The 52-Week-High List: 15 Small Cap Names On Friday
As of Friday, October 16, there are 15 Small Cap US and Canada-listed stocks in the Trefis coverage universe trading at their 52-week highs. Small Cap here means a market value between $2 billion and $10 billion, the upper figure excluded.
Paylocity (PCTY), with a market value of about $8.9 billion, is the largest company on the list; its stock is up 13.7% over the past month and up 11.0% over the past year. For context, the S&P 500 is up 0.4% over the past month, including dividends.
The Biggest Names On The List
The table below shows the 10 largest of the 15 names, sorted by market capitalization, with returns over four windows:
| Tickers | Market Cap |
1D Return |
1W Return |
1M Return |
1Y Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCTY | $8.9 Bil | 0.0% | 8.0% | 13.7% | 11.0% |
| THG | $8.2 Bil | 2.0% | 6.2% | 1.7% | 38.1% |
| ANF | $6.7 Bil | 0.8% | 7.5% | 10.6% | 115.5% |
| BOX | $5.4 Bil | 0.2% | 8.7% | 14.1% | 20.9% |
| SIG | $4.6 Bil | 0.3% | 12.6% | 16.8% | 16.0% |
| APLE | $4.0 Bil | 1.1% | 4.5% | 9.9% | 58.0% |
| BTE | $3.8 Bil | 2.9% | 10.4% | 9.5% | 129.6% |
| FIZZ | $3.3 Bil | 1.9% | 14.5% | 10.4% | 7.3% |
| ATKR | $3.2 Bil | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 46.4% |
| PK | $3.2 Bil | 1.2% | 4.9% | 7.4% | 55.8% |
Strong Prices, But How Strong Are The Businesses?
Paylocity (PCTY) trades at 33.0 times trailing earnings, grew revenue 11.0% over the last twelve months and earned an operating margin of 21.8%.
Hanover Insurance (THG) trades at 10.8 times trailing earnings and grew revenue 5.4% over the last twelve months.
Across the list, one-month moves range from +0.5% for Atkore (ATKR) to +16.8% for Signet Jewelers (SIG).
Over the past year, the median name here is up 38.1%.
Before chasing any name on this list, ask what the company itself expects next. Our Guidance Momentum screen surfaces the stocks whose managements just raised their own outlooks.
Chasing Highs Is A Reflex. Owning Strength Is A System
A 52-week-high list is seductive: everything on it has been going right. But buying a stock because it is at its high is buying a price, and prices revert; what persists is the quality underneath the run.
The Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio is built to own that quality before and after it makes headlines: roughly 30 businesses selected for consistent cash generation, strong margins, and resilient balance sheets, sized and rebalanced with rules. It has a track record of outpacing a benchmark that combines the S&P 500, the S&P MidCap 400, and the Russell 2000. Admire the list; own the system.