Beat the Market the Zacks Way: Ryanair, Monster Beverage, Ulta Beauty in Focus

Last Friday, the three most widely followed benchmark indexes closed a winning week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.2%, 1.5% and 2.2%, respectively.A stronger-than-expected May jobs report boosted investor confidence, pushing the S&P???500 above 6,000 for the first time since Feb. 21. Tech stocks led the charge, with Nvidia’s earnings shooting up 26% and Tesla recovering after a sharp fall linked to a public spat between Elon Musk and President Trump.Broader optimism stemmed from easing U.S.-China trade tensions following presidential talks, helping global indices hit record highs. President Trump confirmed that he had had a very good phone call with President Xi and that trade negotiations would commence as early as this week. While tariff concerns continue to dominate proceedings, resilient data and upbeat earnings kept markets firmly in bullish territory.Regardless of market conditions, we, here at Zacks, provide investors with unbiased guidance on how to beat the market. As usual, Zacks Research guided investors over the past three months with its time-tested methodologies. Given the prevailing market uncertainty, you may want to look at our feats to prepare better for your next action.Here are some of our key achievements:Knightscope and Microbot Medical Surge Following Zacks Rank UpgradeShares of Knightscope, Inc. KSCP have gained 142.1% (versus the S&P 500’s 20.7% increase) since it was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) on April 9.Another stock, Microbot Medical Inc. MBOT, which was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 on April 11, has returned 57% (versus the S&P 500’s 14.2% increase) since then.A hypothetical portfolio of Zacks Rank # 1 (Strong Buy) stocks returned -8.32% in 2025 (through May 5th) vs. -5.35% for the S&P 500 index. This portfolio returned +22.4% in 2024, vs. +28% for the S&P 500 index and +19.9% for the equal-weight version of the S&P 500 index.This hypothetical portfolio returned +20.65% in 2023 vs. +24.83% for the S&P 500 index and +15% for the equal-weight S&P 500 index.The Zacks Model Portfolio - consisting of Zacks Rank #1 stocks – has outperformed the S&P index by more than 12 percentage points since 1988 (through May 5th, 2025, the Zacks # 1 Rank stocks generated an annualized average return of +23.5% vs. +11% for the S&P 500 index).You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here >>>Check Knightscope’s historical EPS and Sales here>>>Check Microbot’s historical EPS and Sales here>>>Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchZacks Recommendation Upgrades Ryanair and Paycom SoftwareShares of Ryanair Holdings plc RYAAY and Paycom Software, Inc. PAYC have advanced 28.5% and 21.7% (versus the S&P 500’s 11.2% rise), respectively, since their Zacks Recommendation was upgraded to Outperform on April 15.While the Zacks Rank is our short-term rating system that is most effective over the one- to three-month holding horizon, the Zacks Recommendation aims to predict performance over the next 6 to 12 months. However, just like the Zacks Rank, the foundation for the Zacks Recommendation is trends in earnings estimate revisions.The Zacks Recommendation classifies stocks into three groups — Outperform, Neutral and Underperform. While these recommendations are determined quantitatively, our analysts have the flexibility to override them for the 1100+ stocks they closely follow based on their better judgment of factors such as valuation, industry conditions and management effectiveness than the quantitative model.To access our research reports with Zacks Recommendations for the 1100+ stocks we cover, click here>>>Zacks Focus List Stocks Palantir, Ulta Beauty Shoot UpShares of Palantir Technologies Inc. PLTR, which belongs to the Zacks Focus List, have gained 50.4% over the past 12 weeks. The stock was added to the Focus List on March 26, 2024. Another Focus-List holding, Ulta Beauty, Inc. ULTA, which was added to the portfolio on March 25, 2020, has returned 31% over the past 12 weeks. The S&P 500 has advanced 4.1% over this period. The Focus List portfolio has returned -3.23% through April 30th, 2025, vs. -4.92% for the S&P 500 index and -2.88% for the equal-weight version of the index.The 50-stock Zacks Focus List portfolio returned +18.41% in 2024 vs. +25.04% for the S&P 500 index and +13% for the equal-weight S&P 500 index. The portfolio had returned +29.54% in 2023 vs. +26.28% for the S&P 500 index and +13.61% for the equal-weight S&P 500 index. In 2022, the portfolio returned -15.2% vs. the S&P 500 index’s -17.96%.Since 2004, the Focus List portfolio has produced an annualized return of +11.33% (through the end of April 2025). This compares to a +9.95% annualized return for the S&P 500 index and +9.17% for the equal-weight version of the index in the same time period.The portfolio lags the broader market over the preceding year (+10.74% vs. +12.12%), but leads over the preceding 3-year (+47.29% vs. +41.16%), 5-year (+122.94% vs. +106.51%), and 10-year (+225.28% vs. +219.55%) periods.Unlock all of our powerful research, tools and analysis, including the Focus List, Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research Reports, Zacks Earnings ESP Filter, Premium Screener and more, as part of Zacks Premium. Gain full access now >>Zacks ECAP Stocks Monster Beverage & Oracle Make Significant GainsMonster Beverage Corporation MNST, a component of our Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), has jumped 15.1% over the past 12 weeks. Oracle Corporation ORCL has followed Monster Beverage with 12.2% returns.The Zacks Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), which consists of 30 concentrated, ultra-defensive, long-term Buy-and-Hold stocks, returned +3.20% in the first quarter of 2025 vs. the S&P 500 index’s -4.30% decline (SPY ETF). For the year 2024, the portfolio returned +16.26% vs. +24.89% for the S&P 500 index (SPY ETF). In 2023, the portfolio returned +12.17% vs. +26.28% for the S&P 500 index. The portfolio returned -4.7% in 2022 vs. the S&P 500 index’s -17.96%.With little to no turnover and annual rebalance periodicity, ECAP seeks to minimize capital loss by holding shares of companies whose earnings streams exhibit a proven 20+ year track record of surviving recessionary periods with minimal impact on aggregate earnings growth relative to the overall S&P 500.The ECAP and many other model portfolios are available as part of Zacks Advisor Tools, a cloud-based solution to access Zacks award-winning stock, mutual fund and ETF research. Click here to schedule a demo.Zacks ECDP Stocks Intercontinental Exchange and Hormel Foods Outperform PeersIntercontinental Exchange, Inc. ICE, which is part of our Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP), has returned 5% over the past 12 weeks. Another ECDP stock, Hormel Foods Corporation HRL, has climbed 2.4% over the same time frame. Of course, the inclination of investors toward quality dividend stocks to secure an income stream amid heightened market volatility contributed to this performance.Check Intercontinental's dividend history here>>>Check Hormel Foods’ dividend history here>>>With an extremely low beta and a history of minimum earnings variability over the last 20+ years, this 25-stock portfolio helps significantly mitigate risk.The Zacks Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP) returned +5.74% in 2025 Q1 vs. the S&P 500 index’s -2.41% pullback and the Dividend Aristocrats ETF’s (NOBL) +3.11% return. For the full-year 2024, the portfolio returned +6.95% vs. +24.89% for the S&P 500 index and +6.72% for NOBL. The portfolio returned -0.9% in 2023 vs. +26.28% for the S&P 500 index and +8.11% for NOBL. The portfolio returned -2.3% in 2022 vs. -17.96% for the S&P 500 index and -8.34% for NOBL.Click here to access this portfolio on Zacks Advisor Tools.  Zacks Top 10 Stock Goldman Sachs Delivers Solid ReturnsThe Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. GS, from the Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2025, has jumped 7.2% year to date compared with the S&P 500 Index’s 2.3% increase.The Top 10 portfolio returned -7.88% this year (through the end of April 2025) vs. -4.92% for the S&P 500 index and -2.88% for the equal-weight version of the index.The Top 10 portfolio returned +62.98% in 2024, vs. +25.04% for the S&P 500 index and +13% for the equal-weight version of the index. The portfolio had returned +25.15% in 2023 vs. +26.28% for the S&P 500 index.Since 2012, the Top 10 portfolio has produced a cumulative return of +1832.3% through the end of April 2025 vs. +434.2% for the S&P 500 index and +338.6% for the equal-weight version of the index. The portfolio has produced an average return of +24.3% in the period 2012 through April Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor StockIt's only 1/9,000th the size of NVIDIA which skyrocketed more than +800% since we recommended it. NVIDIA is still strong, but our new top chip stock has much more room to boom.With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $803 billion by 2028.See This Stock Now for Free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ryanair Holdings PLC (RYAAY): Free Stock Analysis Report The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS): Free Stock Analysis Report Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE): Free Stock Analysis Report Oracle Corporation (ORCL): Free Stock Analysis Report Ulta Beauty Inc. (ULTA): Free Stock Analysis Report Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL): Free Stock Analysis Report Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST): Free Stock Analysis Report Paycom Software, Inc. (PAYC): Free Stock Analysis Report Microbot Medical Inc. (MBOT): Free Stock Analysis Report Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR): Free Stock Analysis Report Knightscope, Inc. (KSCP): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks