"You get what you pay for" often applies to expensive stocks with best-in-class business models and execution. While their quality can sometimes justify the premium, they typically experience elevated volatility during market downturns when expectations change.

Finding the right balance between price and quality can challenge even the most skilled investors. Luckily for you, we started StockStory to help you identify the real opportunities. That said, here is one high-flying stock with strong fundamentals and two climbing an uphill battle.

Two High-Flying Stocks to Sell:

Estée Lauder (EL)

Forward P/E Ratio: 32x

Named after its founder, who was an entrepreneurial woman from New York with a passion for skincare, Estée Lauder (NYSE: EL) is a one-stop beauty shop with products in skincare, fragrance, makeup, sun protection, and men’s grooming.

Why Is EL Risky?

1. Core business is underperforming as its organic revenue has disappointed over the past two years, suggesting it might need acquisitions to stimulate growth
2. Overall productivity fell over the last year as its plummeting sales were accompanied by a decline in its operating margin
3. Earnings per share have contracted by 31.3% annually over the last three years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance

Estée Lauder’s stock price of $66.60 implies a valuation ratio of 32x forward price-to-earnings. To fully understand why you should be careful with EL, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Bark (BARK)

Forward P/E Ratio: 103.7x

Making a name for itself with the BarkBox, Bark (NYSE: BARK) specializes in subscription-based, personalized pet products.

Why Does BARK Fall Short?

1. Demand for its offerings was relatively low as its number of orders has underwhelmed
2. Historical operating losses point to an inefficient cost structure
3. Lacking free cash flow generation means it has few chances to reinvest for growth, repurchase shares, or distribute capital

Bark is trading at $1.32 per share, or 103.7x forward price-to-earnings. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why BARK doesn’t pass our bar.

One High-Flying Stock to Buy:

BellRing Brands (BRBR)

Forward P/E Ratio: 29.8x

Spun out of Post Holdings in 2019, Bellring Brands (NYSE: BRBR) offers protein shakes, nutrition bars, and other products under the PowerBar, Premier Protein, and Dymatize brands.

Why Is BRBR a Top Pick?

1. Stellar 21.2% growth in unit sales over the past two years demonstrates the high demand for its products
2. Earnings per share have massively outperformed its peers over the last three years, increasing by 30.9% annually
3. Market-beating returns on capital illustrate that management has a knack for investing in profitable ventures

At $67.44 per share, BellRing Brands trades at 29.8x forward price-to-earnings. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even More

With rates dropping, inflation stabilizing, and the elections in the rearview mirror, all signs point to the start of a new bull run - and we’re laser-focused on finding the best stocks for this upcoming cycle.

Put yourself in the driver’s seat by checking out 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 175% over the last five years.

Stocks that made our list in 2019 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+2,183% between December 2019 and December 2024) as well as under-the-radar businesses like Axon (+711% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.