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1 Stock Under $50 for Long-Term Investors and 2 We Ignore

LIND Cover Image

The $10-50 price range often includes mid-sized businesses with proven track records and plenty of growth runway ahead. They also usually carry less risk than penny stocks, though they’re not immune to volatility as many lack the scale advantages of their larger peers.

This is precisely where StockStory comes in - we do the heavy lifting to identify companies with solid fundamentals so you can invest with confidence. That said, here is one stock under $50 with massive upside potential and two best left ignored.

Two Stocks Under $50 to Sell:

Lindblad Expeditions (LIND)

Share Price: $12.65

Founded by explorer Sven-Olof Lindblad in 1979, Lindblad Expeditions (NASDAQ: LIND) offers cruising experiences to remote destinations in partnership with National Geographic.

Why Does LIND Worry Us?

  1. Poor expense management has led to an operating margin of 3.8% that is below the industry average
  2. Projected 2.4 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin next year reflects the company’s plans to increase its investments to defend its market position
  3. Negative returns on capital show management lost money while trying to expand the business

At $12.65 per share, Lindblad Expeditions trades at 5.9x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than LIND.

CVB Financial (CVBF)

Share Price: $18.90

With roots dating back to 1974 and a focus on serving small and medium-sized businesses, CVB Financial (NASDAQ: CVBF) operates Citizens Business Bank, providing banking, lending, and trust services to businesses and individuals across California.

Why Do We Think Twice About CVBF?

  1. Muted 1.4% annual net interest income growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its banking peers
  2. Performance over the past two years shows each sale was less profitable as its earnings per share dropped by 9% annually, worse than its revenue
  3. Capital trends were unexciting over the last five years as its 2.8% annual tangible book value per share growth was below the typical banking firm

CVB Financial is trading at $18.90 per share, or 1.1x forward P/B. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why CVBF doesn’t pass our bar.

One Stock Under $50 to Buy:

Ares Capital (ARCC)

Share Price: $19.87

As one of the largest business development companies in the United States with over $20 billion in assets, Ares Capital (NASDAQ: ARCC) is a business development company that provides financing solutions to middle-market companies, primarily through direct loans and equity investments.

Why Will ARCC Outperform?

  1. Market share has increased this cycle as its 15.1% annual revenue growth over the last five years was exceptional
  2. Performance over the past five years shows its incremental sales were extremely profitable, as its annual earnings per share growth of 77.2% outpaced its revenue gains
  3. Market-beating return on equity illustrates that management has a knack for investing in profitable ventures

Ares Capital’s stock price of $19.87 implies a valuation ratio of 4.4x forward price-to-sales. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full 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 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. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.

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