Hot or Not, Stock Market Edition: 12/30/2025

We scoured the Zen Ratings system for the best and worst stocks right now — here’s what we unearthed:

• Hot: Ford Motor Company (F) accelerates; Plains All American Pipeline (PAA) flows higher
• Not: Baidu (BIDU) stalls; Diamondback Energy (FANG) loses pressure

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

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🔥 HOT: Midstream energy play Plains All American Pipeline (PAA) is only up a modest 4% or so in the past year, but there are a few reasons why we’ll be watching it in the new year: A) It’s currently sitting near its 52-week highs; PAA has delivered steady gains as crude oil infrastructure remains critical to North American energy flows. B) The company recently transitioned to a pure-play crude oil transportation model, shedding non-core assets and focusing on what it does best: moving barrels efficiently through a sprawling pipeline network. C) Our Zen Ratings shine favorably upon it: PAA earns a B (Buy) rating, ranking an impressive #1 out of 43 stocks in the Oil + Gas Midstream industry. PAA earns above-average Component Grades for Safety and Sentiment, signaling a potentially excellent buy-and-hold stock that’s getting a big thumbs up from Wall Street. The bottom line? Plains All American's transition to a pure-play crude model and strong fundamentals make it an attractive hold for 2026 and beyond.

🥶 NOT: Despite operating in one of the most productive oil basins in the world, Diamondback Energy (FANG) has struggled to gain traction — the stock is down 7% in the past year. Its Zen Rating just dropped from Hold to Sell, and it ranks an unimpressive 54th out of 67 in the Oil and Gas industry. Looking at the Component Grades, it earns a D for Sentiment, suggesting investors have lost confidence in the company's near-term outlook (here’s why Sentiment matters). While some analysts argue that Diamondback's low-cost operations will drive profitability even if oil prices decline, the market isn't buying it. The stock's Momentum Grade sits at a mediocre C, as does its Safety Grade. With crude oil prices choppy and FANG's relative underperformance glaring, the downgrade to Sell feels justified. 

🔥 HOT: It happened so quietly that few investors noticed — Ford Motor Company (F) is up over 30% in the past year. Why the bullish turn? Partly because the EU rolled back its 2035 internal combustion engine ban, giving legacy automakers like Ford breathing room. Relaxed regulations could boost traditional vehicle sales and reduce compliance costs—a meaningful tailwind as EV demand softens globally. Ford has backed away from aggressive electric vehicle investments — the company's pivot back toward profitability in traditional segments appears to be resonating with investors. F was recently upgraded in our Zen Ratings system to a B (Buy) rating, and ranks #3 out of 25 stocks we track in the Auto industry. Ford also boasts strong Component Grades in several key areas for buy-and-hold investors, including above-average B grades for Safety (want more safe stocks? Read this)  and Sentiment. With sentiment improving, regulatory relief materializing, and the company's strategic retreat from money-losing EV ventures, Ford looks positioned for continued momentum. 

🥶 NOT: Chinese search giant Baidu (BIDU) may be up an impressive 40% in the past year, but dig deeper, and the cracks show. Baidu's Zen Rating  just downgraded from Hold to Sell, reflecting mounting concerns about China's consumer slowdown and its impact on digital advertising and cloud services. While the company has bright spots — a partnership with Uber and Lyft to test Apollo Go robotaxis in the UK, plus solid AI infrastructure investments — those initiatives haven't translated into near-term revenue acceleration. BIDU’s Component Grades reveal more weaknesses — it earns an alarming F for Growth, and straight Cs in every other category. Plus, despite being in a B-rated industry (Internet Content + Information), the stock only ranks #46 out of 54 tickers, indicating there are at least 45 better options available. Our take? Until Baidu can prove its AI bets translate to meaningful revenue growth, there are better places to park your money in the tech sector.

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