When you see a stock that's hitting new 52-week highs, it often means that the uptrend is very strong and the buyers are in full control (and the opposite for stocks setting new 52-week lows). Momentum traders often look at the 52-week high lists to find new trading ideas.
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>>5 Stocks Under $10 With Big Upside PotentialKeep in mind, though, that new highs can also mean that the stock is overbought or has run up too far too fast. That's why it's important to combine a number of technical indicators like volume, price, trend and momentum indicators such as relative strength (RSI) before you make an investing or trading decision. Combine all of those things with fundamental trends, discipline and sound money management and you will be well on your way to investment success. Let's take a closer look at several stocks that hit new 52-week highs today.
Inhibitex Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.
Inhibitex(INHX) is focused on the development of differentiated anti-infective products to prevent or treat serious infections. This stock is trading up 18% to $10.53 in recent trading, after it hit a 52-week high of $11.98 earlier today.
Today's Range: $11.10-$11.9852-week Range: $2.00-$11.98Volume: 7,000,000Three-Month Average Volume: 1,419,000Inhibitex has a market cap of $896.45 million and an enterprise value of $646.86 million. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 5.4%, and for next year it's pegged at -5.7%. The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Inhibitex is 3.4%. This stock is soaring higher today as traders jamp into any stock with exposure to hepatitis C treatments after Gilead Sciences struck a deal to buy Pharmasset for $11 billion. Inhibitex is currently developing hepatitis C medicines. From a technical standpoint, this stock is gapping up and breaking out above some past overhead resistance at $10.60 today on high volume. If this stock can manage to close above $10.60 and near its daily high of $11.98, then traders should look for continued upside. That said, if INHX closes below $10.60, then I would expect to see the gap higher today get filled in the near future back toward $8.50.Inhibitex shows up on a recent list of 13 Biotech Stocks Bought and Sold by Hedge Funds.
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Crescent Financial(CRFN) operates for the primary purpose of serving the banking needs of individuals, and small- to medium-sized businesses in its market area. This stock is trading down 1.3% at $4.33 in recent trading after hitting a 52-week high of $4.49 earlier in the day.
Today's Range: $4.37-$4.4952-week Range: $2.00-$4.49Volume: 3,363Three-Month Average Volume: 21,043Crescent Financial has a market cap of $41.52 million and an enterprise value of $168.32 million. Its estimated growth rate for the current quarter is 26.7%, and for the next quarter it's pegged at 84.6%. The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Crescent Financial is very low at just 0.20%. From a technical standpoint, this stock is trigging a breakout toady now that shares are starting to move above some past overhead resistance at $4.25. Market players should watch to see how the volume ends on the day if the stock can stay above $4.25. Any volume above the three-month average action of 21,043 should be considered bullish. If we see a high-volume close over $4.25, then look for the stock to trend back towards its next significant overhead resistance level at $5.05. Keep in mind that this is a thinly traded stock, so that will keep short-term traders away since there just isn't enough liquidity. The lack of action would keep me away from this for any short-term trading.
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Reynolds America(RAI), through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells cigarette and other tobacco products in the U.S. This stock is trading up 0.55% at $40.33 in recent trading after hitting a 52-week high of $40.49 earlier in the day.
Today's Range: $39.67-$40.4952-week Range: $30.94-$40.49Volume: 1,234,000Three-Month Average Volume: 3,273,270Reynolds America has a market cap of $23.56 billion and an enterprise value of $25.04 billion. This stock trades at a trailing price-to-earnings of 17.8 and a forward price-to-earnings of 13.74. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 11.6%, and for the next year it's pegged at 5.8%. The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Reynolds America is very low at just 2.0%. From a technical standpoint, this stock is starting to break out today above some past overhead resistance at $39.94. Market players should now watch for the stock to sustain a move and close above $39.94 to signal that this stock wants to trend significantly higher. Look for a high-volume close above $39.94 that registers volume near or above its three-month average action of 3.27 million. >>Are Stocks Headed for a Year-End Rally?Keep mind that that shares of RAI are now trading near all-time highs, so that means just about everyone who has ever bought the stock is making money. That's bullish for any stock, since investors tend to pour money into names that are acting this strong.
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HealthStream(HSTM) provides Internet-based learning and research solutions to meet the training, information, and education needs of the healthcare industry. This stock is trading up 2.2% at $18.15 in recent trading after hitting a 52-week high of $18.27 earlier in the day.
Today's Range: $17.51-$18.2752-week Range: $5.75-$18.27Volume: 110,000Three-Month Average Volume: 143,928HealthStream has a market cap of $400.02 million and an enterprise value of $364.23 million. This stock trades at a trailing price-to-earnings of 66.78 and a forward price-to-earnings of 54.64. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 55.6%, and for next year it's pegged at 17.9%. The current short interest as a percentage of the float for HealthStream stands at 5.3%.From a technical standpoint, this stock recently broke out above some past overhead resistance at $16.81 on extremely high volume. Volume on Friday when the stock broke out registered 1.64 million, which is well above the three-month average volume of 143,928 shares. High-volume breakouts are bullish for any stock, so as long as HSTM stays above $16.81, then look for higher prices in the near future. HealthStream is one of TheStreet Ratings' top-rated health care technology stocks.
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American Electric Technologies(AETI) is a provider of electrical products and services to the Gulf Coast marine and industrial markets. This stock is trading up 0.25% at $3.99 in recent trading after hitting a 52-week high of $4.00 earlier in the day.
Today's Range: $3.85-$4.0052-week Range: $1.90-$4.00Volume: 8,725Three-Month Average Volume: 5,518American Electric Technologies has a market cap of $31.22 million and an enterprise value of $34.53 million. The stock trades at a price-to-sales of 0.65 and a price-to-book of 1.38. The current short interest as a percentage of the float for American Electric Technologies is very low at just 0.2%.From a technical standpoint, this stock is triggering a breakout today now that shares have started to move above some past overhead resistance at $3.79 on above-average volume. That said, this is another very thinly traded stock since only around 5,000 shares trade on an average day. If the stock can manage to close over $3.79, then shares set up to trade back toward its next significant overhead resistance level near $6. This is not a name I would play, however, due to the lack of volume. For more stocks hitting new 52-week highs today, visit the 52-Week Highs Portfolio.Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.At the time of publication, author has no positions in stocks mentioned.Roberto Pedone, based out of Windermere, Fla., is an independent trader who focuses on stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. He is also an outside contributor to Beconequity.com and maintains the website Maddmoney.net, which he sold to Blue Wave Advisors in 2008. Roberto studied International Business at The Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany.
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