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2 unpopular stocks that deserve some love and 1 we avoid
Wall Street’s bearish price targets for the stocks in this article signal serious concerns. Such forecasts are uncommon in an industry where maintaining cordial corporate relationships often trumps delivering the hard truth.
Whatever the consensus opinion may be, our team at StockStory cuts through the noise by conducting independent analysis to determine a company’s long-term prospects. That said, here are two stocks where you should be greedy instead of fearful and one facing legitimate challenges.
One stock to sell:
Kroger (KR)
Consensus price target: $69 (3.6% implied return)
With a sprawling network of over 2,400 locations offering digital pickup services, Kroger (NYSE:KR) operates supermarkets, pharmacies, and fuel centers across 35 states, offering customers groceries, household items, and private-label products.
Why Does KR Worry Us?
- Products fail to spark excitement with consumers, as seen in its flat sales over the last three years
- Limited expansion of stores suggests it’s prioritizing efficiency over growth at this stage
- Gross margin of 23.9% is below its competitors, leaving less money for marketing and promotions
Kroger is trading at $66.60 per share, or 12.3x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than KR.
Two stocks to watch:
United Rentals (URI)
Consensus price target: $1,292 (9.5% implied return)
Owning the largest rental fleet in the world, United Rentals (NYSE:URI) provides equipment rental and related services to construction, industrial, and infrastructure industries.
Why Could URI Be a Winner?
- Annual revenue growth of 13.7% over the past five years was outstanding, reflecting market share gains this cycle
- Excellent operating margin of 26.2% highlights the efficiency of its business model
- Share repurchases over the last five years enabled its annual earnings per share growth of 20% to outpace its revenue gains
At $1,181 per share, United Rentals trades at 20.3x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.
Tenet Healthcare (THC)
Consensus price target: $298.82 (9.4% implied return)
With a network spanning nine states and serving primarily urban and suburban communities, Tenet Healthcare (NYSE:THC) operates a nationwide network of hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and outpatient facilities providing acute care and specialty healthcare services.
Why Are We Fans of THC?
- Performance over the past five years was turbocharged by share buybacks, which enabled its earnings per share to grow faster than its revenue
- Free cash flow margin expanded by 13.7 percentage points over the last five years, providing additional flexibility for investments and share buybacks/dividends
- Rising returns on capital show management is finding more attractive investment opportunities
Tenet Healthcare’s stock price of $273.18 implies a valuation ratio of 13x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
High-quality stocks for all market conditions
ONE MORE THING: Top 6 Stocks for This Week. This market is separating quality stocks from expensive ones fast. AI is taking down whole sectors with no warning. In a rotation this fast, you need more than a list of good companies.
Our AI system flagged Palantir before it ran 1,662% between October 2022 and February 2026. AppLovin before it ran 753% between February 2024 and February 2026. Nvidia before it ran 1,178% between January 2023 and February 2026. Each week it produces 6 new names that pass the same tests. Get Our Top 6 Stocks for Free HERE.
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,460% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+214% between June 2020 and June 2025). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.