
Wall Street has issued downbeat forecasts for the stocks in this article. These predictions are rare - financial institutions typically hesitate to say bad things about a company because it can jeopardize their other revenue-generating business lines like 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 are three stocks where the skepticism is well-placed and some better opportunities to consider.
Mohawk Industries (MHK)
Consensus Price Target: $138.33 (4.4% implied return)
Established in 1878, Mohawk Industries (NYSE: MHK) is a leading producer of floor-covering products for both residential and commercial applications.
Why Do We Pass on MHK?
- Scale is a double-edged sword because it limits the company’s growth potential compared to its smaller competitors, as reflected in its below-average annual revenue increases of 2.5% for the last five years
- Lacking free cash flow generation means it has few chances to reinvest for growth, repurchase shares, or distribute capital
- Diminishing returns on capital from an already low starting point show that neither management’s prior nor current bets are going as planned
Mohawk Industries is trading at $132.54 per share, or 13.9x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than MHK.
First Financial Bankshares (FFIN)
Consensus Price Target: $36.40 (7.3% implied return)
With roots dating back to 1890 and a network spanning over 70 locations across the Lone Star State, First Financial Bankshares (NASDAQ: FFIN) is a Texas-focused regional bank providing commercial banking, trust services, and wealth management across numerous communities throughout the state.
Why Is FFIN Not Exciting?
- Annual revenue growth of 5.3% over the last five years was below our standards for the banking sector
- Annual net interest income growth of 7.4% over the last five years was below our standards for the banking sector
- Earnings growth underperformed the sector average over the last five years as its EPS grew by just 4.7% annually
First Financial Bankshares’s stock price of $33.92 implies a valuation ratio of 2.3x forward P/B. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including FFIN in your portfolio.
Capital Southwest (CSWC)
Consensus Price Target: $24.25 (6% implied return)
Originally founded in 1961 as a venture capital investor that helped launch Texas Instruments, Capital Southwest (NASDAQ: CSWC) is a business development company that provides debt and equity financing to middle-market companies primarily in the United States.
Why Do We Think Twice About CSWC?
- Performance over the past two years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 6.7% annually
At $22.88 per share, Capital Southwest trades at 10.2x forward P/E. If you’re considering CSWC for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
The market’s up big this year - but there’s a catch. Just 4 stocks account for half the S&P 500’s entire gain. That kind of concentration makes investors nervous, and for good reason. While everyone piles into the same crowded names, smart investors are hunting quality where no one’s looking - and paying a fraction of the price. Check out the high-quality names we’ve flagged in our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 244% over the last five years (as of June 30, 2025).
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-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.