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.

Accurately determining a company’s long-term prospects isn’t easy, especially when sentiment is weak. That’s where StockStory comes in - to help you find attractive investment candidates backed by unbiased research. That said, here are three stocks where the skepticism is well-placed and some better opportunities to consider.

JLL (JLL)

Consensus Price Target: $335 (10.7% implied return)

Founded in 1999 through the merger of Jones Lang Wootton and LaSalle Partners, JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a company specializing in real estate advisory and investment management services.

Why Do We Steer Clear of JLL?

1. Scale is a double-edged sword because it limits the company’s growth potential compared to its smaller competitors, as reflected in its below-average annual revenue increases of 6.9% for the last five years
2. Lacking free cash flow generation means it has few chances to reinvest for growth, repurchase shares, or distribute capital
3. Underwhelming 7.8% return on capital reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities, and its shrinking returns suggest its past profit sources are losing steam

JLL’s stock price of $302.52 implies a valuation ratio of 16.9x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with JLL, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Adtalem (ATGE)

Consensus Price Target: $152.25 (-0.3% implied return)

Formerly known as DeVry Education Group, Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE) is a global provider of workforce solutions and educational services.

Why Are We Wary of ATGE?

1. Annual revenue growth of 11% over the last two years was below our standards for the consumer discretionary sector
2. Estimated sales growth of 7.5% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend
3. ROIC of 10.1% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities

At $152.72 per share, Adtalem trades at 20.2x forward P/E. If you’re considering ATGE for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Gilead Sciences (GILD)

Consensus Price Target: $125.19 (11.7% implied return)

From its groundbreaking work in developing the first single-tablet regimens for HIV treatment, Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) develops and markets innovative medicines for life-threatening diseases including HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, and cancer.

Why Does GILD Give Us Pause?

1. Annual sales growth of 2.7% over the last two years lagged behind its healthcare peers as its large revenue base made it difficult to generate incremental demand
2. Projected sales growth of 2.3% for the next 12 months suggests sluggish demand
3. Eroding returns on capital suggest its historical profit centers are aging

Gilead Sciences is trading at $112.10 per share, or 13.5x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than GILD.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

When Trump unveiled his aggressive tariff plan in April 2025, markets tanked as investors feared a full-blown trade war. But those who panicked and sold missed the subsequent rebound that’s already erased most losses.

Don’t let fear keep you from great opportunities and take a look at 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 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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