Beat the Market Like Zacks: Oracle, Micron, Hudson Pacific in Focus

Zacks 2026.06.01 12:19 (GMT+0)

Beat the Market Like Zacks: Oracle, Micron, Hudson Pacific in Focus

Last Friday, the three major Wall Street indexes closed a winning week. The Dow climbed 0.9%, the S&P 500 gained 1.4% and the Nasdaq rose 2.4%. For the month, the Dow added 2.8%, the S&P 500 advanced 5.2% and the Nasdaq surged 8.4%, capping a strong May for U.S. equities.

Wall Street was driven higher by continued enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor stocks. Strong earnings from technology leaders, upbeat demand forecasts and expectations of increased AI-related spending helped lift growth shares, particularly within the Nasdaq.

Investor sentiment was also supported by easing inflation concerns and hopes that the Federal Reserve could remain on a path toward lower interest rates later this year. Meanwhile, resilient economic data and generally solid corporate earnings reinforced confidence that the U.S. economy can continue expanding despite ongoing global uncertainties.

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:

Hudson Pacific and FactSet Research Surge Following Zacks Rank Upgrade

Shares of Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc. HPP have gained 113.9% (versus the S&P 500’s 19.3% increase) since it was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) on March 30.

Another stock, FactSet Research Systems Inc. FDS, which was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) on March 30, has returned 23.8% 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 Hudson Pacific’s historical EPS and Sales here>>>

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

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Zacks Recommendation Upgrades TD SYNNEX and YPF Sociedad

Shares of TD SYNNEX Corporation SNX and YPF Sociedad Anonima YPF have surged 39.8% and 17.2% (versus the S&P 500’s 15.3% rise), respectively, since their Zacks Recommendation was upgraded to Outperform on April 6.

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 Advanced Micro Devices, Micron Shoot Up

Shares of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. AMD, which belongs to the Zacks Focus List, have gained 157.8% over the past 12 weeks. The stock was added to the Focus List on May 19, 2025. Another Focus-List holding, Micron Technology, Inc. MU, which was added to the list on December 27, 2016, has returned 135.5% over the past 12 weeks. The S&P 500 has advanced 10.3% over this period.

The 50-stock Focus List portfolio returned +8.43% in 2026 (through April 30^th) vs. +5.7% for the S&P 500 index and +6.65% 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 April 30^th, 2026, the portfolio’s rolling returns on a one-year, three-year, five-year, ten-year, and since 2004 have been +38.84% (vs. +31.05% for the S&P 500 index), +22.24% (vs. +21.69%), +12.55% (vs. +13.14%), +16.46% (vs. +15.26%) and +12.36% vs. (+10.82%), 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 Oracle & UnitedHealth Gain Significantly

Oracle Corporation ORCL, a component of our Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), has jumped 55.3% over the past 12 weeks. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated UNH followed Oracle with 29.7% 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 Stock Automatic Data Processing Outperforms Peers

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. ADP, which is part of our Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP), has returned 3.5% over the past 12 weeks. Of course, the inclination of investors toward quality dividend stocks to secure an income stream amid heightened market volatility contributed to this performance.

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 Carpenter Technology Delivers Solid Returns

Carpenter Technology Corporation CRS, from the Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2025, has jumped 38.6% since January 5, 2026, compared with the S&P 500 Index’s 10.8% increase.

The Top 10 portfolio retuned +20.7% in 2026 (through April 30^th) vs. +5.7% for the S&P 500 index and +6.8% 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 April 2026, the Top 10 portfolio has produced a cumulative return of +3,028.5% since 2012 vs. +599.3% for the S&P 500 index and +436.9% for the equal-weight version of the index. The portfolio has produced an average annual return of +26.9% in the period 2012 through April 30^th, 2026 vs. +13.3% for the S&P 500 index and +10.9% for the equal-weight version of the index.

Radical New Technology Could Hand Investors Huge Gains

Quantum Computing is the next technological revolution, and it could be even more advanced than AI.

While some believed the technology was years away, it is already present and moving fast. Large hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and even Meta and Tesla, are scrambling to integrate quantum computing into their infrastructure.

Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power .

Kevin was among the early experts who recognized NVIDIA's enormous potential back in 2016. Now, he has keyed in on what could be "the next big thing" in quantum computing supremacy. Today, you have a rare chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this opportunity.

See Top Quantum Stocks Now >>

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

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

Zacks Investment Research