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By: Paul Toscano, Giovanny Moreano | 25 May 2011 | 04:37 PM ET
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20 Stocks With The Potential To Pop
Photo: John W Banagan | Getty Images
It's the basic question when investing in a stock: is it on the way up or 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. With data from Thomson Reuters, CNBC.com took a look at which stocks in the S&P 500 have average consensus estimates farthest above their stock prices. According to the latest data, about 139 stocks or 28 percent of the index constituents are expected to go up in value by 20 percent or more. And only about 61 companies have already met or surpassed their respective price target estimates. The prices and analyst estimates presented here are as of the market close on 5/25/11. So, which stocks are analysts expecting to have the biggest pops? Click ahead to find out! By Giovanny Moreano & Paul ToscanoPosted 25 May 2011

20. Wells Fargo (WFC)
Photo: Getty Images
Potential to Pop: 34.95%Mean Price Target: $37.19 Closing Price (5/25): $27.56Number of Analysts: 27 High Estimate: $49 Low Estimate: $29Get WFC Real-Time Quote

19. Ford (F)
Photo: Joe Raedle | Getty Images
Potential to Pop: 35.21% Mean Price Target: $19.71 Closing Price (5/25): $14.58Number of Analysts: 14 High Estimate: $22 Low Estimate: $17Get F Real-Time Quote

18. Google (GOOG)
Photo: Getty Images
Potential to Pop: 35.30% Mean Price Target: $703.11 Closing Price (5/25): $519.67Number of Analysts: 33 High Estimate: $800 Low Estimate: $519 Get GOOG Real-Time Quote

17. Broadcom Corporation (BRCM)
Photo: Broadcom
Potential to Pop: 35.33% Mean Price Target: $44.97 Closing Price (5/25): $33.23 Number of Analysts: 36 High Estimate: $55 Low Estimate: $27.5 Get BRCM Real-Time Quote

16. Genworth Financial (GNW)
Photo: Genworth
Potential to Pop: 35.58% Mean Price Target: $14.85Closing Price (5/25): $10.95Number of Analysts: 13High Estimate: $22Low Estimate: $12Get GNW Real-Time Quote

15. Akamai Technologies (AKAM)
Photo: Akamai Technologies
Potential to Pop: 35.72% Mean Price Target: $44.63 Closing Price (5/25): $32.88 Number of Analysts: 20 High Estimate: $56 Low Estimate: $32.50 Get AKAM Real-Time Quote

14. Microsoft (MSFT)
Photo: Getty Images
Potential to Pop: 36.57% Mean Price Target: $33.04 Closing Price (5/25): $24.19 Number of Analysts: 27 High Estimate: $38 Low Estimate: $25 Get MSFT Real-Time Quote

13. Cameron International (CAM)
Photo: Don Klumpp | Iconica | Getty Images
Potential to Pop: 38.85% Mean Price Target: $65.38 Closing Price (5/25): $47.77 Number of Analysts: 24 High Estimate: $90 Low Estimate: $55 Get CAM Real-Time Quote

12. Compuware (CPWR)
Photo: AP
Potential to Pop: 37.01% Mean Price Target: $13.40Closing Price (5/25): $9.78Number of Analysts: 5 High Estimate: $14Low Estimate: $12.50Get CPWR Real-Time Quote

11. SanDisk Corp (SNDK)
Photo: SanDisk
Potential to Pop: 37.91% Mean Price Target: $62.63 Closing Price (5/25): $45.41 Number of Analysts: 16 High Estimate: $72 Low Estimate: $52 Get SNDK Real-Time Quote

10. Janus Capital Group (JNS)
Photo: janus.com
Potential to Pop: 38.99% Mean Price Target: $14.04 Closing Price (5/25): $10.10 Number of Analysts: 13 High Estimate: $17Low Estimate: $11.5Get JNS Real-Time Quote

9. Southwest (LUV)
Photo: Getty Images
Potential to Pop: 39.36% Mean Price Target: $16.50 Closing Price (5/25): $11.84 Number of Analysts: 14 High Estimate: $26 Low Estimate: $13.5 Get LUV Real-Time Quote

8. AK Steel Holding (AKS)
Photo: ricardoazoury | Vetta | Getty Images
Potential to Pop: 39.69% Mean Price Target: $20.56 Closing Price (5/25): $14.72 Number of Analysts: 8 High Estimate: $24 Low Estimate: $16 Get AKS Real-Time Quote

7. Citigroup (C)
Photo: Getty Images
Potential to Pop: 41.02% Mean Price Target: $56.88 Closing Price (5/25): $40.33 Number of Analysts: 20 High Estimate: $70 Low Estimate: $42 Get C Real-Time Quote

6. Cliffs Natural Resources (CLF)
Photo: Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.
Potential to Pop: 41.91% Mean Price Target: $124 Closing Price (5/25): $87.38 Number of Analysts: 10 High Estimate: $145 Low Estimate: $75 Get CLF Real-Time Quote

5. Goldman Sachs (GS)
Photo: Getty Images
Potential to Pop: 42.32% Mean Price Target: $193.90 Closing Price (5/25): $136.24 Number of Analysts: 20 High Estimate: $243 Low Estimate: $165Get GS Real-Time Quote

4. MEMC Electronic Materials (WFR)
Photo: memc.com
Potential to Pop: 44.53% Mean Price Target: $14.39 Closing Price (5/25): $9.96 Number of Analysts: 19 High Estimate: $18 Low Estimate: $9.5 Get WFR Real-Time Quote

3. Micron Technology (MU)
Photo: Micron
Potential to Pop: 48.34% Mean Price Target: $14.26 Closing Price (5/25): $9.61 Number of Analysts: 20 High Estimate: $18 Low Estimate: $11 Get MU Real-Time Quote

2. Bank of America (BAC)
Photo: Getty Images
Potential to Pop: 52.72% Mean Price Target: $17.38 Closing Price (5/25): $11.38Number of Analysts: 25 High Estimate: $24 Low Estimate: $13.50 Get BAC Real-Time Quote

1. Monster Worldwide (MWW)
Photo: Getty Images
Potential to Pop: 54.21% Mean Price Target: $22.65 Closing Price (5/25): $14.69 Number of Analysts: 13 High Estimate: $32 Low Estimate: $9 Get MWW Real-Time Quote

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