1 of Wall Street's Favorite Stock on Our Buy List and 2 Facing Challenges

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. That said, here is one stock where Wall Street’s excitement appears well-founded and two where its enthusiasm might be excessive.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Torrid (CURV)

Consensus Price Target: $2.87 (58.6% implied return)

Promoting a message of body positivity and inclusiveness, Torrid Holdings (NYSE:CURV) is a plus-size women’s apparel and accessories retailer.

Why Should You Sell CURV?

1. Lagging same-store sales over the past two years suggest it might have to change its pricing and marketing strategy to stimulate demand
2. Falling earnings per share over the last three years has some investors worried as stock prices ultimately follow EPS over the long term
3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities

Torrid is trading at $1.81 per share, or 11.4x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including CURV in your portfolio.

Covenant Logistics (CVLG)

Consensus Price Target: $32 (45.3% implied return)

Started with 25 trucks and 50 trailers, Covenant Logistics (NASDAQ:CVLG) is a provider of expedited long haul freight services, offering a range of logistics solutions.

Why Do We Avoid CVLG?

1. Products and services are facing end-market challenges during this cycle, as seen in its flat sales over the last two years
2. 20.4 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last five years reflects the company’s increased investments to defend its market position
3. Shrinking returns on capital suggest that increasing competition is eating into the company’s profitability

At $22.02 per share, Covenant Logistics trades at 10.8x forward EV-to-EBITDA. To fully understand why you should be careful with CVLG, check out our full research report (it’s free).

One Stock to Buy:

Instacart (CART)

Consensus Price Target: $59.84 (44.2% implied return)

Powering more than one billion grocery orders since its founding, Instacart (NASDAQ:CART) is an online grocery shopping and delivery platform that partners with retailers to help customers shop from local stores through its app or website.

Why Should You Buy CART?

1. Impressive 19.5% annual revenue growth over the last three years indicates it’s winning market share
2. Performance over the past three years shows its incremental sales were extremely profitable, as its annual earnings per share growth of 40.3% outpaced its revenue gains
3. Free cash flow margin expanded by 23.9 percentage points over the last few years, providing additional flexibility for investments and share buybacks/dividends

Instacart’s stock price of $41.50 implies a valuation ratio of 10.7x forward EV/EBITDA. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even More

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 9 Market-Beating Stocks. 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-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% 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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