Mid Cap Report: Best And Worst
Methodology
Our weekly best and worst reports show you stocks with the best potential returns over the coming 6 to 12 months. The score is calculated by fusing together the key drivers of price movement including, earnings beats, earnings growth, at-the-market insider buys, institutional activity, short ratio analysis, price to earnings analysis and calendar quarter seasonality. Those stocks appearing in our best list should be bought while those appearing in our worst list should be sold.
The highest scoring names in mid cap from 1 year ago (4/17/2013) returned 615 bps more than the S&P 500. The best performers have been ILMN up 134%, UA up 79%, GMCR up 78%, TRN up 71%, and SIVB up 67%.
- The best mid cap sector is utilities.
- The top scoring mid cap industry is gas utilities
The average mid cap score is 50.97, below the four week moving average score of 52.3. The average mid cap is trading -15.97% below its 52 week high, -0.28% below its 200 dma, has 6.55 days to cover short, and is expected to grow EPS by 19% next year.
The best sector is utilities. Basics and consumer goods also score above average. Industrial goods, healthcare, and technology score in line. Financials and services score below average.
MID CAP | 4/17/2014 | 4 Week MA | |||
Company Name | Symbol | Sector | INDUSTRY | SCORE | SCORE |
BEST | |||||
Frontier Comm. | FTR | TECHNOLOGY | TELECOM SERVICES - DOMESTIC | 105 | 91.25 |
Hub Group Inc | HUBG | SERVICES | AIR DELIVERY & FREIGHT SERVICES | 100 | 77.5 |
Piedmont Natural Gas | PNY | UTILITIES | GAS UTILITIES | 100 | 88.75 |
Teleflex | TFX | HEALTHCARE | MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS & SUPPLIES | 100 | 93.75 |
Aspen Insurance Hldng. | AHL | FINANCIALS | PROPERTY & CASUALITY INSURANCE | 95 | 71.25 |
Alliance Resource Partners LP | ARLP | BASIC MATERIALS | INDUSTRIAL METALS & MINERALS | 95 | 87.5 |
Carrizo Oil and Gas Inc | CRZO | BASIC MATERIALS | INDEPENDENT GAS & OIL | 95 | 88.75 |
Globus Medical | GMED | HEALTHCARE | MEDICAL APPLIANCES & EQUIPMENT | 95 | 88.75 |
Questcor Pharma | QCOR | HEALTHCARE | BIOTECHNOLOGY | 95 | 80 |
Ryder Systems | R | SERVICES | RENTAL & LEASING SERVICES | 95 | 81.25 |
Taubman Centers | TCO | FINANCIALS | REITS | 95 | 73.75 |
AERCap Holdings | AER | SERVICES | RENTAL & LEASING SERVICES | 90 | 81.25 |
Flextronics | FLEX | TECHNOLOGY | PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS | 90 | 82.5 |
Newmarket Corp | NEU | BASIC MATERIALS | SPECIALTY CHEMICALS | 90 | 76.25 |
Precision Drilling Corp | PDS | BASIC MATERIALS | OIL & GAS EQUIPMENT & SERVICES | 90 | 83.75 |
Windstream Corp | WIN | TECHNOLOGY | TELECOM SERVICES - DOMESTIC | 90 | 75 |
Aaron's, Inc. | AAN | SERVICES | SPECIALTY RETAIL, OTHER | 85 | 80 |
Avista | AVA | UTILITIES | DIVERSIFIED UTILITIES | 85 | 77.5 |
Cavium Networks | CAVM | TECHNOLOGY | SEMICONDUCTOR- BROAD LINE | 85 | 86.25 |
Compass Minerals International Inc | CMP | BASIC MATERIALS | SYNTHETICS | 85 | 75 |
Douglas Emmett | DEI | FINANCIALS | REITS | 85 | 77.5 |
Heartland Express | HTLD | SERVICES | TRUCKING | 85 | 86.25 |
Newfield Expl Co | NFX | BASIC MATERIALS | INDEPENDENT OIL & GAS | 85 | 76.25 |
New Jersey Resources | NJR | UTILITIES | GAS UTILITIES | 85 | 77.5 |
Patterson Energy | PTEN | BASIC MATERIALS | OIL & GAS DRILLING & EXPLORATION | 85 | 78.75 |
RPC Inc | RES | BASIC MATERIALS | OIL & GAS EQUIPMENT & SERVICES | 85 | 73.75 |
Trinity Industries Inc | TRN | SERVICES | RAILROADS | 85 | 78.75 |
Texas Industries | TXI | INDUSTRIAL GOODS | CEMENT | 85 | 73.75 |
Genesco Inc. | GCO | SERVICES | APPAREL STORES | 80 | 81.25 |
Knight Transportation Inc | KNX | SERVICES | TRUCKING | 80 | 72.5 |
Kilroy Realty | KRC | FINANCIALS | REITS | 80 | 77.5 |
Littelfuse | LFUS | INDUSTRIAL GOODS | INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT | 80 | 71.25 |
Life Time Fitness | LTM | SERVICES | SPORTING ACTIVITIES | 80 | 60 |
PolyOne | POL | BASIC MATERIALS | SYNTHETICS | 80 | 72.5 |
Papa Johns Int'l | PZZA | SERVICES | RESTAURANTS | 80 | 76.25 |
Amerco Inc | UHAL | SERVICES | RENTAL & LEASING SERVICES | 80 | 62.5 |
Ultra Petroleum Corp. | UPL | BASIC MATERIALS | INDEPENDENT OIL & GAS | 80 | 82.5 |
WORST | |||||
Chicos Fas | CHS | SERVICES | APPAREL STORES | 15 | 26.25 |
Fair Isaac | FICO | SERVICES | BUSINESS SERVICES | 15 | 27.5 |
GoGo Inc. | GOGO | TECHNOLOGY | DIVERSIFIED COMMUNICATION SERVICES | 15 | 21.25 |
Harsco Corp | HSC | BASIC MATERIALS | STEEL & IRON | 15 | 27.5 |
Harsco Corp | HSC | BASIC MATERIALS | STEEL & IRON | 15 | 27.5 |
Office Depot | ODP | SERVICES | SPECIALTY RETAIL, OTHER | 15 | 21.25 |
Sotheby's | BID | SERVICES | SPECIALTY RETAIL, OTHER | 20 | 30 |
Brady Corp | BRC | SERVICES | BUSINESS SERVICES | 20 | 23.75 |
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc | CLF | BASIC MATERIALS | STEEL & IRON | 20 | 31.25 |
Mack-Cali Realty | CLI | FINANCIALS | REITS | 20 | 28.75 |
Clovis Oncology | CLVS | HEALTHCARE | BIOTECHNOLOGY | 20 | 35 |
Group 1 Auto | GPI | SERVICES | AUTO DEALERSHIPS | 20 | 30 |
Louisiana-Pacific Corp | LPX | INDUSTRIAL GOODS | LUMBER, WOOD PRODUCTION | 20 | 26.25 |
Opko Health | OPK | HEALTHCARE | MEDICAL APPLIANCES & EQUIPMENT | 20 | 31.25 |
Plantronics | PLT | TECHNOLOGY | PROCESSING SYSTEMS & PRODUCTS | 20 | 30 |
Radian Group | RDN | FINANCIALS | SURETY & TITLE INSURANCE | 20 | 30 |
Sears Holding Corp | SHLD | SERVICES | DEPARTMENT STORES | 20 | 28.75 |
Tal Int'l Group | TAL | SERVICES | RENTAL & LEASING SERVICES | 20 | 33.75 |
Tenet Healthcare | THC | HEALTHCARE | HOSPITALS | 20 | 30 |
Gas utilities (PNY, NJR) score best across the mid cap universe. Oil & gas equipment & services (PDS, RES, EXH) score high. Truckers (HTLD, KNX) offer upside as volume grows and prices firm. Industrial metals & minerals (ARLP) benefit as coal electricity production is supported by higher natural gas prices.
The best groups in basics are oil & gas equipment & services, industrial metals & minerals, and specialty chemicals (NEU). In consumer, focus on processed & packaged goods (FLO, GIS), textiles (COLM, CRI), and business equipment (DBD). In financials, buy accident & health insurance (AIZ) and REITs (TCO, DEI, KRC). Vacancy rates continue to improve relative to peaks, supporting effective rents. Apartment vacancies fell 20 bps to 4.0% in Q1 versus Q4. Effective rents grew 0.6% in the quarter, according to REIS. In healthcare, only medical instruments (TFX, NUVA, PKI, PODD) score above average. Across industrial goods, the best scoring industries are aerospace/defense (ATK, ESL, CAE) and industrial electrical equipment (LFUS). The top services groups are trucking and rental & leasing (R,AER, UHAL). In technology, buy computer peripherals (NICE, AUO), semi equipment (SPIL), and printed circuits (FLEX).
MID CAP INDUSTRY SCORE BY SECTOR | 4/17/2014 | |
Sector | INDUSTRY | SCORE |
BASIC MATERIALS | OIL & GAS EQUIPMENT & SERVICES | 77.50 |
BASIC MATERIALS | INDUSTRIAL METALS & MINERALS | 70.00 |
BASIC MATERIALS | SPECIALTY CHEMICALS | 68.33 |
BASIC MATERIALS | SYNTHETICS | 65.00 |
BASIC MATERIALS | INDEPENDENT OIL & GAS | 63.75 |
BASIC MATERIALS | OIL & GAS DRILLING & EXPLORATION | 45.00 |
BASIC MATERIALS | STEEL & IRON | 31.43 |
CONSUMER GOODS | PROCESSED & PACKAGED GOODS | 61.67 |
CONSUMER GOODS | TEXTILES | 58.00 |
CONSUMER GOODS | BUSINESS EQUIPMENT | 53.75 |
CONSUMER GOODS | PACKAGING & CONTAINERS | 51.67 |
CONSUMER GOODS | AUTO PARTS | 50.00 |
FINANCIALS | ACCIDENT & HEALTH INSURANCE | 55.00 |
FINANCIALS | REITS | 55.00 |
FINANCIALS | REGIONAL BANKS | 47.73 |
FINANCIALS | ASSET MANAGEMENT | 44.00 |
FINANCIALS | INVESTMENT BROKERAGE | 36.25 |
FINANCIALS | SURETY & TITLE INSURANCE | 35.00 |
HEALTHCARE | MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS & SUPPLIES | 56.50 |
HEALTHCARE | BIOTECHNOLOGY | 48.33 |
HEALTHCARE | HOSPITALS | 46.00 |
INDUSTRIAL GOODS | AEROSPACE/DEFENSE PRODUCTS & SERVICES | 54.38 |
INDUSTRIAL GOODS | INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT | 52.50 |
INDUSTRIAL GOODS | DIVERSIFIED MACHINERY | 47.50 |
INDUSTRIAL GOODS | RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION | 41.67 |
SERVICES | TRUCKING | 76.67 |
SERVICES | RENTAL & LEASING SERVICES | 62.00 |
SERVICES | RESTAURANTS | 48.57 |
SERVICES | SPECIALTY RETAIL, OTHER | 48.00 |
SERVICES | EDUCATION & TRAINING SERV | 45.00 |
SERVICES | APPAREL STORES | 44.50 |
SERVICES | BUSINESS SERVICES | 43.18 |
SERVICES | AUTO DEALERSHIPS | 41.67 |
SERVICES | DEPARTMENT STORES | 41.67 |
SERVICES | MOVIE PRODUCTION, THEATERS | 38.33 |
SERVICES | TECHNICAL SERVICES | 38.33 |
TECHNOLOGY | COMPUTER PERIPHERALS | 63.00 |
TECHNOLOGY | SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS | 58.33 |
TECHNOLOGY | PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS | 56.67 |
TECHNOLOGY | BUSINESS SOFTWARE & SERVICES | 53.33 |
TECHNOLOGY | SEMICONDUCTOR-BROAD LINE | 52.50 |
TECHNOLOGY | SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL INSTRUMENTS | 47.50 |
TECHNOLOGY | INFORMATION & DELIVERY SERVICES | 43.33 |
TECHNOLOGY | COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT | 40.00 |
TECHNOLOGY | SEMICONDUCTOR- INTEGRATED CIRCUITS | 40.00 |
TECHNOLOGY | TECHiNICAL & SYSTEM SOFTWARE | 39.00 |
UTILITIES | GAS UTILITIES | 83.33 |
None.