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The following are today's upgrades for Validea's P/E/Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Peter Lynch. This strategy looks for stocks trading at a reasonable price relative to earnings growth that also possess strong balance sheets.

QUANEX BUILDING PRODUCTS CORP (NX) is a small-cap growth stock in the Constr. - Supplies & Fixtures industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 72% to 74% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Quanex Building Products Corporation manufactures components for original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in the building products industry. The Company's components can be categorized as window and door (fenestration) components, and kitchen and bath cabinet components. Its fenestration components include flexible insulating glass spacers, extruded vinyl profiles, window and door screens, and precision-formed metal and wood products. It operates through three segments: North American Fenestration segment, which is engaged in manufacturing vinyl profiles, insulating glass (IG) spacers, screens and other fenestration components; European Fenestration segment, which includes United Kingdom-based vinyl extrusion business, manufacturing vinyl profiles and conservatories, and the European insulating glass business manufacturing IG spacers, and North American Cabinet Components segment, which includes North American cabinet door and components business and two wood-manufacturing plants.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

Detailed Analysis of QUANEX BUILDING PRODUCTS CORP

JAMES HARDIE INDUSTRIES PLC (ADR) (JHX) is a large-cap growth stock in the Construction - Raw Materials industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 87% to 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: James Hardie Industries PLC is a manufacturer of fiber cement building solutions, and a market in fiber gypsum and cement-bonded boards in Europe. The Company's fiber cement building materials include a range of products for both external and internal use across a range of applications. The Company's segments include North America Fiber Cement, Asia Pacific Fiber Cement, Europe Building Products and Research and Development. The North America Fiber Cement segment manufactures fiber cement interior linings, exterior siding products and related accessories in the United States. The Asia Pacific Fiber Cement segment includes all fiber cement products manufactured in Australia and the Philippines, and sold in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East and various Pacific Islands. The Europe Building Products segment includes fiber gypsum product manufactured in Europe, and fiber cement product manufactured in the United States that is sold in Europe.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

Detailed Analysis of JAMES HARDIE INDUSTRIES PLC (ADR)

MIDCAP FINANCIAL INVESTMENT CORP (MFIC) is a small-cap value stock in the Misc. Financial Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 72% to 74% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: MidCap Financial Investment Corporation is an externally managed, business development company. The Company's investment objective is to generate current income and, to a lesser extent, long-term capital appreciation. Its portfolio is comprised primarily of investments in debt, including secured and unsecured debt of private middle-market companies. Its portfolio also includes equity interests such as common stock, preferred stock, warrants or options. The Company invests in various industry sectors, such as Advertising, Printing & Publishing; Automotive; Aviation and Consumer Transport; Beverage, Food & Tobacco; Business Services; Chemicals, Plastics & Rubber; Construction & Building; Consumer Goods; Diversified Investment Vehicles, Banking, Finance, Real Estate; Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals; Hotel, Gaming, Leisure, Restaurants; Manufacturing, Capital Equipment; Telecommunications; Utilities, and others. Its investment advisor is Apollo Investment Management, L.P.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

Detailed Analysis of MIDCAP FINANCIAL INVESTMENT CORP

SOUTH PLAINS FINANCIAL INC (SPFI) is a small-cap value stock in the Money Center Banks industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 72% to 74% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: South Plains Financial, Inc. is the bank holding company for City Bank (the Bank). The Bank is an independent bank in West Texas and has additional banking operations in the Dallas, El Paso, Greater Houston, the Permian Basin, and College Station, Texas markets, and the Ruidoso, New Mexico market. The Bank provides a range of commercial and consumer financial services to small and medium-sized businesses and individuals in its market areas. The Banks principal business activities include commercial and retail banking, along with investment, trust, and mortgage services. The Bank is primarily involved in real estate, commercial, agricultural and consumer lending activities with customers throughout Texas and Eastern New Mexico. The Bank operates about 25 full-service banking locations across seven geographic markets. The Bank also operates about eight loan production offices both in its banking markets and in certain key areas in Texas that focus on mortgage loan origination.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

Detailed Analysis of SOUTH PLAINS FINANCIAL INC

PREMIER FINANCIAL CORP (OHIO) (PFC) is a small-cap value stock in the Regional Banks industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 72% to 74% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Premier Financial Corp. is the holding company for Premier Bank (the Bank). The Bank is primarily engaged in community banking. It attracts deposits from the general public through its offices and Website, and uses those and other available sources of funds to originate residential real estate loans, commercial real estate loans, commercial loans, home improvement and home equity loans and consumer loans. In addition, the Bank invests in United States Treasury and federal government agency obligations, obligations of states and political subdivisions, mortgage-backed securities that are issued by federal agencies, including real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs) and residential collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), and corporate bonds. The Bank offers customers a range of deposit products including demand, checking, money market and savings accounts. The Bank operates approximately 75 branches and nine loan offices in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

Detailed Analysis of PREMIER FINANCIAL CORP (OHIO)

BLACKROCK SCIENCE AND TECHNOLGY TRM TRST (BSTZ) is a small-cap value stock in the Misc. Financial Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 72% to 74% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: BlackRock Science and Technology Term Trust (the Trust) is a closed-end management investment company. The Trust's investment objective is to provide total return and income through a combination of current income, current gains and long-term capital appreciation. The Trust seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities issued by the United States and non-United States science and technology companies in any market capitalization range, selected for their rapid and sustainable growth potential from the development, advancement and use of science and/or technology. The Trust focuses on sectors, such as semiconductors and semiconductor equipment, software, electronic equipment, instruments and components, entertainment, financial services, automobiles, professional services, diversified consumer services, media and others. BlackRock Advisors, LLC is the Trust's investment adviser.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

Detailed Analysis of BLACKROCK SCIENCE AND TECHNOLGY TRM TRST

About Peter Lynch: Perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all-time, Lynch guided Fidelity Investment's Magellan Fund to a 29.2 percent average annual return from 1977 until his retirement in 1990, almost doubling the S&P 500's 15.8 percent yearly return over that time. Lynch's common sense approach and quick wit made him one of the most quoted investors on Wall Street. ("Go for a business that any idiot can run -- because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it," is one of his many pearls of wisdom.) Lynch's bestseller One Up on Wall Street is something of a "stocks for the everyman/everywoman", breaking his approach down into easy-to-understand concepts.

About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.