Some stocks are one-hit wonders that make a big splash when they first appear and then quickly fizzling into obscurity. 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.
|
Stock |
30-Day % Change |
CAPS Rating (Out of 5) |
|---|---|---|
|
Human Genome Sciences |
455% |
* |
|
Dana Holding |
236% |
** |
|
KKR Financial (NYSE:KFN) |
211% |
*** |
|
Inovio Biomedical (AMEX:INO) |
176% |
* |
|
Select Comfort (NASDAQ:SCSS) |
184% |
*** |
|
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:BCRX) |
131% |
* |
|
Gannett |
125% |
** |
|
China Green Agriculture (NYSE:CGA) |
71% |
**** |
|
Teck Resources (NYSE:TCK) |
60% |
**** |
|
Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) |
53% |
**** |
Even as the markets have regained their winning ways, they haven't kept up with the pace of the movers and shakers of recent weeks. Pharmaceuticals and biotechs seem to rule the roost these days, with half of the companies on our list coming from those sectors, so let's see why the CAPS community thinks some of them might outperform the market.
A mighty temblor
Buy low, sell high. That's the mantra of most investors, but sometimes it's hard to practice. China's sovereign fund seems to have gotten it down to a science these days, though, as evidenced by its latest foray into the depressed commodities market. The big 17% equity stake it bought in Teck Resources gives it a piece of a top miner with assets in strategic resources such as zinc, metallurgical coal, copper, and gold.
That investment also allows Teck to meet its coming debt maturities and was a key driver behind the miner's recent ascent. An easing debt picture and improving pricing environment for commodities mean a stronger Teck in the future, and investors have been jumping on the rail cart to push shares higher.
CAPS member oyramnairb foresees substantial changes in the energy industry resulting in a charged atmosphere for growth.
Identical situation as Anglo American Plc (AAUK). This company will outperform the S&P because over the next twenty years energy and electricity will go through more changes than they did in the last 100 years. Electricity and batteries are still in [their] infancy. Any company that mines materials (copper, etc) that are used in electrical applications will see explosive growth over the next several years. It is a shame that Nautilus Minerals is not available through this service, it will also dramatically increase in value.
A prescription for crisis
In June, the World Health Organization announced that we were in the grips of a mighty swine flu pandemic and raised the warning alert to the highest "Phase 6" level. Stoked by the fears of a global calamity, shares of biotechs and pharmaceuticals developing vaccines for the H1N1 virus were bolstered by the hysteria.
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals got a particularly good dose of exuberance mid-last month, when it reported that its drug peramivir met the testing goals in two late-stage studies. After this news was released with an adjoining statement that the FDA is reviewing peramivir for emergency approval in the event of a swine flu outbreak, BioCryst's shares soared.
For some investors, though, rational thought is getting swept away as medical professionals up the urgency of their dire warnings. CAPS member UltraLong says BioCryst has failed to live up to its potential in the past and is doubtful that things will be any better this time around.
Peramivir [didn't] get approved to treat the 2002 flu strain, it wasn't good enough for the 2007 flu strain, and its only modestly effective for the swine flu which I SWEAR is less virulent than letting the elderly drive.
We have seen a 1200% run from the lows on the prospects that this might get government approval (after nearly 9 years). They have enough cash to run operations for 19-20 more months before they'll be hitting the unemployment line. Revenues are falling again, the one trick pony has shown its true colors ... again.
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.
