Vestas Wind Systems A/S

A middle-of-the-pack grower that is slowing. Earnings are outgrowing revenue, a sign of improving margins and operating leverage. Quality of growth is high even if the top line is moderate. The strongest point: revenue grew 13%/yr over the last 3 years, ahead of 70% of companies worldwide. The one thing to watch: the pace is cooling.

Short-term returns are strong but the long track record is thin. Momentum is building — confirmation from longer horizons would strengthen the case. The strongest point: it's up 37% over the past year, now 6% below its 52-week high.

A fairly-priced stock. Neither multiples nor yields stand out strongly. Value investors may want to wait for a better entry or look elsewhere. The strongest point: its forward P/E of 20x is 27% below that median, and its three-year P/E of 15x is 43% below. The one thing to watch: the dividend is thin.

A middle-of-the-pack business on quality. Margins, returns and balance sheet sit around the market average. Workable, but not a standout on business quality. The strongest point: return on equity of 31% is better than 80% of companies worldwide; return on assets of 4.2% is about average versus companies worldwide. The one thing to watch: the EBITDA margin lags the rest of the P&L.