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3 Mid-Cap Stocks We Steer Clear Of

CHTR Cover Image

Many investors pay attention to mid-cap stocks because they have established business models and expansive market opportunities. However, their paths to becoming $100 billion corporations are ripe with competition, ranging from giants with vast resources to agile upstarts eager to disrupt the status quo.

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 are three mid-cap stocks to swipe left on and some alternatives you should look into instead.

Charter (CHTR)

Market Cap: $27.57 billion

Operating as Spectrum, Charter (NASDAQ: CHTR) is a leading telecommunications company offering cable television, high-speed internet, and voice services across the United States.

Why Does CHTR Fall Short?

  1. Number of internet subscribers has disappointed over the past two years, indicating weak demand for its offerings
  2. Estimated sales for the next 12 months are flat and imply a softer demand environment
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities

Charter’s stock price of $212.04 implies a valuation ratio of 5x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why CHTR doesn’t pass our bar.

Service International (SCI)

Market Cap: $11.25 billion

Founded in 1962, Service International (NYSE: SCI) is a leading provider of death care products and services in North America.

Why Do We Steer Clear of SCI?

  1. Performance surrounding its funeral services performed has lagged its peers
  2. Anticipated sales growth of 3% for the next year implies demand will be shaky
  3. Waning returns on capital from an already weak starting point displays the inefficacy of management’s past and current investment decisions

At $80.22 per share, Service International trades at 19.6x forward P/E. If you’re considering SCI for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

AeroVironment (AVAV)

Market Cap: $16.07 billion

Focused on the future of autonomous military combat, AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) specializes in advanced unmanned aircraft systems and electric vehicle charging solutions.

Why Is AVAV Not Exciting?

  1. Costs have risen faster than its revenue over the last five years, causing its operating margin to decline by 9.4 percentage points
  2. Free cash flow margin dropped by 25.6 percentage points over the last five years, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up
  3. Negative returns on capital show that some of its growth strategies have backfired

AeroVironment is trading at $322 per share, or 76.8x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than AVAV.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

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Don’t wait for the next volatility shock. 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 244% over the last five years (as of June 30, 2025).

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