2 Profitable Stocks with Competitive Advantages and 1 to Steer Clear Of

Yahoo

29-05-2025

A company with profits isn't always a great investment. Some struggle to maintain growth, face looming threats, or fail to reinvest wisely, limiting their future potential.
Profits are valuable, but they're not everything. At StockStory, we help you identify the companies that have real staying power. That said, here are two profitable companies that generate reliable profits without sacrificing growth and one that may struggle to keep up.
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 6.6%
Founded in 1908 by William C. Durant, General Motors (NYSE:GM) offers a range of vehicles and automobiles through brands such as Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac.
Why Does GM Give Us Pause?
Weak unit sales over the past two years suggest it might have to lower prices to accelerate growth
Forecasted revenue decline of 5.6% for the upcoming 12 months implies demand will fall off a cliff
High input costs result in an inferior gross margin of 12.5% that must be offset through higher volumes
At $49.07 per share, General Motors trades at 4.4x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including GM in your portfolio, it's free.
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 11.8%
Founded in the 1950s as Microwave Associates, a communications supplier to the US Army Signal Corp, today MACOM Technology Solutions (NASDAQ: MTSI) is a provider of analog chips used in optical, wireless, and satellite networks.
Why Are We Fans of MTSI?
Annual revenue growth of 9.9% over the past two years was outstanding, reflecting market share gains this cycle
Projected revenue growth of 21.6% for the next 12 months is above its two-year trend, pointing to accelerating demand
Earnings growth has massively outpaced its peers over the last five years as its EPS has compounded at 81.7% annually
MACOM's stock price of $123.42 implies a valuation ratio of 32.7x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it's free.
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 22.1%
Building mini-communities at places such as oil drilling sites, Target Hospitality (NASDAQ:TH) is a provider of specialty workforce lodging accommodations and services.
Why Are We Positive On TH?
Healthy operating margin of 32.8% shows it's a well-run company with efficient processes
Strong free cash flow margin of 24.5% enables it to reinvest or return capital consistently
Returns on capital are growing as management capitalizes on its market opportunities
Target Hospitality is trading at $7.49 per share, or 21.9x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it's free.
Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs.
While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like 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 Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.