The Long-Term Investor's Blueprint

The Business

Ross Stores operates off-price retail chains (Ross Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS), selling discounted brand-name apparel, footwear, and home goods by buying opportunistic lots from manufacturers and department stores.

Focus

The high composite rank is driven by strong momentum (z-score +2.22) and quality (z-score +2.03), meaning the stock has outperformed recently and shows high profitability metrics like return on equity and low leverage.

Caution

Earnings are in 5 days (2026-08-19), and the stock could gap on the print, yet the quant score does not factor in guidance changes. Insider activity shows 15 sells vs. 15 buys, but the sells total nearly twice the shares bought (84,225 sold vs. 43,939 bought), a subtle but real warning that insiders are net sellers heading into the report.

COMPOSITE: 1.0 (Rank #1, top 97%)

The Business

Suncor Energy is an integrated Canadian oil company that extracts crude oil from Alberta's oil sands and refines it into gasoline, diesel, and other products, making money across the full chain from well to pump.

Focus

The high composite rank is driven by strong momentum (1.62 z-score, with a recent breakout setup) and excellent accruals quality (1.66 z-score), meaning reported earnings are backed by actual cash flow rather than accounting tricks.

Caution

Despite the bullish analyst consensus (23 buys), management's Q2 2026 earnings call revealed concerns about margin pressure—likely from narrower refining cracks—and the CEO transition to Peter Zebedee adds leadership uncertainty, so the stock's momentum could stall if those headwinds persist.

COMPOSITE: 0.7 (Rank #2, top 93%)

The Business

Apple designs and sells iPhones, Macs, iPads, wearables, and services like iCloud and Apple Music, making most of its money from hardware sales with a growing recurring services stream.

Focus

The high quality score (+3.0) and low investment growth (+1.13) are driving the rank, reflecting strong profitability and conservative capital spending compared to peers—both are positives for financial stability.

Caution

Despite a high Piotroski F-Score, insider selling has been heavy (27 sells vs. 3 buys in the last 6 months), and analyst consensus shows 3 outright sells—while Apple's recent AI manufacturing hub headlines may boost sentiment, the stock trades at a slight value discount (-0.3) and faces iPhone competition complexity noted in 'Apple’s next iPhone battle just got more complicated,' suggesting growth expectations may be too optimistic.

COMPOSITE: 0.7 (Rank #3, top 90%)

The Business

Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) operates in the Energy sector. Gross profitability of 0.2%. This reflects core business economics and competitive positioning.

Focus

Focus: Composite score 0.6. Momentum: strong (+2.41), 6M Mom: strong (+3.00), Volatility: weak (-1.58), Quality: neutral (+0.17), Value: neutral (+0.28), Accruals: strong (+0.75), Inv Growth: neutral (+0.09).

Caution

Volatility concerning at -1.58 z-score.

COMPOSITE: 0.6 (Rank #4, top 87%)

The Business

State Street is a financial services company that primarily makes money by providing custody, accounting, and administration services to institutional investors, along with asset management through its SPDR ETF business and securities lending.

Focus

The stock's high rank is driven almost entirely by extreme value (z-score +3.00) and strong 6-month momentum (z-score +2.84), meaning it looks cheap on valuation metrics and has had a big price run-up recently.

Caution

Despite the bullish analyst consensus (14 buys, 0 sells), insider activity shows 16 sells versus 14 buys, with nearly 80,000 shares sold—insiders are cashing out into the rally, and the 'Risk-On Momentum' headline suggests this is a speculative bank-stock surge reminiscent of the dot-com aftermath, not a steady improvement in fundamentals.

COMPOSITE: 0.6 (Rank #5, top 83%)

The Business

General Dynamics makes money by building warships and submarines for the U.S. Navy, plus Gulfstream business jets, and it also sells tanks, combat vehicles, and IT services to the military. Its revenue is mostly from government contracts and high-end aircraft sales, so it depends on Pentagon budgets and corporate jet demand.

Focus

The quality factor is the main driver of the high rank, with a z-score of +2.54, which reflects strong profitability and balance-sheet stability—consistent with its perfect Piotroski F-Score of 9. The value and momentum factors are neutral to slightly positive, but they aren't what's pushing the stock up.

Caution

Insider selling is heavy—19 sales totaling 464,263 shares versus just 11 buys in the last six months—and while analyst sentiment is positive (21 buys), the recent headlines highlight a shift toward cheaper defense plays like Palantir, which could pressure GD's valuation if budget dollars favor software over hardware. Also, the company has not reported earnings recently, but the next report is due in late October, so keep an eye on that date for margin updates on its submarine and jet programs.

COMPOSITE: 0.6 (Rank #6, top 80%)

The Business

Target runs a chain of big-box discount stores and its website, selling groceries, household essentials, clothing, and home goods. It makes money on retail margins plus revenue from its own credit-card and loyalty programs.

Focus

The strong 6-month momentum (z-score +1.99) and quality (z-score +1.60) are driving the high rank, meaning the stock has risen sharply over the past half-year while showing solid profitability and low accruals. The value z-score is near neutral, so this is not a cheap-stock story.

Caution

Earnings are due in 5 days (2026-08-19), so the stock could gap on the print—and the quant score can't predict guidance. Management faces a worsening shipping crunch (per recent headlines) that could pressure margins, and insider selling is notable: 16 sells (97,451 shares) in the past six months, though balanced by 14 buys (118,425 shares) and no analyst downgrade majority (16 buy/25 hold/3 sell), so the real risk is a miss on cost or inventory guidance tied to freight disruptions.

COMPOSITE: 0.5 (Rank #7, top 77%)

The Business

Phillips 66 is an integrated energy company that refines crude oil into fuels like gasoline and jet fuel, and also runs midstream pipelines, chemical plants, and marketing stations. It makes money primarily from refining margins, plus fees from transporting and storing oil and gas products.

Focus

The stock ranks high mainly on momentum: it’s up strongly over the past 6 months (z-score +2.77) and has near-term price strength (+1.82), despite weak volatility (more volatile than average). Value and quality are only modestly positive, so the rank is almost entirely about price trend, not fundamentals.

Caution

Despite a high financial-strength F-Score of 7, insider activity over the last 6 months shows 19 sells vs 11 buys, and recent headlines highlight directors trimming stakes after an 81% run and cashing in options after a blowout quarter—suggesting insiders are taking profits near the top. Analysts are mostly bullish (15 buys), but the stock is explicitly flagged as trading at a 'premium valuation,' and with volatility z-score at -1.38, a pullback could be sharp.

COMPOSITE: 0.5 (Rank #8, top 73%)

The Business

Host Hotels & Resorts owns a portfolio of luxury and upper-upscale hotels across the U.S. and internationally, and it makes money by collecting room revenue and other hotel income, plus base and incentive fees from the hotel operators it hires.

Focus

The high rank is driven by momentum (1.63 z-score) and value (1.40 z-score) — the stock has run 86% and still looks cheap on earnings, with strong accruals and low inventory growth also supporting the score.

Caution

Despite the bullish analyst consensus (15 buy, 0 sell), insider activity shows 9 sells vs. 21 buys — but the sells are concentrated among larger holders, and management on the Q2 2026 earnings call likely discussed margin pressure from higher wages and operating costs, even as they raised guidance. Cantor Fitzgerald's neutral stance with a $24 price target (below the current post-run price) suggests limited upside from here, and the 'Return Of The Bad News Bulls' headline hints that the stock's rally may be pricing in perfection.

COMPOSITE: 0.4 (Rank #9, top 70%)

The Business

Alphabet makes money primarily through Google search and YouTube ads, plus cloud computing and app store fees, with YouTube and Search driving most revenue.

Focus

The high rank is driven by strong momentum (z +2.25) and quality (z +1.35), while the very negative investment growth (z -3.00) actually hurts the score, so the composite is low partly because of that.

Caution

Despite 62 buy ratings, insider selling outweighs buying 3:1 in shares over the last six months, and the -3.00 investment growth z-score suggests management is pulling back on spending that could signal slowing future growth — a red flag for a stock priced for AI leadership.

COMPOSITE: 0.4 (Rank #10, top 67%)

The Business

Alphabet makes money primarily through Google Search ads, followed by YouTube ads and cloud computing subscriptions, with users and advertisers across billions of devices.

Focus

The high momentum z-score (+2.21) and strong quality (+1.35) are driving the rank, reflecting the stock's recent price surge and robust profitability metrics like high margins and low debt.

Caution

The investment growth z-score is deeply negative (-3.00), signaling that Alphabet is spending aggressively on infrastructure (e.g., $420 billion combined with Amazon) — but the company's capital expenditures could crush free cash flow if AI monetization slows, and Jim Cramer's questioning of AppLovin's rivalry with Google suggests competitive pressure in ad tech that could undermine margins.

COMPOSITE: 0.4 (Rank #11, top 63%)

The Business

Illinois Tool Works makes specialized industrial tools and equipment, like the Paslode staplers, and earns money by selling these products to construction, automotive, and food-equipment customers through its decentralized business units.

Focus

The high rank is driven almost entirely by excellent quality (z-score +2.94) and stable earnings; despite weak momentum and negative price trends, the company’s strong return on assets and low debt are the key factors lifting the score.

Caution

Analysts are notably bearish with 9 sell ratings versus 2 buys, and Evercore ISI explicitly maintains an Underperform rating even after raising its price target, signaling skepticism about near-term growth—though insider buying (12 buys vs. 1 sell) offsets some concern. The recent 7% dividend increase and $6 billion buyback are shareholder-friendly but may signal limited organic reinvestment opportunities.

COMPOSITE: 0.3 (Rank #12, top 60%)

The Business

Monster Beverage makes and sells energy drinks like Monster Energy and Reign, earning money from wholesale sales to distributors, retailers, and convenience stores worldwide.

Focus

The high rank is driven by strong quality (high profitability and stable margins) and positive momentum over the past year, even though short-term momentum (last 6 months) has been sharply negative.

Caution

Despite the strong quality score, insider selling is heavy—13 sells totaling over 2 million shares versus just 76,684 shares bought—and the 6-month price drop (z-score -2.19) suggests the market is already penalizing the stock, likely reflecting concerns that growth is slowing even as the company remains profitable.

COMPOSITE: 0.3 (Rank #13, top 57%)

The Business

ADM is a global agricultural processor and ingredient provider, making money by buying crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat, processing them into food ingredients, animal feed, and biofuels, and trading agricultural commodities.

Focus

The high value score (z-score +1.40) and strong accruals (z-score +1.91) are driving the rank, suggesting the stock is cheap relative to fundamentals and earnings are backed by cash flow rather than accounting adjustments.

Caution

Despite the quant scores, the analyst community is bearish with 7 sell ratings versus only 2 buys, and there has been 1 insider sell in the last 6 months, though 29 buys show mixed signals. The Ukraine War disruptions to grain exports are a real near-term risk to ADM's trading and logistics segments, as management likely addressed on the Q2 earnings call, but the transcript isn't provided here to cite specific concerns.

COMPOSITE: 0.3 (Rank #14, top 53%)

The Business

Assurant is a specialty insurer that makes money by underwriting mobile device protection plans and lender-placed homeowners insurance, collecting premiums and fees from consumers and financial institutions.

Focus

The high rank is driven by strong value (z-score +1.91) and solid six-month momentum (+1.37), meaning the stock looks cheap relative to earnings and has been outperforming the market lately.

Caution

Even with 11 buy ratings, the last six months show 14 insider sells (60,338 shares) versus 16 buys (28,061 shares) — a net sell signal from executives. Management's Q2 earnings call likely flagged specific operational challenges (e.g., margin pressure in mobile or weather-related losses), which you should read before buying.

COMPOSITE: 0.3 (Rank #15, top 50%)

The Business

IDEX Corporation makes engineered fluid-handling products like pumps, valves, and dispensing equipment, along with firefighting tools and health-science components, selling to industries from chemical processing to food and beverage.

Focus

The high composite rank (0.2/10) is driven mainly by its strong Piotroski F-Score of 8 (indicating solid financial health) and positive quality (z=+0.65) and inventory growth (z=+0.58) factors, reflecting efficient operations and improving balance sheet strength.

Caution

Despite a strong financial score and insider buying (20 buys vs 5 sells), the stock's value factor is slightly negative (z=-0.04) and momentum is only mildly positive, meaning you're paying a full price for a company whose recent earnings (like Century Aluminum and Middleby reports in the headlines) suggest sector-wide margin pressure could hit IDEX's next report—watch for any margin commentary on the upcoming quarterly call.

COMPOSITE: 0.2 (Rank #16, top 47%)

The Business

Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) owns and operates a portfolio of high-quality retail and mixed-use properties, primarily on the East Coast, making money by collecting rent from tenants like grocery stores, restaurants, and other retail businesses.

Focus

The high quant score is driven by strong low volatility (z-score +1.60) and slightly positive value (+0.28) and momentum (+0.09) signals, meaning the stock is stable relative to peers and trades at a modestly attractive price.

Caution

Despite a 17/8 buy/hold analyst consensus, insider activity shows a net sell of 840 shares over the past six months, and the recent REIT earnings headlines focus on competitors like Regency and Simon Property, not FRT—suggesting FRT's leasing or guidance may not be as strong as its peers, though no specific management concern is cited in the provided headlines.

COMPOSITE: 0.2 (Rank #17, top 43%)

The Business

Coca-Cola makes most of its money by selling concentrated syrup and finished beverages to bottlers and retailers worldwide, earning high-margin revenue on brands like Coke, Sprite, and Fanta. It also profits from licensing its trademark to partners for products like coffee and alcohol.

Focus

The high rank is driven by low volatility and high quality factor scores (both +1.10), meaning the stock has stable price swings and strong profitability metrics compared to peers. The solid Piotroski F-Score of 7 also reflects healthy balance-sheet and operating efficiency gains, supporting the quality tilt.

Caution

Insider selling outweighs buying by 2.4 million shares versus 0.95 million over the last six months, with 21 sells to 9 buys—a signal that executives are cashing out. Accruals z-score of -2.60 is very poor, indicating earnings may be inflated by non-cash items; management raised guidance recently, but that optimistic news may already be priced in, leaving little room if growth stalls.

COMPOSITE: 0.1 (Rank #18, top 40%)

The Business

Nucor makes steel and steel products, including sheet, bar, and joists, and earns money by selling those products at market prices while using its electric arc furnaces to keep production costs competitive.

Focus

The high quant score is driven almost entirely by strong momentum, with 6-month price momentum at +2.33 z-score, showing the stock has been outperforming the market recently.

Caution

Although analysts have 17 buys and no sells, insider activity shows 19 sells versus 11 buys in the last six months, and the company’s heavy investment in expanding production (like the $59 million Vulcraft plant) comes as steel prices and margins are pressured, which management has noted in recent calls.

COMPOSITE: 0.1 (Rank #19, top 37%)

The Business

Travelers is a property and casualty insurer that makes money by collecting premiums from individuals and businesses and investing those funds, paying out claims when accidents, storms, or other covered events occur.

Focus

The high rank is driven by strong momentum and value factors, with the stock outperforming its industry and a value z-score of +0.68 suggesting it's cheaper than peers relative to earnings or book value.

Caution

Despite a decent Piotroski score, insider selling outpaces buying (21 sells vs 9 buys) and 5 analysts say sell, while sector headlines warn of weakening underwriting results—so margins could compress if claim costs rise, especially as management has not explicitly addressed this on recent calls.

COMPOSITE: 0.1 (Rank #20, top 33%)

The Business

Chevron is an integrated oil and gas company that makes money by extracting and selling crude oil and natural gas, and by refining and selling fuels and chemicals. Its profits swing directly with global energy prices, so when oil falls, so does earnings.

Focus

The high composite quant score is mostly driven by a very strong accruals z-score (+1.33), meaning reported earnings are backed by cash rather than aggressive accounting, and a low inventory growth z-score (-2.44), suggesting the company is not overbuilding stockpiles. These two metrics signal conservative balance-sheet management and limited near-term capital spending risk.

Caution

Despite 26 analyst buy ratings, insider activity over the last six months shows heavy net selling—3.76 million shares sold versus 1.17 million bought—which often signals that insiders think the stock is rich. Also, the recent headlines are mostly about other oil companies (XOM) or generic market chatter, and with a momentum z-score near zero and high volatility, there is no near-term catalyst to justify buying before the next earnings release.

COMPOSITE: 0.1 (Rank #21, top 30%)

The Business

Petrobras is Brazil's state-controlled oil giant, making money by extracting, refining, and selling crude oil and petroleum products, with profits tied directly to global oil prices and its production volumes.

Focus

The high rank is driven by extremely positive accruals (z-score +1.57) indicating earnings are backed by actual cash rather than accounting adjustments, and a very low investment growth (z-score -1.96), meaning the company is not aggressively spending on capital projects, which boosts free cash flow and dividends.

Caution

Despite solid earnings, insider selling outweighs buying 23-to-1 over the last six months (6 sells vs 1 buy), and the stock's high volatility (z-score -1.52) signals that its recent 100%+ profit surge is likely oil-price driven and could reverse sharply—management on the Q2 call did not flag any margin pressure, but the 16-buy/2-hold analyst consensus is not a safety net if oil prices slump.

COMPOSITE: 0.1 (Rank #22, top 27%)

The Business

AbbVie makes most of its money from selling prescription drugs, led by Humira and newer immunology treatments like Skyrizi and Rinvoq, plus other products in oncology and neuroscience that bring in billions in annual revenue.

Focus

The stock's high rank is driven by extremely strong accruals (z-score +2.84), meaning reported earnings are backed by cash rather than accounting tricks, and low inventory growth (z-score +1.04), indicating the company isn't building up unsold stock.

Caution

Insider selling outweighs buying by a wide margin over the last six months (164,335 shares sold vs. 12,755 bought), and while analysts are bullish (31 buy, no sells), the company faces ongoing post-Humira transition risks—management discussed the transformation on the earnings call, but the big tailwind from accruals and inventory may not last if growth slows.

COMPOSITE: 0.1 (Rank #23, top 23%)

The Business

Labcorp is a medical diagnostics company that makes money by running lab tests for patients, hospitals, and drug companies, plus selling clinical trial testing services to pharmaceutical firms.

Focus

The high rank is driven by strong profitability quality (Piotroski F-Score 8) and very low inventory growth (z-score +0.92), meaning it's efficiently managing working capital and not overstocking — a sign of disciplined operations.

Caution

Insider selling is a red flag: over the last six months, 21 insider sales (nearly 20k shares) outweigh 9 buys, including the CEO selling 4,669 shares for $1.5M right after the Q4 earnings beat — and with the stock near all-time highs, management may be cashing out while the oncology test optimism is fully priced in.

COMPOSITE: 0.1 (Rank #24, top 20%)

The Business

Union Pacific is a railroad company that moves freight—mostly coal, chemicals, and intermodal containers—across the western U.S., making money by charging shippers per car or container. Its profits depend heavily on volume, pricing, and operating efficiency, especially fuel costs and train crew utilization.

Focus

The highest positive factor is investment growth (z-score +0.55), meaning UNP’s capital spending and asset expansion have been accelerating relative to peers, which often signals confidence in future demand. Second, quality (z-score +0.23) and volatility (+0.10) are mildly supportive, indicating stable margins and lower price swings than average, but these are not extreme strengths.

Caution

The stock has seen 29 insider buys versus only 1 sell in the last six months, but the buys are tiny (2,872 shares total) and might be compensation-related rather than conviction—meanwhile, the company is fighting a proposed merger (UP-NS) that 7 state AGs warn could drive up shipping costs, creating regulatory and political overhang. Also, recent headlines from Yahoo question whether the Q2 earnings beat is already priced in, and with the composite quant score at just 0.1/10, the market seems to be ignoring the solid Piotroski F-Score of 7, suggesting the stock's low rank is driven by weak value and momentum rather than fundamentals.

COMPOSITE: 0.1 (Rank #25, top 17%)

The Business

Snap-on sells professional tools and diagnostic equipment to mechanics, technicians, and industrial customers, making money through its franchise van network, direct sales, and software subscriptions. Its Diesel Laptops acquisition is boosting its diagnostics growth, while recurring tool and equipment sales drive revenue.

Focus

The high rank is driven primarily by quality (z-score +0.61) and low volatility (z-score +0.46), meaning the company has stable earnings and lower price swings than peers. Accruals are slightly negative (z-score -0.72), which is actually a positive sign because it implies conservative accounting with less reliance on non-cash earnings.

Caution

Insider activity over the past 6 months shows heavy selling—24 sells (103,896 shares) versus 6 buys (27,033 shares)—which often signals that executives see the stock as overvalued or expect a slowdown. Also, with 2 sell ratings and headlines questioning whether Snap-on's Tools Group can sustain momentum, there's a real risk that growth is plateauing; analyst sentiment is mixed despite the 8 buys, and the negative momentum z-scores (-0.34 and -0.35) indicate the stock has been underperforming recently.

COMPOSITE: 0.1 (Rank #26, top 13%)

The Business

Kimco Realty is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates open-air shopping centers across the U.S., making money primarily by leasing retail space to tenants like grocers, discount stores, and restaurants.

Focus

The two factors driving the high composite score are low volatility (z-score +1.15) and low investment growth (z-score +1.32), meaning the stock has been more stable than peers and the company is not aggressively expanding, which quant models often reward as lower risk.

Caution

Despite 11 insider buys totaling 435,230 shares over the last six months, the stock’s momentum is weak (z-score -0.61) and quality is below average (z-score -0.70); on the Q2 2026 earnings call, management likely highlighted leasing strength, but the analyst consensus is split at 13 buy vs 14 hold, and Citigroup only raised its target to $26 (near current levels), suggesting limited upside. The recent headlines focus on Regency (a competitor), not Kimco, hinting that Kimco’s earnings may have lacked standout catalysts.

COMPOSITE: 0.0 (Rank #27, top 10%)

The Business

Globe Life sells life insurance and supplemental health insurance, mainly to middle-income Americans through direct mail, online, and a network of agents. It makes money by collecting premiums and investing those funds, earning a profit when claims and expenses stay below what it charges.

Focus

The high rank is driven by strong value (z-score +1.02) and solid 6-month price momentum (z-score +0.93), meaning the stock looks cheap relative to earnings or book value and has been beating the market over the past half-year. Lower-than-average volatility (z-score +0.65) also helps, but the poor composite score reflects weak quality and momentum over a longer window.

Caution

Insider selling is heavy—24 sells totaling 250,625 shares in the last six months versus only 6 buys—which suggests those closest to the company see limited upside, even as the board authorizes a new buyback to prop up the stock. Additionally, the negative quality and accruals scores (both -0.72) hint that reported earnings may be inflated by non-cash items, a concern echoed by an analyst piece questioning whether Aflac's 'reliable dividend compounder' status is worth its premium—Globe Life faces similar margin pressure from elevated healthcare costs.

COMPOSITE: 0.0 (Rank #28, top 7%)

The Business

Norfolk Southern runs a major freight rail network in the eastern U.S., moving goods like coal, chemicals, and intermodal containers, and earns money by charging shippers per carload and per container.

Focus

The quant score is low overall (-0.0), but the relative strengths are volatility (z-score +0.54) and investment growth (z-score +0.47), meaning NSC has shown lower price swings and moderate increases in capital spending compared to peers.

Caution

The big overhang is the proposed merger with Union Pacific, which seven state attorneys general are fighting, warning it could drive up shipping costs—this regulatory and political risk could hurt NSC's valuation even if the deal fails. Insider activity shows 28 buys but also 2 sells (11,566 shares), and with no earnings in the next week, the bear case hinges on merger uncertainty and potential cost pressures, not a near-term earnings miss.

COMPOSITE: -0.0 (Rank #29, top 3%)

The Business

Public Storage (PSA) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns and operates self-storage facilities, making money primarily through monthly rents from individual and business customers.

Focus

The quant score is near zero, so no factor is strongly driving a high rank. The only notable positive is the accruals z-score of +1.42, which suggests earnings quality is unusually high (low accruals), and a slight value tilt (z-score +0.28), but overall the stock is mediocre across most metrics.

Caution

The stock has a 'hold' consensus (16 holds vs. 9 buys) and saw net insider selling over the last six months (7 sells of 127,612 shares vs. 23 buys of 78,158 shares) — insiders are not aggressively backing the stock. More importantly, the recent headline 'BREIT Exits Self-Storage, Invests $3.3B in Data Centers in Q2' signals a major institutional player is rotating out of self-storage, which could pressure occupancy and pricing for PSA. Also, with 2026 guidance raised but the stock still called 'cheap,' the market may be skeptical about growth, so watch the next earnings date (likely late October) for any softness in rental rates.

COMPOSITE: -0.0 (Rank #30, top 0%)