When Wall Street turns bearish on a stock, it’s worth paying attention. These calls stand out because analysts rarely issue grim ratings on companies for fear their firms will lose out in other business lines such as M&A advisory.
Accurately determining a company’s long-term prospects isn’t easy, especially when sentiment is weak. That’s where StockStory comes in - to help you find attractive investment candidates backed by unbiased research. Keeping that in mind, here is one stock where you should be greedy instead of fearful and two where the skepticism is well-placed.
Two Stocks to Sell:
Hyatt Hotels (H)
Consensus Price Target: $143.46 (7.1% implied return)
Founded in 1957, Hyatt Hotels (NYSE:H) is a global hospitality company with a portfolio of 20 premier brands and over 950 properties across 65 countries.
Why Should You Sell H?
- Revenue per room has disappointed over the past two years due to weaker trends in its daily rates and occupancy levels
- Estimated sales growth of 2.4% for the next 12 months is soft and implies weaker demand
- Negative returns on capital show that some of its growth strategies have backfired
Hyatt Hotels’s stock price of $133.89 implies a valuation ratio of 42.1x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including H in your portfolio.
VSE Corporation (VSEC)
Consensus Price Target: $147.58 (10.8% implied return)
With roots dating back to 1959 and a strategic focus on extending the life of transportation assets, VSE Corporation (NASDAQ:VSEC) provides aftermarket parts distribution and maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for aircraft and vehicle fleets in commercial and government markets.
Why Is VSEC Not Exciting?
- Gross margin of 12.3% reflects its high production costs
- Revenue growth over the past five years was nullified by the company’s new share issuances as its earnings per share fell by 4.1% annually
- Cash burn makes us question whether it can achieve sustainable long-term growth
VSE Corporation is trading at $133.17 per share, or 36.3x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with VSEC, check out our full research report (it’s free).
One Stock to Watch:
Coca-Cola (KO)
Consensus Price Target: $77.67 (7.8% implied return)
A pioneer and behemoth in carbonated soft drinks, Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) is a storied beverage company best known for its flagship soda.
Why Should KO Be on Your Watchlist?
- Core business can prosper without any help from acquisitions as its organic revenue growth averaged 11.1% over the past two years
- Dominant market position is represented by its $46.98 billion in revenue, which gives it negotiating power with suppliers and retailers
- Unique products and pricing power lead to a best-in-class gross margin of 60.6%
At $72.05 per share, Coca-Cola trades at 23.9x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs.
While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years.
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.