These Underperforming Stocks in 2025 Could Be Popular Picks in Early 2026
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 05 2025
0mins
Source: Benzinga
Market Rotation Insight: Goldman Sachs highlights a recurring trend where underperforming stocks from the previous year, termed "laggards," often outperform the S&P 500 in the first quarter of the new year, based on 23 years of market data.
2025 Laggards Performance: The current laggards for 2025 are showing significant underperformance, with an average decline of 19% and a 36% drop relative to the S&P 500, indicating a larger pool of beaten-down stocks than usual.
Potential Recovery Stocks: Goldman Sachs has identified several stocks, including Fortinet, Pool Corp., and Hormel Foods, that are considered mispriced and could lead a rally in early 2026, despite most analysts being neutral or bearish on them.
Caution on Predictions: While the laggard-to-leader strategy has historically shown promise, it is not guaranteed, and investors should remain cautious as January 2026 approaches, as it may bring unexpected movements from previously overlooked stocks.
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Analyst Views on ARES
Wall Street analysts forecast ARES stock price to rise
10 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 128.500
Low
155.00
Averages
191.40
High
223.00
Current: 128.500
Low
155.00
Averages
191.40
High
223.00
About ARES
Ares Management Corporation is an alternative investment manager offering clients complementary primary and secondary investment solutions across various asset classes. Its segments include Credit Group, Private Equity Group, Real Assets Group, Secondaries Group, and Other. The Credit Group segment manages credit strategies across the liquid and illiquid spectrum, including liquid credit, alternative credit, direct lending and APAC credit. The Private Equity Group segment categorizes its investment strategies as corporate private equity, special opportunities and APAC private equity. The Real Assets Group segment manages comprehensive equity and debt strategies across real estate and infrastructure investments. The Secondaries Group segment invests in secondary markets across a range of alternative asset class strategies, including private equity, real estate, infrastructure and credit. It has operations across North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Goldman Sachs Adds Four Stocks to Conviction List
- New Stock Additions: Goldman Sachs added four stocks to its June conviction list, including Tyson Foods and Block, indicating strong confidence in these companies and reflecting its market outlook.
- Tyson Foods Outlook: Goldman praised Tyson Foods' diversified portfolio, projecting continued earnings growth with a price target of $81, representing nearly 33% upside from last Friday's close, underscoring its leadership in the U.S. meat market.
- Block Stock Performance: Goldman holds an optimistic view on Block, setting a price target of $95, which offers a 25% upside from last Friday, highlighting its potential in AI productivity enhancement and strong growth in the consumer finance sector.
- Growth Potential for TPG and Casella: TPG is seen as having a sustainable growth platform at a discounted valuation with a target price of $61, implying a 43% increase; meanwhile, Casella Waste Systems is expected to achieve margin expansion post-integration challenges, with a target price of $120, indicating a potential 46% rise, showcasing its competitiveness in waste management.
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- Dell Rating Upgrade: Morgan Stanley upgrades Dell from Underweight to Equal Weight, admitting prior market expectations were incorrect, highlighting Dell's superior supply chain management and execution compared to peers, enabling effective capture of critical demand and market share gains.
- MedTech Company Upgrade: Wells Fargo upgrades Tandem Diabetes Care to Overweight, citing an attractive risk/reward profile in the medical technology sector, indicating optimism about its future growth potential.
- Microsoft Market Performance Initiation: Citizens initiates Microsoft with a Market Outperform rating and a $550 price target, reflecting strong market performance potential despite a 7% decline year-to-date, indicating resilience in its business model.
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Ares Management CEO Discusses M&A and Market Outlook
- M&A Performance Exceeds Expectations: Ares Management CEO Michael Arougheti stated that approximately 20% of the company's AUM growth has stemmed from transformational acquisitions, particularly the GCP acquisition, which added significant Japanese real estate and data center development businesses, showcasing the company's strategic success in M&A.
- Diversified Strategies Drive Profitability: Arougheti emphasized that while high rates pose challenges in certain areas, the company's diversified strategies enable profitable growth in any rate environment, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in its business model.
- Stability in Private Credit Market: Discussing private credit, Arougheti noted that the loan and high-yield markets are not showing significant stress, with Ares' software portfolio representing about 8% of its private credit book, reflecting effective risk management practices within the company.
- Recovery in Direct Lending Activity: Although direct lending activity in the U.S. was slow in Q1, Arougheti indicated that it is now picking up, signaling a recovery in market demand and the company's proactive positioning in the credit space.
See More
Ares Management Raises $850M for First Real Estate Debt Fund
- Fundraising Progress: Ares Management has raised approximately $850 million to date for its first closed-end real estate debt fund, aiming for a total of $1.5 billion, indicating strong market demand for real estate debt investments.
- Market Context: The fund focuses on property debt investments in the U.S. and Europe, reflecting a shift towards debt funds by real estate investors in response to banks retreating after the 2008 financial crisis.
- Return Potential: Rising interest rates have pressured property values, making debt strategies more attractive to investors, although concerns about private asset valuations and commercial real estate defaults persist in the market.
- Future Outlook: The fund's final close is expected in the first half of 2027, further solidifying Ares Management's position in the real estate debt market and signaling potential growth opportunities ahead.
See More
Ares Management Forms JV with Scion Group for Student Housing Investment
- Portfolio Acquisition: Ares Management's real estate fund has formed a joint venture with The Scion Group to invest in off-campus student housing, successfully acquiring a 12-property portfolio with 7,578 beds for approximately $910 million, highlighting the strong demand characteristics in this sector.
- Sustained Market Demand: Scion Group CEO Bronstein stated that the student housing market continues to demonstrate resilient demand, and the formation of the joint venture not only expands Ares's investment platform but also underscores its ability to execute on complex investment opportunities.
- Enhanced Execution Capability: Andrew Holm, head of U.S. diversified equity for Ares Real Estate, emphasized that this transaction showcases Ares's capability to execute large, complex opportunities, leveraging its scale, sector experience, and operational relationships to strengthen its market position.
- Optimistic Industry Outlook: With the growing demand for off-campus student housing, the collaboration between Ares and Scion is expected to yield long-term revenue growth opportunities for both parties, reflecting confidence in this niche market.
See More
Scion and Ares Form Joint Venture for Student Housing
- Significant Investment: Scion and Ares have formed a joint venture focusing on high-quality off-campus student housing in the U.S., acquiring a 12-property portfolio valued at approximately $910 million, which provides 7,578 beds, demonstrating strong confidence in the student housing market.
- Market Leadership: Scion's portfolio now exceeds 105,000 beds, making it the world's largest owner of off-campus student housing, reflecting the company's dominant position and ongoing expansion capabilities in the rapidly growing student housing sector.
- Capital Deployment Success: Since 2016, Scion has deployed over $10.2 billion in capital, including $3.4 billion in the past 24 months, indicating its active role and significant market influence in the sector.
- Industry Consolidation Trend: This transaction not only marks the first collaboration between Scion and Ares but also reflects broader structural changes in the student housing market, attracting more institutional capital into this demand-driven real estate sector.
See More
Goldman Sachs Adds Four Stocks to Conviction List
- New Stock Additions: Goldman Sachs added four stocks to its June conviction list, including Tyson Foods and Block, indicating strong confidence in these companies and reflecting its market outlook.
- Tyson Foods Outlook: Goldman praised Tyson Foods' diversified portfolio, projecting continued earnings growth with a price target of $81, representing nearly 33% upside from last Friday's close, underscoring its leadership in the U.S. meat market.
- Block Stock Performance: Goldman holds an optimistic view on Block, setting a price target of $95, which offers a 25% upside from last Friday, highlighting its potential in AI productivity enhancement and strong growth in the consumer finance sector.
- Growth Potential for TPG and Casella: TPG is seen as having a sustainable growth platform at a discounted valuation with a target price of $61, implying a 43% increase; meanwhile, Casella Waste Systems is expected to achieve margin expansion post-integration challenges, with a target price of $120, indicating a potential 46% rise, showcasing its competitiveness in waste management.
See More
Latest Rating Changes on Wall Street
- Executive Rating Updates: Goldman Sachs initiates coverage on HawkEye 360 with a Buy rating, emphasizing its status as a profitable RF signals intelligence satellite operator, which is expected to achieve substantial revenue and earnings growth, reflecting strong confidence in its market potential.
- Dell Rating Upgrade: Morgan Stanley upgrades Dell from Underweight to Equal Weight, admitting prior market expectations were incorrect, highlighting Dell's superior supply chain management and execution compared to peers, enabling effective capture of critical demand and market share gains.
- MedTech Company Upgrade: Wells Fargo upgrades Tandem Diabetes Care to Overweight, citing an attractive risk/reward profile in the medical technology sector, indicating optimism about its future growth potential.
- Microsoft Market Performance Initiation: Citizens initiates Microsoft with a Market Outperform rating and a $550 price target, reflecting strong market performance potential despite a 7% decline year-to-date, indicating resilience in its business model.
See More
Ares Management CEO Discusses M&A and Market Outlook
- M&A Performance Exceeds Expectations: Ares Management CEO Michael Arougheti stated that approximately 20% of the company's AUM growth has stemmed from transformational acquisitions, particularly the GCP acquisition, which added significant Japanese real estate and data center development businesses, showcasing the company's strategic success in M&A.
- Diversified Strategies Drive Profitability: Arougheti emphasized that while high rates pose challenges in certain areas, the company's diversified strategies enable profitable growth in any rate environment, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in its business model.
- Stability in Private Credit Market: Discussing private credit, Arougheti noted that the loan and high-yield markets are not showing significant stress, with Ares' software portfolio representing about 8% of its private credit book, reflecting effective risk management practices within the company.
- Recovery in Direct Lending Activity: Although direct lending activity in the U.S. was slow in Q1, Arougheti indicated that it is now picking up, signaling a recovery in market demand and the company's proactive positioning in the credit space.
See More
Ares Management Raises $850M for First Real Estate Debt Fund
- Fundraising Progress: Ares Management has raised approximately $850 million to date for its first closed-end real estate debt fund, aiming for a total of $1.5 billion, indicating strong market demand for real estate debt investments.
- Market Context: The fund focuses on property debt investments in the U.S. and Europe, reflecting a shift towards debt funds by real estate investors in response to banks retreating after the 2008 financial crisis.
- Return Potential: Rising interest rates have pressured property values, making debt strategies more attractive to investors, although concerns about private asset valuations and commercial real estate defaults persist in the market.
- Future Outlook: The fund's final close is expected in the first half of 2027, further solidifying Ares Management's position in the real estate debt market and signaling potential growth opportunities ahead.
See More
Ares Management Forms JV with Scion Group for Student Housing Investment
- Portfolio Acquisition: Ares Management's real estate fund has formed a joint venture with The Scion Group to invest in off-campus student housing, successfully acquiring a 12-property portfolio with 7,578 beds for approximately $910 million, highlighting the strong demand characteristics in this sector.
- Sustained Market Demand: Scion Group CEO Bronstein stated that the student housing market continues to demonstrate resilient demand, and the formation of the joint venture not only expands Ares's investment platform but also underscores its ability to execute on complex investment opportunities.
- Enhanced Execution Capability: Andrew Holm, head of U.S. diversified equity for Ares Real Estate, emphasized that this transaction showcases Ares's capability to execute large, complex opportunities, leveraging its scale, sector experience, and operational relationships to strengthen its market position.
- Optimistic Industry Outlook: With the growing demand for off-campus student housing, the collaboration between Ares and Scion is expected to yield long-term revenue growth opportunities for both parties, reflecting confidence in this niche market.
See More
Scion and Ares Form Joint Venture for Student Housing
- Significant Investment: Scion and Ares have formed a joint venture focusing on high-quality off-campus student housing in the U.S., acquiring a 12-property portfolio valued at approximately $910 million, which provides 7,578 beds, demonstrating strong confidence in the student housing market.
- Market Leadership: Scion's portfolio now exceeds 105,000 beds, making it the world's largest owner of off-campus student housing, reflecting the company's dominant position and ongoing expansion capabilities in the rapidly growing student housing sector.
- Capital Deployment Success: Since 2016, Scion has deployed over $10.2 billion in capital, including $3.4 billion in the past 24 months, indicating its active role and significant market influence in the sector.
- Industry Consolidation Trend: This transaction not only marks the first collaboration between Scion and Ares but also reflects broader structural changes in the student housing market, attracting more institutional capital into this demand-driven real estate sector.
See More
