We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Performing Small-Cap Stocks in 2024. In this article, we will look at where Lumen Technologies Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) ranks among the best-performing small-cap stocks in 2024.

The Case for Small Caps

The recent Fed rate cut has made the market cautiously optimistic. Despite the unusual timing, historical data suggests a continued upward trend. Recently, we discussed the Dow’s new all-time high. The major stock index recently surpassed its previous peak, closing at a record-breaking level. This surge was fueled by a combination of factors, including positive investor sentiment following a central bank rate cut and broader economic optimism. This record-breaking performance reflects a strong upward trend in the market, indicating robust investor confidence and a favorable economic outlook.

Here’s an excerpt from the article on 10 Best Performing Stocks in 2024:

“The Dow Jones Industrial Average has recently made headlines by closing above the 42,000 mark for the first time, a significant milestone that reflects a surge in investor confidence following a substantial interest rate cut by the Fed. This momentous achievement occurred on September 19, when the Dow jumped over 500 points, closing at 42,063.36. This rise was part of a broader trend in the stock market, with major indices experiencing overall gains throughout the week, largely fueled by optimism surrounding the Fed’s decision to lower interest rates by 0.5%.

On September 21, Edward Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, while acknowledging that the market tends to keep rising, also discussed the warning signs of a melt-up, in the context of the markets’ response to the September rate cut on CNBC’s ‘Closing Bell’. He doubted the necessity of such a large rate cut, suggesting that the economy is currently growing at about 3% year-over-year and could potentially grow even faster. Yardeni noted that while productivity gains are expected to be more pronounced shortly, he would have preferred to see the market stabilize for a while instead of continuing its upward trajectory.”

Richard Bernstein, CEO of Richard Bernstein Advisers, joined CNBC’s ‘The Exchange’ on September 24 to provide insights on the performance of small-cap stocks. He noted that while small caps have been performing well, they have not kept pace with more speculative investments, such as cryptocurrencies, which have seen significant gains. Bernstein expressed concern that this trend could signal to the Fed that their liquidity measures may have been excessive, as funds are not being directed towards productive uses in the economy.

He elaborated on his bullish stance regarding mid-cap and small-cap stocks, emphasizing that these categories are expected to experience substantial earnings growth. By the end of this year or early next year, Bernstein forecasts that small caps will grow at a rate significantly higher than the MAG 7 tech stocks. He pointed out that this phenomenon is typical when profit cycles hit a trough; small caps tend to be more sensitive to upturns in profitability, and noted the Fed’s current easing policies are occurring simultaneously with an environment of accelerating profits, an unusual combination that could fuel economic growth.

When asked about the current market dynamics favoring mega-cap stocks over smaller ones, Bernstein acknowledged that many managers are indeed gravitating towards these larger companies. However, he cautioned that from a fundamental investment perspective, mega-cap stocks are generally slower-growing and more expensive compared to other market segments. He argued that historically, a combination of cheaper and faster-growing stocks has proven to be advantageous for investors.

Bernstein also discussed the implications of rising gold prices and the performance of cryptocurrencies following recent Fed actions. He distinguished between gold and cryptocurrencies, suggesting that while gold has legitimate economic uses, cryptocurrencies often do not serve productive economic functions. He expressed concern over the speculative fervor in the market, arguing that excessive financial asset inflation can be as detrimental as real asset inflation. This misallocation of capital can lead to inflationary pressures as resources are diverted from essential sectors like infrastructure to less productive areas such as cryptocurrencies.

Overall, Bernstein’s insights reflect a cautious optimism regarding small-cap stocks amidst broader market trends. With that, we’re here with a list of the 10 best-performing small-cap stocks in 2024.

Methodology

We used stock screeners to look for companies trading between $1 billion and $10 billion, that’s our definition of small-cap stocks. We then selected the top 10 stocks with the best year-to-date performance and that were also the most popular among elite hedge funds. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their year-to-date performance.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

Lumen Technologies Inc. (NYSE:LUMN)

Year-to-Date Performance as of September 23: 281.42%

Market Cap as of September 23: $7.13 billion

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 18

Lumen Technologies Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) is a telecommunications company that offers communications, network services, security, cloud solutions, voice, and managed services through its fiber optic and copper networks, as well as its data centers and cloud computing services. The goal is to provide customers with a platform to connect, protect, and compute, enabling them to achieve their digital ambitions.

The company sees the AI TAM opportunity in 3 phases. Currently, the race is for companies developing large learning algorithms. These firms need to train these algorithms quickly to be ready for the next phase when larger enterprises will start using them to run their businesses. The connectivity being acquired is to support data center builds for this training.

With over $5 billion in major partnership inked to date, Lumen Technologies Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) sees a $7 billion revenue opportunity in data center networking. AI needs data, which requires data centers and connectivity, areas where this company excels. It is well-positioned for growth due to partnerships with Microsoft and Corning. These partnerships provide network infrastructure and fiber optic cables to support Microsoft’s Azure Cloud expansion and enhance Lumen’s supply chain. These developments have recently led to a 7% increase in its stock.

Revenue in Q2 2024 was $3.27 billion, down 10.73% year-over-year, due to divestitures and commercial agreements. Mass markets segment revenue declined 8.2%. Wholesale revenue declined 10% year-over-year. North American business declined 5.5%. International and other revenue declined by 67.1%. Large enterprise revenue declined 6.9%. Notable wins include Uber and the state of New Mexico. Customer satisfaction in the company’s service delivery process also improved significantly.

Although the company faces financial challenges and high debt levels, the positive market response suggests that the successful execution of its partnerships could lead to a turnaround. If it capitalizes on these opportunities, it could see substantial revenue and profit growth, making it an appealing investment despite its risks.

Overall LUMN ranks 5th on our list of the best-performing small-cap stocks in 2024. While we acknowledge the growth potential of LUMN, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than LUMN but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article was originally published on Insider Monkey.