Take the Zacks Approach to Beat the Markets: Honda Motor, Accenture, CACI in Focus

2026.10.26 11:13 (GMT+0)

Take the Zacks Approach to Beat the Markets: Honda Motor, Accenture, CACI in Focus

The three benchmark Wall Street indexes delivered mixed performance for the week ended October 23. The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite fell 0.7%, while the S&P 500 declined 0.5%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, added 0.4% to mark a third straight week of gains.

Technology shares faced heavy selling as investors questioned whether massive artificial intelligence investments would generate sufficient returns, with concerns about financing costs adding to pressure. Renewed Middle East tensions pushed oil prices higher, reviving inflation fears and uncertainty over interest rates. Defensive sectors and value-oriented stocks helped limit broader market losses.

Investor sentiment remained cautious despite generally supportive corporate earnings. With major technology companies preparing to report results and the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting approaching, investors were closely monitoring capital-spending plans, profit outlooks and interest-rate signals.

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:

Honda Motor and BILL Surge Following Zacks Rank Upgrade

Shares of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. HMC have gained 8.1% (versus the S&P 500’s 2.2% decrease) since it was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) on August 17.

Another stock, BILL Holdings, Inc. BILL, which was also upgraded to a Rank #1 on August 26, has returned 6.3% since then.

A portfolio of Zacks # 1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks has outperformed the S&P 500 index by 3.9 percentage points this year. Through October 5^th this year, the Zacks # 1 Rank portfolio returned +16.9%, which compares to a +13% gain for the S&P 500 index and an +8.1% gain for the equal-weight version of the index in the same time period.

Since its inception in 1988, this portfolio of Zacks # 1 Rank stocks has outperformed the market by 12.2 percentage points. The average annual return for this portfolio of Zacks # 1 Rank stocks since inception in 1988 was +23.8% through October 5^th, which compares to a +11.6% gain for the S&P 500 index and a +11.2% gain for the equal-weight version of the index.

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

Check Honda Motor’s historical EPS and Sales here>>>

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

Zacks Recommendation Upgrades Telos and NIQ Global

Shares of Telos Corporation TLS and NIQ Global Intelligence plc NIQ have surged 9.9% and 9.3% (versus the S&P 500’s 1.2% fall), respectively, since their Zacks Recommendation was upgraded to Outperform on August 5.

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 & Ulta Beauty Shoot Up

Shares of CACI International Inc. CACI, which belongs to the Zacks Focus List, have soared 31.9% over the past 12 weeks. The stock was added to the Focus List on December 2, 2015. Another Focus-List holding, Ulta Beauty, Inc. ULTA, which was added to the list on March 25, 2020, has returned 30.7% over the past 12 weeks. The S&P 500 has advanced 2.9% over this period.

The 50-stock Focus List portfolio returned +13.78% in the year-to-date period (through September 30^th, 2026) vs. +12.75% for the S&P 500 index and +10.03% 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 September 30^th, 2026, the portfolio’s rolling returns on a one-year, three-year, five-year, ten-year, and since 2004 have been +17.49% (vs. +15.74% for the S&P 500 index), +24.4% (vs. +22.9%), +13.5% (vs. +13.8%), +16.4% (vs. +15.3%) and +12.4% vs. (+10.9%), 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 Accenture & Check Point Gain Significantly

Accenture plc ACN, a component of our Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), has jumped 79.7% over the past 12 weeks. Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. CHKP followed Accenture with 26.2% returns.

The Zacks Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), which consists of 30 concentrated, ultra-defensive, long-term Buy-and-Hold stocks, returned -4.7% in 2026 (through September 30^th, 2026) vs. +12.75% for the S&P 500 index.

For 2025, the portfolio returned -1.67% vs. a +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 Automatic Data Processing & Procter & Gamble Outperform Peers

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. ADP, which is part of our Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP), has returned 25.2% over the past 12 weeks. Another ECDP stock,The Procter & Gamble Company PG, has climbed 9.6% 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 Automatic Data Processing’ dividend history here>>>

Check Procter & Gamble’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 +2.01% in the year-to-date period (through September 30^th) vs. +12.75% for the S&P 500 index.

The portfolio returned -0.6% in 2025 vs. a +6.8% gain for the Dividend Aristocrats 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 Delivers Solid Returns

Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. MPWR, from the Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2025, has jumped 21.8% since January 5, 2026, compared with the S&P 500 Index’s 11.2% increase.

The Top 10 portfolio returned +8.34% in the year-to-date 2026 period (through September 30^th) vs. +12.75% for the S&P 500 index and +10.03% 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 September 2026, the Top 10 portfolio has produced a cumulative return of +2,706.5% since 2012 vs. +645.9% for the S&P 500 index and +453.8% for the equal-weight version of the index. The portfolio has produced an average annual return of +25.1% in the period 2012 through September 30^th, 2026, vs. +13.5% for the S&P 500 index and +10.8% for the equal-weight version of the index.

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

Zacks Investment Research