The stocks in this article are all trading near their 52-week highs. This strength often reflects positive developments such as new product launches, favorable industry trends, or improved financial performance.
However, not all companies with momentum are long-term winners, and many investors have lost money by following short-term trends. All that said, here is one stock with lasting competitive advantages and two best left ignored.
Two Stocks to Sell:
Dillard's (DDS)
One-Month Return: +10.9%
With stores located largely in the Southern and Western US, Dillard’s (NYSE: DDS) is a department store chain that sells clothing, cosmetics, accessories, and home goods.
Why Does DDS Give Us Pause?
- Failure to add new stores points to soft demand and a focus on boosting sales at current locations
- Weak same-store sales trends over the past two years suggest there may be few opportunities in its core markets to open new locations
- Falling earnings per share over the last three years has some investors worried as stock prices ultimately follow EPS over the long term
At $681.61 per share, Dillard's trades at 23.8x forward P/E. If you’re considering DDS for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
Provident Financial Services (PFS)
One-Month Return: +8.3%
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 Worry Us?
- Weak unit economics are reflected in its net interest margin of 3.3%, one of the worst among bank companies
- Annual earnings per share growth of 2.2% underperformed its revenue over the last two years, showing its incremental sales were less profitable
- Loan losses and capital returns have eroded its tangible book value per share this cycle as its tangible book value per share declined by 1.3% annually over the last two years
Provident Financial Services is trading at $20.03 per share, or 0.9x forward P/B. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than PFS.
One Stock to Buy:
LendingClub (LC)
One-Month Return: +2.4%
Pioneering peer-to-peer lending in the US before evolving into a digital bank, LendingClub (NYSE: LC) operates a marketplace that connects borrowers with lenders, offering personal loans, auto refinancing, and banking services.
Why Should You Buy LC?
- Impressive 24.7% annual revenue growth over the last five years indicates it’s winning market share this cycle
- Earnings growth has massively outpaced its peers over the last two years as its EPS has compounded at 38.3% annually
LendingClub’s stock price of $19.61 implies a valuation ratio of 12.9x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free for active Edge members.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
The market’s up big this year - but there’s a catch. Just 4 stocks account for half the S&P 500’s entire gain. That kind of concentration makes investors nervous, and for good reason. While everyone piles into the same crowded names, smart investors are hunting quality where no one’s looking - and paying a fraction of the price. Check out the high-quality names we’ve flagged in our Top 6 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).
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,326% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% 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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