Low-volatility stocks may offer stability, but that often comes at the cost of slower growth and the upside potential of more dynamic companies.
Choosing the wrong investments can cause you to fall behind, which is why we started StockStory - to separate the winners from the losers. That said, here are three low-volatility stocks to avoid and some better opportunities instead.
Apogee (APOG)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.82
Involved in the design of the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue in New York City, Apogee (NASDAQ: APOG) sells architectural products and services such as high-performance glass for commercial buildings.
Why Does APOG Give Us Pause?
- Flat sales over the last five years suggest it must find different ways to grow during this cycle
- Sales are projected to be flat over the next 12 months and imply weak demand
- Free cash flow margin shrank by 2.8 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
Apogee’s stock price of $39.62 implies a valuation ratio of 9.3x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than APOG.
Leidos (LDOS)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.63
Formed through the split of IT services company SAIC, Leidos (NYSE: LDOS) offers technology and engineering solutions such as military training systems for the defense, civil, and health markets.
Why Is LDOS Not Exciting?
- Estimated sales growth of 2.5% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend
- Free cash flow margin didn’t grow over the last five years
Leidos is trading at $147.75 per share, or 13.5x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why LDOS doesn’t pass our bar.
Exponent (EXPO)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.76
With a team of over 800 consultants holding advanced degrees in 90+ technical disciplines, Exponent (NASDAQ: EXPO) is a science and engineering consulting firm that investigates complex problems and provides expert analysis for clients across various industries.
Why Are We Cautious About EXPO?
- Sales trends were unexciting over the last two years as its 4.5% annual growth was below the typical business services company
- Smaller revenue base of $518.7 million means it hasn’t achieved the economies of scale that some industry juggernauts enjoy
- Diminishing returns on capital suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up
At $77.41 per share, Exponent trades at 37x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including EXPO in your portfolio.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth.
While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we’re leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. 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.
