Top Mid-Cap Stocks May Beat Benchmarks

BOSTON (TheStreet) -- The Russell Mid-Cap Index outperformed the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 Index in 2009. Shares of the following medium-sized companies may beat those indices again this year.

5. Check Point Software Technology(CHKP) designs Internet security programs.

The numbers: Third-quarter net income increased 14% to $91 million, or 43 cents a share, as revenue grew 17% to $234 million. Check Point's operating margin remained steady at 45%. The company has an ideal financial position, with $957 million of cash and no debt.

The stock: Check Point has rallied 58% over the past year, beating major U.S. indices. The stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.1, on par with the market, but a discount to systems-software peers. The company doesn't pay dividends.