premium cabins enabling a higher PRASM, have Continental in Star Alliance, and simplified the fleet. They have outperformed Wall Street for the past 3 or 4 quarters and I see this one hitting $20-25 in the next couple months.

But it's not clear skies yet for United, or for the rest of the industry. February's wintry weather caused the industry to lose millions of dollars through delays while increasing costs. Further, considering the lackluster economy with high unemployment rates, the market may yet punish the industry as commercial and leisure flights slough off.

United has its own issues, of course. Those, coupled with industry turbulence, help explain why the airline garners just a lowly one-star rating on CAPS, where fewer than half of those rating it believe it can outperform the market. Fly over to the UAL CAPS page, and let us know whether you think it will still be able to take flight.

Mining an opportunity
Even with demand for metallurgical coal rising in China as production there picked up steam, Cliffs Natural Resources was unable to see a follow-through on revenues, which fell 10% in the fourth quarter. Profits, on the other hand, doubled as it lapped hedging losses and other one-time charges.

Yet the mining company is expecting to see greater demand take hold here at home, as well. It was the anticipation of better conditions that led Cliffs to reinstate its dividend last year, and it expects sales volumes to rise in North America throughout 2010.

More than 1,100 CAPS members have rated the miner, with 96% expecting it to beat the broad market averages. Dig deep to come up with your own opinion on the Cliffs Natural Resources CAPS page, or let us know in the comments section below.

Shake, rattle, and roll
With these stocks shaking the market this past month, it pays to start your own research on them at Motley Fool CAPS. Read a company's financial reports, scrutinize key data and charts, and examine the comments your fellow investors have made, all from a stock's CAPS page.