The stocks in this article are all trading near their 52-week highs. This strength often reflects positive developments such as new product launches, favorable industry trends, or improved financial performance.
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.
CSG (CSGS)
One-Month Return: +3.3%
Powering billions of critical customer interactions annually, CSG Systems (NASDAQ: CSGS) provides cloud-based software platforms that help companies manage customer interactions, process payments, and monetize their services.
Why Does CSGS Worry Us?
- 1.6% annual revenue growth over the last two years was slower than its business services peers
- Projected sales growth of 2% for the next 12 months suggests sluggish demand
- Diminishing returns on capital suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up
CSG is trading at $79.82 per share, or 15.9x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including CSGS in your portfolio.
Jackson Financial (JXN)
One-Month Return: +11.4%
Spun off from British insurer Prudential plc in 2021 after more than 60 years as its U.S. subsidiary, Jackson Financial (NYSE: JXN) offers annuity products and retirement solutions that help Americans grow and protect their retirement savings and income.
Why Is JXN Not Exciting?
- Net premiums earned expanded by 2.5% annually over the last two years, falling below our expectations for the insurance sector
- Day-to-day expenses have swelled relative to revenue over the last four years as its pre-tax profit margin fell by 26.1 percentage points
- Earnings per share have dipped by 1.9% annually over the past four years, which is concerning because stock prices follow EPS over the long term
Jackson Financial’s stock price of $122.21 implies a valuation ratio of 0.6x forward P/B. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than JXN.
United Bankshares (UBSI)
One-Month Return: +10.5%
With roots dating back to 1982 and a strong presence in the Mid-Atlantic region, United Bankshares (NASDAQ: UBSI) is a bank holding company that provides commercial and retail banking services through its United Bank subsidiary across multiple states.
Why Are We Hesitant About UBSI?
- Net interest income trends were unexciting over the last five years as its 9.8% annual growth was below the typical banking firm
- Earnings growth over the last five years fell short of the peer group average as its EPS only increased by 4.6% annually
- Capital generation will likely be soft over the next 12 months as Wall Street’s estimates imply tepid tangible book value per share growth of 7.2%
At $43.16 per share, United Bankshares trades at 1x forward P/B. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why UBSI doesn’t pass our bar.
Stocks We Like More
If your portfolio success hinges on just 4 stocks, your wealth is built on fragile ground. You have a small window to secure high-quality assets before the market widens and these prices disappear.
Don’t wait for the next volatility shock. Check 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 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-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
