5 Top Stocks With Relative Price Strength to Buy Right Now
The U.S. stock market has remained resilient, with the S&P 500 gaining about 10% so far this year. Investors have been encouraged by steady economic data, as lower-than-expected jobless claims and stable retail sales suggest that consumer spending continues to hold up despite higher prices. The Federal Reserve reiterated that inflation remains above target but acknowledged the progress made, while stressing the central bank's commitment to making independent policy decisions.
Markets are also navigating a mix of external risks. Ongoing tensions in the Middle East and proposed U.S. tariffs on selected Brazilian imports have added uncertainty, even as Iran's release of an American prisoner has raised hopes for a gradual easing of geopolitical strains. Meanwhile, low U.S. crude inventories could keep energy prices elevated and weigh on some sectors.
Even with these headwinds, the market's ability to advance reflects underlying strength. In this environment, focusing on stocks with strong relative price strength can be a sensible strategy, as companies consistently outperforming the broader market are often better positioned to weather uncertainty and benefit when investor confidence remains intact.
At this stage, investors would be wise to consider companies such as J.B. Hunt Transport Services JBHT, Progyny PGNY, Bassett Furniture Industries BSET, Victoria's Secret & Co. VSXY and Par Pacific Holdings PARR.
Whether a stock has the potential to offer considerable returns is determined primarily by its earnings and valuation ratios. Simultaneously, it is essential to check whether its price performance exceeds its peers or the industry average.
Upon such comparison, if we find that a stock is unable to match up to wider sectoral growth despite having impressive earnings momentum or valuation multiples, it may be better to avoid it.
However, those outperforming their respective industries or benchmarks should be included in your portfolio since they have a higher chance of securing significant returns. Picking a stock that outperforms its peers ensures a winning option on your hands.
Then again, it is imperative that you determine whether or not an investment has relevant upside potential when considering stocks with significant relative price strength. Stocks delivering better than the S&P 500 for 1 to 3 months, at least, and having solid fundamentals, indicate room for growth and the best way to go about this strategy.
Finally, it is crucial to find out whether analysts are optimistic about the upcoming earnings of these companies. In order to do this, we have added positive estimate revisions for the current quarter's (Q1) earnings to our screen. When a stock undergoes an upward revision, it leads to additional price gains.
Relative % Price change – 12 weeks greater than 0
Relative % Price change – 4 weeks greater than 0
Relative % Price change – 1 week greater than 0
(We have considered those stocks that have been outperforming the S&P 500 over the last 12 weeks, four weeks and one week.)
% Change (Q1) Est. over 4 Weeks greater than 0: Positive current-quarter estimate revisions over the last four weeks.
Zacks Rank equal to 1: Only Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks — that have returned more than 26% annually over the last 26 years and surpassed the S&P 500 in 23 of the last 26 years — can get through. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Current Price greater than or equal to $5 and Average 20-day Volume greater than or equal to 50,000: A minimum price of $5 is a good standard to screen low-priced stocks, while a high trading volume would imply adequate liquidity.
VGM Score less than or equal to B :Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 (Buy), offer the best upside potential.
Here are five of the 12 stocks that made it through the screen:
J.B. Hunt Transport Services: It is a provider of a wide range of transportation, brokerage, and delivery services to a diverse group of customers through the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for J.B. Hunt's 2026 earnings indicates 20.1% growth. JBHT has a VGM Score of B.
J.B. Hunt beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the last four quarters. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 9.8%, on average. JBHT shares have gained 100.4% in a year.
Progyny: Progyny provides fertility and family-building benefits for employers. Its platform combines treatment coverage, pharmacy support, a selected provider network and patient guidance, helping members access care while clients manage costs and strengthen employee satisfaction. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings of Progyny indicates 7.9% growth. PGNY has a VGM Score of A.
Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Progyny's 2026 earnings has moved up 3.6%. The company has a market capitalization of $2.5 billion. PGNY shares have gone up 44.8% in a year.
Bassett Furniture Industries: Bassett Furniture designs, manufactures and sells home furnishings through a network of company-owned and licensed stores offering free in-home design services. The company's expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is currently 16%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 13%. BSET has a VGM Score of B.
Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Bassett Furniture's fiscal 2026 earnings has moved up 7.2%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings indicates 18.7% growth. BSET shares have gained 17.2% in a year.
Victoria's Secret & Co.: It is a specialty retailer of women's intimates, sleepwear, apparel, sportswear and swimwear, and prestige fragrances and body care sold under the Victoria's Secret, PINK and Adore Me brands. Victoria's Secret's expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is currently 27.4%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 15.5%. The company has a VGM Score of A.
VSXY has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 55.1%, on average. Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Victoria's Secret's fiscal 2027 earnings has moved up from $3.49 per share to $4.65. VSXY's shares have gone up 332.6% in a year.
Par Pacific Holdings: Par Pacific is an integrated energy company that produces conventional and renewable fuels across the western United States. Its operations combine refining, logistics and fuel retailing, supported by a broad transportation and storage network. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings of Par Pacific indicates 136.1% growth. PARR has a VGM Score of A.
Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Par Pacific's 2026 earnings has moved up 30.1%. The company has a market capitalization of $3.7 billion. PARR shares have gone up 131.7% in a year.
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J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (JBHT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Bassett Furniture Industries, Incorporated (BSET) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. (PARR) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Progyny, Inc. (PGNY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Victoria's Secret & Co. (VSXY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).