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3 Overrated Stocks We Steer Clear Of

FORM Cover Image

Great things are happening to the stocks in this article. They’re all outperforming the market over the last month because of positive catalysts such as a new product line, constructive news flow, or even a loyal Reddit fanbase.

While momentum can be a leading indicator, it has burned many investors as it doesn’t always correlate with long-term success. On that note, here are three stocks getting more buzz than they deserve and some you should buy instead.

FormFactor (FORM)

One-Month Return: +24.1%

With customers across the foundry and fabless markets, FormFactor (NASDAQ: FORM) is a US-based provider of test and measurement technologies for semiconductors.

Why Do We Steer Clear of FORM?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 3.7% over the last five years was below our standards for the semiconductor sector
  2. Free cash flow margin shrank by 13.3 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
  3. Low returns on capital reflect management’s struggle to allocate funds effectively, and its shrinking returns suggest its past profit sources are losing steam

FormFactor’s stock price of $38.13 implies a valuation ratio of 33.4x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with FORM, check out our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).

Blink Charging (BLNK)

One-Month Return: +44.8%

One of the first EV charging companies to go public, Blink Charging (NASDAQ: BLNK) is a manufacturer, owner, operator, and provider of electric vehicle charging equipment and networked EV charging services.

Why Does BLNK Give Us Pause?

  1. Muted 5.4% annual revenue growth over the last two years shows its demand lagged behind its industrials peers
  2. Cash burn makes us question whether it can achieve sustainable long-term growth
  3. Depletion of cash reserves could lead to a fundraising event that triggers shareholder dilution

Blink Charging is trading at $1.97 per share, or 1.7x forward price-to-sales. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including BLNK in your portfolio.

Byrna (BYRN)

One-Month Return: +32.3%

Providing civilians with tools to disable, disarm, and deter would-be assailants, Byrna (NASDAQ: BYRN) is a provider of non-lethal weapons.

Why Does BYRN Worry Us?

  1. Persistent operating margin losses suggest the business manages its expenses poorly
  2. Negative free cash flow raises questions about the return timeline for its investments
  3. Limited cash reserves may force the company to seek unfavorable financing terms that could dilute shareholders

At $26.50 per share, Byrna trades at 29x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why BYRN doesn’t pass our bar.

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