Hot or Not, Stock Market Edition: 09/23/2025

What’s sizzling and what’s fizzling? Here’s the story for today:

• Hot: Adobe (ADBE) and Meta (META) both shine on AI momentum — Adobe with strong financial health and a Qualcomm GenStudio partnership, and Meta with fresh highs 
• Not: ExxonMobil (XOM) and Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) struggle — Exxon faces a weak sector and regulatory drag while Berkshire is weighed down by flat performance and succession worries 

P.S. Want more like this? Zen Strategies has you covered with a Momentum portfolio (hot stocks) and a Stocks to Short portfolio (not hot stocks).

A note from our sponsors...

🔥 HOT: Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) shares have recently crept up 5% amid renewed investor confidence thanks to robust earnings and price strength, high-profile push into generative AI (check out the Qualcomm (QCOM) GenStudio partnership). ADBE currently ranks in the 88th percentile of stocks we track, which gives it an overall B (Buy) rating — but solid Component Grades back up our conviction in the pick. For one, it has a rare A for Financials, indicating excellent fiscal health in a sometimes volatile industry. Both Value and Sentiment both clock in as respectable Bs, indicating a solid pick in a sometimes volatile industry. Our AI factor also gives ADBE an above-average rating, meaning it has sifted through mountains of data and deems it a Buy. Momentum and Growth are just average for the industry, but the ract that ADBE is in an A rated industry and has so much going on for it, Adobe is worth considering as a watchlist-worthy pick. 

🥶 NOT: Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) is up about 5% in the past month — is it a Buy? According to our Zen Ratings system, even a modest uptrend and oil price volatility can’t make the case for XOM, which is currently languishing with a C rating (Hold). Despite talk of long-term diversification, Exxon is caught in a sector-wide struggle (the industry is currently rated D in our system), dogged by regulatory headaches and softening energy sentiment. Its fundamentals remain resilient enough to justify holding for income, but growth and momentum simply aren’t there. While Exxon has a reputation for dividend dependability and reasonable financial stability (Safety and Financials both show above-average B grades), the Growth Grade is a frosty F. Our take? Don’t expect fireworks until this story takes a definitive turn. 

🔥 HOT: It doesn’t get much hotter than Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) right now. Yes, the stock is hitting fresh highs — a ride that reflects its recent momentum and performance (the stock’s up about 40% in the past year). But the biggest buzz at the moment — and something that could accelerate META’s impressive and prolonged uptrend — is talk of a $20 billion Oracle cloud computing deal that could be like rocket fuel for META’s future AI growth. Currently, META ranks in the 91st percentile of stocks we track, with an overall Zen Rating of B (Buy). This above-average overall rating is supported by exceptional Component Grades for Sentiment and Financials, two categories where it ranks in the top 5% of stocks we track. It also earns a B (above average) for Momentum, bolstered by upbeat investor sentiment and a string of bullish news like potential windfalls from TikTok’s U.S. woes and rapid metaverse adoption. The bottom line? Meta’s evolution from social media titan to AI-fueled innovator is progressing nicely, and savvy investors should absolutely stay tuned.

🥶 NOT: Warren Buffett may be an investing legend, but Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) isn’t exactly setting the market ablaze RN. Concerns about declining cash flows, high valuations, and succession jitters with Buffett’s eventual departure are amplified by concerns that falling interest rates may squeeze returns on Berkshire’s bond portfolio. The stock, which has been relatively flat for the past few months, was recently downgraded to a C (Hold) according to our Zen Ratings system. Looking at the Component Grade gives us some guidance as to why — other than Safety, where BRK.B earns an A rating, Berkshire only earns Cs — and even has a single failing F grade for Growth. Berkshire may be a fortress, but it appears that it’s one built for stability rather than speed. Unless new catalysts or a compelling value case emerges, this is a stock to hold, not chase. 

What to Do Next?

• 77 Best Stocks NOW! >
• See All “A” Rated Stocks with +32.52% Average Annual Return >
• 2 New Stocks to Buy from Steve Reitmeister >

Want to get in touch? Email us at news@wallstreetzen.com.