A stock with low volatility can be reassuring, but it doesn’t always mean strong long-term performance. Investors who prioritize stability may miss out on higher-reward opportunities elsewhere.
Finding the right balance between safety and returns isn’t easy, which is why StockStory is here to help. Keeping that in mind, here is one low-volatility stock providing safe-and-steady growth and two that may not deliver the returns you need.
Two Stocks to Sell:
BlackLine (BL)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.91
Born from the vision to eliminate tedious manual spreadsheet work for accountants, BlackLine (NASDAQ: BL) provides cloud-based software that automates and streamlines financial close, intercompany accounting, and invoice-to-cash processes for accounting departments.
Why Do We Think Twice About BL?
- Average billings growth of 7.2% over the last year was subpar, suggesting it struggled to push its software and might have to lower prices to stimulate demand
- Estimated sales growth of 8.3% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend
- Operating margin expanded by 1.3 percentage points over the last year as it scaled and became more efficient
BlackLine’s stock price of $53.95 implies a valuation ratio of 4.7x forward price-to-sales. If you’re considering BL for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
Graphic Packaging Holding (GPK)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.53
Founded in 1991, Graphic Packaging (NYSE: GPK) is a provider of paper-based packaging solutions for a wide range of products.
Why Should You Sell GPK?
- Declining unit sales over the past two years suggest it might have to lower prices to accelerate growth
- Falling earnings per share over the last two years has some investors worried as stock prices ultimately follow EPS over the long term
- Free cash flow margin shrank by 8.9 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
At $17.82 per share, Graphic Packaging Holding trades at 8.7x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why GPK doesn’t pass our bar.
One Stock to Watch:
Intuit (INTU)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.54
Originally named after its founding product "Intuitive for the first-time user," Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU) provides financial management software and services including TurboTax, QuickBooks, Credit Karma, and Mailchimp to help consumers and small businesses manage their finances.
Why Are We Positive On INTU?
- Winning new contracts that can potentially increase in value as its billings growth has averaged 17.5% over the last year
- Fast payback periods on sales and marketing expenses allow the company to invest heavily and onboard many customers concurrently
- Highly efficient business model is illustrated by its impressive 26.1% operating margin, and its operating leverage amplified its profits over the last year
Intuit is trading at $664.23 per share, or 8.9x forward price-to-sales. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free for active Edge members.
Stocks We Like Even More
Donald Trump’s April 2025 "Liberation Day" tariffs sent markets into a tailspin, but stocks have since rebounded strongly, proving that knee-jerk reactions often create the best buying opportunities.
The smart money is already positioning for the next leg up. Don’t miss out on the recovery - check out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today
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