Take the Zacks Approach to Beat the Markets: MBX Biosciences, Garrett Motion & Monster Beverage in Focus

The U.S. market showed a strong rebound with significant gains during the holiday-shortened trading week due to Thanksgiving. Major U.S. indexes like the Nasdaq Composite, the S&P 500, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 2.16%, 2.15%, and 2.73%, respectively, last week. The market's rally was largely supported by increasing investor confidence in a potential interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve in its December meeting. Recent economic data releases and dovish comments from several Federal Reserve officials also fueled rate cut expectations.Retail sales rose by just 0.2% in September after an unrevised 0.6% gain in August. On a year-over-year basis, retail sales increased 4.3%. Higher prices, along with a sluggish labor market and a four-year high unemployment rate, raise concerns about affordability for the average American. The Producer Price Index increased by 0.3% in September, in line with market expectations. Year-over-year growth of 2.7% remains unchanged compared to August but is still above the Fed’s 2% target. The consumer confidence index fell sharply to a seven-month low in November at 88.7, weaker than the consensus estimate of 93.5. All eyes are on the last FOMC meeting of this year, scheduled December 9-10, where the markets anticipate a rate cut of 25 basis points.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 forecasts to better prepare for your next action.Here are some of our key achievements:MBX Biosciences and AXIS Capital Following Zacks Rank UpgradeShares of MBX Biosciences, Inc.  MBX have gained 97.1%  (versus the S&P 500’s 2.6% increase) since it was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) on October 1.Another stock, AXIS Capital Holdings Limited AXS, which was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 on October 2, has returned 8.5% (versus the S&P 500’s 2.2% increase) since then.A hypothetical portfolio of Zacks Rank # 1 (Strong Buy) stocks returned +8.64% in 2025 (through September 1) 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 MBX Biosciences' historical EPS and Sales here>>>Check AXIS Capital’s historical EPS and Sales here>>>Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchZacks Recommendation Upgrades Garrett Motion & Seagate TechnologyShares ofGarrett Motion Inc.  GTX and Seagate Technology Holdings plc. STX have advanced 21.4% (versus the S&P 500’s 2.6% increase) and +7.7% (versus the S&P 500’s 2.2% increase), respectively, since their Zacks Recommendation was upgraded to Outperform on October 1 and October 2, respectively.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 CACI International, Quanta Services Shoot UpShares of CACI International Inc. CACI, which belongs to the Zacks Focus List, have gained 28.6% over the past 12 weeks. The stock was added to the Focus List on December 2, 2015. Another Focus-List holding, Quanta Services, Inc. PWR, which was added to the portfolio on December 23, 2021, has returned 23% over the past 12 weeks. The S&P 500 has advanced by 6% over this period.The 50-stock Focus List portfolio returned 18.3% in 2025 (through September 30, 2025) vs. +14.8% for the S&P 500 index and +9.9% 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: +16.96% for the Focus List vs. +17.60% for the index over the one-year period, +26.77% vs. +24.94% over the 3-year period, +17.38% vs. +14.48% over the 5-year period, and +12.13% vs. +10.71% 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 Cencora & Monster Beverage Make Significant GainsCencora, Inc. COR, a component of our Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), has jumped 26.5% over the past 12 weeks. Monster Beverage Corporation MNST has followed Cencora with 20.2% returns.The Zacks Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), which consists of 30 concentrated, ultra-defensive, long-term Buy-and-Hold stocks, returned -1.30% in the third quarter of 2025 vs. the S&P 500 index’s +8.1% gain (SPY ETF). In the year-to-date period through September 30th, the portfolio returned +2.72% vs. +14.84% gain for the S&P 500 index. 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 UnitedHealth Outperform PeersJohnson & Johnson JNJ, which is part of our Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP), has returned 16.8% over the past 12 weeks. Another ECDP stock, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated UNH, has increased 6.4% 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 Johnson & Johnson's dividend history here>>>Check UnitedHealth’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 to significantly mitigate risk.The Zacks Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP) returned -0.01% in 2025 Q3 vs. the S&P 500 index’s +8.1% gain and the Dividend Aristocrats ETF’s (NOBL) +2.90% return. Year-to-date (through September 30), the portfolio returned +1.58% vs. +5.15% 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. 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 Coherent Delivers Solid ReturnsCoherent Corp. COHR, from the Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2025, has jumped 73.4% year to date compared with the S&P 500 index’s 16.7% increase.The Top 10 portfolio returned +26.47% this year (through the end of September 2025) vs. +14.84% for the S&P 500 index and +9.9% 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 +2,553.1% through the end of September 2025 vs. +545.2% for the S&P 500 index and +396.4% for the equal-weight version of the index. The portfolio has produced an average return of +26.6% in the period 2012 through September 30, 2025, vs. +13.1% for the S&P 500 index and +10.5% for the equal-weight version of the index.Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpWant 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 UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH): Free Stock Analysis Report Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR): Free Stock Analysis Report Seagate Technology Holdings PLC (STX): Free Stock Analysis Report Axis Capital Holdings Limited (AXS): Free Stock Analysis Report CACI International, Inc. (CACI): Free Stock Analysis Report Cencora, Inc. (COR): Free Stock Analysis Report Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST): Free Stock Analysis Report Coherent Corp. (COHR): Free Stock Analysis Report ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL): ETF Research Reports Garrett Motion Inc. (GTX): Free Stock Analysis Report MBX Biosciences, Inc. (MBX): 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