Large-cap stocks usually command their industries because they have the scale to drive market trends. The flip side though is that their sheer size can limit growth as expanding further becomes an increasingly challenging task.
These trade-offs can cause headaches for even the most seasoned professionals, which is why we started StockStory - to help you find high-quality companies that can grow their earnings no matter what. That said, here are two large-cap stocks that still have big upside potential and one whose momentum may slow.
One Large-Cap Stock to Sell:
Applied Materials (AMAT)
Market Cap: $203.3 billion
Founded in 1967 as the first company to develop tools for other businesses in the semiconductor industry, Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) is the largest provider of semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment.
Why Do We Think Twice About AMAT?
- Estimated sales growth of 1.8% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend
Applied Materials’s stock price of $256.75 implies a valuation ratio of 26.6x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why AMAT doesn’t pass our bar.
Two Large-Cap Stocks to Watch:
Intuit (INTU)
Market Cap: $186.8 billion
Originally named after its founding product "Intuitive for the first-time user," Intuit (NASDAQ:INTU) provides financial management software and services including TurboTax, QuickBooks, Credit Karma, and Mailchimp to help consumers and small businesses manage their finances.
Why Could INTU Be a Winner?
- Winning new contracts that can potentially increase in value as its billings growth has averaged 17.8% over the last year
- Healthy operating margin of 26.7% shows it’s a well-run company with efficient processes, and its operating leverage amplified its profits over the last year
- Impressive free cash flow profitability enables the company to fund new investments or reward investors with share buybacks/dividends
Intuit is trading at $671.90 per share, or 8.6x forward price-to-sales. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free for active Edge members .
Cencora (COR)
Market Cap: $66.14 billion
Formerly known as AmerisourceBergen until its 2023 rebranding, Cencora (NYSE:COR) is a global pharmaceutical distribution company that connects manufacturers with healthcare providers while offering logistics, data analytics, and consulting services.
Why Is COR a Top Pick?
- Dominant market position is represented by its $321.3 billion in revenue, which gives it negotiating power over membership pricing and reimbursement rates
- Performance over the past five years was turbocharged by share buybacks, which enabled its earnings per share to grow faster than its revenue
- Industry-leading 55% return on capital demonstrates management’s skill in finding high-return investments
At $341.33 per share, Cencora trades at 19.4x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free for active Edge members.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
Your portfolio can’t afford to be based on yesterday’s story. The risk in a handful of heavily crowded stocks is rising daily.
The names generating the next wave of massive growth are right here in our Top 6 Stocks for this week. 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-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% 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.