- The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq once again hit new all-time highs on Wednesday.
- However, not all stocks are in the same boat, with some lagging far behind.
- Discover 8 US stocks that have been battered in recent weeks and could see explosive gains.
The closed at 7,365 on Wednesday, up 1.46%. The jumped 2.03% to 25,839. Both indices reached new record highs. Markets moved higher due to two main reasons: hopes of a possible agreement between the US and Iran to end the war, and strong earnings from tech companies.
On the geopolitical side, fell more than 7% to around $94 per barrel. Reports suggested progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that handles over 20% of global oil trade. The disruption had been putting pressure on markets for weeks. However, President Donald Trump later said an agreement remains uncertain, which shows the situation is still unstable.
In earnings, was the standout. The stock rose 18.61% after the company reported strong results. First-quarter revenue came in at $10.3 billion, up 38% from last year. Its data center business led growth, generating $5.8 billion, up 57%. For the next quarter, AMD expects revenue of about $11.2 billion, higher than market estimates of $10.5 billion. This points to strong demand for AI-related infrastructure.
Overall, earnings season has been strong. More than 80% of S&P 500 companies that have reported so far have beaten expectations, making it the strongest quarter in over four years.
8 Battered US Stocks Haven’t Yet Benefited From the Rally
The recent market rally has not been spread evenly. Tech and semiconductor stocks have been hitting record highs, but some other stocks have fallen sharply over the past two weeks. These declines have come from companies more exposed to the conflict or those impacted by their own earnings and business issues.
These weaker stocks may now offer better opportunities, but only if they have strong finances and can handle a longer conflict. It makes sense to stay cautious with expensive or financially weak companies, as they would be the most at risk if talks with Iran break down.
We therefore turned to the Investing.com screener, searching for US stocks meeting the following criteria:
- Market capitalization greater than $5 billion
- A drop of more than 10% over two weeks
- Upside potential of more than 25% according to InvestingPro Fair Value (which synthesizes several recognized valuation models)
- Upside potential of more than 20% based on the average analyst target
- Financial health score above 2.5/5
This research has allowed us to identify 8 stocks:
These US stocks have dropped 10.2% to 20.1% over the past two weeks, yet they now trade 25.2% to 85.1% below their fair value estimates. Analysts see further upside of 24.8% to 97% from current levels.
Among these stocks are:
1. IQVIA Holdings Inc
is a global provider of services to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. It offers clinical research, health data, analytics, and AI-driven tools used across drug development. Its strength comes from combining large health datasets with AI, which makes it stand out in the sector.
The company reported strong Q1 2026 results. Adjusted EPS came in at $2.90, above expectations of $2.83, while revenue rose 8.4%. It also raised its full-year EPS guidance to $12.65–$12.95.
Despite this, the stock has fallen 28.6% this year, while the S&P 500 has gained 5.2%. Analysts have an average price target of $229.60, compared to the current price of around $157, suggesting a gap that looks hard to explain based on performance.
2. Sonoco Products Company
is a long-established packaging firm operating across paper, metal, and plastic in about 50 countries.
The stock dropped more than 16% after its Q1 results, which were affected by bad weather, a facility fire, and higher input costs. However, the numbers themselves were steady. EPS matched expectations at $1.20, and the company kept its full-year guidance unchanged. Management also pointed out that many input costs are protected through contracts.
The stock now trades at about 8.4 times forward earnings. Analysts see a price target of $61.78, implying more than 20% upside. The CFO also increased his personal stake after the decline, which signals confidence in the company.
However, all other stocks on the list show higher upside potential according to Fair Value!
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Disclaimer: This article is written for informational purposes only; it does not constitute a solicitation, offer, advice, counsel or recommendation to invest as such, it is not intended to incentivize the purchase of assets in any way. I would like to remind you that any type of asset is evaluated from multiple perspectives and is highly risky and therefore, any investment decision and the associated risk remain with the investor.
