**Validea’s Growth Investor Model Upgrade: INSTEEL INDUSTRIES INC (IIIN)**
Today’s upgrade for Validea’s Growth Investor model reflects the published strategy of Martin Zweig. This strategy targets growth stocks with persistent accelerating earnings and sales growth, reasonable valuations, and low debt levels.
**Overview of INSTEEL INDUSTRIES INC (IIIN)**
INSTEEL INDUSTRIES INC (IIIN) is a small-cap value stock operating in the Construction Supplies & Fixtures industry. According to our Martin Zweig-based strategy, the rating for IIIN has improved from 77% to 85%, driven by strong underlying fundamentals and favorable stock valuation.
A rating score of 80% or above typically indicates moderate interest from the strategy, while scores above 90% suggest strong interest.
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### Company Description
Insteel Industries, Inc. is a manufacturer of steel wire reinforcing products used in concrete construction applications. The company produces and markets several key products, including:
– Prestressed concrete strand (PC strand): a seven-wire strand used to apply compression forces into precast concrete elements, reinforcing bridges, parking decks, buildings, and other structures.
– Welded wire reinforcement (WWR): available as standard or specially engineered structural mesh, concrete pipe reinforcement, and standard welded wire reinforcement.
Insteel’s products primarily serve manufacturers of concrete products for nonresidential construction. The company distributes its products nationwide across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central and South America.
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### Strategy Test Summary for INSTEEL INDUSTRIES INC (IIIN)
The table below shows whether the stock meets the various criteria of the Martin Zweig Growth Investor model. Note that criteria do not all carry equal weight and are not always independent of each other, but this summary highlights the stock’s strengths and weaknesses relative to the strategy.
| Criterion | Result |
|——————————————————–|———|
| P/E Ratio | Pass |
| Revenue Growth Relative to EPS Growth | Pass |
| Sales Growth Rate | Pass |
| Current Quarter Earnings | Pass |
| Quarterly Earnings One Year Ago | Pass |
| Positive Earnings Growth Rate for Current Quarter | Pass |
| Earnings Growth Rate for the Past Several Quarters | Pass |
| EPS Growth for Current Quarter > Prior 3 Quarters | Pass |
| EPS Growth for Current Quarter > Historical Growth Rate| Pass |
| Earnings Persistence | Fail |
| Long-Term EPS Growth | Fail |
| Total Debt/Equity Ratio | Pass |
| Insider Transactions | Pass |
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### Detailed Analysis of INSTEEL INDUSTRIES INC (IIIN)
#### Guru Analysis
**Martin Zweig Portfolio**
**About Martin Zweig:**
Martin Zweig’s stock recommendation newsletter delivered an average annual return of 15.9% over 15 years, ranking number one for risk-adjusted returns according to the Hulbert Financial Digest. His professional experience includes managing both mutual and hedge funds.
Beyond investing, Zweig is known for his eclectic and noteworthy personal acquisitions. Forbes reported that he owned a $70 million penthouse atop Manhattan’s Pierre Hotel, considered the most expensive apartment in New York. He has also collected various pop culture and historical memorabilia, including Clint Eastwood’s gun from *Dirty Harry*, a stock certificate signed by Commodore Vanderbilt, and antique gas pumps reminiscent of those near his childhood home in Cleveland.
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### About Validea
Validea is an investment research service that follows the published strategies of investment legends. The platform offers both stock analyses 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, please click here.
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*Disclaimer:* The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Nasdaq, Inc.
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/validea-martin-zweig-strategy-daily-upgrade-report-10-18-2025
