With the start of the third quarter, many firms on Wall Street are sifting through their stock coverage, looking to reset and offer solid ideas for the last half of the year. With the market still trading near all-time highs, the ability to pick names that still have solid upside comes at a premium for investors looking to stay long the market.

A new report from the analysts at Merrill Lynch presents eight ideas to buy that are companies that could have the most significant market and business related catalysts over the next three months. All of the stocks in the list are rated Buy and could produce significant gains if their specific catalysts do indeed play out.

None of these catalyst stocks to buy are momentum darlings, prone to huge swings. They are solid stocks with potential for increasing in price in the third quarter if earnings and other aspects play out as expected. In a high-priced market, these may be just the ticket to add to a portfolio where some profits have been taken.

In addition, as the third quarter is now beginning, here are the best performing DJIA stocks and the best performing S&P 500 stocks so far this year and of the second quarter.

Allison Transmission Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ALSN) kicks off the Merrill Lynch third-quarter catalyst list. Allison is the leading manufacturer of fully automatic transmissions and it benefits from rising demand for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. U.S. truck orders are growing as carriers continue to invest in replacing and expanding fleets in an effort to ease capacity constraints. A growing economy can also spur along more growth. Investors are paid a 1.5% dividend. The Merrill Lynch price target for the stock is $35. The Thomson/First Call consensus target is also $35. Shares closed Monday at $31.10.

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AutoNation Inc. (NYSE: AN) is one of the leading auto dealership conglomerates in the United States. The call at Merrill Lynch is for strong second-quarter new car sales and growing parts and service revenues (boosted by recalls). The analysts also see buybacks or acquisitions driving above-consensus earnings. The Merrill Lynch price target is $71, and the consensus is much lower at $51.74. AutoNation closed Monday at $59.68.

Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. With 2013 sales of $13 billion and 45,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions and on-site service to promote safe food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use and improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, health care, energy, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world.

The Merrill Lynch team expects strong second-quarter earnings to be a catalyst for Ecolab shares. Investors receive a 1% dividend. The Merrill Lynch price target is $122, while the consensus target is $118.94. The stock closed Monday at $111.34.

Hess Corp. (NYSE: HES) is a top energy name that is also on the Merrill Lynch US 1 list. The company has been has been the subject of takeover speculation in the past, and some of that chatter has reemerged. With a market capitalization of $31 billion, the company could fall prey to larger integrated as a quick bolt-on acquisition to boost growth.

Hess remains a Merrill Lynch top pick, and the third quarter should be key as it nears the completion of its strategic transformation. Potential catalysts include the retail spin-off, greater clarity on an upcoming master limited partnership and a possible analyst day. Investors are paid a 1% dividend. The Merrill Lynch price target is $130, and the consensus target is $99.85. Hess closed at $98.89.

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HCA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HCA) is one of the top hospital names to buy and trades at a low 14.6 times earnings. HCA has scale advantages as the largest private hospital operator in the United States and is diversified geographically. The company also benefits from local market density, with the number one or number two market share in most of its local markets.

The Merrill Lynch team expects second-quarter exchange benefits for HCA to surprise to the upside. In addition, increasing Medicaid enrollment and the potential for additional states to expand Medicaid eligibility could provide upside to the model and provide built-in growth for 2015. Merrill Lynch has a $65 price objective, and the consensus is posted at $59.90. HCA shares closed trading Monday at $56.38.

Huntsman Corp. (NYSE: HUN), together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells differentiated organic and inorganic chemical products worldwide. The company operates in five segments: Polyurethanes, Performance Products, Advanced Materials, Textile Effects and Pigments.

Merrill Lynch is positive given a pending acquisition that should make Huntsman the number two global player in titanium dioxide. This acquisition creates synergies and accretion, as well as lays the groundwork for a potential pure-play specialty pigment business. Investors are paid a 1.8% dividend. Merrill Lynch has a $30 price target, and the consensus target is $31.17. Huntsman closed Monday at $28.10.

RF Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: RFMD) is a supplier to Apple for the new iPhone 6, and a larger screen for the new phones could bode even better for the company. It is recognized for its diverse portfolio of semiconductor technologies and RF systems expertise, and it is a preferred supplier to the world’s leading mobile device, customer premises and communications equipment providers. The Merrill Lynch price target is $11, and consensus is at $10.62. The stock ended Monday at $9.59.

ALSO READ: Nine Analyst Stocks Under $10 With Huge Implied Upside

Vail Resorts Inc. (NYSE: MTN), which is based in Broomfield, Colo., operates resorts in Colorado, Utah, Minnesota, Michigan, Wyoming and the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada. The resort in Vail, Colo., was named one of Forbes top ten ski resorts for 2014.

Merrill Lynch sees the company moving towards resolving a long-running dispute that could unlock substantial value in its Utah assets, as well as ongoing strong trends in advance ticket sales and the potential for greater summer use of its resorts. Summer and fall are historically the best periods for the shares. Investors are paid a solid 2.2% dividend. The Merrill Lynch price target is $92, and consensus is at $85. The stock closed Monday at $77.18.

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