We see some gems right now in the Communication Services sector, and we also like the sector overall. Argus rates Communication Services as Over-Weight. After Information Technology, Communication Services is expected to deliver the strongest earnings growth in 3Q, with a forecast of 12%, according to Refinitiv. The sector has many well-known names and is considered a 'barbell' group, with high-growth, low-income social media stocks on one end and low-growth, high-income telecom services stocks on the other. The style mix is approximately one-third "value" and two-thirds "growth." The sector is competitive, so companies in it need to be nimble and innovative, constantly assessing their clientele and staying current. Some of the names -- like Netflix, Alphabet, and Meta -- were at the top of the growth charts in the past five years or so. But like other growth sectors, even the leaders have been outshined by the glitz of artificial intelligence (AI). Market breadth has been recovering, though, and the companies listed below are among those starting to get re-recognized. The S&P 500 Communication Services Index is up 28% year-to-date, compared to the 22% gain in the broader S&P 500 Index. We see more runway for the industry. In our list this week, we look at leaders in Communication Services and sort them by those that are furthest from their 52-week high. All are BUY-rated at Argus and some are included in our Focus List and Model Portfolios.

Netflix’s relatively simple business model involves only one business, its streaming service. It has the biggest television entertainment subscriber base in both the United States and the collective international market, with more than 280 million subscribers globally. Netflix has exposure to nearly the entire global population outside of China. The firm has traditionally avoided live programming or sports content, instead focusing on on-demand access to episodic television, movies, and documentaries. The firm recently began introducing ad-supported subscription plans, giving the firm exposure to the advertising market in addition to the subscription fees that have historically accounted for nearly all its revenue.

Based in Richmond, Virginia, Dominion Energy is an integrated energy company with over 30 gigawatts of electric generation capacity and more than 90,000 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines. Dominion is constructing a rate-regulated 5.2 GW wind farm off the Virginia Beach coast.

Formula One Group controls the exclusive commercial and promotional rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship series, and the monetization of those rights is the primary business of the group. The firm is responsible for development and promotion of the Formula One race series in concert with its three partners: the FIA (the regulatory body), the teams that participate in the series, and the series' commercial partners, which include the race promoters, broadcasters, sponsors, and advertisers. The F1 schedule in 2023 will encompass 23 races held on five continents. Formula One Group is a subsidiary of Liberty Media, which purchased the firm in January 2017. Formula One stock is a tracking stock for the assets under Formula One Group with Liberty Media.