20 Stocks with the Potential to Pop
It's the basic question when investing in a stock: is it on the way up or will it go down? To answer this question, the street has developed numerous ways of attempting to predict what will happen, estimating various attributes tied to stock performance in order to determine what the future holds for a company's valuation.
After dissecting the data, analysts following a particular stock produce a price target of where they believe the stock is headed. From the entire S&P 500, which stocks are analysts expecting to have the biggest pops? With data from ThomsonReuters, we took a look at which stocks have mean consensus estimates furthest above their stock prices (as of market close on 5/21/10).
So, which stocks do analysts on average predict will have the biggest pop? Click ahead to find out!
By Ariel Nelson & Paul ToscanoPosted 21 May 2010
20. Visa (V)
Potential to Pop: 49.3%
Mean Price Target: $110.79
Closing Price (5/21): $74.2
Number of Analysts: 29
High Estimate: $125
Low Estimate: $87
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18. (Tied)Â RR Donnelley & Sons (RRD)
Potential to Pop: 49.8%
Mean Price Target: $27.75
Closing Price (5/21): $18.53
Number of Analysts: N/AÂ
High Estimate: N/A
Low Estimate: N/A
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18. (Tied)Â EQT Corp (EQT)
Potential to Pop: 49.8%
Mean Price Target: $27.75
Closing Price (5/21): $18.53
Number of Analysts: N/A
High Estimate: N/A
Low Estimate: N/A
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16. (Tied)Â National Oilwell Varco (NOV)
Potential to Pop: 50.8%
Mean Price Target: $55.63
Closing Price (5/21): $36.89
Number of Analysts: 21
High Estimate: $85
Low Estimate: $45
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16. (Tied)Â Freeport-McMoran (FCX)
Potential to Pop: 50.8%
Mean Price Target: $101.06
Closing Price (5/21): $67.01
Number of Analysts: 16
High Estimate: $125
Low Estimate: $82
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15. Williams Companies (WMB)
Potential to Pop: 53.5%
Mean Price Target: $29.79
Closing Price (5/21): $19.40
Number of Analysts: 7
High Estimate: $33.50
Low Estimate: $24
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14. Chesapeake Energy (CHK)
Potential to Pop: 53.5%
Mean Price Target: $32.29
Closing Price (5/21): $21.03
Number of Analysts: 25
High Estimate: $49
Low Estimate: $0
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13. Anadarko Petroleum (APC)
Potential to Pop: 54.0%
Mean Price Target: $84.45
Closing Price (5/21): $54.83
Number of Analysts: 19
High Estimate: $100
Low Estimate: $70
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12. AK Steel Holding (AKS)
Potential to Pop: 54.7%
Mean Price Target: $21.29
Closing Price (5/21): $13.76
Number of Analysts: 7
High Estimate: $24
Low Estimate: $18
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11. Jabil Circuit (JBL)
Potential to Pop: 54.8%
Mean Price Target: $20.35
Closing Price (5/21): $13.15
Number of Analysts: 13Â
High Estimate: $23
Low Estimate: $18
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10. Nabors Industries (NBR)
Potential to Pop: 55.5%
Mean Price Target: $27.57
Closing Price (5/21): $17.73
Number of Analysts: 24
High Estimate: $36
Low Estimate: $20
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9. Gannett Co. (GCI)
Potential to Pop: 56.0%
Mean Price Target: $22.75
Closing Price (5/21): $14.58
Number of Analysts: 4
High Estimate: $27
Low Estimate: $20
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8. Halliburton Co (HAL)
Potential to Pop: 56.9%
Mean Price Target: $41.93
Closing Price (5/21): $26.73
Number of Analysts: 28
High Estimate: $60
Low Estimate: $25
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7. Peabody Energy (BTU)
Potential to Pop: 58.5%
Mean Price Target: $59.28
Closing Price (5/21): $37.40
Number of Analysts: 22
High Estimate: $67
Low Estimate: $52
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6. CONSOL Energy (CNX)
Potential to Pop: 60.7%
Mean Price Target: $57.02
Closing Price (5/21): $35.48
Number of Analysts: 21
High Estimate: $70
Low Estimate: $47
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5. Cabot Oil & Gas (COG)
Potential to Pop: 66.2%
Mean Price Target: $52.13
Closing Price (5/21): $31.36
Number of Analysts: 14
High Estimate: $68
Low Estimate: $41
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4. Micron Technology (MU)
Potential to Pop: 70.7%
Mean Price Target: $15.24
Closing Price (5/21): $8.93
Number of Analysts: 20
High Estimate: $23
Low Estimate: $7.80
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3. Cliffs Natural Resources (CLF)
Potential to Pop: 73.0%
Mean Price Target: $87.33
Closing Price (5/21): $50.47
Number of Analysts: 9
High Estimate: $105
Low Estimate: $52
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2. AES Corp (AES)
Potential to Pop: 73.3%
Mean Price Target: $16.67
Closing Price (5/21): $9.62
Number of Analysts: 3
High Estimate: $22
Low Estimate: $14
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1. Massey Energy (MEE)
Potential to Pop: 73.4%**
Mean Price Target: $54.00
Closing Price (5/21): $31.14
Number of Analysts: 17
High Estimate: $65
Low Estimate: $34
**Note: On 4/6/10, a Massey worksite experienced an explosion in which 29 miners lost their lives amid questions of safety violations which have led to both public outcry against the company as well as increased scrutiny the company. Click here for the latest news on Massey Energy.
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