Even if they go mostly unnoticed, industrial businesses are the backbone of our country. Unfortunately, this role also comes with a demand profile tethered to the ebbs and flows of the broader economy, and investors seem to be forecasting a downturn - over the past six months, the industry has pulled back by 5.6%. This drop is a stark contrast from the S&P 500’s 12.8% gain.
Despite the lackluster result, a few diamonds in the rough can produce earnings growth no matter what, and we started StockStory to help you find them. On that note, here is one industrials stock boasting a durable advantage and two that may face trouble.
Two Industrials Stocks to Sell:
Lucid (LCID)
Market Cap: $1.49 billion
Founded by a former Tesla Vice President, Lucid Group (NASDAQ:LCID) designs, manufactures, and sells luxury electric vehicles with long-range capabilities.
Why Are We Hesitant About LCID?
- Negative 135% gross margin means it loses money on every sale and must pivot or scale quickly to survive
- Cash-burning tendencies make us wonder if it can sustainably generate shareholder value
- Unfavorable liquidity position could lead to additional equity financing that dilutes shareholders
At $3.80 per share, Lucid trades at 0.7x forward price-to-sales. If you’re considering LCID for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
International Paper (IP)
Market Cap: $17.01 billion
Established in 1898, International Paper (NYSE:IP) produces containerboard, pulp, paper, and materials used in packaging and printing applications.
Why Are We Out on IP?
- Scale is a double-edged sword because it limits the company’s growth potential compared to its smaller competitors, as reflected in its below-average annual revenue increases of 2.5% for the last five years
- Earnings per share fell by 16% annually over the last five years while its revenue grew, showing its incremental sales were much less profitable
- Shrinking returns on capital from an already weak position reveal that neither previous nor ongoing investments are yielding the desired results
International Paper’s stock price of $32.31 implies a valuation ratio of 14.7x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why IP doesn’t pass our bar.
One Industrials Stock to Buy:
Vertiv (VRT)
Market Cap: $93.47 billion
Formerly part of Emerson Electric, Vertiv (NYSE:VRT) manufactures and services infrastructure technology products for data centers and communication networks.
What Makes VRT Stand Out?
- Average organic revenue growth of 24.2% over the past two years demonstrates its ability to expand independently without relying on acquisitions
- Free cash flow margin increased by 32.1 percentage points over the last five years, giving the company more capital to invest or return to shareholders
- Returns on capital are growing as management capitalizes on its market opportunities
Vertiv is trading at $242.87 per share, or 30.9x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
ONE MORE THING: Top 5 Growth Stocks. The biggest stock winners almost always had one thing in common before they ran. Revenue growing like crazy. Meta. CrowdStrike. Broadcom. Our AI flagged all three. They returned 315%, 314%, and 455%, respectively.
Find out which 5 stocks it’s flagging this month — FREE. Get Our Top 5 Growth 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 Exlservice (+271% between June 2020 and June 2025). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.