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3 Consumer Stocks We Find Risky

By: StockStory

STZ Cover Image

Regarded as defensive investments, consumer staples stocks are generally safe bets in choppy markets. But they’re also double-edged swords as they often lag in booming conditions, and this pattern has persisted recently. Over the past six months, the industry has recorded a loss of 4.3%, disappointing since the S&P 500 climbed 5.3%.

Investors should tread carefully as the low switching costs for everyday products mean that not all businesses are created equal. With that said, here are three consumer stocks we’re passing on.

Constellation Brands (STZ)

Market Cap: $29.82 billion

With a presence in more than 100 countries, Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) is a globally renowned producer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits.

Why Does STZ 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. Sales are projected to tank by 6.8% over the next 12 months as demand evaporates
  3. Efficiency has decreased over the last year as its operating margin fell by 31.8 percentage points

At $169.00 per share, Constellation Brands trades at 13.1x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than STZ.

McCormick (MKC)

Market Cap: $18.64 billion

The classic red Heinz ketchup bottle’s competitor, McCormick (NYSE: MKC) sells food-flavoring products like condiments, spices, and seasoning mixes.

Why Is MKC Not Exciting?

  1. 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
  2. Estimated sales growth of 2.8% for the next 12 months is soft and implies weaker demand
  3. Free cash flow margin shrank by 4.8 percentage points over the last year, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive

McCormick is trading at $69.43 per share, or 22x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with MKC, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Kraft Heinz (KHC)

Market Cap: $32.26 billion

The result of a 2015 mega-merger between Kraft and Heinz, Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ: KHC) is a packaged foods giant whose products span coffee to cheese to packaged meat.

Why Do We Pass on KHC?

  1. Falling unit sales over the past two years indicate demand is soft and that the company may need to revise its product strategy
  2. Day-to-day expenses have swelled relative to revenue over the last year as its operating margin fell by 41.7 percentage points
  3. ROIC of 1.2% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities, and its decreasing returns suggest its historical profit centers are aging

Kraft Heinz’s stock price of $27.30 implies a valuation ratio of 10.4x forward P/E. If you’re considering KHC for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Stocks We Like More

Trump’s April 2024 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-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

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.

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