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20 Stocks with the Potential to Pop Q4 2010

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 an
Photo: Getty Images || Source: ThomsonReuters

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 11/4/10).

So, which stocks do analysts on average predict will have the biggest pop? Click ahead to find out!

By Ariel Nelson & Paul ToscanoPosted 4 Nov 2010

20. Flowserve (FLS)

Potential to Pop: 31.5% Mean Price Target: $129.00 Closing Price (8/26): $98.08 Number of Analysts: 8 High Estimate: $150 Low Estimate: $100
Photo: Wikicommons

Potential to Pop: 30.5%
Mean Price Target: $129.00
Closing Price (8/26): $98.84

Number of Analysts: 8
High Estimate: $150
Low Estimate: $100

Get FLS Real-Time Quote

19. SLM Corp (SLM)

Potential to Pop: 31.3% Mean Price Target: $16 Closing Price (11/4): $12.19 Number of Analysts: 7 High Estimate: $19 Low Estimate: $14
Photo: Jupiterimages | Getty Images

Potential to Pop: 30.6%
Mean Price Target: $16
Closing Price (11/4): $12.25

Number of Analysts: 7
High Estimate: $19
Low Estimate: $14

Get SLM Real-Time Quote

18. CONSOL Energy (CNX)

Potential to Pop: 30.8% Mean Price Target: $50.29 Closing Price (11/4): $38.45 Number of Analysts: 18 High Estimate: $67 Low Estimate: $39
Photo: CONSOL Energy

Potential to Pop: 30.8%
Mean Price Target: $50.29
Closing Price (11/4): $38.45

Number of Analysts: 18
High Estimate: $67
Low Estimate: $39

Get CNX Real-Time Quote

17. Marshall & Ilsley (MI)

Potential to Pop: 34.5% Mean Price Target: $7.58 Closing Price (11/4): $5.63 Number of Analysts: 20 High Estimate: $9.50 Low Estimate: $5.00

Potential to Pop: 32.0%
Mean Price Target: $7.58
Closing Price (11/4): $5.74

Number of Analysts: 20
High Estimate: $9.50
Low Estimate: $5.00

Get MI Real-Time Quote

16. JPMorgan Chase (JPM)

Potential to Pop: 37.5% Mean Price Target: $52.57 Closing Price (11/4): $38.24 Number of Analysts: 23 High Estimate: $60 Low Estimate: $44
Photo: Getty Images

Potential to Pop: 32.1%
Mean Price Target: $52.57
Closing Price (11/4): $39.80

Number of Analysts: 23
High Estimate: $60
Low Estimate: $44

Get JPM Real-Time Quote

15. Gamestop (GME)

Potential to Pop: 34.1% Mean Price Target: $26.54 Closing Price (11/4): $19.79 Number of Analysts: 16 High Estimate: $34 Low Estimate: $18
Photo: Wikicommons

Potential to Pop: 33.0%
Mean Price Target: $26.54
Closing Price (11/4): $19.95

Number of Analysts: 16
High Estimate: $34
Low Estimate: $18

Get GME Real-Time Quote

14. Goodyear Tire (GT)

Potential to Pop: 34.8% Mean Price Target: $14.03 Closing Price (11/4): $10.41 Number of Analysts: 8 High Estimate: $16 Low Estimate: $11.75
Photo: Goodyear.com

Potential to Pop: 33.7%
Mean Price Target: $14.03
Closing Price (11/4): $10.49

Number of Analysts: 8
High Estimate: $16
Low Estimate: $11.75

Get GT Real-Time Quote

13. Cabot Oil & Gas (COG)

Potential to Pop: 33.7% Mean Price Target: $42.63 Closing Price (11/4): $31.89 Number of Analysts: 15 High Estimate: $56 Low Estimate: $24
Photo: Getty Images

Potential to Pop: 33.8%
Mean Price Target: $42.63
Closing Price (11/4): $31.86

Number of Analysts: 15
High Estimate: $56
Low Estimate: $24

Get COG Real-Time Quote

12. Tyson Foods (TSN)

Potential to Pop: 33.1% Mean Price Target: $20.67 Closing Price (11/4): $15.53 Number of Analysts: 11 High Estimate: $27 Low Estimate: $16
Photo: AP

Potential to Pop: 34.1%
Mean Price Target: $20.67
Closing Price (11/4): $15.41

Number of Analysts: 11
High Estimate: $27
Low Estimate: $16

Get TSN Real-Time Quote

11. Micron Technology (MU)

Potential to Pop: 34.0% Mean Price Target: $11.51 Closing Price (11/4): $8.59 Number of Analysts: 21 High Estimate: $18 Low Estimate: $7
Photo: Micron

Potential to Pop: 34.5%
Mean Price Target: $11.51
Closing Price (11/4): $8.56

Number of Analysts: 21
High Estimate: $18
Low Estimate: $7

Get MU Real-Time Quote

10. Halliburton (HAL)

Potential to Pop: 37.5% Mean Price Target: $44.72 Closing Price (11/4): $32.95 Number of Analysts: 31 High Estimate: $55 Low Estimate: $35
Photo: Robert Nickelsberg | Getty Images

Potential to Pop: 36.1%
Mean Price Target: $44.72
Closing Price (11/4): $32.85

Number of Analysts: 31
High Estimate: $55
Low Estimate: $35

Get HAL Real-Time Quote

9. PulteGroup (PHM)

Potential to Pop: 40.1% Mean Price Target: $10.91 Closing Price (11/4): $7.55 Number of Analysts: 11 High Estimate: $14 Low Estimate: $8.50
Photo: Getty Images

Potential to Pop: 36.6%
Mean Price Target: $10.91
Closing Price (11/4): $7.75

Number of Analysts: 11
High Estimate: $14
Low Estimate: $8.50

Get PHM Real-Time Quote

8. Quanta Services (PWR)

Potential to Pop: 35.4% Mean Price Target: $24.30 Closing Price (11/4): $17.95 Number of Analysts: 20 High Estimate: $30 Low Estimate: $18
Photo: Getty Images

Potential to Pop: 36.7%
Mean Price Target: $24.30
Closing Price (11/4): $17.77

Number of Analysts: 20
High Estimate: $30
Low Estimate: $18

Get PWR Real-Time Quote

7. Big Lots (BIG)

Potential to Pop: 43.2% Mean Price Target: $41.70 Closing Price (8/26): $29.13 Number of Analysts: 10 High Estimate: $48 Low Estimate: $33

Potential to Pop: 40.1%
Mean Price Target: $41.00*
Closing Price (8/26): $29.26

Number of Analysts: 10
High Estimate: $48
Low Estimate: $26

Get BIG Real-Time Quote

*Big Lots (BIG) was adjusted due to include a significant downgrade made during the trading session on 11/4.

6. R.R. Donnelley (RRD)

Potential to Pop: 42.0% Mean Price Target: $26.00 Closing Price (11/4): $18.31 Number of Analysts: 4 High Estimate: $30 Low Estimate: $22

Potential to Pop: 40.5%
Mean Price Target: $26.00
Closing Price (11/4): $18.50

Number of Analysts: 4
High Estimate: $30
Low Estimate: $22

Get RRD Real-Time Quote

5. Gannett Co. (GCI)

Potential to Pop: 40.4% Mean Price Target: $17.86 Closing Price (11/4): $12.72 Number of Analysts: 7 High Estimate: $25 Low Estimate: $13
Photo: Getty Images

Potential to Pop: 40.8%
Mean Price Target: $17.86
Closing Price (11/4): $12.68

Number of Analysts: 7
High Estimate: $25
Low Estimate: $13

Get GCI Real-Time Quote

4. Apollo Group (APOL)

Potential to Pop: 41.2% Mean Price Target: $50.06 Closing Price (11/4): $35.45 Number of Analysts: 16 High Estimate: $69 Low Estimate: $35

Potential to Pop: 41.5%
Mean Price Target: $50.06
Closing Price (11/4): $35.38

Number of Analysts: 16
High Estimate: $69
Low Estimate: $35

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3. Tenet Healthcare (THC)

Potential to Pop: 55.0% Mean Price Target: $6.67 Closing Price (11/4): $4.30 Number of Analysts: 15 High Estimate: $9.50 Low Estimate: $5.00

Potential to Pop: 41.8%
Mean Price Target: $6.34
Closing Price (11/4): $4.47

Number of Analysts: 15
High Estimate: $9.50
Low Estimate: $5.00

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2. Bank of America (BAC)

Potential to Pop: 60.3% Mean Price Target: $18.47 Closing Price (11/4): $11.52 Number of Analysts: 26 High Estimate: $26 Low Estimate: $13
Photo: Getty Images

Potential to Pop: 51.5%
Mean Price Target: $18.36
Closing Price (11/4): $12.12

Number of Analysts: 26
High Estimate: $26
Low Estimate: $13

Get BAC Real-Time Quote

1. H&R Block (HRB)

Potential to Pop: 62.5% Mean Price Target: $18.80 Closing Price (11/4): $11.65 Number of Analysts: 5 High Estimate: $25 Low Estimate: $12
Photo: Mary Knox Merrill | Getty Images

Potential to Pop: 59.9%
Mean Price Target: $18.80
Closing Price (11/4): $11.76

Number of Analysts: 5
High Estimate: $25
Low Estimate: $12

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