Fast Movers: 3 Stocks to Catch Before They Soar

Yiannis Zourmpanos

Mon, Jun 10, 2024, 5:30 AM 4 min read

GigaCloud (GCT)

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With the launch of GigaCloud’s (NASDAQ:GCT) new industry-first, Branding-as-a-Service (BaaS) program, the stock’s potential has never been stronger. Specifically, this program aims to assist sellers in establishing brand awareness to raise their credibility in the marketplace. Alongside this new platform, GigaCloud has prioritized fulfillment center growth by adding three new locations in the U.S. and one in Germany. This signifies the company’s proactive approach to meeting rising demand and enhancing operational effectiveness.

Furthermore, with $196.2 million in cash and liquid investments at the end of Q1 2024, GigaCloud demonstrates a deep resource pool to investors. Pair these cash reserves with a lack of outstanding debts and GCT stock appears less risky. Beyond these strong financials, the company invested $10 million in infrastructure and strategic capital expenditures to support future development and scalability.

Lastly, GigaCloud is confident in its continued development and commercial momentum, as seen by its second-quarter sales projection of $265 million to $280 million. Thus, the company’s capacity to adjust to changing market conditions and operational issues reflects its resilience and agility, with little to no impact on overall operations.

Cemex (CX)

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Cemex (NYSE:CX) is a global leader in the construction materials industry, renowned for its effective pricing strategies and strategic investments. Interestingly, the company pulled off increasing prices across its ready mix and gray cement product lines while retaining sales volume. While the company had made this decision to hedge against inflation, the materials needed to make its products did not rise in cost as expected.

This resulted in notable EBITDA growth, most notably in its Mexico and United States markets, of 0.5% and 3% respectively. The key identifier here is the business’ construction materials successfully retaining sales while increasing prices, which widened operational margins for Cemex.

Moreover, these metrics underscore its command of the cement market, making it all the more likely to grow if the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, which would accelerate construction project spending. Overall, with its strong market position and forward-thinking strategies, Cemex secures its place among the stable stocks to buy for stability and growth potential in the construction sector.

Cogent (CCOI)

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Cogent (NASDAQ:CCOI) is a network services provider that offers high-quality internet, data, and communication services. The company’s EBITDA as adjusted margin was 43.2% during the first quarter of 2024, a considerable gain above the 40.6% margin from the prior quarter. Despite variations in sales, the company’s efficient cost management tactics — which included reducing SG&A and cost of goods sold — contributed to margin improvement.

Of particular note, the company’s reimbursable severance costs from T-Mobile (NASDAQ:TMUS) for the acquisition of its Wireline business in 2023 further increased its profitability by reducing the cost of the transaction. This Wireline business came with all of Sprint’s old broadband network assets, which greatly increased Cogent’s network and data center offerings.

In the two years since the acquisition, Cogent has converted old Sprint buildings into data centers, which demonstrates the company’s dedication to improving service capabilities and optimizing infrastructure. By the end of the year, Cogent plans to provide wavelength services at more than 800 sites to fulfill increasing consumer demand and seize market possibilities.

Overall, with a focus on maximizing operational effectiveness and seizing market opportunities, Cogent is a standout among stocks to buy for investors seeking reliable returns in the telecommunications industry.

On the date of publication, Yiannis Zourmpanos did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Yiannis Zourmpanos is the founder of Yiazou Capital Research, a stock-market research platform designed to elevate the due diligence process through in-depth business analysis.