1 Momentum Stock to Consider Right Now and 2 We Brush Off

Great things are happening to the stocks in this article. They’re all outperforming the market over the last month because of positive catalysts such as a new product line, constructive news flow, or even a loyal Reddit fanbase.

While momentum can be a leading indicator, it has burned many investors as it doesn’t always correlate with long-term success. Keeping that in mind, here is one stock with the fundamentals to back up its performance and two that may correct.

Two Momentum Stocks to Sell:

Matson (MATX)

One-Month Return: +4.5%

Founded by a Swedish orphan, Matson (NYSE:MATX) is a provider of ocean transportation and logistics services.

Why Are We Wary of MATX?

1. Sales trends were unexciting over the last two years as its 4% annual growth was below the typical industrials company
2. Free cash flow margin dropped by 12.9 percentage points over the last five years, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up
3. Eroding returns on capital suggest its historical profit centers are aging

Matson’s stock price of $166.11 implies a valuation ratio of 12.6x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with MATX, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Stellar Bancorp (STEL)

One-Month Return: +14.5%

Created through strategic mergers to serve the growing Texas business community, Stellar Bancorp (NYSE:STEL) is a Texas bank holding company that provides commercial banking services primarily to small and medium-sized businesses and professionals.

Why Do We Avoid STEL?

1. Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 4.2% annually over the last two years
2. Concessions to defend its market share have ramped up over the last two years as its net interest margin decreased by 35.6 basis points (100 basis points = 1 percentage point)
3. Performance over the past two years shows each sale was less profitable as its earnings per share dropped by 15.1% annually, worse than its revenue

At $37.38 per share, Stellar Bancorp trades at 1.1x forward P/B. If you’re considering STEL for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

One Momentum Stock to Watch:

Amalgamated Financial (AMAL)

One-Month Return: 0%

Founded in 1923 by labor unions seeking a financial institution aligned with worker values, Amalgamated Financial (NASDAQGM:AMAL) operates a values-oriented bank that provides commercial banking, trust services, and investment management to socially responsible organizations and individuals.

Why Could AMAL Be a Winner?

1. Net interest margin grew by 18.7 basis points (100 basis points = 1 percentage point) over the last two years, giving the firm more chips to play with
2. Share repurchases have amplified shareholder returns as its annual earnings per share growth of 17.9% exceeded its revenue gains over the last five years
3. Annual tangible book value per share growth of 9.5% over the last five years was superb and indicates its capital strength increased during this cycle

Amalgamated Financial is trading at $38.27 per share, or 1.3x forward P/B. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

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