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”.
Profits are valuable, but they’re not everything. At StockStory, we help you identify the companies that have real staying power. That said, here is one profitable company that balances growth and profitability and two that may face some trouble.
Two Stocks to Sell:
Vital Farms (VITL)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 8.2%
With an emphasis on ethically produced products, Vital Farms (NASDAQ: VITL) specializes in pasture-raised eggs and butter.
Why Does VITL Worry Us?
- Subscale operations are evident in its revenue base of $784.4 million, meaning it has fewer distribution channels than its larger rivals
- Demand is forecasted to shrink as its estimated sales for the next 12 months are flat
- Free cash flow margin shrank by 14 percentage points over the last year, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
Vital Farms is trading at $13.69 per share, or 93.2x forward EV-to-EBITDA. If you’re considering VITL for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 4.9%
Engaging in contracts with tens of thousands of transportation companies, C.H. Robinson (NASDAQ: CHRW) offers freight transportation and logistics services.
Why Do We Think Twice About CHRW?
- Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 1.2% annually over the last five years
- High input costs result in an inferior gross margin of 7.5% that must be offset through higher volumes
- Shrinking returns on capital suggest that increasing competition is eating into the company’s profitability
At $205 per share, C.H. Robinson Worldwide trades at 32.3x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why CHRW doesn’t pass our bar.
One Stock to Buy:
Mueller Water Products (MWA)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 19.2%
As one of the oldest companies in the water infrastructure industry, Mueller (NYSE: MWA) is a provider of water infrastructure products and flow control systems for various sectors.
Why Will MWA Beat the Market?
- Operating profits and efficiency rose over the last five years as it benefited from some fixed cost leverage
- Performance over the past two years shows its incremental sales were extremely profitable, as its annual earnings per share growth of 32.8% outpaced its revenue gains
- Free cash flow margin increased by 6.6 percentage points over the last five years, giving the company more capital to invest or return to shareholders
Mueller Water Products’s stock price of $25 implies a valuation ratio of 16.9x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
WHILE YOU’RE HERE: Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. The best stocks don’t just beat the market once. They do it again. And again. Robust revenue growth, rising free cash flow, returns on capital that leave their competition in the dust. The market has already rewarded these businesses.
But our AI platform says the party isn’t over. Find out which 9 stocks made the cut this week — FREE. Get Our Top 9 Market-Beating 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 Comfort Systems (+1,154% between June 2020 and June 2025). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
