Each stock in this article is trading near its 52-week high. These elevated prices usually indicate some degree of investor confidence, business improvements, or favorable market conditions.

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 we think lives up to the hype and two not so much.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Hilton (HLT)

One-Month Return: +6.6%

Founded in 1919, Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) is a global hospitality company with a portfolio of hotel brands.

Why Are We Cautious About HLT?

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 4.3% for the last five years
2. Softer revenue per room over the past two years suggests it might have to invest in new amenities such as restaurants and bars to attract customers
3. Estimated sales growth of 6.8% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend

Hilton’s stock price of $264.88 implies a valuation ratio of 32.5x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with HLT, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Casella Waste Systems (CWST)

One-Month Return: -1.6%

Starting with the founder picking up garbage with a pickup truck he purchased using savings from high school, Casella (NASDAQ: CWST) offers waste management services for businesses, residents, and the government.

Why Does CWST Worry Us?

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 4 percentage points
3. Earnings per share were flat while its revenue grew over the last two years, partly because it issued new shares

Casella Waste Systems is trading at $115.39 per share, or 95.7x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than CWST.

One Stock to Buy:

Popular (BPOP)

One-Month Return: +6.7%

Founded in 1893 as the first bank in Puerto Rico to serve the working class, Popular (NASDAQ: BPOP) is a financial holding company that provides retail, mortgage, and commercial banking services primarily in Puerto Rico and the mainland United States.

Why Is BPOP a Top Pick?

1. Share buybacks catapulted its annual earnings per share growth to 11.8%, which outperformed its revenue gains over the last five years
2. Annual tangible book value per share growth of 19.2% over the past two years was outstanding, reflecting strong capital accumulation this cycle
3. Stellar return on equity showcases management’s ability to surface highly profitable business ventures

At $110.51 per share, Popular trades at 1.3x forward P/B. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs.

While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. 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