Market swings can be tough to stomach, and volatile stocks often experience exaggerated moves in both directions. While many thrive during risk-on environments, many also struggle to maintain investor confidence when the ride gets bumpy.
Navigating these stocks isn’t easy, which is why StockStory helps you find Comfort In Chaos. That said, here are three volatile stocks to avoid and some better opportunities instead.
Upland Software (UPLD)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.80
Operating under the mantra "land and expand," Upland Software (NASDAQ: UPLD) provides cloud-based applications that help organizations manage projects, workflows, and digital transformation across various business functions.
Why Does UPLD Fall Short?
- Software offerings aren’t resonating in this new AI paradigm as its revenue declined by 6.8% annually over the last three years
- Forecasted revenue decline of 19.2% for the upcoming 12 months implies demand will fall even further
- Poor expense management has led to operating margin losses
Upland Software’s stock price of $2.47 implies a valuation ratio of 0.3x forward price-to-sales. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why UPLD doesn’t pass our bar.
Kimball Electronics (KE)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.43
Founded in 1961, Kimball Electronics (NYSE: KE) is a global contract manufacturer specializing in electronics and manufacturing solutions for automotive, medical, and industrial markets.
Why Should You Sell KE?
- Customers postponed purchases of its products and services this cycle as its revenue declined by 9.7% annually over the last two years
- Competitive supply chain dynamics and steep production costs are reflected in its low gross margin of 8.1%
- Earnings per share have dipped by 29.1% annually over the past two years, which is concerning because stock prices follow EPS over the long term
At $30 per share, Kimball Electronics trades at 30.4x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than KE.
Lucid (LCID)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.06
Founded by a former Tesla Vice President, Lucid Group (NASDAQ: LCID) designs, manufactures, and sells luxury electric vehicles with long-range capabilities.
Why Does LCID Give Us Pause?
- Negative 155% gross margin means it loses money on every sale and must pivot or scale quickly to survive
- Cash-burning tendencies make us wonder if it can sustainably generate shareholder value
- Depletion of cash reserves could lead to a fundraising event that triggers shareholder dilution
Lucid is trading at $19.29 per share, or 29.9x forward price-to-sales. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including LCID in your portfolio.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
Trump’s April 2025 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines.
Take advantage of the rebound 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-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% 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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