These 13 stocks will see explosive sales growth that will help them crush earnings season, Goldman Sachs says

Reuters

• First-quarter earnings season is shaping up to be one of the most hotly anticipated in recent memory as the market seeks a bright spot amid multiple headwinds.
• While some investors may be focused on bottom-line profits, Goldman Sachs is more interested in stocks generating high sales growth, and has identified 13 S&P 500 companies that fit the bill.

At this point, the upcoming first-quarter earnings season is one of the most hyped in recent memory.

It's supposed to offer a pick-me-up for a market that's navigated one obstacle after the next - whether that's meant a global trade war, regulatory scrutiny in tech, or Trump's recent Russia-centric tweetstorm.

Goldman Sachs has some thoughts on the matter, saying recently that traders should be focused on top-line sales growth, rather than profit numbers. With tax cuts expected to give corporate profits a hyper-boost, it will be more difficult to identify which companies are excelling on a fundamental level, the firm argued.

So with a focus on sales, which companies stand apart? After all, Goldman forecasts revenue for the entire S&P 500 will grow 10% in the first quarter, the fastest pace since 2011.

Luckily, the firm has made things easy by updating its 50-company basket of stocks expected to grow sales the most in 2018. Spanning 10 of the benchmark's 11 major industries, Goldman calculates that it's index will grow revenue by 16% this year, compared to 6% for the median S&P 500 company.

Without further ado, here are 13 stocks Goldman says will offer the best sales growth this year:

Get the latest Goldman Sachs stock price here.