Tap a Touchscreen for Big Profits - Zacks Industry Rank Analysis

The Model T was a mass-produced automobile built by the Ford Motor Company F from 1908 until 1927. Henry Ford conceived it as practical, affordable transportation for the common man. It quickly became prized for its low cost, durability, versatility and ease of maintenance. For the first time, car ownership became a reality for average American workers, not just the wealthy. More than 15 million Model Ts were built in Detroit and Highland Park, Michigan.

Scroll forward a century. Mobility and individual ownership is still prized. The late Steve Jobs played the role of a Henry Ford, as maestro to the masses. Personal computers of all shapes and sizes and their burgeoning peripheral equipment brethren -- touch screens, keyboards and mice -- are the new mass-produced Model T alive and booming in our times.

The Computer – Peripheral Equipment sector of the Zacks Industry Rank list gained 16 positions last week after a slew of upward earnings estimate revisions. The category of 13 companies now holds a rank of number 8 out of 265 Zacks Rank industries. There were 11 positive earnings estimate revisions compared to only 4 negative revisions.

Connectivity is the engine behind this momentum, allowing innovation to travel beyond borders and work for those who need it worldwide, and are willing to pay for it -- worldwide. As more technology finds its way into new hands, more possibilities exist to broaden a market.

The two following companies have been upgraded this week to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). An upgrade in rank from a Hold to a Strong Buy or Buy is noteworthy and may foretell the performance of a stock in response to future positive earnings estimate revisions. Keeping sector-wide trends on your radar can be pivotal in understanding the trade winds of future value.

Logitech LOGI

Logitech was upgraded this week to a Zacks Rank #1 from a #3 ranking the week before. Consensus looks for $0.87 a share in 2015 and $0.66 a share in 2014. That means strong +32% annual EPS growth could be coming.

The company designs, manufactures and markets innovative peripherals that provide people with easy access to the digital world. The company's product family includes Internet video cameras, mice and trackballs, keyboards, audio and telephony products, interactive gaming devices and 3D controllers.

LOGI reports again on July 23rd.   

Synaptics SYNA

Synaptics was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 from a #3 ranking the week before. Consensus looks for $3.77 a share in 2015 and $3.32 a share in 2014. That is respectable EPS growth of +14%. This company missed on earnings in each of the last two quarters. But optimism has returned. Consensus revisions the last 30 days are +6% for 2014 EPS and +14% for 2015.

The company is a leading developer of human interface solutions for a wide variety of mobile computing and communications devices and is the leading supplier of TouchPads to the notebook computer market. Products include the TouchPad input device, TouchStyk pointing stick, Dual Pointing combination input solution, ClearPad touch screen, Spiral pen input solution, and QuickStroke Chinese handwriting software.

SYNA reports again on August 7th.

Forward 12-month P/E ratios on these shares is 19 for LOGI and 17 for SNYA.