2 of Wall Street's Favorite Stocks with Competitive Advantages and 1 We Turn Down

Wall Street is overwhelmingly bullish on the stocks in this article, with price targets suggesting significant upside potential. However, it’s worth remembering that analysts rarely issue sell ratings, partly because their firms often seek other business from the same companies they cover.

At StockStory, we look beyond the headlines with our independent analysis to determine whether these bullish calls are justified. That said, here are two stocks where Wall Street’s excitement appears well-founded and one where its enthusiasm might be excessive.

One Stock to Sell:

EverQuote (EVER)

Consensus Price Target: $33.40 (28.5% implied return)

Aiming to simplify a once complicated process, EverQuote (NASDAQ:EVER) is an online insurance marketplace where consumers can compare and purchase various types of insurance from different providers

Why Does EVER Worry Us?

1. Excessive marketing spend signals little organic demand and traction for its platform

EverQuote’s stock price of $26.00 implies a valuation ratio of 9.1x forward EV/EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why EVER doesn’t pass our bar.

Two Stocks to Watch:

Waste Management (WM)

Consensus Price Target: $246.09 (17.4% implied return)

Headquartered in Houston, Waste Management (NYSE:WM) is a provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America.

Why Are We Fans of WM?

1. Annual revenue growth of 10.9% over the past two years was outstanding, reflecting market share gains this cycle
2. Superior product capabilities and pricing power lead to a premier gross margin of 38.7%
3. Disciplined cost controls and effective management resulted in a strong long-term operating margin of 17.2%

At $209.56 per share, Waste Management trades at 25.4x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free for active Edge members .

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC)

Consensus Price Target: $29.83 (23.5% implied return)

Tracing its roots back to 1863 during the Civil War era, First Financial Bancorp (NASDAQ:FFBC) is a bank holding company that provides commercial banking, lending, deposit services, and wealth management to individuals and businesses.

Why Could FFBC Be a Winner?

1. Exciting net interest income outlook for the upcoming 12 months calls for 19.7% growth, an acceleration from its five-year trend
2. Share buybacks catapulted its annual earnings per share growth to 11.2%, which outperformed its revenue gains over the last five years
3. Balance sheet strength has increased this cycle as its 21.7% annual tangible book value per share growth over the last two years was exceptional

First Financial Bancorp is trading at $24.16 per share, or 0.9x forward P/B. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free for active Edge members.

Stocks We Like Even More

Your portfolio can’t afford to be based on yesterday’s story. The risk in a handful of heavily crowded stocks is rising daily.

The names generating the next wave of massive growth are right here in 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 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-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% 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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