What happened
Shares of Rogers Corp. (NYSE:ROG) gained 19.9% in April 2017, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
So what
The company reported first-quarter results on April 26, sending share prices nearly 12% higher the next day. Rogers saw 27% year-over-year sales growth and 79% higher earnings, leaving analyst estimates far behind in both cases.
A Rogers engineer, hard at work on next-generation battery materials. Image source: Rogers.
Now what
Rogers shares have now gained 72% over the last 52 weeks, trading steadily near all-time highs. The maker of specialized materials used in battery systems and wireless antennas has consistently delivered solid earnings surprises over the last three years, often coupled with equally strong revenue wins.
This company is poised to continue making a killing in several emerging markets, including the Internet of Things and automotive computing. Best of all, Rogers is winning competitive contracts without resorting to pricing discounts. Trailing operating margins have increased from 12.4% to 14.2% over the last four quarters. In other words, clients are choosing Rogers over rival materials providers for other reasons than low prices, such as product quality and dependable ordering and delivery processes.
top stocks to buy today: Lam Research Corporation(LRCX)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By WWW.MONEYSHOW.COM]
Lam Research (LRCX) has consistently outgrown the overall semiconductor-equipment market due to its high exposure to 3D NAND flash memory.
Demand for wafer-fabrication equipment is notoriously volatile. However, over the last 90 days, the consensus profit estimate for this year jumped 17%, with 95% of analysts raising their targets.
- [By WWW.THESTREET.COM]
The same case is made for Action Alerts PLUS holding Alphabet (GOOGL) and for Lam Research (LRCX) and Broadcom (AVGO) and Growth Seeker holding Amazon (AMZN) –and a host of other high-growth companies.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Lam Research (LRCX) soared to the top of the S&P 500 today after beating earnings forecasts and raising its fourth-quarter guidance.
Getty Images
Lam Researchgained 6.9% to $136.17 today, while the S&P 500 declined 0.2% to 2,338.17.
Credit Suisse analysts Farhan Ahmad and John Pitzer and argues that Lam Research’s “new trough is higher than [its] old peak.” They explain:
We expect that bears will continue to argue that CY17 is a “Peak” year; however we think that investors are missing that it now costs >2x more to get incremental bit growth than three years ago. It is noteworthy that despite ~$17bn of memory WFE in 2016 both NAND and DRAM markets went from oversupply to undersupply – implying that new trough for memory investments is even higher than old peak (2010 memory peak had WFE of $12.6bn). We view Semi Growth, rising capital intensity, and growing China CapEx as secular multiyear themes, which could continue to provide growth in coming years. In addition, in case of tax reform there could be potential to return >$50 per share to shareholders by 2020…Increase TP to $160 (from $143), based on 12x of CY18 EPS plus net cash adj for taxes.
Lam Research’s market capitalization rose to $22.2 billion today from $20.8 billion yesterday.
top stocks to buy today: Lifeway Foods, Inc.(LWAY)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Jim Robertson]
Last Friday, our Under the Radar Moversnewsletter suggested shorting small capdairy health food product stock Lifeway Foods, Inc (NASDAQ: LWAY):
- [By Peter Graham]
A long term performance chart for Dean Foods Co shows a positive but not spectacular long term return as small cap Lifeway Foods, Inc (NASDAQ: LWAY) has been more volatile and non-dairy desert stock Tofutti Brands Inc (NYSEMKT: TOF) has given a moderately positive performance:
top stocks to buy today: Maxwell Technologies, Inc.(MXWL)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Monica Gerson]
Maxwell Technologies (NASDAQ: MXWL) surged 9.20% to $10.21. The volume of Maxwell Technologies shares traded was 325% higher than normal. Maxwell’s trailing-twelve-month revenue is $190.57 million.
- [By Lisa Levin]
Shares of Maxwell Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: MXWL) were down 15 percent to $5.34. Maxwell reported amended terms for deal with Viex Capital and announced a proposed offering of $50 million convertible senior notes due 2022.
- [By Jim Robertson]
On Tuesday, our Under the Radar Moversnewsletter suggestedgoing long on small cap energy storage and power delivery stock Maxwell Technologies (NASDAQ: MXWL):
top stocks to buy today: Autobytel Inc.(ABTL)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Lisa Levin]
Shares of Autobytel Inc. (NASDAQ: ABTL) were down 26 percent to $8.05 as the company posted downbeat Q2 results and lowered its FY17 outlook. Barrington Research downgraded Autobytel from Outperform to Market Perform.
top stocks to buy today: Rockwell Automation, Inc.(ROK)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Paul Ausick]
Blaming the unwillingness of its target even to discuss a buyout, Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) on Tuesday announced that it has withdrawn its unsolicited offer to acquire Rockwell Automation Inc. (NYSE: ROK) for $225 a share in a deal valued at nearly $30 billion.
- [By Lee Jackson]
These companies also reported insider selling last week: Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET), Cullen/Frost Bankers Inc. (NYSE: CFR), Rockwell Automation Inc. (NYSE: ROK), Stamps.com (NASDAQ: STMP) and Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE: WAL).
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Bernstein’s Steven Winoker looks back at 2016 for the industrial stocks he covers–Ingersoll-Rand (IR), Rockwell Automation (ROK), Eaton (ETN), and General Electric (GE) among them–and contemplates what 2017 might hold:
- [By Lisa Levin]
Breaking news
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) reported better-than-expected profit for its first quarter on Wednesday.
Helmerich & Payne, Inc. (NYSE: HP) posted upbeat results for its fourth quarter.
NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ: NTAP) reported stronger-than-expected results for its second quarter and issued strong Q3 guidance.
Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) proposed to acquire Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK) for $225 per share in cash and stock.
top stocks to buy today: LightInTheBox Holding Co., Ltd.(LITB)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Jim Robertson]
On Friday, our Under the Radar Moversnewsletter suggested small cap China based online retailstockLightinthebox Holding Co (NYSE: LITB) as a long/buy trade:
- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap China based online retailstockLightinthebox Holding Co (NYSE: LITB) reportedQ1 2017 earnings as net revenues increased 8.0% to $72.7 million (above the high end of the Company’s guidance of $72.0 million). Net revenues from product sales were $64.8 million versus$61.9 million and net revenues from service and others were $7.9 million versus $5.4 million in the same quarter of 2016. As a percentage of net revenues, service and others accounted for 10.9% during the first quarter of 2017. Total orders of product sales were 1.6 million for the first quarter of 2017 versus1.7 million in the same quarter of 2016 while the total number of product sales customers was 1.2 million versus 1.4 million.
