
Each stock in this article is trading near its 52-week high. These elevated prices usually indicate some degree of investor confidence, business improvements, or favorable market conditions.
However, not all companies with momentum are long-term winners, and many investors have lost money by following short-term trends. On that note, here are three stocks getting more buzz than they deserve and some you should buy instead.
L.B. Foster (FSTR)
One-Month Return: +10.7%
Founded with a $2,500 loan, L.B. Foster (NASDAQ:FSTR) is a provider of products and services for the transportation and energy infrastructure sectors, including rail products, construction materials, and coating solutions.
Why Does FSTR Give Us Pause?
- Sales pipeline suggests its future revenue growth may not meet our standards as its average backlog growth of 5% for the past two years was weak
- Earnings per share fell by 31.4% annually over the last five years while its revenue was flat, partly because it diluted shareholders
- Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities
L.B. Foster’s stock price of $31.02 implies a valuation ratio of 9.3x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including FSTR in your portfolio.
Luxfer (LXFR)
One-Month Return: +2.4%
With its magnesium alloys used in the construction of the famous Spirit of St. Louis aircraft, Luxfer (NYSE:LXFR) offers specialized materials, components, and gas containment devices to various industries.
Why Do We Pass on LXFR?
- Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 2.5% annually over the last two years
- Sales are expected to decline once again over the next 12 months as it continues working through a challenging demand environment
- Waning returns on capital imply its previous profit engines are losing steam
At $15.19 per share, Luxfer trades at 13.8x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than LXFR.
Envista (NVST)
One-Month Return: +17.1%
Uniting more than 30 trusted brands including Nobel Biocare, Ormco, and DEXIS under one corporate umbrella, Envista Holdings (NYSE:NVST) is a global dental products company that provides equipment, consumables, and specialized technologies for dental professionals.
Why Do We Think NVST Will Underperform?
- Annual revenue growth of 2.9% over the last two years was below our standards for the healthcare sector
- Push for growth has led to negative returns on capital, signaling value destruction, and its shrinking returns suggest its past profit sources are losing steam
- Shrinking returns on capital from an already weak position reveal that neither previous nor ongoing investments are yielding the desired results
Envista is trading at $28.50 per share, or 19.9x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why NVST doesn’t pass our bar.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
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 6 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-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.