The stocks in this article have caught Wall Street’s attention in a big way, with price targets implying returns above 20%. But investors should take these forecasts with a grain of salt because analysts typically say nice things about companies so their firms can win business in other product lines like M&A advisory.

Luckily for you, we at StockStory have no conflicts of interest - our sole job is to help you find genuinely promising companies. Keeping that in mind, here is one stock where Wall Street’s excitement appears well-founded and two where consensus estimates seem disconnected from reality.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Getty Images (GETY)

Consensus Price Target: $3.93 (412% implied return)

With a vast library of over 562 million visual assets documenting everything from breaking news to iconic historical moments, Getty Images (NYSE: GETY) is a global visual content marketplace that licenses photos, videos, illustrations, and music to businesses, media outlets, and creative professionals.

Why Do We Avoid GETY?

1. Annual revenue growth of 3.5% over the last two years was below our standards for the business services sector
2. Free cash flow margin dropped by 14.8 percentage points over the last five years, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up
3. Eroding returns on capital suggest its historical profit centers are aging

At $0.77 per share, Getty Images trades at 22x forward P/E. If you’re considering GETY for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

First Merchants (FRME)

Consensus Price Target: $46.80 (21.1% implied return)

Dating back to 1893 when it first opened its doors in Indiana, First Merchants (NASDAQ: FRME) is a Midwest regional bank providing commercial, consumer, and wealth management services through branches in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois.

Why Do We Pass on FRME?

1. Flat sales over the last two years suggest it must find different ways to grow during this cycle
2. Muted 7% annual net interest income growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its banking peers
3. Flat earnings per share over the last two years lagged its peers

First Merchants is trading at $38.65 per share, or 0.8x forward P/B. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than FRME.

One Stock to Watch:

Capital One (COF)

Consensus Price Target: $275.48 (50.5% implied return)

Starting as a credit card company in 1988 before expanding into a full-service bank, Capital One (NYSE: COF) is a financial services company that offers credit cards, auto loans, banking services, and commercial lending to consumers and businesses.

Why Are We Fans of COF?

1. Annual revenue growth of 20.8% over the last two years was superb and indicates its market share increased during this cycle
2. Incremental sales significantly boosted profitability as its annual earnings per share growth of 27.6% over the last five years outstripped its revenue performance
3. ROE of 10.5% shows management can invest its resources competently

Capital One’s stock price of $183.00 implies a valuation ratio of 9x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

WHILE YOU’RE HERE: Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. The best stocks don't just beat the market once. They do it again. And again. Robust revenue growth, rising free cash flow, returns on capital that leave their competition in the dust. The market has already rewarded these businesses.

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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.