U.S. equities look set for a solid open on Wednesday as traders await the release of the latest Federal Reserve meeting minutes. While the economic data remains uneven, President Trump’s White House continues to float tax cut ideas as a remedy — teasing both a capital gains and payroll tax cut. This comes amid worries that a recession could arrive just in time for the 2020 presidential election. Trump took to Twitter this morning to attack the Federal Reserve, yet again, for not cutting rates aggressively enough. The overall message is loud and clear: Both monetary and fiscal stimulus is likely to ramp up.
And thus, stocks are starting to perk up. While valuations are still somewhat extended on a historic basis, there are still values to be had. So at times like this, I like to look to lower-priced penny stocks — or stocks under $10. There are quite a few stocks under $10, so I look to the charts to find ones that look ready for a breakout.
Here are 11 stocks priced under $10 that look ready for a run higher:
GNC (GNC)
Shares of supplements and vitamins retailer GNC (NYSE:GNC) are bouncing off of their 50-day moving average in what looks like an emerging rally to its 200-day moving average. Shares have been under massive pressure since peaking in late 2015, losing more than 98% of their value. With expectations so low, the recent announcement of a deal to buy Vitamin Shoppe (NYSE:VSI) for $208 million could result in a relief rally for this penny stock.
GNC will next report results on November 8 before the bell. Analysts are looking for earnings of seven cents per share on revenues of $510.1 million. When the company last reported on July 22, earnings of 13 cents beat estimates by a penny on a 13.6% decline in revenues.
Smart Sand (SND)
Smart Sand (NASDAQ:SND) provides fracking sand and supplies to the energy industry, holding roughly 321 million tons of proven recoverable sand reserves. SNDis somewhat insulated from energy price movements since it’s a play on oil and natural gas volumes. And because oil companies must keep pumping out of existing wells when prices fall (to pay fixed costs) profitability has remained intact with a 33% gross margin.
Shares look ready for an extension up and out of a three-month consolidation range with a move above its 50-day moving average after the lows set back in December were tested. The company will next report results on November 7 before the bell. Analysts are looking for earnings of 35 cents per share on revenues of $63.1 million.
Safe Bulkers (SB)
Safe Bulkers (NYSE:SB) provides marine drybulk transportation services out of Greece, helping ship things like coal, grain and iron ore with a fleet of 41 vessels. The company is tied to global trade, which admittedly has been an area of worry amid the standoff between the United States and China. But with Trump increasingly worried about an economic downturn, compromise seems likely.
Shares are bouncing off of both their 50-day and 200-day moving averages and look set for a move back to their July high. Such a move would be worth a gain of more than 23% from here.
Extraction Oil & Gas (XOG)
Shares of independent oil and gas producer Extraction Oil and Gas (NASDAQ:XOG) are once again moving to the upper end of a consolidation range going back to January and look ready for a test above their 200-day moving average that hasn’t been tested since the summer of 2018. Coverage of the stock was recently initiated by analysts at KeyBanc Capital Markets with a neutral rating.
The company will next report results on November 5 after the close. Analysts are looking for a loss of nine cents per share on revenues of $238.9 million. When the company last reported on August 1, earnings of 22 cents per share missed estimates by seven cents on a 14.6% decline in revenues.
Northern Oil and Gas (NOG)
Shares of Northern Oil and Gas (NYSEAMERICAN:NOG) are perking up and over their 50-day moving average and look set for a run towards the 200-day moving average. This caps a downtrend that’s been in place since late April, mirroring the pullback in crude oil prices. Management has been using the industry downturn to expand its ground game, buying up acreage at low cost preparing for the inevitable turnaround in energy prices.
In the second quarter and third quarter through late July, the company has completed 40 deals snapping up more than 6,000 acres. Deal activity continues to be focused on the Williston Basin in eastern Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and southern Saskatchewan.
AK Steel (AKS)
Shares of AK Steel (NYSE:AKS) are holding above their 50-day moving average and look set for another run at their 200-day moving average, continuing a rise off of the late May lows. Because of worries about global manufacturing activity, and thus demand for steel and iron, the stock trades under $10 at an incredibly cheap price-to-earnings multiple of just 4.6x.
The company will next report results on October 24 after the close. Analysts are looking for earnings of six cents per share on revenues of $1.7 billion. When the company last reported on July 29, earnings of 21 cents per share beat estimates by 15 cents on a 3.8% decline in revenues.
SRC Energy (SRCI)
SRC Energy (NYSEAMERICAN:SRCI) is an independent oil and gas producer based in the Denver basin in Colorado. The company has proved oil and gas reserves of 88 million barrels and 771 billion cubic feet respectively and operates nearly 1,000 wells. Shares are extending off of support from the lows set since December and looks good for a test above its 200-day moving average.
The company will next report results on October 24 after the close. Analysts are looking for earnings of six cents per share one revenues of $1.7 billion. When the company last reported on July 29, earnings of 21 cents per share beat estimates by 15 cents on a 3.8% decline in revenues.
Comstock Resources (CRK)
Shares of Comstock Resources (NYSE:CRK), an independent oil and gas outfit based primarily in Texas, Louisiana and North Dakota, look ready for another run at its 200-day moving average continuing a long sideways channel going back to 2015. Watch for an extension to the $12-a-share level, which would be worth a double from here.
The company recently announced the acquisition of Covey Park Energy in a cash and stock transaction valued at roughly $2.2 billion as it expands its footprint in the Haynesville shale area. When analysts at B. Riley FBR initiated coverage back in May, they focused on management’s improvement to capital intensity and cost cutting efforts.
Prospect Capital Corporation (PSEC)
Prospect Capital (NASDAQ:PSEC) is a business development company that specializes in middle market financing, buyouts and recapitalizations of private and micro-cap public companies. It focuses on a variety of industries, from energy to aerospace and consumer services. Shares are testing the upper range of a year-to-date sideways consolidation pattern but look ready for a push back to the early 2017 highs for a move that would be worth a gain of 10% from here.
The company will next report results on August 27 after the close. Analysts are looking for earnings of 21 cents per share on revenues of $166.7 million. When the company last reported on May 8, earnings of 21 cents per share beat estimates by a penny on a 5.1% rise in revenues.
ASE Technology Holding (ASX)
ASE Technology (NYSE:ASX) shares look ready to break up and out of a wedge formation with a push back to levels last seen in the summer of 2018. Such a move would be worth a gain of 10% from here. The company is a provider of semiconductor packaging and testing services — an industry that is intensely tied to the vagaries of the business cycle since chips are in pretty much every manufactured good.
The company recently reported that July net revenues increased 9% from last year to $1.2 billion. Analysts at Macquarie recently upgraded to buy despite a recent miss of quarterly earnings estimates on better-than-expected revenues.
MFA Financial (MFA)
MFA Financial (NYSE:MFA) is a diversified REIT focused on residential mortgage assets. Shares have been steadily grinding higher rising along its 200-day moving average as the previous high from late 2017 is challenged. Watch for a breakout here on the expectation of more cheap money easing from the Federal Reserve, which will bolster real estate prices.
The company will next report results on November 5 before the bell. Analysts are looking for earnings of 18 cents per share on revenues of $67.8 million. When the company last reported on August 7, earnings of 20 cents per share beat estimates by two cents on a 19.9% rise in revenues.
As of this writing, the author held no positions in the aforementioned securities.
