Large-cap stocks are known for their staying power and ability to weather market storms better than smaller competitors. However, their sheer size makes it more challenging to maintain high growth rates as they’ve already captured significant portions of their markets.
These trade-offs can cause headaches for even the most seasoned professionals, which is why we started StockStory - to help you find high-quality companies that can grow their earnings no matter what. Keeping that in mind, here are three large-cap stocks whose competitive advantages create flywheel effects.
Royal Caribbean (RCL)
Market Cap: $78.22 billion
Established in 1968, Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE: RCL) is a global cruise vacation company renowned for its innovative and exciting cruise experiences.
Why Are We Fans of RCL?
- Remarkable 30% revenue growth over the last five years demonstrates its ability to capture significant market share
- Free cash flow margin is forecasted to grow by 11.3 percentage points in the coming year, potentially giving the company more chips to play with
- Historical investments are beginning to pay off as its returns on capital are growing
Royal Caribbean is trading at $287.79 per share, or 16.6x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free for active Edge members.
Coupang (CPNG)
Market Cap: $58.28 billion
Founded in 2010 by Harvard Business School student Bom Kim, Coupang (NYSE: CPNG) is an e-commerce giant often referred to as the "Amazon of South Korea".
Why Is CPNG Interesting?
- Has the opportunity to boost monetization through new features and premium offerings as its active customers have grown by 11.8% annually over the last two years
- Additional sales over the last three years increased its profitability as the 32% annual growth in its earnings per share outpaced its revenue
- Free cash flow margin expanded by 8 percentage points over the last few years, providing additional flexibility for investments and share buybacks/dividends
At $32.09 per share, Coupang trades at 31.1x forward EV/EBITDA. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free for active Edge members .
Hartford (HIG)
Market Cap: $34.6 billion
Recognizable by its iconic stag logo that dates back to 1810, The Hartford (NYSE: HIG) provides property and casualty insurance, group benefits, and investment products to individuals and businesses across the United States.
Why Could HIG Be a Winner?
- Share repurchases over the last five years enabled its annual earnings per share growth of 17.7% to outpace its revenue gains
- Balance sheet strength has increased this cycle as its 21.2% annual book value per share growth over the last two years was exceptional
- Capital strength will likely rise over the next 12 months as its expected book value per share growth of 20.4% is robust
Hartford’s stock price of $124.18 implies a valuation ratio of 1.9x forward P/B. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free for active Edge members.
Stocks We Like Even More
Fresh US-China trade tensions just tanked stocks—but strong bank earnings are fueling a sharp rebound. Don’t miss the bounce.
Don’t let fear keep you from great opportunities and take a look at 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 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today
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