Hot or Not, Stock Market Edition: 01/15/2026

Here’s what’s uptrending and downtrending in our Zen Ratings system today:

• Hot: Woodward Inc. (WWD) catches fresh momentum; US Foods Holding (USFD) climbs to top of industry
• Not: Commerce Bancshares (CBSH) gets downgraded; CME Group (CME) is stuck at red light

P.S. Why hasn’t the market crashed? Here’s why 2026 could be VERY different, according to a 40+ year investing veteran. Don’t miss this.  

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🔥 HOT: Aerospace and industrial controls specialist Woodward (WWD) has been quietly gaining altitude. Even after a brief pullback, the stock remains well above its key moving averages — up over 30% from its 50-day and comfortably above its 200-day. More reasons it’s time to check it out: A) The company’s fresh off another strong earnings report that beat expectations and reaffirmed management’s outlook, driven by robust aerospace demand and continued strength in the aftermarket. B) That optimism just translated into a Zen Rating upgrade from B (Buy) to A (Strong Buy), ranking in the 96th percentile overall of stocks we track. Under the hood, the story looks just as compelling. The stock posts solid B grades across Growth, Momentum, Safety, and Financials, with standout financial health near the top of the scale.This might not be a sexy stock, but it looks solid — consider adding it to your free watchlist today. 

🥶 NOT: Banks are in a tough spot, and Commerce Bancshares (CBSH) is no exception. CBSH has been stuck in a slow drift lower for months. The stock was also recently featured on the “Strong Sell Stocks” list — a feature that aligned with a downgrade from a D (Sell) to F (Strong Sell) rating, and currently ranks in a chilling bottom 4% of stocks we track. Sadly, the Component Grades don't offer much hope. It earns a D for Growth, and lackluster Cs in just about every other category, save an interesting B rating from our proprietary AI Factor. Perhaps something good will happen soon? It’s possible, but for now we’re not holding our breath. The stock ranks 276th out of 281 banks (See more banking stocks with better ratings here.) in a D-rated industry — there are much better places to park your money. With a Strong Sell rating, an F-grade Zen Rating, and near-bottom industry rank, CBSH offers little reason to hold. 

🔥 HOT: Food distributor and former Stock of the Week pick US Foods Holding (USFD) has been modestly uptrending for a while, and now could be the time to jump on board. The company just reaffirmed its fiscal year 2025 guidance — a subtle sign, sure, but one that led to a slew of Strong Buy reiterations last week and overall renewed interest from Smart Money. USFD also just earned an A (Strong Buy) Zen Rating upgrade, from a previous B (Buy) rating. The stock boasts Component Grades of B (above average!) for Growth, Safety, Financials, and AI, and it ranks in the top 10% of stocks we track for Safety. It also ranks #1 out of 10 in Food Distribution, which has an Industry Rating of A. The weak spots? Cs for Value, Momentum, and Sentiment. However, all things considered, the fundamentals are solid, and the market is starting to take notice. 

Note: USFD is also part of the Zen Investor portfolio. Gain access today for more market-beating stock picks.

🥶 NOT: Derivatives exchange operator CME Group (CME) is up 17% in the past year, but the stock is throwing out mixed signals that shouldn’t be ignored. On the bullish side, CME posted record international average daily volume of 8.4 million contracts in 2025, up 8% from 2024. The company also launched new precious metals products to meet retail demand, and higher-for-longer rates could theoretically boost its interest-related earnings. But none of that is translating into stock momentum. CME just got downgraded in Zen Ratings from D (Sell) to F (Strong Sell). The Component Grades grades are rough: an F for Growth, a D for Value, and Cs in every other category. Fundamentals like these can’t be ignored — despite promising operational trends, the market is signaling concern, and investors should heed the warning. 

What to Do Next?

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