5 Stocks to Watch: Week of 2/24/2025

Strong Buy recommendations happen all the time in the stock market — it can be hard to know what’s worth watching. We did some of the legwork for you, doing the preliminary research on 5 highly promising stocks for the week ahead. (You’re welcome.) Highlights?

• Analysts believe Qualcomm Inc's (NASDAQ: QCOM) stock price could increase by nearly $100 per share in the coming year.
• Emcor Group Inc. (NYSE: EME) is our favorite "buy the dip" stock — and it just dipped.
• Looking for a financially sound company to invest in? CSG Systems International Inc (NASDAQ: CSGS) could fit the bill.
• Bio-Techne Corp (NASDAQ: TECH) gets high marks for Safety — not common in this sector.
• Unfortunate ticker aside, Universal Technical Institute (NYSE: UTI) is brimming with potential.
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Let's go.

1. CSG Systems International Inc (NASDAQ: CSGS)

Ever wonder how your phone bill is calculated down to the cent or how streaming services manage millions of subscriptions? That’s where CSG Systems International comes in. This company provides the billing, customer management, and revenue tracking software that keeps telecom, media, and tech companies running smoothly. Researchers are very pleased with the company’s latest quarterly report — CSGS is also trading at an attractive valuation and has a robust balance sheet that can finance further growth.

Zen Rating:  A (Strong Buy) — see full analysis >  

Recent Price:  $64.29 — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast:  $80.00

Why we’re watching:

• In total, 12 Wall Street researchers track CSGS stock and issue ratings for it. With 3 Strong Buy ratings, 3 Buy ratings, and a lone Hold rating, it enjoys broad analyst support. See the ratings
• Shlomo Rosenbaum of Stifel Nicolaus (a top 16% rated analyst) doubled down on a previously issued Strong Buy rating on February 6. Rosenbaum increased his price target from $60 to $66.
• Further clarifying his decision in a note shared with investors, the researcher called the company’s Q4 and FY 2024 earnings report “very strong across most key metrics.”
• Management's FY 2025 guidance implies consensus revenue and EPS numbers are "likely to move up," while FY 2026's margin and free cash flow commentary was "positive," the analyst said.
• With an overall Zen Rating of A, CSG Systems stock belongs to a class of equities that provide an average annual return of 32.52%.
• The 7 Component Grade Ratings that make up a Zen Rating are surprisingly well-rounded in CSGS’ case. The stock has a whopping 6 out of 7 Component Grades that are above average. In particular, its Financials rating is excellent — it ranks in the top 6% of all the stocks we track. It also ranks in the top 10% of stocks we track for Safety and Value. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

2. Bio-Techne Corp (NASDAQ: TECH)

Ever heard of a pick-and-shovel play? How about a syringe and ampoule play? Bio-Techne Corp provides high-quality reagents, proteins, and diagnostic tools that make breakthroughs in the biotech sector possible. The company’s latest earnings report was so strong that a top Wall Street analyst called it a positive sign for all similar businesses — and as a key, behind-the-scenes player in a dynamic field, TECH is well-positioned going forward.

Zen Rating:  B (Buy) — see full analysis >  

Recent Price:  $65.49 — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast:  $95.00

Why we’re watching:

• Of the 5 researchers who cover Bio Techne stock, 2 rate it a Strong Buy — another 2 rate it a Buy, and only one analyst rates it a Hold. See the ratings
• Notably, KeyBanc’s John Vinh (a top 2% rated analyst) reissued a Strong Buy rating after the company reported its Q2 2025 earnings. Vinh also hiked his price target from $80 to $95.
• In a note shared with analysts, Vinh stated the quarterly report was “a positive indicator for other life science tools companies”, as well as a continuation of Q1’s strength.
• A Zen Rating of B puts TECH stock in the top 20% of all equities according to our proprietary quant system. To be a bit more pedantic, it specifically ranks in the top 6%.
• Bio-Techne Corp shines when it comes to two particular Component Grade ratings — Safety and Financials, where it is in the 91st and 93rd percentile, respectively. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

3. Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ: QCOM) 

Chances are, you’re carrying Qualcomm’s technology in your pocket right now. Best known for its Snapdragon processors, Qualcomm powers smartphones, laptops, and next-gen AI devices, making it a key player in the semiconductor industry. Despite its well-established, dominant position, QCOM still trades at an attractive valuation — and has the funds to weather industry cycles and expand into lucrative new opportunities. 

Zen Rating:  B (Buy) — see full analysis >  

Recent Price:  $173.70  — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast:  $250.00

Why we’re watching:

• As a semiconductor stock, it should surprise no one that QCOM receives a lot of attention from analysts. At present, among the 17 researchers we track issuing ratings, 6 rate it a Strong Buy. This is supplemented by 2 Buy ratings, 8 Hold ratings, and a lone Strong Sell rating (which, we should note, still implies an upside to the stock). See the ratings
• Harsh Kumar, a Piper Sandler researcher (a top 2% rated analyst), maintained an earlier Strong Buy rating on Qualcomm — but decreased his price target from $205 to $190. 
• The analyst stated that last quarter's results and management's guidance both beat consensus. 
• He did, however, note that management's commentary about handset units for the year called for flat to low single-digit growth impacted by seasonality from Apple that is reflected in the Q2 guidance which implies a Q/Q 10% decline in handsets.
• QCOM enjoys an overall Zen Rating of B or Buy — rated in the top 20% of all the stocks we track, it belongs to a class of assets that have consistently managed to beat the market since the turn of the millennium.
• Qualcomm has two key advantages — a really attractive valuation and a strong balance sheet. These factors have secured an A rating for the stock when it comes to Value and Financials. More the point, QCOM stock is rated in the top 1% of all the stocks we track in both categories. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

4. Emcor Group Inc. (NYSE: EME)

Emcor is a leading specialty construction firm with expertise in power transmission, voice & data communications and fiber optics. This means they are riding some serious growth trends which helps explain the 72% year over year stock price. 

Zen Rating:  A (Strong Buy) — see full analysis >  

Recent Price: $424.64 — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast: $600.00 

Why we’re watching:

• It’s our Stock of the Week: EME is one of Zen Investor Editor in Chief Steve Reitmeister’s favorite stocks because it plays at the intersection of many hot trends. As he expanded in a recent article…
• EME is “a leading specialty construction firm with expertise in power transmission, voice & data communications and fiber optics.” 
• This means they are “riding the wave of AI growth as they help build out more data centers. Plus their expertise in power transmission has them lined up for what is believed to be a 160% increase in power demand the next 10 years in the US alone (thanks to AI).”
• This explains why they have produced 10 straight beat and raise quarters that propelled shares 260% higher since mid-2022 (and up 10X in the past five years). 
• EME earns an overall Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), putting it in a class of stocks that have historically enjoyed 32.52% annual returns. 
• While it has solid Component Grades all around, it shines particularly bright with an A rating for Financials, meaning it passes a rigorous evaluation of evaluating balance sheet strength and other key financial stability indicators, suggesting it’s a company with robust financial foundations. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

5. Universal Technical Institute (NYSE: UTI)

Although our third entry has a rather unfortunate ticker, its performance is anything but. When you think of for-profit education, you most likely tend to think of college — but Universal Technical Institute is focused on an often-overlooked and high-demand area — trades. UTI stock has seen prices increase by 69.17% over the past 365 days — and analysts are confident that there’s still plenty of room to grow.

Zen Rating: B (Buy)  — see full analysis >  

Recent Price: $28.84 — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast: $36.00 

Why we’re watching:

• UTI merits a Strong Buy consensus from the analysts we track. Of the 6 researchers in total, 4 rate it a Strong Buy, and 2 rate it a Buy. Notably, there are no Hold, Sell, or Strong Sell ratings to be found here. See the ratings
• On February 5, the company reported its Q1 2025 earnings. Soon after, Rosenblatt analyst Steve Frankel (a top 9% analyst) reaffirmed a prior Strong Buy rating and increased his price target on the stock from $30 to $36.
• Frankel attributed the "beat and raise" quarter to "the continuing payoff from the combination of strong corporate partnerships and successful outcomes that drive a high return on investment for students at the company's schools.
• Looking ahead, Rosenblatt believes Universal Technical Institute's "story is still in the early innings," the analyst said.   
• With a Zen Rating of B, Universal Technical Institute is in good company. Stocks with this rating have provided an average annual return of 19.88% per year.
• In terms of its Zen Rating Component Grades, Universal Technical has two particularly strong suits — with both Momentum and Financials rated B. In these two categories, UTI stock ranks in the top 6% and 8% of all the equities we track, respectively. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

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