Large-cap stocks are known for their staying power and ability to weather market storms better than smaller competitors. However, their sheer size makes it more challenging to maintain high growth rates as they’ve already captured significant portions of their markets.
This is precisely where StockStory comes in - our job is to find you high-quality companies that can win regardless of the conditions. That said, here are two large-cap stocks with attractive long-term potential and one whose momentum may slow.
One Large-Cap Stock to Sell:
Carnival (CCL)
Market Cap: $37.37 billion
Boasting outrageous amenities like a planetarium on board its ships, Carnival (NYSE:CCL) is one of the world's largest leisure travel companies and a prominent player in the cruise industry.
Why Are We Out on CCL?
- Sluggish trends in its passenger cruise days suggest customers aren’t adopting its solutions as quickly as the company hoped
- Poor free cash flow margin of 9.5% for the last two years limits its freedom to invest in growth initiatives, execute share buybacks, or pay dividends
- Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities
Carnival is trading at $26.98 per share, or 12.7x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including CCL in your portfolio.
Two Large-Cap Stocks to Watch:
ServiceNow (NOW)
Market Cap: $106.8 billion
Built on a single code base that processes more than 80 billion workflows and 6.5 trillion transactions annually, ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW) provides a cloud-based platform that helps organizations automate and digitize workflows across departments, from IT and HR to customer service and security.
Why Will NOW Outperform?
- ARR trends over the last year show it’s maintaining a steady flow of long-term contracts that contribute positively to its revenue predictability
- User-friendly software enables clients to ramp up spending quickly, leading to the speedy recovery of customer acquisition costs
- Robust free cash flow margin of 34.6% gives it many options for capital deployment
At $90.10 per share, ServiceNow trades at 6.2x forward price-to-sales. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.
Chipotle (CMG)
Market Cap: $45.73 billion
Born from a desire to offer quick meals with fresh, flavorful ingredients, Chipotle (NYSE:CMG) is a fast-food chain known for its healthy, Mexican-inspired cuisine and customizable dishes.
Why Should CMG Be on Your Watchlist?
- Offensive push to build new restaurants and attack its untapped market opportunities is backed by its same-store sales growth
- Same-store sales growth averaged 2.9% over the past two years, showing it’s bringing new and repeat diners into its restaurants
- Massive revenue base of $11.93 billion makes it a household name that influences purchasing decisions
Chipotle’s stock price of $35.16 implies a valuation ratio of 31.7x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
ONE MORE THING: Top 6 Stocks for This Week. This market is separating quality stocks from expensive ones fast. AI taking down whole sectors with no warning. In a rotation this fast, you need more than a list of good companies.
Our AI system flagged Palantir before it ran 1,662%. AppLovin before it ran 753%. Nvidia before it ran 1,178%. Each week it produces 6 new names that pass the same tests. Get Our Top 6 Stocks for Free HERE.
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 Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.