Even into the fourth month of the year, global financial markets are showing no signs of clarity and investors are scouring for reasons to cheer. Global demand is at its lowest levels, crude oil prices are insanely volatile and the Fed’s rate hike schedule is still uncertain, leaving investors wondering what’s next. Investors’ Dream: More Stability, Less Uncertainty Given the constant tug of war between bulls and bears, it is difficult to chalk out a profitable investment strategy. The safest bets would be stocks that have already beaten the market so far this year. So how about adding market-beating stocks that are cheap too? Actually, stocks with these features should be able to navigate with little downside risk if the year turns more turbulent. Let’s quickly go though the parameters for selecting such stocks before running the screen. The Bargain Hunting Strategy Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy) stocks are known to outperform irrespective of market environment. Percentage Change F1 Earnings Estimate Revisions (4 Weeks) greater than 0: A stock seeing positive earnings estimate revisions has significant upside potential. Relative % Price Change (year-to-date) greater than 5: This parameter aids in screening stocks that have outperformed the S&P 500 on a year-to-date basis. Market Capitalization greater than $100 million: This implies that the stock is liquid. We now further filter the stocks using some important valuation metrics: P/E using (F1) less than X industry: The P/E ratio is a powerful tool revealing a firm's earnings strength. This parameter shortlists stocks that are trading cheaper than the industry average. P/B less than X industry: The P/B ratio helps to determine how a company’s stock price compares to its intrinsic value. This is another parameter to ensure the value feature of the stocks. PEG less than X industry: A lower-than-industry PEG ratio implies that investors need to pay less for a stock that has robust earnings growth prospect. Here are five of the 19 stocks that qualified the screening: Infosys Limited (INFY) FedEx Corporation (FDX) Tyco International PLC (TYC) Unilever PLC (UL) Antero Resources Corporation (AR) “This time it's different” are the four most dangerous words in the investing world. In spite of the tussle between the bulls and the bears, investors should see the opportunities that await and brace for the challenges. Get the rest of the stocks on the list and start putting this and other ideas to the test. It can all be done with the Research Wizard stock picking and backtesting software. The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out. Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today. Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks’ portfolios and strategies are available at: http://www.zacks.com/performance. Zacks Restaurant Recommendations:In addition to dining at these special places, you can feast on their stock shares. A Zacks Special Report spotlights 5 recent IPOs to watch plus 2 stocks that offer immediate promise in a booming sector. Download it free »Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report INFOSYS LTD (INFY): Free Stock Analysis Report TYCO INTL PLC (TYC): Free Stock Analysis Report UNILEVER PLC (UL): Free Stock Analysis Report FEDEX CORP (FDX): Free Stock Analysis Report ANTERO RESOURCE (AR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research