Small-cap stocks can be incredibly lucrative investments because their lack of analyst coverage leads to frequent mispricings. However, these businesses (and their stock prices) often stay small because their subscale operations make it harder to expand their competitive moats.
Luckily for you, our mission at StockStory is to help you make money and avoid losses by sorting the winners from the losers. Keeping that in mind, here are three small-cap stocks to avoid and some other investments you should consider instead.
Altice (ATUS)
Market Cap: $831.2 million
Based in Long Island City, Altice USA (NYSE: ATUS) is a telecommunications company offering cable, internet, telephone, and television services across the United States.
Why Is ATUS Risky?
- Performance surrounding its broadband subscribers has lagged its peers
- Diminishing returns on capital from an already low starting point show that neither management’s prior nor current bets are going as planned
- High net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 8× could force the company to raise capital at unfavorable terms if market conditions deteriorate
At $1.77 per share, Altice trades at 0.2x forward EV-to-EBITDA. If you’re considering ATUS for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
Lindblad Expeditions (LIND)
Market Cap: $633.1 million
Founded by explorer Sven-Olof Lindblad in 1979, Lindblad Expeditions (NASDAQ: LIND) offers cruising experiences to remote destinations in partnership with National Geographic.
Why Do We Think Twice About LIND?
- 14.5% annual revenue growth over the last two years was slower than its consumer discretionary peers
- Operating margin of 4.8% falls short of the industry average, and the smaller profit dollars make it harder to react to unexpected market developments
- Negative returns on capital show that some of its growth strategies have backfired
Lindblad Expeditions’s stock price of $11.45 implies a valuation ratio of 2,091.1x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including LIND in your portfolio.
Enviri (NVRI)
Market Cap: $1.08 billion
Cooling America’s first indoor ice rink in the 19th century, Enviri (NYSE: NVRI) offers steel and waste handling services.
Why Do We Steer Clear of NVRI?
- Sales were flat over the last two years, indicating it’s failed to expand this cycle
- Cash-burning tendencies make us wonder if it can sustainably generate shareholder value
- High net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 5× increases the risk of forced asset sales or dilutive financing if operational performance weakens
Enviri is trading at $13.19 per share, or 3.8x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why NVRI doesn’t pass our bar.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
If your portfolio success hinges on just 4 stocks, your wealth is built on fragile ground. You have a small window to secure high-quality assets before the market widens and these prices disappear.
Don’t wait for the next volatility shock. Check out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. 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).
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,326% between June 2020 and June 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
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