3 S&P 500 Stocks That Posted Double-Digit Gains in the Past Month and Still Show Strong Growth Potential

The latest market commentary from Zacks highlights three S&P 500 companies that delivered double-digit returns over the past month: Dell Technologies, Keysight Technologies, and Ciena. The report points to these names as standouts because they combined recent price momentum with supportive earnings trends, improving business fundamentals, and favorable analyst views. Search results tied to the Zacks story identify these three stocks directly, confirming they were the focus of the article published on March 16, 2026.

Why These Stocks Are Getting Attention Now

What makes this group notable is that the stock picks are not being discussed only because they rose recently. The broader idea behind the Zacks thesis is that these companies also have business drivers that may support continued interest from investors. In other words, the recent gains are being paired with forward-looking earnings strength, revenue expansion, and positive estimate revisions rather than being treated as random short-term spikes. That combination often matters more to institutional investors than price action alone.

Dell Technologies: Riding AI Infrastructure Demand

Dell’s recent strength is tied to AI servers and enterprise demand

Dell Technologies has been one of the more closely watched hardware names in the market thanks to strong demand linked to artificial intelligence infrastructure. Recent reporting notes that Dell’s fiscal fourth-quarter results were strong, with earnings rising 45% year over year to $3.89 per share and revenue increasing 39% to $33.38 billion. The company also projected powerful growth for the current fiscal quarter, with adjusted earnings expected to jump 87% and sales projected to climb 51%. That kind of guidance helps explain why momentum investors and growth-focused analysts remain interested in the stock.

Another major pillar of the bullish case is Dell’s AI-related server opportunity. Recent market coverage says the company has built an AI backlog of roughly $43 billion, and some analysts have described the demand picture as exceptionally strong. This is significant because it suggests that Dell is not just benefiting from a temporary enthusiasm wave around AI. Instead, it appears to be winning real business from cloud customers, governments, and enterprises that need computing infrastructure to run and scale AI workloads.

Zacks-related coverage also shows a sharply improving earnings outlook for Dell. One recent item says the company is expected to post current-quarter earnings of $3.15 per share, a gain of more than 100% from the year-ago level. At the same time, other recent Zacks commentary says Dell stock has outperformed its industry, sector, and the S&P 500 so far in 2026. When a stock shows improving earnings expectations, strong guidance, and relative market outperformance at the same time, it tends to stay high on buy lists.

Keysight Technologies: A Quiet Winner in Advanced Testing and Connectivity

Keysight is benefiting from 5G, data center, and industrial demand

Keysight Technologies may not always get the same level of attention as the largest AI or software names, but its business sits in a highly important part of the technology chain. The company provides electronic design and test solutions used in areas such as 5G, high-speed networking, semiconductors, aerospace, defense, automotive systems, and next-generation data centers. That positioning gives Keysight exposure to some of the fastest-moving technology spending categories in the market.

The company’s recent earnings helped strengthen the bull case. Keysight reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of $1.60 billion, up from $1.30 billion a year earlier. GAAP net income rose to $281 million, while non-GAAP earnings reached $2.17 per share, up from $1.82 in the same quarter last year. Zacks also noted that the company beat consensus estimates on both earnings and revenue, which often gives analysts more confidence in management’s execution.

Forward estimates also look constructive. A recent Zacks-related summary says that for fiscal 2026, Keysight is expected to grow revenue by 22.8% and earnings by 16.9%, while the consensus earnings estimate improved by 4.2% over the last 30 days. That matters because estimate revisions are a core part of the Zacks ranking framework. Search snippets also show the stock carried a Zacks Rank #1 in recent commentary, which signals a favorable near-term earnings revision trend.

Even after recent gains, Keysight still appears to be trading with room below its 52-week high. MarketWatch reported that the stock closed at $279.78 on March 13, 2026, which was about 11.74% below its high of $317.00 set on March 2. That does not guarantee upside, of course, but it suggests the stock’s recent strength has not pushed it into obviously stretched territory relative to its own recent trading range.

Ciena: Network Upgrades and AI Traffic Are Fueling Momentum

Ciena stands out as a network infrastructure play with improving numbers

Ciena is the third stock named in the Zacks article, and its inclusion reflects strong recent performance combined with improving operational trends. The company is a major supplier of networking equipment and software used by telecom carriers, cloud providers, and large enterprises. That makes it an indirect but important beneficiary of rising AI data traffic, data center expansion, and demand for faster, more efficient network capacity.

Its latest quarterly performance was impressive. Zacks reported that Ciena posted an earnings surprise of +17.97% and a revenue surprise of +2.10% for the quarter ended January 2026. Another Zacks item adds more detail, stating that first-quarter EPS came in at $1.35, revenue jumped 33% year over year to $1.43 billion, and cloud provider revenue surged 76%. Those numbers suggest demand is broad and that higher-capacity network spending is translating into real top-line acceleration.

Zacks has also emphasized the stock’s improving estimate picture. A fresh item published on March 16 says Ciena shares have started gaining and could continue moving higher because earnings estimates remain solid. That matters because sustained upward revisions can reinforce price momentum. A separate Zacks momentum-focused article also described Ciena as a strong momentum stock, underscoring the idea that both fundamentals and technical strength are moving in the same direction.

What Connects All Three Stocks

Although Dell, Keysight, and Ciena operate in different corners of the technology market, the common theme is clear: all three are tied to the infrastructure layer of digital growth. Dell benefits from AI servers and enterprise computing demand. Keysight benefits from testing and validation needs across advanced electronics and communications systems. Ciena benefits from the growing need to move larger amounts of data across high-capacity networks. In simple terms, each company sells tools or systems that help power the next stage of digital expansion.

There is another shared trait as well. Each company has recently delivered earnings strength or positive estimate revisions, and that tends to matter a great deal in stock selection models. Dell’s current-quarter earnings outlook has improved sharply, Keysight posted a quarterly beat and favorable fiscal-year growth outlook, and Ciena produced strong first-quarter numbers with a positive follow-up view from Zacks. This alignment between earnings momentum and price momentum is likely why these names were grouped together in the original market note.

The Broader Market Context

The focus on these winners also reflects a wider market reality: investors are still rewarding companies with visible earnings growth and strong exposure to large spending trends such as AI, cloud infrastructure, networking, and industrial digitalization. That is especially important in periods when markets become selective. In selective markets, stocks with weak guidance or shaky fundamentals can fall behind quickly, while names with convincing execution often pull ahead. Dell, Keysight, and Ciena appear to have landed in that second group for now.

Risks Investors Should Still Watch

Even with strong recent performance, these stocks are not risk-free. Dell remains exposed to enterprise spending cycles, supply-chain execution, and the possibility that AI hardware demand could cool faster than expected. Keysight depends on capital spending in communications, electronics, and industrial markets, which can be cyclical. Ciena is tied to carrier and cloud network investment, and that spending can fluctuate from quarter to quarter. Also, recent momentum itself can attract short-term traders, which may lead to sharper volatility after earnings or guidance updates. These are important reminders that strong past-month returns do not guarantee future gains. The figures cited above describe recent performance and business trends, not certain outcomes.

Bottom Line

The Zacks article’s core message is straightforward: Dell Technologies, Keysight Technologies, and Ciena have delivered double-digit gains over the past month and still have underlying business trends that may keep them relevant to investors. Dell is benefiting from AI server momentum and a large backlog. Keysight is gaining from broad-based demand in testing, connectivity, and advanced electronics. Ciena is riding stronger network spending and AI-related traffic growth. Together, they represent a slice of the market where recent stock gains have been backed by real earnings and revenue progress rather than hype alone.

Source note: This rewritten article is based on search-visible details from the March 16, 2026 Zacks article and supporting company and market reports. It is intended as a detailed news rewrite in English, not as personal investment advice.

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