Top 5 stocks of the week and how to trade them

Published Fri, Apr 24 20153:01 PM EDTUpdated Wed, May 13 20158:52 AM EDT

CNBC Pro highlights the top-performing stocks this week and analyzes whether the good times will continue. (The price change was calculated as of midday Friday so it is subject to change. If one stock led multiple indexes, we profiled the second best too.) Best in the Dow: Microsoft , up 14% this week Shares of Microsoft are on pace for their best weekly gain in six years, after the tech giant reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings. Despite soft PC trends, the company's ability to drive growth through its cloud business and cost controls was well-received by investors. Looking ahead, all eyes will be on Microsoft's ability to execute on its transition to the cloud. The current consensus estimate calls for a target price of $47 or only 2 percent higher from where the stock trades, according to FactSet. "Looking out, revenue growth should normalize for the WinXP cycle and Japan weakness, but we think profit growth will continue to suffer," wrote MKM Partners in a note to clients, noting that "lower Windows pricing is likely here to stay." The firm has a "neutral" rating with a price target of $48. Best in the S & P 500: Amazon , up 20% this week The online retailer's stock surged to an all-time high Friday, following quarterly results that came in ahead of expectations. Analysts were mostly upbeat around strong revenue figures in the cloud computing business, Amazon Web Services, which were released for the first time . Following the news, many analysts raised their price target estimates and issued positive guidance. The consensus on the Street has an "overweight" rating on ticker 'AMZN' with a target price of $438, or 2 percent above where the stock trades, based on FactSet data. With the company's stock on pace for its biggest daily move in three years, up more than 14 percent Friday, it may be time to wait for a sale. Best in the Nasdaq 100: Mattel , up 13% this week (Third best after Amazon and Microsoft) Shares of the toymaker moved higher after Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock on Friday to "buy" from "neutral." Last week, Mattel was also the top stock in the Nasdaq after reporting a narrower quarterly loss. So far this month ticker 'MAT' is now up 30 percent. Goldman's analysts think the stock could reach $37 in the next 12 months, or 23 percent higher from here, as Mattel gains market share from Hasbro and the industry moves toward integration with media and technology. According to Goldman's note: "We believe new management is making the right strategic changes by re-prioritizing an innovative culture and emphasizing the need for partnerships with Hollywood and Silicon Valley." Best in the S & P MidCap 400: Arris , up 18% this week Shares of the media entertainment company touched a 15-year high this week, after it announced the acquisition of Pace, a maker of set-top boxes, for about $2 billion. Both Arris and Pace make products that are used by telecommunication companies to stream videos through high-speed broadband connections. After the announcement, Brean Capital analyst Todd Mitchell said, "Arris will be the de facto leader in high-end video streaming, after taking out his most aggressive competitor". The transaction will also increase the firm's market share overseas, the analyst said. On the news, his price target was raised to $44, or 24 percent higher from here. Best in the Russell 2000: Echo Global Logistics , up 27% this week Shares of the technology company used to manage transportation services surged to an all-time high this week, after announcing the acquisition of Command Transportation, one of the largest privately held truckload brokers, in a deal valued at about $420 million. Stifel Nicolaus upgraded ticker 'ECHO' to "hold" from "sell," noting the deal could bode well for the company in light of "uninspiring" first-quarter results. With the sharp move this week, the stock is now trading in-line with the consensus price target of $32 for the next 12 months, according to FactSet. So until the benefits of the merger play out, the stock may see some profit-taking in the near term. —CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this story

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos discusses the Fire smartphone at a news conference in Seattle, June 18, 2014.

Jason Redmond | Reuters

CNBC Pro highlights the top-performing stocks this week and analyzes whether the good times will continue.

(The price change was calculated as of midday Friday so it is subject to change. If one stock led multiple indexes, we profiled the second best too.)