Hot or Not, Stock Market Edition: 09/16/2025

Some stocks are pumpkin spice, some are not so nice. Here’s the deal:

• Hot: Amphenol (APH) is up 80% on AI-driven connector demand; Cisco (CSCO) is a strong global connectivity play. Both have solid B Zen Ratings.
• Not: NextEra Energy (NEE) slips into Sell territory; Wells Fargo (WFC) lags in growth and momentum

P.S. For more stocks making moves, check out our Zen Ratings Upgrades & Downgrades screener.

🔥 HOT: Amphenol (NYSE: APH) is a backbone player — its connectors are everywhere from cars and planes to data centers. Its sector may not be sexy (Electronic Components), but its momentum and AI-fueled optimism most certainly are. The stock’s up over 80% in the past year, recently hitting a fresh all-time, surging on a heady combo of analyst upgrades combined with surging demand for AI-focused connectors and consistent earnings surprises. It ranks in the top 7% of stocks we track, with a Zen Rating of B. Component Grades across the board are strong, too: Financials, Growth, and Sentiment all clock in at solid B grades, showing a well-rounded machine at work. Despite the Value Grade sitting at a middling C, the stock’s A rating for Momentum and top-12 industry rank reinforce that the market does not mind paying up for quality growth. With the connective-tissue demand of AI still just ramping, APH looks to have plenty of runway. 

🥶 NOT: NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) likes to talk the clean tech talk, but lately, Wall Street isn’t listening. Despite analyst chatter about bullish forecasts and even a recent Buy reaffirmation from Goldman Sachs, NEE’s Zen Rating is an alarmingly low D (Sell). Trading in the low $70s, the stock has slipped under its 20- and 50-day averages, and even with a few upticks, momentum is underwhelming. The industry (Electric Utility) is currently rated F, and NEE is rated 36 out of 39 stocks in the space. The Component Grades reveal more weak spots: NEE has a D For Growth and a smattering of flat values with Cs for AI, Value, Sentiment, and Financials; not even a B for Safety can elevate the stock’s overall rating. Despite talk of battery storage and the nuclear renaissance for AI data centers, NEE hasn’t converted promise into performance.  

🔥 HOT: Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) might be a legacy tech name, but it’s still in the game in 2025. The stock’s relatively flat over the past few months, but what’s more compelling is its potential and what’s going on behind the scenes. Leading industry growth in Asia-Pacific routers and switches, complemented by robust global demand for connectivity, puts Cisco in the pole position to benefit from continued digital transformation — especially in emerging markets. The Zen Ratings back up this theory; the stock is rated B (Buy), ranking in the top 8% of equities we track. It has above-average B grades nearly across the board for its Component Grades, including Value, Financials, and our proprietary AI factor. Two Cs for Growth and Sentiment are countered by the fact that CSCO Is in an A-rated industry, and the fact that it ranks in the top 25% of stocks we track within the Communications Equipment industry. The verdict? CSCO looks like a solid pick if you’re looking to surf the global connectivity boom.

🥶 NOT: Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) is doing its best to look lively, but the numbers don’t reflect it. Even while headlines tout asset cap removals and new lending growth, WFG can’t shake its Zen Rating of C (Hold). Core metrics add to the meh: Growth gets a D, Value and Momentum cling to Cs, and while Sentiment has been reasonably steady, nothing breaks through the ceiling. Even industry context is no help — the diversified bank sector scores a weak D overall. Yes, there are glimmers: earnings-boosting asset expansions, some bullish Wall Street commentary, and (Jim Cramer’s affection for management, but that’s not enough to erase structural doubts. This looks like a Hold for the patient, but with so much else popping in the financial sector, don't be surprised if the Street stays cold.

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