
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.
Whatever the consensus opinion may be, our team at StockStory cuts through the noise by conducting independent analysis to determine a company’s long-term prospects. That said, here is one stock where you should be greedy instead of fearful and two where the outlook is warranted.
Two Stocks to Sell:
Arrow Electronics (ARW)
Consensus Price Target: $137.50 (-3.9% implied return)
Founded as a single retail store, Arrow Electronics (NYSE: ARW) provides electronic components and enterprise computing solutions to businesses globally.
Why Should You Dump ARW?
- Annual sales declines of 3.5% for the past two years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
- Sales were less profitable over the last two years as its earnings per share fell by 19.7% annually, worse than its revenue declines
- Diminishing returns on capital suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up
At $143.15 per share, Arrow Electronics trades at 10.9x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why ARW doesn’t pass our bar.
Select Medical (SEM)
Consensus Price Target: $16.63 (2.3% implied return)
With a nationwide network spanning 46 states and over 2,700 healthcare facilities, Select Medical (NYSE: SEM) operates critical illness recovery hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, and occupational health centers across the United States.
Why Are We Cautious About SEM?
- Declining admissions over the past two years show it’s struggled to increase its sales volumes and had to rely on price increases
- Performance over the past five years shows each sale was less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 9.3% annually
- High net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 6× could force the company to raise capital at unfavorable terms if market conditions deteriorate
Select Medical’s stock price of $16.25 implies a valuation ratio of 13.1x forward P/E. If you’re considering SEM for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
One Stock to Buy:
ESCO (ESE)
Consensus Price Target: $285 (0.7% implied return)
A developer of the communication systems used in the Batmobile of “The Dark Knight,” ESCO (NYSE: ESE) is a provider of engineered components for the aerospace, defense, and utility sectors.
Why Is ESE a Good Business?
- Sales pipeline is in good shape as its backlog averaged 41.7% growth over the past two years
- Incremental sales significantly boosted profitability as its annual earnings per share growth of 36.3% over the last two years outstripped its revenue performance
- Free cash flow margin increased by 10.9 percentage points over the last five years, giving the company more capital to invest or return to shareholders
ESCO is trading at $282.90 per share, or 33.9x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our full research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
ALSO WORTH WATCHING: Top 5 Momentum Stocks. The best time to own a great stock is when the market is finally noticing it. These aren't just high-quality businesses. Something is happening with them right now. Elite fundamentals meeting near-term momentum — both boxes checked at the same time.
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Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,326% between June 2020 and June 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.
