3 Stocks to Watch Near All-Time Highs: COF, MAR, TSLA

An easing in inflation pressures helped stabilize markets in Thursday’s trading session, although a few notable stocks had already printed fresh highs ahead of November's favorable CPI report.  

Being leaders in their respective industries, investors are surely wondering if higher highs are in store for three of these popular stocks in particular.

This makes it an ideal time to take a look at the trend of earnings estimate revisions, the primary influencer to the Zacks Rank.

Capital One – COF

Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy)

With its stock hitting a new all-time high of $244 a share, Capital One COF is in more wallets following the successful acquisition of Discover Financial earlier in the year.

Acquiring Discover has transformed Capital One into a market leader by giving it both size and infrastructure, combining one of the largest credit card issuers with a major payments network. Becoming a vertically integrated powerhouse in consumer finance, Capital One stock is up +35% in 2025, and EPS revisions have continued to soar thanks to strong financial results and shareholder-friendly buybacks.

Capital One’s annual earnings are now expected to leap 41% in fiscal 2025 to $19.77 per share compared to EPS of $13.96 last year. Plus, FY26 EPS is projected at over $20.00, and COF trades at a very attractive 12X forward earnings multiple.

Marriott International – MAR

Zacks Rank #3 (Hold)

$311 a share set a record for the renowned hotel operator's stock on Wednesday, but the price performance here has been less captivating. Marriott International's MAR stock is up +10% year to date, and its steady EPS growth is accompanied by a modest 0.86% annual dividend yield that’s currently at $2.80.

It’s also intriguing that Marriott has increased its dividend by 28% in the last five years, and its 27% payout ratio indicates there is plenty of room for more hikes in the future as one of the most established and well-managed hospitality companies.   

Although a sound long-term investment, Marriott’s somewhat stagnant stock performance may continue, as FY25 EPS estimates have barely increased in the last 90 days and FY26 revisions are slightly down.

Tesla – TSLA

Zacks Rank #3 (Hold)

Fresh all-time highs of $495 a share come as investors have been more excited about Tesla’s TSLA robotaxi program, AI integration, and robotics ambitions, even as EV sales have slowed.

Notably, Tesla has been testing driverless robotaxis without safety monitors, a major milestone that investors see as proof of progress toward autonomous mobility. Elon Musk has also announced that Tesla’s in-car systems will integrate Grok, an AI chatbot, boosting confidence in Tesla’s ability to monetize AI. Regarding robotics, Tesla’s humanoid robot project, Optimus, is seen as a long-term growth driver, adding to the narrative that Tesla is more than just an EV company.

While these are exciting developments, EPS revisions are modestly lower in the last 60 days for FY25 and FY26. Considering such, the recent momentum in TSLA could be short-lived, with most of the +20% YTD gains coming in the last month. Still, Tesla has been able to avoid a sell rating as a sharp rebound is expected on its top and bottom lines next year.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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