Seagate, PF Chang's and Other Top Nasdaq Stocks in February

Here's a quick look at some of the top performing Nasdaq stocks in February. These stocks all have a market cap of more than $500 million and they all pay a dividend. Aixtron AIXG is up about 29% year to date, including a 19% rise in the past month. This $1.7 billion market cap machinery maker is headquartered in Germany and was founded in 1983. It has a dividend yield of 5.1%, the long-term EPS growth forecast is 60.0% and the return on equity is 25.9%. The stock has narrowly outperformed competitors such as Rubicon Technology RBCN and Veeco Instruments VECO over the past six months. Boston Private Financial Holdings BPFH is more than 20% higher than a month ago and hit a multiyear high yesterday. This small cap regional bank saw income from fees increase 12% last year. It is headquartered in Boston and caters to high net worth customers. Its dividend yield is 0.4% and its PEG ratio is less than the industry average. Over the past six months, the stock has outperformed competitors State Street STT and M&T Bank MTB. National CineMedia NCMI shares are trading more than 28% higher year to date but still down more than 10% from a year ago. The company operates a digital in-theatre marketing network in North America, and it posted better-than-expected revenues in the most recent quarterly report. The dividend yield is 5.5%. The stock has underperformed Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings CCO and Lamar Advertising LAMR over the past six months. See also: Piper Jaffray Upgrades National CineMedia to Overweight Nordson NDSN is almost 34% higher year to date, including up more than 20% in the past month. The Ohio-based equipment maker beat fiscal Q1 EPS expectations and offered a better-than-expected Q2 EPS outlook. It has a $3.6 billion market cap and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The long-term EPS growth forecast is 15.3% and the return on equity is 39.2%. The stock has outperformed the likes of Illinois Tool Works ITW and 3M MMM over the past six months. PF Chang's China Bistro PFCB is up about 25% year to date. The restaurant operator recently said it would take a majority stake in True Food Kitchen. PF Chang's is based in Scottsdale, Ariz., and has a market cap of $810.5 million. Its dividend yield is 2.9%, the long-term EPS growth forecast is 15.3% and short interest is 19.9% of the float. Year to date, the stock has outperformed competitors Benihana BNHN and Brinker International EAT. See also: Larry Ryback Appointed Chief Operating Officer of PF Chang's R.R. Donnelley & Sons RRD is almost 27% higher than a month ago, but that is a rebound from a plunge in January after the printing and packaging company offered lower-than-expected revenue guidance and declined to offer EPS guidance. The Chicago-based company has a dividend yield of 7.5%, but short interest is 26.0% of the float. The stock has underperformed the VistaPrint VPRT but outperformed Quad/Graphics QUAD over the past six months. See also: RR Donnelley Announces Pricing of $450 million Offering Seagate Technology STX is trading almost 62% higher than at the beginning of the year. Shares surged at the end of January when the hard drive maker said that its fiscal second-quarter net income more than tripled from a year earlier. The $11.8 billion market cap Irish company has a dividend yield of 3.8% and its return on equity is 29.3%. The stock has outperformed peers NetApp NTAP and Western Digital WDC over the past six months.
ACTION ITEMS: Bullish: Investors interested in exchange traded funds focused on the Nasdaq 100 might want to consider the following trades:
  • ProShares UltraPro QQQ TQQQ is up almost 52% year to date.
  • ProShares Ultra QQQ QLD is up more than 32% year to date.
  • PowerShares QQQ QQQ is up more than 15% year to date.
Bearish: Traders may prefer to consider these alternative positions:
  • ProShares Short QQQ PSQ is trading near the 52-week low.
  • ProShares UltraShort QQQ QID is trading near the 52-week low.
  • ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ SQQQ is trading near the 52-week low.
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