2 of Wall Street’s Favorite Stocks Worth Your Attention and 1 We Turn Down
The stocks in this article have caught Wall Street’s attention in a big way, with price targets implying returns above 20%. But investors should take these forecasts with a grain of salt because analysts typically say nice things about companies so their firms can win business in other product lines like M&A advisory.
Luckily for you, we at StockStory have no conflicts of interest - our sole job is to help you find genuinely promising companies. Keeping that in mind, here are two stocks where Wall Street’s excitement appears well-founded and one where analysts may be overlooking some important risks.
One Stock to Sell:
United Airlines (UAL)
Consensus Price Target: $156.04 (39.9% implied return)
Founded in 1926, United Airlines Holdings (NASDAQ:UAL) operates a global airline network, providing passenger and cargo air transportation services across domestic and international routes.
Why Do We Pass on UAL?
- Sluggish trends in its revenue passenger miles suggest customers aren’t adopting its solutions as quickly as the company hoped
- Capital intensity will likely ramp up in the next year as its free cash flow margin is expected to contract by 3.8 percentage points
United Airlines’s stock price of $111.53 implies a valuation ratio of 9.6x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including UAL in your portfolio.
Two Stocks to Watch:
Flywire (FLYW)
Consensus Price Target: $21.15 (22% implied return)
Initially created to solve the challenges of international student tuition payments, Flywire (NASDAQ:FLYW) provides specialized payment processing and software solutions that help educational institutions, healthcare systems, travel companies, and businesses manage complex payments.
Why Does FLYW Stand Out?
- Winning new contracts that can potentially increase in value as its billings growth has averaged 33.9% over the last year
- Sales outlook for the upcoming 12 months implies the business will stay on its desirable two-year growth trajectory
- Solid free cash flow generation relative to most peers gives it a cushion and grants it various reinvestment opportunities
At $17.34 per share, Flywire trades at 2.6x forward price-to-sales. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
Astronics (ATRO)
Consensus Price Target: $100.50 (47.7% implied return)
Integrating power outlets into many Boeing aircraft, Astronics (NASDAQ:ATRO) is a provider of technologies and services to the global aerospace, defense, and electronics industries.
Why Will ATRO Outperform?
- Market share has increased this cycle as its 16.5% annual revenue growth over the last five years was exceptional
- Free cash flow margin increased by 10.3 percentage points over the last five years, giving the company more capital to invest or return to shareholders
- Returns on capital are increasing as management’s prior bets are starting to bear fruit
Astronics is trading at $68.05 per share, or 23.6x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
ONE MORE THING: Top 6 Stocks for This Week. This market is separating quality stocks from expensive ones fast. AI is taking down whole sectors with no warning. In a rotation this fast, you need more than a list of good companies.
Our AI system flagged Palantir before it ran 1,662% between October 2022 and February 2026. AppLovin before it ran 753% between February 2024 and February 2026. Nvidia before it ran 1,178% between January 2023 and February 2026. Each week it produces 6 new names that pass the same tests. Get Our Top 6 Stocks for Free HERE.
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,460% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+271% between June 2020 and June 2025). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.