Beat the Market Like Zacks: Micron, UnitedHealth, J. M. Smucker in Focus

2026.07.13 12:19 (GMT+0)

Beat the Market Like Zacks: Micron, UnitedHealth, J. M. Smucker in Focus

Last Friday, the three major Wall Street indexes closed a mixed week. While the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.2% and 1.7%, respectively, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.5%.

Tech and AI-related shares led much of the advance, as investors continued to favor companies seen as primary beneficiaries of the artificial intelligence boom, lifting growth and momentum names on the Nasdaq and S&P 500. Optimism around resilient corporate earnings and ongoing demand for large-cap technology helped offset concerns in other parts of the market.

By contrast, the Dow’s decline reflected weakness in more cyclical and value-oriented constituents, which lagged as investors rotated back toward high-growth sectors. Mixed economic signals and caution ahead of upcoming data releases also weighed on traditional industrial and financial stocks, limiting gains in the blue-chip index.

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:

Silicon Motion Technology and Valmont Surge Following Zacks Rank Upgrade

Shares of Silicon Motion Technology Corporation SIMO have gained 49.2% (versus the S&P 500’s 5% increase) since it was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) on May 1.

Another stock, Valmont Industries, Inc. VMI, which was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) on May 1, has returned 7.6% since then.

A portfolio of Zacks # 1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks has outperformed the S&P 500 index by almost 8 percentage points this year. Through May 5^th, the Zacks # 1 Rank portfolio returned +13.14%, which compares to +5.19% for the S&P 500 index and +7.76% for the equal-weight version of the index in the year-to-date period.

Since its inception in 1988, this portfolio of Zacks # 1 Rank stocks has outperformed the market by 12.6 percentage points. The average annual return for this portfolio of Zacks # 1 Rank stocks since inception in 1988 was +24% through May 5^th, which compared to +11.5% gain for the S&P 500 index and +11.3% gain for the equal-weight version of the index.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here >>>

Check Silicon Motion’s historical EPS and Sales here>>>

Check Valmont’s historical EPS and Sales here>>>

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Zacks Recommendation Upgrades ArcBest and CECO Environmental

Shares of ArcBest Corporation ARCB and CECO Environmental Corp. CECO have surged 15.8% and 15.4% (versus the S&P 500’s 6.1% rise), respectively, since their Zacks Recommendation was upgraded to Outperform on April 30.

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 Micron, Advanced Micro Devices Shoot Up

Shares of Micron Technology MU, which belongs to the Zacks Focus List, have gained 129.6% over the past 12 weeks. The stock was added to the Focus List on December 27, 2016. Another Focus-List holding, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. AMD, which was added to the list on May 19, 2025, has returned 126% over the past 12 weeks. The S&P 500 has advanced 9.9% over this period.

The 50-stock Focus List portfolio returned +10.73% in 2026 (through the end of May) vs. +11.27% for the S&P 500 index and +9.53% for the equal-weight version of the index.

The portfolio returned +22.1% in 2025 vs. +17.9% for the S&P 500 index and +11.4% 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%.

Through May 31^st, 2026, the portfolio’s rolling returns on a one-year, three-year, five-year, ten-year, and since 2004 have been +31.42% (vs. +29.78% for the S&P 500 index), +24.26% (vs. +23.62%), +12.94% (vs. +14.15%), +16.40% (vs. +15.64%) and +12.42% vs. (+11.03%), respectively.

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 UnitedHealth & Monster Beverage Gain Significantly

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated UNH, a component of our Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), has jumped 35.7% over the past 12 weeks. Monster Beverage Corporation MNST followed UnitedHealth with 29.6% returns.

The Zacks Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), which consists of 30 concentrated, ultra-defensive, long-term Buy-and-Hold stocks, returned -7.14% in 2026 Q1 vs. -4.33% for the S&P 500 index.

For 2025, the portfolio returned -1.67% vs. +17.9% 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 J. M. Smucker & Automatic Data Outperform Peers

The J. M. Smucker Company SJM, which is part of our Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP), has returned 24.7% over the past 12 weeks. Another ECDP stock, Automatic Data Processing, Inc. ADP, has climbed 23.8% 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 J.M. Smucker’s dividend history here>>>

Check Automatic Data’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 -1.43% in 2026 Q1 vs. -4.33% for the S&P 500 index and +2.3% for the Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL).

The portfolio returned -0.6% in 2025 vs. +6.8% 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 Monolithic Power Systems Delivers Solid Returns

Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. MPWR, from the Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2025, has jumped 44.5% since January 5, 2026, compared with the S&P 500 Index’s 10.5% increase.

The Top 10 portfolio retuned +19.72% in 2026 (through May 31^st) vs. +11.27% for the S&P 500 index and +9.53% for the equal-weight version of the index.

The Top 10 portfolio returned +22.6% in 2025 vs. +17.9% for the S&P 500 index and +11.4% 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.

Through the end of May 2026, the Top 10 portfolio has produced a cumulative return of +3,001.9% since 2012 vs. +636.2.3% for the S&P 500 index and +451.2% for the equal-weight version of the index. The portfolio has produced an average annual return of +26.6% in the period 2012 through May 31^st, 2026 vs. +13.7% for the S&P 500 index and +11.03% for the equal-weight version of the index.

Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"

Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.

This top pick is a little-known satellite-based communications firm. Space is projected to become a trillion dollar industry, and this company's customer base is growing fast. Analysts have forecasted a major revenue breakout in 2025. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%.

Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research