The stocks in this article have caught Wall Street’s attention in a big way, with price targets implying returns above 20%. But investors should take these forecasts with a grain of salt because analysts typically say nice things about companies so their firms can win business in other product lines like M&A advisory.
Unlike the investment banks, we created StockStory to provide independent analysis that helps you determine which companies are truly worth following. Keeping that in mind, here is one stock where Wall Street’s excitement appears well-founded and two where consensus estimates seem disconnected from reality.
Two Stocks to Sell:
Marriott (MAR)
Consensus Price Target: $283.58 (25.8% implied return)
Founded by J. Willard Marriott in 1927, Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global hospitality company with a portfolio of over 7,000 properties and 30 brands, spanning 130+ countries and territories.
Why Is MAR Not Exciting?
- 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 4.2% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend
- Earnings per share lagged its peers over the last five years as they only grew by 9.2% annually
At $218.52 per share, Marriott trades at 20.2x forward price-to-earnings. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including MAR in your portfolio.
Pangaea (PANL)
Consensus Price Target: $9.38 (124% implied return)
Established in 1996, Pangaea Logistics (NASDAQ: PANL) specializes in global logistics and transportation services, focusing on the shipment of dry bulk cargoes.
Why Do We Think PANL Will Underperform?
- Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 12.4% annually over the last two years
- Issuance of new shares over the last two years caused its earnings per share to fall by 40.2% annually, even worse than its revenue declines
- Free cash flow margin dropped by 5.4 percentage points over the last five years, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up
Pangaea’s stock price of $4.19 implies a valuation ratio of 3.9x forward price-to-earnings. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than PANL.
One Stock to Watch:
BioMarin Pharmaceutical (BMRN)
Consensus Price Target: $96.16 (65% implied return)
Pioneering treatments for conditions that often had no previous therapeutic options, BioMarin Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: BMRN) develops and commercializes therapies that address the root causes of rare genetic disorders, particularly those affecting children.
Why Are We Positive On BMRN?
- Annual revenue growth of 16.7% over the last two years was superb and indicates its market share increased during this cycle
- Performance over the past five years shows its incremental sales were extremely profitable, as its annual earnings per share growth of 30.8% outpaced its revenue gains
- Free cash flow margin grew by 18.6 percentage points over the last five years, giving the company more chips to play with
BioMarin Pharmaceutical is trading at $58.70 per share, or 14.6x forward price-to-earnings. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025.
While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we’re homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver’s seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 175% over the last five years.
Stocks that made our list in 2019 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+2,183% between December 2019 and December 2024) as well as under-the-radar businesses like Sterling Infrastructure (+1,096% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.
