1 Safe-and-Steady Stock on Our Buy List and 2 We Turn Down

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

Finding the right balance between safety and returns isn’t easy, which is why StockStory is here to help. That said, here is one low-volatility stock providing safe-and-steady growth and two stuck in limbo.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Carriage Services (CSV)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.52

Established in 1991, Carriage Services (NYSE:CSV) is a provider of funeral and cemetery services in the United States.

Why Does CSV Fall Short?

1. Lackluster 4.3% annual revenue growth over the last two years indicates the company is losing ground to competitors
2. Projected sales growth of 3.9% for the next 12 months suggests sluggish demand
3. Free cash flow margin is forecasted to shrink by 2.3 percentage points in the coming year, suggesting the company will consume more capital to keep up with its competitors

Carriage Services is trading at $44.17 per share, or 13.4x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including CSV in your portfolio.

Columbia Financial (CLBK)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.94

Founded during the Roaring Twenties in 1926 and headquartered in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, Columbia Financial (NASDAQ:CLBK) operates federally chartered savings banks in New Jersey that offer traditional banking services including loans, deposits, and insurance products.

Why Does CLBK Give Us Pause?

1. Customers postponed purchases of its products and services this cycle as its revenue declined by 9.7% annually over the last two years
2. Flat net interest income over the last five years suggest it must find different ways to grow during this cycle
3. Inferior net interest margin of 2% means it must compensate for lower profitability through increased loan originations

Columbia Financial’s stock price of $14.95 implies a valuation ratio of 1.4x forward P/B. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why CLBK doesn’t pass our bar.

One Stock to Buy:

Armstrong World (AWI)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.88

Started as a two-man shop dating back to the 1860s, Armstrong (NYSE:AWI) provides ceiling and wall products to commercial and residential spaces.

Why Is AWI a Good Business?

1. Annual revenue growth of 11.5% over the past two years was outstanding, reflecting market share gains this cycle
2. Healthy operating margin of 24.7% shows it’s a well-run company with efficient processes, and its profits increased over the last five years as it scaled
3. Share buybacks catapulted its annual earnings per share growth to 18.7%, which outperformed its revenue gains over the last two years

At $188.15 per share, Armstrong World trades at 23.5x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free for active Edge members.

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 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 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

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.