20 Stocks with the Potential to Pop - Q2 2010

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 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

Photo: Visa Inc Potential to Pop: 49.3% Mean Price Target: $110.79 Closing Price (5/21): $74.2 Number of Analysts: 29High Estimate: $125Low Estimate: $87Get V Real-Time QuoteLatest News on V

Potential to Pop: 49.8%Mean Price Target: $27.75Closing Price (5/21): $18.53Number of Analysts: N/A High Estimate: N/ALow Estimate: N/AGet RRD Real-Time QuoteLatest News on RRD

Photo: Michael Hart | Taxi | Getty Images Potential to Pop: 49.8%Mean Price Target: $27.75Closing Price (5/21): $18.53Number of Analysts: N/AHigh Estimate: N/ALow Estimate: N/AGet EQT Real-Time QuoteLatest News on EQT

Photo: National Oilwell Potential to Pop: 50.8%Mean Price Target: $55.63 Closing Price (5/21): $36.89Number of Analysts: 21 High Estimate: $85 Low Estimate: $45 Get NOV Real-Time QuoteLatest News on NOV

Photo: Steve Allen | Brand X Pictures | Getty Images Potential to Pop: 50.8%Mean Price Target: $101.06Closing Price (5/21): $67.01Number of Analysts: 16High Estimate: $125Low Estimate: $82Get FCX Real-Time QuoteLatest News on FCX

Photo: Image Source | Getty Images 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: $24Get WMB Real-Time QuoteLatest News on WMB

Photo: Chesapeake Potential to Pop: 53.5%Mean Price Target: $32.29Closing Price (5/21): $21.03Number of Analysts: 25 High Estimate: $49 Low Estimate: $0 Get CHK Real-Time QuoteLatest News on CHK

Photo: Anadarko 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 Get APC Real-Time Quote Latest News on APC

Photo: AP 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 Get AKS Real-Time QuoteLatest News on AKS

Photo: Jabil.com Potential to Pop: 54.8%Mean Price Target: $20.35Closing Price (5/21): $13.15Number of Analysts: 13  High Estimate: $23Low Estimate: $18Get JBL Real-Time QuoteLatest News on JBL

Photo: Nabors Industries Potential to Pop: 55.5% Mean Price Target: $27.57Closing Price (5/21): $17.73Number of Analysts: 24High Estimate: $36Low Estimate: $20Get NBR Real-Time QuoteLatest News on NBR

Photo: Getty Images Potential to Pop: 56.0%Mean Price Target: $22.75 Closing Price (5/21): $14.58Number of Analysts: 4 High Estimate: $27 Low Estimate: $20 Get GCI Real-Time QuoteLatest News on GCI

Photo: Robert Nickelsberg | Getty Images Potential to Pop: 56.9%Mean Price Target: $41.93 Closing Price (5/21): $26.73Number of Analysts: 28 High Estimate: $60 Low Estimate: $25 Get HAL Real-Time QuoteLatest News on HAL

Photo: Peabody Energy Potential to Pop: 58.5%Mean Price Target: $59.28Closing Price (5/21): $37.40Number of Analysts: 22 High Estimate: $67 Low Estimate: $52 Get BTU Real-Time QuoteLatest News on BTU

Photo: Consol Energy Potential to Pop: 60.7%Mean Price Target: $57.02 Closing Price (5/21): $35.48Number of Analysts: 21 High Estimate: $70 Low Estimate: $47 Get CNX Real-Time QuoteLatest News on CNX

Photo: Smith International Potential to Pop: 66.2%Mean Price Target: $52.13 Closing Price (5/21): $31.36Number of Analysts: 14 High Estimate: $68 Low Estimate: $41 Get COG Real-Time QuoteLatest News on COG

Photo: Micron Technology Inc Potential to Pop: 70.7%Mean Price Target: $15.24 Closing Price (5/21): $8.93Number of Analysts: 20 High Estimate: $23 Low Estimate: $7.80 Get MU Real-Time QuoteLatest News on MU

Photo: Cliffs Natural Resources Inc Potential to Pop: 73.0%Mean Price Target: $87.33 Closing Price (5/21): $50.47Number of Analysts: 9 High Estimate: $105 Low Estimate: $52 Get CLF Real-Time QuoteLatest News on CLF

Photo: AES Potential to Pop: 73.3%Mean Price Target: $16.67 Closing Price (5/21): $9.62Number of Analysts: 3 High Estimate: $22 Low Estimate: $14 Get AES Real-Time QuoteLatest News on AES

Photo: Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images 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. Get MEE Real-Time Quote

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