1 Safe-and-Steady Stock with Exciting Potential and 2 We Ignore

Stability is great, but low-volatility stocks may struggle to deliver market-beating returns over time as they sometimes underperform during bull markets.

Choosing the wrong investments can cause you to fall behind, which is why we started StockStory - to separate the winners from the losers. That said, here is one low-volatility stock that could succeed under all market conditions and two stuck in limbo.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Hartford (HIG)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.59

Recognizable by its iconic stag logo that dates back to 1810, The Hartford (NYSE:HIG) provides property and casualty insurance, group benefits, and investment products to individuals and businesses across the United States.

Why Are We Hesitant About HIG?

1. Outsized scale creates growth headwinds as its 6.2% annualized net premiums earned increases over the last five years underperformed other financial institutions
2. Sales are projected to tank by 15% over the next 12 months as demand evaporates
3. Scale is a double-edged sword because it limits the firm’s capital growth potential compared to its smaller competitors, as reflected in its below-average annual book value per share increases of 5.4% for the last five years

Hartford is trading at $132.22 per share, or 2.1x forward P/B. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including HIG in your portfolio.

Prosperity Bancshares (PB)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.77

With a network of banking centers spanning the Lone Star State and beyond, Prosperity Bancshares (NYSE:PB) operates full-service banking locations throughout Texas and Oklahoma, offering a wide range of financial products and services to businesses and consumers.

Why Does PB Fall Short?

1. Net interest income stagnated over the last five years and signal the need for new growth strategies
2. Net interest margin of 3% is well below other banks, signaling its loans aren’t very profitable
3. Incremental sales over the last five years were less profitable as its earnings per share were flat while its revenue grew

Prosperity Bancshares’s stock price of $69.34 implies a valuation ratio of 0.8x forward P/B. If you’re considering PB for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

One Stock to Buy:

Cintas (CTAS)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.85

Starting as a family business collecting and cleaning shop rags in Cincinnati, Cintas (NASDAQ:CTAS) provides corporate identity uniforms, facility services, and safety products to over one million businesses across North America.

Why Will CTAS Beat the Market?

1. 8.3% annual revenue growth over the last two years surpassed the sector average as its services resonated with customers
2. Performance over the past five years was turbocharged by share buybacks, which enabled its earnings per share to grow faster than its revenue
3. Strong free cash flow margin of 16.5% enables it to reinvest or return capital consistently

At $208.54 per share, Cintas trades at 42.8x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

When Trump unveiled his aggressive tariff plan in April 2025, markets tanked as investors feared a full-blown trade war. But those who panicked and sold missed the subsequent rebound that’s already erased most losses.

Don’t let fear keep you from great opportunities and take a look at Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

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 Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today

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