With inflation trends, interest rate paths and energy prices pulling markets in different directions, many investors are looking for stability without giving up on growth potential. That is where low risk leaders come in. The Low-Risk Leaders screener focuses on companies with resilient balance sheets and the lowest risk scores in the model, aiming to provide a steadier ride when headlines are noisy. In this article, you will see three of the stocks from this screener, and how they could help form a stronger core for a long term portfolio in today’s mixed macro setting.

Hecla Mining (HL)

Overview: Hecla Mining is a long established precious and base metals producer that focuses on mining silver, gold, lead and zinc, supplying concentrates and doré to smelters, traders and processors across North America and Asia.

Operations: Hecla Mining generates most of its revenue from its Greens Creek mine at about US$745.7 million, followed by Lucky Friday at about US$352.8 million, Keno Hill at about US$181.6 million and other sources at about US$36.7 million, with segment adjustments and intersegment eliminations affecting the reported total.

Market Cap: US$11.17b

Hecla Mining stands out in the Low-Risk Leaders screener as a pure play on silver with meaningful scale, backed by assets like Greens Creek and Lucky Friday and supported by a long corporate history. Earnings growth over the past year was very large. While forecasts point to slower but still solid growth, the current P/E above industry averages and a share price above the Simply Wall St DCF estimate suggest expectations are already high. Recent deleveraging through redeeming US$263 million of 7.25% notes strengthens the balance sheet, but reliance on external borrowing and the swing from profit to a Q1 2026 net loss show that funding and metal price volatility still matter. Investors watching silver, cash flows and cost control closely will get the fuller picture.

Hecla Mining’s earnings surge and deleveraging suggest that the story may be shifting from pure silver exposure to a stronger cash flow engine. However, the real twist sits inside the DCF valuation analysis for Hecla Mining

Palantir Technologies (PLTR)

Overview: Palantir Technologies builds data and AI software used by governments and large enterprises to make sense of complex information, from defense and intelligence work to commercial decision making. Its platforms such as Gotham, Foundry, Apollo and the Artificial Intelligence Platform help users combine data, run advanced models and turn insights into real world actions.

Operations: Palantir Technologies generates about US$2.77b from government contracts and about US$2.45b from commercial customers, reflecting a relatively balanced mix of public and private sector revenue.

Market Cap: US$322.94b

Palantir Technologies catches the eye in a low risk leaders context because it combines high growth expectations with a debt free balance sheet and substantial cash, which is unusual for a software and AI focused stock. Earnings growth has been very strong, margins are high at a 43.7% net profit margin, and both current and forecast return on equity are elevated. However, the P/E and P/S multiples remain far above software peers, which keeps debate around valuation alive. Ongoing government and defense wins, plus expanding AI partnerships such as the Google Cloud tie up, support the growth story. At the same time, regulatory scrutiny around projects like the NHS contract and insider selling give investors important questions to weigh before taking a clear view.

Palantir’s combination of strong margins, high return on equity and no debt has many investors wondering what the market is really pricing in. Get the full context in the analyst forecasts for Palantir Technologies

Cboe Global Markets (CBOE)

Overview: Cboe Global Markets runs a major global exchange network where investors trade options, futures, equities, exchange traded products and foreign exchange. It also sells market data and index licensing tied to benchmarks such as S&P indices, FTSE and Russell.

Operations: Cboe Global Markets generates about US$2.52b from Options, US$1.63b from North American Equities, US$404.9m from Europe and Asia Pacific, US$139.5m from Futures and US$102.3m from Global FX.

Market Cap: US$27.84b

Cboe Global Markets is worth a close look in a low risk leaders context because it mixes high quality fundamentals with exposure to growing options and futures activity, illustrated by record May trading volumes and a net profit margin of 25.7%. Earnings growth of 53.3% over the past year and an ROE around 23% point to an efficient, profitable business. Extended trading hours, daily expiring options and a CNBC content partnership keep it closely aligned with rising retail options interest. At the same time, heavy reliance on key index partnerships, exchange competition and revenue expected to decline over the next few years mean investors need to judge whether its strong franchise can offset these pressures and sustain its appeal in a diversified portfolio.

Cboe Global Markets’ rising options volumes and 25.7% net profit margin suggest that the story is bigger than the headline trading statistics. See what the market may be missing in the analyst forecasts for Cboe Global Markets

The three stocks in this Low-Risk Leaders article are just a sample, and the full Low-Risk Leaders screener surfaces 64 more companies with equally compelling stories for investors who want a sturdier core in their portfolio. Use Simply Wall St to identify, analyze and filter for the specific catalysts, balance sheet strength and risk profiles that matter most, so you can focus on your highest conviction ideas.

Take Control of Your Investment Journey

If Cboe Global Markets or any of these companies have caught your attention, register for FREE with Simply Wall St and add your companies to a Watchlist to monitor the share price against the fair value and track any new developments as they happen. Once you've made your move, manage your holdings with our Portfolio Command Center that filters out the noise to deliver only the most critical, actionable updates. Throughout your journey, our Community allows you to filter the best ideas from thousands of investor perspectives. By uncovering hidden catalysts and risks early, you'll accelerate your decision-making and stay one step ahead of the market.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.