1 Safe-and-Steady Stock for Long-Term Investors and 2 to Ignore
Stability is great, but low-volatility stocks may struggle to deliver market-beating returns over time as they sometimes underperform during bull markets.
Finding the right balance between safety and returns isn't easy, which is why StockStory is here to help. That said, here is one low-volatility stock that could offer consistent gains and two that may not deliver the returns you need.
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.05
Known for its frozen garlic bread and Parkerhouse rolls, Lancaster Colony (NASDAQ:LANC) sells bread, dressing, and dips to the retail and food service channels.
Why Does LANC Worry Us?
Annual revenue growth of 5.4% over the last three years was below our standards for the consumer staples sector
Modest revenue base of $1.89 billion gives it less fixed cost leverage and fewer distribution channels than larger companies
Estimated sales growth of 1.7% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its three-year trend
Lancaster Colony's stock price of $167.07 implies a valuation ratio of 23.6x forward P/E. If you're considering LANC for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.86
Founded by a former game parlor and bar operator, Dave & Buster's (NASDAQ:PLAY) operates a chain of arcades providing immersive entertainment experiences.
Why Do We Think PLAY Will Underperform?
Weak same-store sales trends over the past two years suggest there may be few opportunities in its core markets to open new locations
Cash-burning tendencies make us wonder if it can sustainably generate shareholder value
Limited cash reserves may force the company to seek unfavorable financing terms that could dilute shareholders
At $23.73 per share, Dave & Buster's trades at 8.7x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why PLAY doesn't pass our bar.
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.54
Started as a mail-order tractor parts business, Tractor Supply (NASDAQ:TSCO) is a retailer of general goods such as agricultural supplies, hardware, and pet food for the rural consumer.
Why Could TSCO Be a Winner?
Rapidly increasing store base reflects a desire to sell in new markets and scale quickly
Sales outlook for the upcoming 12 months implies the business will stay on its desirable six-year growth trajectory
Industry-leading 35.2% return on capital demonstrates management's skill in finding high-return investments
Tractor Supply is trading at $49.58 per share, or 22.4x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it's free.
The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump's presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025.
While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we're homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver's seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 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 for free.
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Trump economic adviser ‘very comfortable' with a trade deal closing with China on Monday
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Fox News
37 minutes ago
- Fox News
Booker won't accept money from Elon Musk for campaign, but urges him to 'sound the alarm' on Trump-backed bill
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., told NBC News on Sunday that he wouldn't accept money from Elon Musk for his re-election campaign, but urged the former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) official to "sound the alarm" on the "big, beautiful bill" endorsed by President Donald Trump. "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker asked Booker on Sunday if he would accept money from Musk after the billionaire and the president traded barbs. "I will partner with anyone like I did in the last Congress, putting my vote alongside of John McCain's, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins to stop the tearing down of the Affordable Care Act. This is not about right or left. It's about right or wrong. And this bill is disastrous for the average American, driving up this cost. This bill is disastrous for our long-term economy. This is an American issue, and I welcome Elon Musk, not to my campaign, I welcome him right now, not to sit back and fire off tweets, to get involved right now in a more substantive way, in putting pressure on Congresspeople and senators to not do this," Booker said. Welker asked Booker again if he would accept money from Musk. "I would not accept money from Elon Musk for my campaign, but I would be supportive of anybody, including Elon Musk, putting resources forward right now to let more Americans know, sound the alarm, treat this like a Paul Revere moment. More Americans have to understand that if this bill passes, average Americans are going to see their costs skyrocket, as this president, again, pushes legislation that is indicative of his chaos, corruption and cruelty towards Americans," Booker said. Musk criticized the Trump-backed bill as a "disgusting abomination." "This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination," Musk said in a post on X. "Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it." Welker also pressed Booker on the state of the Democratic Party, asking the liberal senator about former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre's decision to register as an Independent, which she announced along with a new book about her time in the White House. "Do you think Democrats have to distance themselves from the party brand in order to win?" Welker asked, noting some of New Jersey's gubernatorial candidates have also been critical of the party, ahead of the primary election on Tuesday. "I think the Democrats right now all across America should be less concerned about the Democratic Party and more concerned with the American people. There's a trust problem for Republicans and Democrats. Most Americans voted against both of the presidential candidates in the last election. We need to start standing up and show we're fighting for Americans right now," Booker responded. Booker also said he was going to endorse whoever wins the Democratic gubernatorial primary in New Jersey.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Trump economic adviser ‘very comfortable' with a trade deal closing with China on Monday
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Sunday that he is 'very comfortable' with a trade deal closing between the United States and China after the two sides meet Monday in London. Hassett's comments on CBS' 'Face the Nation' come after President Donald Trump said last week that he had a 'very good' conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and that talks with China are 'very far advanced.' Hassett said the United States is looking to restore the flow of 'crucial' rare earth minerals, which are used in the manufacturing of electronics, to the same levels before early April, when the US-China trade war escalated. 'Those exports of critical minerals have been getting released at a rate that is higher than it was, but not as high as we believe we agreed to in Geneva,' Hassett said. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will lead the negotiations in London, along with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who in May led a weekend of the trade talks in Geneva. But tensions between the nations escalated weeks later after Trump posted on Truth Social that China 'totally violated' its 90-day trade agreement, which had dialed back the tit-for-tat trade war. Under the agreement, the US temporarily lowered its overall tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, while China cut its levies on American imports from 125% to 10%. Under the agreement, China said it would suspend or cancel its non-tariff countermeasures imposed on the United States since April 2. Part of Beijing's retaliatory measures included export restrictions on some rare earth minerals, which are essential parts used in products such as iPhones, electric vehicles and fighter jets. The Trump administration on April 2 imposed sweeping 'reciprocal' tariffs on dozens of trading partners before pausing them for 90 days and lowering them to a 10% baseline. Hassett on Sunday declined to say what baseline tariffs could be in place moving forward as the Trump administration continues negotiations with trading partners ahead of the July 9 deadline. 'You could be certain that there's going to be some tariffs,' Hassett said. Lutnick told CNN's 'State of the Union' in May that 'we will not go below 10%' and to expect that baseline rate for the foreseeable future. The Trump administration has so far announced only one trade deal, with the United Kingdom. The Trump administration has touted that other countries, particularly China, will bear the burden of tariffs. Businesses and economists have warned otherwise, spurring uncertainty about consumer spending and fears of a potential recession. Amid those concerns, US inflation slowed to its lowest rate in more than four years in April. The annual inflation rate fell from a 2.4% increase in March to 2.3% as consumer prices rose 0.2%, according to Consumer Price Index data. 'All of our policies together are reducing inflation and helping reduce the deficit by getting revenue from other countries,' Hassett said. The Treasury Department reported that a record $16.3 billion was collected in gross customs duties in April, a sharp jump from the $8.75 billion that was collected in March. Since the start of the 2025 fiscal year, which began in October 2024, the United States has collected about $63.3 billion in gross customs duties — a more than $15 billion increase from the same period during the last fiscal year. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that increased tariff revenue, without accounting for effects on the US economy, could reduce total deficits by $3 trillion over the next decade. The US government deficit stood at about $2 trillion in 2024, or roughly 7% of gross domestic product, according to a June 2024 report by the CBO. Meanwhile, House Republicans' sweeping bill to enact Trump's policy agenda would pile another $3.8 trillion to the government's $36 trillion debt pile, according to recent CBO estimates. CNN's Matt Egan and Alicia Wallace contributed to this report.
