While profitability is essential, it doesn’t guarantee long-term success. Some companies that rest on their margins will lose ground as competition intensifies - as Jeff Bezos said, "Your margin is my opportunity".

Profits are valuable, but they’re not everything. At StockStory, we help you identify the companies that have real staying power. That said, here are three profitable companies to steer clear of and a few better alternatives.

Fresh Del Monte Produce (FDP)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 3.6%

Translating to "of the mountain" in Spanish, Fresh Del Monte (NYSE: FDP) is a leader in providing high-quality, sustainably grown fresh fruits and vegetables.

Why Is FDP Risky?

1. Sales stagnated over the last three years and signal the need for new growth strategies
2. Commoditized products, bad unit economics, and high competition are reflected in its low gross margin of 8.3%
3. ROIC of 5.1% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities

Fresh Del Monte Produce is trading at $34.67 per share, or 12.1x forward price-to-earnings. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why FDP doesn’t pass our bar.

Verizon (VZ)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 21.5%

Formed in 1984 as Bell Atlantic after the breakup of Bell System into seven companies, Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is a telecom giant providing a range of communications and internet services.

Why Should You Sell VZ?

1. Underwhelming customer growth over the past two years shows the company faced challenges in winning new contracts
2. Capital intensity will likely ramp up in the next year as its free cash flow margin is expected to contract by 2.2 percentage points
3. Waning returns on capital from an already weak starting point displays the inefficacy of management’s past and current investment decisions

At $42.74 per share, Verizon trades at 9.1x forward price-to-earnings. To fully understand why you should be careful with VZ, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Mettler-Toledo (MTD)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 29.1%

With roots dating back to the precision balance innovations of Swiss engineer Erhard Mettler, Mettler-Toledo (NYSE: MTD) manufactures precision weighing instruments, analytical equipment, and product inspection systems used in laboratories, industrial settings, and food retail.

Why Do We Think Twice About MTD?

1. Sales stagnated over the last two years and signal the need for new growth strategies
2. Organic revenue growth fell short of our benchmarks over the past two years and implies it may need to improve its products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy
3. Sales are projected to be flat over the next 12 months and imply weak demand

Mettler-Toledo’s stock price of $1,072 implies a valuation ratio of 25.6x forward price-to-earnings. If you’re considering MTD for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Stocks We Like More

The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025.

While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we’re homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver’s seat and build a durable portfolio 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 Comfort Systems (+751% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.