Hot or Not, Stock Market Edition: 09/25/2026

Happy Friday. Here's what the Zen Ratings are booking and powering down today:

• Hot: Steelmaker Steel Dynamics (STLD) is heating up the furnace; online travel giant Expedia Group (EXPE) looks priced for takeoff
• Not: Battery storage player Fluence Energy (FLNC) is running low on charge; teen apparel retailer Zumiez (ZUMZ) has fallen out of fashion

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

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🔥 HOT: Steel Dynamics (STLD) just gave investors a fresh reason to pay attention: management expects Q3 earnings to improve on strong steel demand. That comes as domestic steel pricing remains supported by U.S.–Canada trade tensions, while margins and the balance sheet are both moving in the right direction. Shares are up more than 70% from their 52-week low but still sit roughly 20% below their high, leaving room if earnings keep accelerating.

STLD has a Zen Rating of A, a Strong Buy recommendation. Looking at the Component Grades, Growth, Financials, and Artificial Intelligence all earn B grades, while Value, Momentum, Sentiment, and Safety sit at C. That mix says the earnings outlook and financial foundation are solid, even if the stock is not especially cheap or showing runaway momentum yet. Bottom line: fresh guidance, strong demand, and improving earnings give Steel Dynamics a real catalyst, while the ratings suggest the fundamentals are strong enough to support more upside.

🥶 NOT: Fluence Energy (FLNC) just cut its fiscal 2026 outlook because of manufacturing delays, turning an execution problem into a very real earnings catalyst. Shares sank on the news, analysts followed with downgrades and price-target cuts, and multiple securities investigations have since been announced. The stock now trades near its 52-week low after losing roughly 80% from its high.

FLNC has a Zen Rating of F, a Strong Sell recommendation. Momentum and Sentiment both earn F grades, while Value, Growth, and Financials receive D grades. That is a rough combination: the stock trend is collapsing, analyst confidence is deteriorating, growth expectations are weakening, and the balance sheet offers little support. Bottom line: the order book may still hold promise, but until Fluence proves it can execute without another guidance cut, investors have little reason to step in.

🔥 HOT: Expedia Group (EXPE) just launched its biggest-ever product update for Vrbo and Escapia, giving investors a fresh catalyst in one of travel’s fastest-growing areas. That comes after a strong quarter, improving margins, and continued expansion in AI and B2B. Shares remain nearly 20% below their 52-week high, while WallStreetZen’s DCF model still suggests meaningful upside from here.

EXPE has a Zen Rating of A, a Strong Buy recommendation. Value and Financials both earn A grades, while Sentiment and Artificial Intelligence receive B grades. That mix says investors are getting a financially strong business at an attractive price, with analyst conviction improving rather than fading. Bottom line: Expedia has a fresh growth catalyst in Vrbo, improving profitability, and a valuation that still leaves room for investors if execution continues.

🥶 NOT: Zumiez (ZUMZ) just delivered its second disappointing quarter in a row, with earnings missing expectations and management pointing to weakness in U.S. demand and footwear. Shares fell about 17% after the report and now sit more than 50% below their 52-week high, near the bottom of the range.

ZUMZ has a Zen Rating of D, a Sell recommendation. Growth earns an F, while Momentum, Sentiment, and Artificial Intelligence receive D grades. That mix says the core problem is not just a weak quarter: sales growth is anemic, the stock trend is poor, and investor confidence is deteriorating. Value, Safety, and Financials sit at C, but the cheap price is not enough to offset the lack of growth. Bottom line: Zumiez may look inexpensive after the selloff, but two weak quarters and an F for Growth suggest the discount exists for a reason.

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