Top-Ranked Momentum Stocks to Buy Now and How to Find Them

Stocks soared on Monday, sending the Nasdaq into a new bull market as Wall Street rushed to buy stocks after news broke late Sunday night that the U.S. and China agreed to de-escalate the tariff war. The buying continued Tuesday, helping the S&P 500 turn positive on the year.The massive rebound over the last month highlights why investors must stay constantly exposed to the stock market no matter what. The bulls are celebrating cooling trade war tensions and lower inflation, increasing the chances that the Fed lowers interest rates in June. Meanwhile, corporate earnings have remained strong, boosted by big tech and other critical market-moving industries.This backdrop might have investors looking for stocks to buy right now. Let's explore a screen that helps investors find soaring stocks trading near fresh highs amid the furious stock market rally.The stocks the screen puts on your radar have also experienced strong upward earnings revisions activity, earning them Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buys). Stock Screening BasicsThe screen we are looking into today comes loaded with the Research Wizard. The screen helps investors dig through all of the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks, of which there are over 200 at any given time, to find some of the top momentum names.The screen narrows down the list of Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocksto those with upward price momentum that are also trading within 20% of their 52-week highs. The screen then uses the PEG ratio and the Price to Sales ratio to help make sure investors are getting value as well. The screen then makes your life a little easier and narrows it down to just seven stock picks.The screen basics are listed below…·       Zacks Rank = #1 (Strong Buy)·       Current Price/52-week High >= 0.8·       PEG Ratio: P/E F(1)/EPS Growth <= 1·       Price/Sales <= 3·       Percentage Change Price -12 Weeks = Top # 7This strategy comes loaded with the Research Wizard and it is called bt_sow_momentum_method1 It can be found in the SoW (Screen of the Week) folder.The screen is pretty simple, yet powerful. Here is one of the seven stocks that made it through this week's screen…Why This Soaring Financial Giant is a Must-Buy StockBarclays (BCS) stock has soared 120% in the past two years to more than double the Financial Sector and the S&P 500. The run is part of a market-crushing 250% five-year climb that pushed the London-headquartered powerhouse to its highest levels since 2009. Despite its 28% YTD surge to 10-year highs, Barclays still trades 18% below its average Zacks price target. Along with its surging stock, Barclays’ dividend offers a solid yield.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchThe stock might be a bit overheated on the technical front, alongside the broader market, following the recent blockbuster rally. Yet, Barclays trades at a 50% discount to its 10-year highs and 57% below its sector at 6.9X forward 12-month earnings.The multinational banking and financial services company boasts a range of offerings across retail banking, corporate banking, investment banking, and wealth management. Barclays posted 8% revenue growth last year, and it is expected to follow that up with 11% higher sales in 2025 and 5% stronger revenue next year.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchBarclays’ initiatives to improve efficiency over the last few years are paying off. The financial giant is also committed to simplifying its operations and focusing on its core businesses. BCS posted 30% GAAP earnings growth last year, and it is projected to grow its adjusted earnings by 22% in 2025 and 2026. The company’s improving earnings outlook earns Barclays a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).Get the rest of the stocks on this list and start looking for the newest companies that fit these criteria. It's easy to do. And it could help you find your next big winner. Start screening for these companies today with a free trial to the Research Wizard. You can do it.Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.Want more articles from this author? Scroll up to the top of this article and click the FOLLOW AUTHOR button to get an email each time a new article is published.Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks’ portfolios and strategies are available at: www.zacks.com/performance_disclosureZacks' Super ScreenIt's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But since 2000, while the market gained +7.7% per year, one of our top stock-picking screens averaged +56.7% per year.In fact, our Top 10 screens substantially outperformed the market with an average gain of +35.6%.Free – See the Stocks They're Turning Up for 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 Barclays PLC (BCS): 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