Even if a company is profitable, it doesn’t always mean it’s a great investment. Some struggle to maintain growth, face looming threats, or fail to reinvest wisely, limiting their future potential.
Not all profitable companies are created equal, and that’s why we built StockStory - to help you find the ones that truly shine bright. That said, here are two profitable companies that generate reliable profits without sacrificing growth and one best left off your watchlist.
One Stock to Sell:
Bruker (BRKR)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 1.9%
With roots dating back to the pioneering days of nuclear magnetic resonance technology, Bruker (NASDAQ: BRKR) develops and manufactures high-performance scientific instruments that enable researchers and industrial analysts to explore materials at microscopic, molecular, and cellular levels.
Why Are We Hesitant About BRKR?
- Organic sales performance over the past two years indicates the company may need to make strategic adjustments or rely on M&A to catalyze faster growth
- 11.1 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last five years reflects the company’s increased investments to defend its market position
- Diminishing returns on capital suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up
Bruker’s stock price of $48 implies a valuation ratio of 24x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than BRKR.
Two Stocks to Buy:
Sea (SE)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 8%
Founded in 2009 and a publicly traded company since 2017, Sea (NYSE: SE) started as a gaming platform and has since expanded to offer a variety of services such as e-commerce, digital payments, and financial services across Southeast Asia.
Why Do We Love SE?
- Paying Users have grown by 21.9% annually, allowing for more profitable cross-selling opportunities if it can build complementary products and features
- Incremental sales significantly boosted profitability as its annual earnings per share growth of 42.6% over the last three years outstripped its revenue performance
- Free cash flow margin expanded by 36.3 percentage points over the last few years, providing additional flexibility for investments and share buybacks/dividends
Sea is trading at $126.38 per share, or 19.4x forward EV/EBITDA. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free for active Edge members.
Amphenol (APH)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 24.3%
With over 90 years of connecting the world's technologies, Amphenol (NYSE: APH) designs and manufactures connectors, cables, sensors, and interconnect systems that enable electrical and electronic connections across virtually every industry.
Why Are We Backing APH?
- Annual revenue growth of 29.7% over the last two years was superb and indicates its market share increased during this cycle
- Incremental sales over the last two years have been highly profitable as its earnings per share increased by 40.2% annually, topping its revenue gains
- Robust free cash flow margin of 15% gives it many options for capital deployment, and its improved cash conversion implies it’s becoming a less capital-intensive business
At $138.22 per share, Amphenol trades at 35.9x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free for active Edge members.
Stocks We Like Even More
If your portfolio success hinges on just 4 stocks, your wealth is built on fragile ground. You have a small window to secure high-quality assets before the market widens and these prices disappear.
Don’t wait for the next volatility shock. Check out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 244% over the last five years (as of June 30, 2025).
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 for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
