The stocks in this article are all trading near their 52-week highs. This strength often reflects positive developments such as new product launches, favorable industry trends, or improved financial performance.
But not every company with momentum is a long-term winner, and plenty of investors have lost money betting on short-term fads. All that said, here are three stocks getting more buzz than they deserve and some you should buy instead.
10x Genomics (TXG)
One-Month Return: +27.5%
Founded in 2012 by scientists seeking to overcome limitations in traditional biological research methods, 10x Genomics (NASDAQ:TXG) develops instruments, consumables, and software that enable researchers to analyze biological systems at single-cell resolution and spatial context.
Why Are We Hesitant About TXG?
- Sales trends were unexciting over the last two years as its 4.2% annual growth was below the typical healthcare company
- Negative free cash flow raises questions about the return timeline for its investments
- Push for growth has led to negative returns on capital, signaling value destruction
10x Genomics is trading at $20.47 per share, or 4.4x forward price-to-sales. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including TXG in your portfolio.
Northern Trust (NTRS)
One-Month Return: +4.3%
Founded in 1889 during Chicago's post-Great Fire rebuilding boom, Northern Trust (NASDAQ:NTRS) provides wealth management, asset servicing, and banking solutions to corporations, institutions, families, and high-net-worth individuals globally.
Why Is NTRS Not Exciting?
- Muted 5.2% annual revenue growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its financials peers
- Earnings per share lagged its peers over the last five years as they only grew by 6.6% annually
At $145.49 per share, Northern Trust trades at 15.6x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with NTRS, check out our full research report (it’s free).
Stifel (SF)
One-Month Return: +0.7%
Tracing its roots back to 1890 when the firm was established in St. Louis, Stifel Financial (NYSE:SF) is a financial services firm that provides wealth management, investment banking, and institutional brokerage services to individuals, corporations, and institutions.
Why Does SF Fall Short?
- Earnings growth underperformed the sector average over the last five years as its EPS grew by just 9% annually
- 6.1% annual book value per share growth over the last two years was slower than its financials peers
Stifel’s stock price of $128.25 implies a valuation ratio of 14x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why SF doesn’t pass our bar.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
If your portfolio success hinges on just 4 stocks, your wealth is built on fragile ground. You have a small window to secure high-quality assets before the market widens and these prices disappear.
Don’t wait for the next volatility shock. Check 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 244% over the last five years (as of June 30, 2025).
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,326% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.