1 of Wall Street’s Favorite Stocks with Exciting Potential and 2 We Find Risky
The stocks in this article have caught Wall Street’s attention in a big way, with price targets implying returns above 20%. But investors should take these forecasts with a grain of salt because analysts typically say nice things about companies so their firms can win business in other product lines like M&A advisory.
Luckily for you, we at StockStory have no conflicts of interest - our sole job is to help you find genuinely promising companies. Keeping that in mind, here is one stock likely to meet or exceed Wall Street’s lofty expectations and two where consensus estimates seem disconnected from reality.
Two Stocks to Sell:
Fiserv (FISV)
Consensus Price Target: $60.35 (30.7% implied return)
Powering over 1 billion accounts and processing more than 12,000 financial transactions per second globally, Fiserv (NASDAQ:FISV) provides payment processing and financial technology solutions that enable merchants, banks, and credit unions to accept payments and manage financial transactions.
Why Is FISV Risky?
- The company has faced growth challenges as its 2.5% annual revenue increases over the last two years fell short of other financials companies
- Earnings per share fell by 3.1% annually over the last two years while its revenue grew, showing its incremental sales were much less profitable
- ROE of 9.9% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities
Fiserv is trading at $46.16 per share, or 6.2x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than FISV.
Provident Financial Services (PFS)
Consensus Price Target: $27.92 (22.2% implied return)
Founded in 1839 and serving communities across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, Provident Financial Services (NYSE:PFS) operates a regional bank providing commercial, residential, and consumer lending alongside wealth management and insurance services.
Why Does PFS Give Us Pause?
- Net interest margin of 3.4% is well below other banks, signaling its loans aren’t very profitable
- Performance over the past five years shows its incremental sales were less profitable, as its 2.1% annual earnings per share growth trailed its revenue gains
- Tangible book value per share was flat over the last five years, indicating it’s failed to build equity value this cycle
Provident Financial Services’s stock price of $22.85 implies a valuation ratio of 1x forward P/B. If you’re considering PFS for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
One Stock to Buy:
Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Consensus Price Target: $89.43 (23.3% implied return)
Powering over 73 million active accounts and partnerships with major brands like Amazon, PayPal, and Lowe's, Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) provides credit cards, installment loans, and banking products through partnerships with retailers, healthcare providers, and digital platforms.
Why Is SYF a Good Business?
- Earnings per share grew by 35.5% annually over the last two years and trumped its peers
- Balance sheet strength has increased this cycle as its 14.5% annual tangible book value per share growth over the last five years was exceptional
- Industry-leading 21.5% return on equity demonstrates management’s skill in finding high-return investments
At $72.56 per share, Synchrony Financial trades at 7.4x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
WHILE YOU’RE HERE: Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. The best stocks don’t just beat the market once. They do it again. And again. Robust revenue growth, rising free cash flow, returns on capital that leave their competition in the dust. The market has already rewarded these businesses.
But our AI platform says the party isn’t over. Find out which 9 stocks made the cut this week — FREE. Get Our Top 9 Market-Beating 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.