
Even if a company is profitable, it doesn’t always mean it’s a great investment. Some struggle to maintain growth, face looming threats, or fail to reinvest wisely, limiting their future potential.
A business making money today isn’t necessarily a winner, which is why we analyze companies across multiple dimensions at StockStory. Keeping that in mind, here is one profitable company that leverages its financial strength to beat the competition and two that may struggle to keep up.
Two Stocks to Sell:
Floor And Decor (FND)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 5.9%
Operating large, warehouse-style stores, Floor & Decor (NYSE: FND) is a specialty retailer that specializes in hard flooring surfaces for the home such as tiles, hardwood, stone, and laminates.
Why Do We Avoid FND?
- Lagging same-store sales over the past two years suggest it might have to change its pricing and marketing strategy to stimulate demand
- Incremental sales over the last three years were much less profitable as its earnings per share fell by 8.3% annually while its revenue grew
- Low returns on capital reflect management’s struggle to allocate funds effectively, and its shrinking returns suggest its past profit sources are losing steam
Floor And Decor is trading at $68.07 per share, or 35.1x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including FND in your portfolio.
Lamb Weston (LW)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 11.3%
Best known for its Grown in Idaho brand, Lamb Weston (NYSE: LW) produces and distributes potato products such as frozen french fries and mashed potatoes.
Why Are We Cautious About LW?
- Organic sales performance over the past two years indicates the company may need to make strategic adjustments or rely on M&A to catalyze faster growth
- Sales are projected to remain flat over the next 12 months as demand decelerates from its three-year trend
- Gross margin of 22.9% is below its competitors, leaving less money to invest in areas like marketing and production facilities
At $50.59 per share, Lamb Weston trades at 18.9x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why LW doesn’t pass our bar.
One Stock to Watch:
Sezzle (SEZL)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 57.9%
Founded in 2016 as an alternative to traditional credit cards for younger shoppers, Sezzle (NASDAQ: SEZL) provides a payment platform that allows consumers to split purchases into four interest-free installments over six weeks at participating retailers.
Why Does SEZL Catch Our Eye?
- Annual revenue growth of 67.8% over the last two years was superb and indicates its market share increased during this cycle
- Incremental sales over the last two years have been highly profitable as its earnings per share increased by 173% annually, topping its revenue gains
Sezzle’s stock price of $67.55 implies a valuation ratio of 16.1x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our comprehensive 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 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. 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).
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