1 S&P 500 Stock to Target This Week and 2 We Question Adam Hejl Mon, October 12, 2026 at 10:47 AM EDT 3 min read ^GSPC -0.03% CRL -0.54% HUBB +0.38% VRSK +0.01% Explore stocks on Coinbase Trading disclosure Trading disclosure The above button links to Coinbase. Yahoo Finance is not a broker-dealer or investment adviser and does not offer securities or cryptocurrencies for sale or facilitate trading. Coinbase pays us for certain activity generated through this link. Prices displayed are informational.
While the S&P 500 (^GSPC) includes industry leaders, not every stock in the index is a winner. Some companies are past their prime, weighed down by poor execution, weak financials, or structural headwinds.
Even among blue-chip stocks, not all investments are created equal - which is why we built StockStory to help you navigate the market. Keeping that in mind, here is one S&P 500 stock that is leading the market forward and two that could be in trouble.
Named after the Massachusetts river where it was founded in 1947, Charles River Laboratories (NYSE:CRL) provides non-clinical drug development services, research models, and manufacturing support to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
Absence of organic revenue growth over the past two years suggests it may have to lean into acquisitions to drive its expansion
Performance over the past five years shows its incremental sales were less profitable as its earnings per share were flat
Diminishing returns on capital from an already low starting point show that neither management's prior nor current bets are going as planned
At $301.92 per share, Charles River Laboratories trades at 24.2x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including CRL in your portfolio, it's free.
Processing over 2.8 billion insurance transaction records annually through one of the world's largest private databases, Verisk Analytics (NASDAQ:VRSK) provides data, analytics, and technology solutions that help insurance companies assess risk, detect fraud, and make better business decisions.
Muted 1.7% annual revenue growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its business services peers
Earnings growth underperformed the sector average over the last two years as its EPS grew by just 8% annually
Verisk is trading at $176.54 per share, or 21.5x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why VRSK doesn't pass our bar.
A respected player in the electrical segment, Hubbell (NYSE:HUBB) manufactures electronic products for the construction, industrial, utility, and telecommunications markets.
9.8% annual revenue growth over the last five years surpassed the sector average as its offerings resonated with customers
Share repurchases over the last five years enabled its annual earnings per share growth of 18.9% to outpace its revenue gains
Free cash flow margin increased by 5.8 percentage points over the last five years, giving the company more capital to invest or return to shareholders
Hubbell's stock price of $473.94 implies a valuation ratio of 21.8x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it's free.
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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-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,552% between June 2020 and June 2025). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
