"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.

Determining whether a company’s quality justifies its price causes headaches for nearly all investors, which is why we started StockStory - to help you separate the real opportunities from the speculative ones. That said, here are three high-flying stocks climbing an uphill battle and some alternatives you should consider instead.

Intel (INTC)

Forward P/E Ratio: 66.1x

Inventor of the x86 processor that powered decades of technological innovation in PCs, data centers, and numerous other markets, Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a leading manufacturer of computer processors and graphics chips.

Why Should You Dump INTC?

1. Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 7.6% annually over the last five years
2. Inability to adjust its cost structure while its revenue declined over the last five years led to a 49.2 percentage point drop in the company’s operating margin
3. Capital intensity has ramped up over the last five years as its free cash flow margin decreased by 39.4 percentage points

At $21.12 per share, Intel trades at 66.1x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including INTC in your portfolio.

Pursuit (PRSU)

Forward P/E Ratio: 37.5x

With attractions ranging from glacier tours in the Canadian Rockies to an oceanfront geothermal lagoon in Iceland, Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality (NYSE: PRSU) operates iconic travel experiences, experiential marketing services, and exhibition management across North America and Europe.

Why Are We Wary of PRSU?

1. Annual sales declines of 16.4% for the past five years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market
2. Low free cash flow margin of 1.4% for the last two years gives it little breathing room, constraining its ability to self-fund growth or return capital to shareholders
3. Negative returns on capital show that some of its growth strategies have backfired

Pursuit trades at a stock price of $34.68. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why PRSU doesn’t pass our bar.

Crane (CR)

Forward P/E Ratio: 33.1x

Based in Connecticut, Crane (NYSE: CR) is a diversified manufacturer of engineered industrial products, including fluid handling, and aerospace technologies.

Why Do We Steer Clear of CR?

1. Sales tumbled by 6.1% annually over the last five years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle
2. Organic sales performance over the past two years indicates the company may need to make strategic adjustments or rely on M&A to catalyze faster growth
3. Issuance of new shares over the last two years caused its earnings per share to fall by 6.7% annually while its revenue grew

Crane’s stock price of $195.82 implies a valuation ratio of 33.1x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with CR, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Stocks We Like More

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 6 Stocks for this week. 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-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% 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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