While profitability is essential, it doesn’t guarantee long-term success. Some companies that rest on their margins will lose ground as competition intensifies - as Jeff Bezos said, "Your margin is my opportunity".
Not all profitable companies are created equal, and that’s why we built StockStory - to help you find the ones that truly shine bright. That said, here are two profitable companies that leverage their financial strength to beat the competition and one that may face some trouble.
One Stock to Sell:
Farmer Mac (AGM)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 68.7%
Created by Congress in 1987 to build a bridge between Wall Street and rural America, Farmer Mac (NYSE: AGM) provides a secondary market for agricultural and rural loans, helping lenders increase their liquidity and lending capacity to serve rural America.
Why Is AGM Not Exciting?
- 3.7% annual revenue growth over the last two years was slower than its financials peers
- Earnings growth over the last two years fell short of the peer group average as its EPS only increased by 3.3% annually
- Elevated debt-to-equity ratio of 19.8× suggests the firm is overleveraged and may struggle to secure additional financing
Farmer Mac is trading at $162.15 per share, or 8.5x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than AGM.
Two Stocks to Watch:
Mirion (MIR)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 7.2%
With its technology protecting workers in over 130 countries and equipment used in 80% of cancer centers worldwide, Mirion Technologies (NYSE: MIR) provides radiation detection, measurement, and monitoring solutions for medical, nuclear energy, defense, and scientific research applications.
Why Is MIR on Our Radar?
- Market share has increased this cycle as its 11.8% annual revenue growth over the last five years was exceptional
- Operating profits and efficiency rose over the last five years as it benefited from some fixed cost leverage
- Free cash flow margin expanded by 11.1 percentage points over the last five years, providing additional flexibility for investments and share buybacks/dividends
Mirion’s stock price of $21.64 implies a valuation ratio of 39.1x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 23.1%
With roots dating back to 1871 and a presence in over 130 countries, Marsh & McLennan (NYSE: MMC) is a global professional services firm that helps organizations manage risk, strategy, and workforce challenges through its four specialized businesses.
Why Is MRSH a Top Pick?
- Market share has increased this cycle as its 9.4% annual revenue growth over the last five years was exceptional
- Massive revenue base of $26.98 billion makes it a well-known name that influences purchasing decisions
- Impressive free cash flow profitability enables the company to fund new investments or reward investors with share buybacks/dividends, and its improved cash conversion implies it’s becoming a less capital-intensive business
At $185.41 per share, Marsh & McLennan trades at 17.5x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
Your portfolio can’t afford to be based on yesterday’s story. The risk in a handful of heavily crowded stocks is rising daily.
The names generating the next wave of massive growth are right here in our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. 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-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
