Best of Breed Stocks

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Pekingese Malachy poses for photographers after winning Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Last night, Malachy, a Pekingese, wascrowned the winner of the 136th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City.

Although selecting the best of breed in the dog show may be a mysterious science to some, picking outliers in the stock market is vastly more straightforward.

Since the Dow closed at a record high of 14,164.53 back in October 9, 2007, 72 companies in the S&P 500 are up more than 50 percent.

Of those companies, CNBC's By the Numbers team grouped the ones trading at or within 5 percent of their all-time highs, significantly outperforming the overall market.

The results yielded 38 companies, of which 16 belong to the consumer discretionary sector. So, which stocks should receive the best of breed title?

Ideas? Suggestions? Send them to [e-mail]

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