The stocks featured in this article have all approached their 52-week highs. When these price levels hit, it typically signals strong business execution, positive market sentiment, or significant industry tailwinds.

However, not all companies with momentum are long-term winners, and many investors have lost money by following short-term trends. Keeping that in mind, here is one stock with lasting competitive advantages and two that may correct.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Illinois Tool Works (ITW)

One-Month Return: +2.1%

Founded by Byron Smith, an investor who held over 100 patents, Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW) manufactures engineered components and specialized equipment for numerous industries.

Why Does ITW Worry Us?

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. Estimated sales growth of 3.7% for the next 12 months is soft and implies weaker demand
3. Earnings per share lagged its peers over the last two years as they only grew by 6.2% annually

Illinois Tool Works’s stock price of $264.20 implies a valuation ratio of 24.7x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than ITW.

Northrop Grumman (NOC)

One-Month Return: -1.3%

Responsible for the development of the first stealth bomber, Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) specializes in providing aerospace, defense, and security solutions for various industry applications.

Why Do We Think NOC Will Underperform?

1. Absence of organic revenue growth over the past two years suggests it may have to lean into acquisitions to drive its expansion
2. Expenses have increased as a percentage of revenue over the last five years as its operating margin fell by 5.6 percentage points
3. Eroding returns on capital suggest its historical profit centers are aging

Northrop Grumman is trading at $576.24 per share, or 20.3x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with NOC, check out our full research report (it’s free).

One Stock to Watch:

BancFirst (BANF)

One-Month Return: +8.5%

Operating as a "super community bank" with a decentralized management approach that emphasizes local responsiveness, BancFirst Corporation (NASDAQ: BANF) operates as a financial holding company providing commercial banking services to retail customers and small to medium-sized businesses primarily in Oklahoma and Texas.

Why Does BANF Catch Our Eye?

1. Solid 8.7% annual revenue growth over the last five years indicates its offering’s solve complex business issues
2. Incremental sales over the last five years have been highly profitable as its earnings per share increased by 15% annually, topping its revenue gains
3. Annual tangible book value per share growth of 11% over the past five years was outstanding, reflecting strong capital accumulation this cycle

At $133.54 per share, BancFirst trades at 2.5x forward P/B. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Trump’s April 2025 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines.

Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our 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-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% 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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