Take the Zacks Approach to Beat the Market: LendingTree, AutoZone, J&J in Focus

Last Friday, the three most widely followed benchmark indexes closed a third straight winning week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite added 1.1%, 1.2% and 2.2%, respectively.Investor morale was high after the Federal Reserve delivered its first rate cut of the year. The move signaled a shift toward more accommodative policy, easing borrowing costs and boosting investor confidence that the central bank is committed to supporting economic growth.Markets were further encouraged by the Fed’s outlook, which indicated the possibility of additional cuts if inflation continues to trend lower. This reinforced expectations of a soft landing for the economy, driving strong gains across rate-sensitive sectors and lifting major indexes to their highest levels in weeks.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:CommScope and Robinhood Markets Surge Following Zacks Rank UpgradeShares of CommScope Holding Company, Inc. COMM have gained 113.1% (versus the S&P 500’s 5.7% increase) since it was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) on July 18.Another stock, Robinhood Markets, Inc. HOOD, which was also upgraded to a Rank #1 on July 14, has returned 26.9% (versus the S&P 500’s 6.5% increase) since then.A hypothetical portfolio of Zacks Rank # 1 (Strong Buy) stocks returned +8.64% in 2025 (through September 1st) vs. +7.60% 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 September 1st, 2025, the Zacks # 1 Rank stocks generated an annualized average return of +23.8% vs. +11.3% for the S&P 500 index).You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here >>>Check CommScope’s historical EPS and Sales here>>>Check Robinhood Markets’ historical EPS and Sales here>>>Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchZacks Recommendation Upgrades LendingTree and MedpaceShares of LendingTree, Inc. TREE and Medpace Holdings, Inc. MEDP have surged 48.1% and 9.4% (versus the S&P 500’s 4.6% rise), respectively, since their Zacks Recommendation was upgraded to Outperform on July 25.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 Intellia Therapeutics, Palantir Shoot UpShares of Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. NTLA, which belongs to the Zacks Focus List, have gained 69.5% over the past 12 weeks. The stock was added to the Focus List on March 7, 2023. Another Focus-List holding, Palantir Technologies Inc. PLTR, which was added to the portfolio on March 26, 2024, has returned 32.8% over the past 12 weeks. The S&P 500 has advanced 11.8% over this period. The 50-stock Focus List portfolio returned 13.74% in 2025 (through August 31st, 2025) vs. +10.79% for the S&P 500 index and +8.69% for the equal-weight version of the index. The 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%.The portfolio leads the broader market over the preceding one, three, five and ‘since 2004’ periods. These annualized return comparisons are: +16.20% for the Focus List vs. +15.89% for the index over the one-year period, +21.20% vs. +19.54% over the 3-year period, +16.1% vs. +14.74% over the 5-year period, and +11.9% vs. +10.57% since 2004.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 Tractor Supply & AutoZone Make Significant GainsTractor Supply Company TSCO, a component of our Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), has jumped 13.6% over the past 12 weeks. AutoZone, Inc. AZO has followed Tractor Supply with 13.3% 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 Johnson & Johnson and J. M. Smucker Outperform PeersJohnson & Johnson JNJ, which is part of our Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP), has returned 17.6% over the past 12 weeks. Another ECDP stock, The J. M. Smucker Company SJM, has climbed 12.2% 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 Johnson & Johnson’s dividend history here>>> Check J.M. Smucker’s 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 -3.17% in 2025 Q2 vs. the S&P 500 index’s +10.94% gain and the Dividend Aristocrats ETF’s (NOBL) -0.09% return. Year-to-date (through June 30th), the portfolio returned +2.38% vs. +2.18% gain for the Dividend Aristocrat ETF. For the full year 2024, the portfolio returned +6.95% vs. +24.89% for the S&P 500 index and +6.72% 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 40.6% year to date compared with the S&P 500 Index’s 13.3% increase.The Top 10 portfolio returned +17.72% this year (through the end of August 2025) vs. +10.79% for the S&P 500 index and +8.69% 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 +2,369.7% through the end of August 2025 vs. +522.5% for the S&P 500 index and +390.9% for the equal-weight version of the index. The portfolio has produced an average return of +26.1% in the period 2012 through August 31, 2025, vs. +12.86% for the S&P 500 index and +10.49% for the equal-weight version of the index.Free Report: 3 Software Stocks Poised to SkyrocketSoftware stocks are poised to catapult higher in the coming months (and years) thanks to several factors, especially the explosive growth of AI. Zacks' urgent report reveals 3 top software stocks to own right now.Access the report free today >>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 The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS): Free Stock Analysis Report Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report Tractor Supply Company (TSCO): Free Stock Analysis Report The J. M. Smucker Company (SJM): Free Stock Analysis Report AutoZone, Inc. (AZO): Free Stock Analysis Report LendingTree, Inc. (TREE): Free Stock Analysis Report CommScope Holding Company, Inc. (COMM): Free Stock Analysis Report Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (NTLA): Free Stock Analysis Report Medpace Holdings, Inc. (MEDP): Free Stock Analysis Report Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR): Free Stock Analysis Report Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD): 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