3 Growth Signals Pointing to the Next Growth Stocks

January 20, 4:01 pm

Markets often react late to real growth. By the time revenue inflects or guidance is raised, the stock has usually moved. What tends to show up earlier is what’s happening inside a company: how fast it’s hiring, how aggressively it’s opening new roles, and how employees feel about the business.

Using alternative data, we screened for stocks where all three internal growth signals are flashing green:

• Strong headcount growth
• Accelerating job postings (Jobs growth, YoY)
• Bullish employee sentiment

The result is a focused list of 15 growth stocks that look operationally ready for the next phase of expansion. Some have already seen sharp stock price moves. Others look earlier in the cycle.

Before diving into the full list, let’s break down what these signals reveal, and why they matter.

Signal #1: Headcount Growth Shows Real Execution Is Underway

Hiring at scale is one of the clearest signs a company is moving beyond planning and into execution. In our top growth stocks, employee growth ranges from ~20% to over 100% year-over-year, signaling expanding teams, new initiatives, and higher internal confidence.

A few standouts:

• Intuitive Machines (LUNR): Employee count jumped more than 25% YoY, reflecting continued build-out following major space program milestones. This kind of hiring typically precedes multi-year contract execution rather than short-term hype.
• Archer Aviation (ACHR): Headcount growth above 30% YoY aligns with Archer moving closer to commercialization. Scaling teams at this stage often signals confidence in timelines, certification progress, and future demand.
• Atlantic Union (AUB): With employee growth nearing 60% YoY, Atlantic Union stands out as a financial company investing heavily in internal capacity - a less common but often underappreciated signal in regional banking.

Why this matters:
Sustained headcount growth filters out “story stocks.” It suggests budgets are approved, leadership is committing capital, and operations are scaling - conditions that tend to support longer-lasting stock moves.

Signal #2: Job Postings Growth Points to What’s Coming Next

If employee growth shows what has happened, job postings show what’s about to happen.

Across this list, job postings growth exceeds 10% year-over-year for every company, with several showing triple-digit increases. That level of hiring demand usually signals upcoming launches, production ramps, or geographic expansion.

A few standouts:

• Gilat Satellite Networks (GILT): Job postings surged more than 100% YoY, coinciding with a period where the stock has already delivered a massive price rally. The data suggests the operational expansion may still be ongoing, even after the move.
• Insulet (PODD): Strong job growth alongside steady headcount expansion points to scaling demand rather than short-term hiring noise - a pattern often seen ahead of sustained earnings growth in healthcare names.
• Archer Aviation (ACHR): This company again stands out here, with job growth reinforcing what we see in employee expansion: this is a company still building toward a larger operational footprint.

Why this matters:
Job postings are one of the earliest forward-looking signals available. They often turn up months before revenue acceleration shows up in financial statements.

Signal #3: Employee Business Outlook Confirms Internal Confidence

Rapid hiring alone isn’t enough. If employees don’t believe in the company’s direction, growth can stall.

Every stock in this group shows an employee business outlook above 70, with several scoring in the 80s - levels typically associated with strong morale, leadership confidence, and belief in future performance.

A few standouts:

• SoFi (SOFI): A growing majority of employees report a positive business outlook — a strong internal signal. That sentiment has improved steadily over the past year, rising from roughly 55% to 83% today.
• AMD (AMD): Employees frequently cite strong learning opportunities and the ability to work on cutting-edge technology. Confidence in leadership is high, with 95% approving of CEO Lisa Su and 81% expressing a positive business outlook.

Why this matters:

High employee outlook scores are often associated with lower churn and stronger execution during periods of expansion. When companies are hiring aggressively while employees remain confident in leadership and direction, the risk of inefficient or disrupted growth is meaningfully reduced.

The Top Growth Stocks

Company		Jobs YoY	Headcount YoY	Biz Outlook	Price YoY
	Intuitive Machines LUNR	506.7%	26.2%	82	13.9%
	Archer Aviation ACHR	184.8%	33.7%	71	11.4%
	Atlantic Union AUB	157.1%	60.3%	86	6.5%
	Gilat Satellite Networks GILT	111.8%	57.2%	81	154%
	Insulet PODD	106.6%	30.4%	72	3.2%
	AeroVironment AVAV	105.6%	110.1%	76	78.7%
	SoFi SOFI	86.6%	27.5%	83	42.6%
	Mannkind MNKD	75.0%	45.0%	72	6.8%
	Samsara IOT	62.0%	20.3%	75	32.6%
	IonQ IONQ	48.3%	44.1%	77	6.3%
	Revolution Medicines RVMD	34.3%	66.2%	88	191%
	AMD AMD	31.9%	36.1%	81	106%
	Cyberark Software CYBR	26.1%	30.1%	81	25.2%
	Qualys QLYS	11.3%	23.0%	71	5.4%
	Palantir PLTR	10.2%	23.3%	72	128%

Conclusion

The companies highlighted above share a common trait: internal growth is accelerating across multiple dimensions at the same time. Rising job postings signal near-term expansion, growing employee headcount confirms execution is underway, and a strong employee business outlook suggests teams believe in the direction of the business. When all three align, it often points to companies actively building for growth.

Two stocks stand out on these signals. Intuitive Machines (LUNR) shows exceptional job postings growth, solid headcount expansion, and a high employee outlook score - indicating continued operational momentum following recent milestones. Archer Aviation (ACHR) also scores highly across all three indicators, reflecting sustained investment in hiring and execution as it moves closer to commercialization.

Not every stock on this list will break out immediately, and price moves can arrive at different times. But tracking jobs growth, headcount expansion, and employee sentiment together helps surface companies where growth is being built internally - often before it fully shows up in financial results or market narratives.

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