Great businesses at fair prices — here's why each makes the list.
…and 347 more buy candidates in the full briefing.
39 name(s) sliding toward Avoid:
Value $105,077 ▲ +5.1% since 2026-07-16 · ▼ -$1,010 (-1.0%) since yesterday · S&P +2.5% · Cash $180
| Stock | Held | Price | Today | Since buy | Grade |
| EOG | 78 sh | $143.14 | ▼ -0.2% | +6.2% | 88 |
| FHI | 156 sh | $63.00 | ▲ +0.0% | +5.1% | 90 |
| HIG | 73 sh | $137.44 | ▼ -1.2% | +0.6% | 90 |
| INTU | 33 sh | $334.71 | ▼ -0.5% | +13.5% | 87 |
| LOPE | 69 sh | $142.06 | ▼ -1.6% | -0.8% | 90 |
| LULU | 85 sh | $120.87 | ▼ -3.8% | +1.7% | 88 |
| NBIX | 58 sh | $156.49 | ▼ -3.4% | -8.8% | 89 |
| NEM | 110 sh | $117.84 | ▲ +0.5% | +29.7% | 85 |
| PRI | 31 sh | $310.84 | ▼ -0.6% | -0.6% | 93 |
| RMD | 49 sh | $226.00 | ▲ +0.5% | +11.5% | 84 |
Fictional money · prices update daily · a live test of whether the picks actually work.
Does the grading actually work? Two honest halves — a backtest on past data, and the real live record as it ripens. It reports the truth even when that's “not enough data yet.”
Reconstructed 323 graded moments across 150 companies (a sample of 150 names), then measured what each actually returned over the next 12 months.
Do higher grades earn better returns?
| Grade | Names | 12-mo return | vs S&P |
| A (80-100) | 44 | +13.0% | -1.1% |
| B (65-79) | 162 | +12.2% | -3.5% |
| C (50-64) | 93 | +15.1% | -0.0% |
| D-F (<50) | 24 | +41.0% | +27.2% |
→ higher grades did WORSE here (gap 28.0 pts) ⚠️
17 snapshot(s) since 2026-07-06, none ripe yet — first 6-month check ~2027-01-06.
Backtest limits: ~5 years back, surviving companies only, restated statements — a strong first read, not gospel. The live record is the hindsight-free gold standard and strengthens every month. Refreshed 2026-08-09. Educational only — not financial advice.
Today's read covers the 10 top Buy candidates and 5 crash-watch names.
News is context alongside each stock's grade — it never overrides the number.
Primerica beat Q2 earnings estimates solidly: EPS of $6.41 vs. $5.96 expected (+7.6% surprise), the fourth consecutive quarterly beat. The investment & savings products segment was the star — revenue up 21%, pretax income up 31%, and assets under management hit a record $140 billion. The flip side: life insurance issued policies fell 12% and the sales force shrank slightly, which management blamed on economic pressure on middle-income families. They guided ISP sales growth of 10–15% for the year but life policies to decline mid-single digits. A director sold 279 shares and an executive filed a Rule 144 plan for 1,500 shares — both are small, routine, and not a red flag at this scale. Bottom line: The earnings engine (investment products) is strong and growing; life insurance is soft but stable. The grade reflects the financial strength accurately.
Two material developments. First, Hartford agreed to acquire Equitable's employee benefits business (serving small/mid-size employers), expected to close Q4 2026. The deal adds digital capabilities and broadens Hartford's group-benefits platform — strategic fit looks solid, though the purchase price wasn't disclosed and investors should watch for integration costs vs. the active buyback program running through 2028. Second, the board appointed Priscilla Almodovar (former Fannie Mae CEO) as a director, adding risk-management expertise. An SEC 8-K filed Aug 11 relates to this board change. Otherwise, mostly routine institutional flow news. Bottom line: The acquisition is a meaningful expansion move; no red flags. Grade and news align.
Headlines point to a strong quarter: LOPE beat EPS estimates, raised full-year 2026 guidance, and authorized additional buybacks. FMR LLC (Fidelity) disclosed a 7.7% stake in a 13G/A filing — a notable institutional vote of confidence. Wasatch Advisors and Reinhart Partners also added shares. The stock trades at a forward P/E of ~14.9 with a PEG near 1.0, suggesting the market prices it fairly for its growth rate. No negative catalysts surfaced. Bottom line: Raised guidance + heavyweight institutional buying supports the high grade.
Federated Hermes reported record AUM of $911.6 billion (+8% YoY) and EPS of $1.38 (up from $1.16). Revenue rose 18% to $502.8 million. The standout: MDT quantitative strategies pulled in $3.5 billion in net inflows — their 14th straight positive quarter. Money market assets dipped slightly ($676.9B, seasonal), and there was a known $3 billion global-equity sub-advisory redemption. Management has $3.4 billion in unfunded institutional wins starting Q3 and is developing blockchain-compatible digital treasury funds. Wall Street Zen downgraded to Hold and the analyst consensus is also Hold — mainly a valuation call, not a quality concern. Bottom line: Business is executing well with record assets, but the Hold ratings suggest the market already prices much of this in. Grade reflects the strong fundamentals.
The big story: Vykat safety concerns drove the stock down ~5.8% this week. Since FDA approval, seven patients have died and over 100 serious adverse events were reported — but experts and Neurocrine's CEO emphasized that none have been definitively linked to the drug. Label revisions remain possible but no one is recommending market withdrawal. Separately, Neurocrine published positive INGREZZA results (its core tardive dyskinesia drug) showing improved patient-reported quality of life — this is the company's revenue engine and it continues to perform. Analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" consensus. Bottom line: The Vykat situation warrants monitoring but appears manageable (unproven causal link, acquired product via Soleno). INGREZZA, which drives most of the company's value, is doing fine. The grade doesn't factor in one-off drug-safety scares, so news and grade may temporarily disagree here — worth watching but not an override.
The stock hit an all-time high of $182 on Aug 6. No company-specific earnings this cycle (RJF reports on a Sept fiscal year), so the news is thinner — mostly daily performance comparisons and a PGA Tour sponsorship deal (brand marketing, not a financial catalyst). Earnings growth estimates look solid and the stock has momentum. Bottom line: No red flags; the all-time high is consistent with the grade's view of strong finances and profitability.
Excellent Q2: record adjusted EPS of $5.07–$5.70, free cash flow of $2.8 billion, and production of 1.41 million boe/d (above guidance). The headline catalyst: UAE exploration wells averaged 25,000+ barrels/well in the first 30 days — well above expectations, validating EOG's international expansion thesis. They organically leased 60,000 new acres in Austin Chalk at bargain costs. Shareholder returns remain strong ($1.8B in Q2 via dividends + buybacks, targeting 70% of FCF). Capital discipline held at $6.5B with 5% oil growth and 14% total production growth guidance maintained. Seeking Alpha upgraded to Buy. The stock dipped ~9% post-earnings despite the beat — possibly oil-price concern — but the fundamentals look firm. Bottom line: One of the strongest fundamental stories on the list. UAE success adds a genuine new growth leg. Grade and news align well.
The stock is down 40%+ year-to-date and hit new lows. Michael Burry (of "Big Short" fame) disclosed a new position, calling it a value play at just 10.5x forward earnings vs. its 5-year average of 29x. The company carries no debt and has $1.5B in cash. International growth remains solid (China +23%). But the bears make real points: Americas comparable sales are declining, gross margins dropped 410 bps in Q1, and tariff exposure is significant (40% of manufacturing in Vietnam). A new CEO from Nike arrives next month. The broader athletic-wear sector is under pressure (On Holding had its worst day ever, Nike still struggling). Bottom line: The grade reflects strong financial health and profitability — which are real — but the growth and valuation pillars may be carrying risk the headlines are flagging. This is a "strong business in a rough patch" situation. The Burry buy is noteworthy but not a guarantee.
Mixed news week. On the positive side, Intuit launched a major AI-powered mid-market platform expansion — "Intuit Intelligence Chat" lets CFOs ask questions in plain language, and QuickBooks Online Advanced now has AI-driven "Books Upkeep" that automates routine transactions (one customer reported saving 16 hours/month). This is a real strategic push into a larger addressable market. On the negative side, an investor lawsuit was filed alleging pricing issues led to a 20% stock drop, and software stocks broadly slipped after Figma flagged surging AI development costs (INTU fell ~2.7% in sympathy). Earnings are coming Aug 25 — mark the calendar. Bottom line: The AI/mid-market expansion is a genuine growth catalyst if adoption materializes. The lawsuit is worth tracking but ambulance-chaser suits after stock drops are common and often go nowhere. The near-term test is the Aug 25 earnings report.
Kinsale declared a dividend with a Sept 14 payment date and got written up positively ("3 Reasons We Love This Stock"). The analyst consensus is actually "Reduce" — a valuation concern, since specialty insurers like Kinsale tend to trade at premium multiples when growth is strong. Bank of America holds a $97.6M stake. No negative catalysts or earnings surprises this cycle. Bottom line: The high grade reflects Kinsale's exceptional profitability and growth in specialty/E&S insurance. The "Reduce" rating is about the stock's price, not its business quality. No news contradicts the grade.
Despite the low grade, Iron Mountain just posted record Q2 results: $2.03B revenue (+19%), AFFO/share of $1.44 (+16%), and raised full-year guidance across all metrics. The data center business is booming — 110 MW leased year-to-date (targeting well above 100 MW/year), with AI inference demand driving new leases. Growth businesses now represent 35% of revenue. The company hit its lowest leverage ratio (4.8x) since 2014. So why the low grade? IRM trades at an extremely rich valuation (it's a REIT priced like a tech growth stock), and the grading system penalizes that heavily in the valuation pillar. The CEO sold $736K in shares and investors bought large volumes of put options — signs of hedging at these prices. Bottom line: The grade and the news genuinely disagree here. The business is executing exceptionally well, but the stock's valuation is stretched. The grade is doing its job flagging valuation risk — this is a "great company, expensive stock" situation.
Ormat beat Q2 earnings estimates and raised its 2026 revenue and EBITDA outlook, driving a ~10% stock gain. The geothermal/energy storage company benefits from extended tax credits through 2033. However, it trades at 52.5x P/E vs. 27.3x for peers — the same "expensive for its earnings" problem that flags it on the grading system. Wall Street Zen downgraded to "Sell." Risks include reliance on Chinese battery suppliers and heavy capital requirements. Bottom line: Similar story to IRM — strong business execution, but the valuation pillar drags the grade down hard. Narrative-based valuations see 20% upside; traditional earnings multiples say it's expensive.
Q2 showed an interesting split: margins improved (net income of $88M) even as demand stayed soft. Management is executing on cost cuts and launched 100+ new products, and they reaffirmed full-year guidance (~$15B revenue, 1.1% net margin). Zacks upgraded to Hold. But the problems are real: the dividend is suspended, demand remains weak in a high-rate environment, and margins are still very thin. Seeking Alpha rates it a Hold ("Q2 results get soggy"). Bottom line: There's a turnaround story forming (cost cuts working, margins expanding from a low base), but profitability remains fragile and the grade reflects that accurately. Worth watching if rates come down and housing activity picks up.
The most concerning news: New Mexico regulators voided a $400 million stock sale from TXNM to a Blackstone holding company, calling it unauthorized under state utility law, and imposed $300K in fines. Critics are now calling for deeper scrutiny of the $11.5 billion Blackstone acquisition, noting that TXNM waived a $350M termination fee and that executives could receive $44M+ in golden parachutes. A second $200M stock sale may also violate state law. Bottom line: Significant regulatory and governance risk. The deal may still close, but the regulatory headwinds are mounting and the waived termination fee raises questions about whose interests management is prioritizing. The low grade seems justified.
NNN REIT reported Q2 earnings and established a new equity and forward sale program (an SEC 8-K was filed). Analyst consensus is "Hold." As a net-lease REIT, NNN is rate-sensitive — it does fine operationally but the grading system flags its lower growth and profitability metrics relative to other businesses. No alarming developments, just a structurally low-scoring business type. Bottom line: No catalyst for concern beyond the ongoing rate environment. The grade reflects structural characteristics, not deterioration.
Sources read: Yahoo Finance, Motley Fool (transcripts), MarketBeat, InvestorsHub/ADVFN, Stocktwits, Santa Fe New Mexican, SEC EDGAR. Some Google News redirect links could not be followed (known limitation — they often serve only a JavaScript shell). The SEC 8-K for HIG returned a 403 error and could not be read directly.
MarketMind is a personal, educational stock-research tool. Every morning it screens roughly 900 large- and mid-cap U.S. companies, grades each one from 0–100 on five research-backed pillars — financial health, profitability, growth, valuation, and moat — and surfaces the businesses that look strong and reasonably priced.
The idea it rests on: over the long run, a stock's price follows the company's profits. So rather than chasing hype, MarketMind looks for great businesses at fair prices and lets time do the work.
It also runs a Paper Fund — a fictional $100,000 that automatically follows the tool's own Buy ratings — so you can watch, over time, whether the picks actually work. It's pretend money: nothing here is ever bought or sold for real.
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