7 Stocks That Dodged August's Bearish Bullet

August marked a dismal time for the broader equities market, with the three major indexes notching their biggest monthly losses in year. However, not everyone succumbed to the sell-off, with names such as American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) and Lululemon Athletica inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) managing to buck the bearish trend. Here's a quick roundup of seven stocks that took the high road during the broad-market slump -- and how they're performing today, despite a disastrous start to a historically bearish September.

Credit card issue AXP, for instance, closed out August with a 0.9% gain -- the sole Dow component to end the month in the green. Longer term, though, the stock has been charting a path steadily lower, down 20% year-to-date amid pressure from its 160-day moving average. Today, the equity is widening this deficit, shedding 2.7% to trade at $74.64.

Yoga apparel maker LULU tacked on 1.8% last month. This positive price action is just more of the same for a security that's up 13.8% in 2015. Although the equity is succumbing to broad-market headwinds today -- down 0.9% at $63.46 -- a repeat performance in September could shake some of the weaker bearish hands loose. Short interest accounts for 19% of the stock's available float, representing nearly three weeks' worth of pent-up buying demand.

Amid a volatile month in the commodities market, mining magnate Cliffs Natural Resources Inc (NYSE:CLF) managed to rally 57.5%. However, this upside stalled out near the equity's 80-day moving average -- a trendline that has had a big hand in ushering the shares to a 73% year-over-year deficit. Today, CLF is off 2.5% at $3.87.

It's been an uphill battle for 3-D printing firm 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD), and thanks to a 4.3% pop in August, the stock pared its year-to-date deficit to 58%. In spite of this, DDD can't escape today's broad-market bloodbath, and was last seen 3.1% lower at $13.31.

To the dismay of Bill Ackman, nutritional supplements specialist Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) rallied 14% last month, bringing its 2015 advance to nearly 53%. What's more, the shares topped out at an annual high of $61.95 along the way. This morning, HLF is off 3.5% at $55.53, but has found a foothold near $55-to-$55.50 -- an area that served as resistance in early July.

Department store chain J C Penney Company Inc (NYSE:JCP) took a wild ride in August, falling to a low of $7.21, and closing out the month north of $9. After all was said and done, the security was up nearly 11%. JCP is continuing this outperformance today, last seen 2.6% higher at $9.35.

Despite bottoming at a 20-year low, oil-and-gas issue Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) popped 7.3% last month. This rally was quickly halted near its 50-day moving average -- a trendline that has helped usher the shares lower in recent months. Longer term, RIG has shed roughly one-quarter of its value in 2015, and is down 3.2% today at $13.77, as crude oil resumes its downtrend.