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3 Stocks Under $50 Walking a Fine Line

REYN 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 are three stocks under $50 to swipe left on and some alternatives you should look into instead.

Reynolds (REYN)

Share Price: $24.43

Best known for its aluminum foil, Reynolds (NASDAQ: REYN) is a household products company whose products focus on food storage, cooking, and waste.

Why Is REYN Risky?

  1. Falling unit sales over the past two years suggest it might have to lower prices to stimulate growth
  2. Sales are projected to be flat over the next 12 months and imply weak demand
  3. 4.5 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last year reflects the company’s increased investments to defend its market position

Reynolds is trading at $24.43 per share, or 14.3x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including REYN in your portfolio.

Gates Industrial Corporation (GTES)

Share Price: $22.08

Helping create one of the most memorable moments for the iconic “Jurassic Park” film, Gates (NYSE: GTES) offers power transmission and fluid transfer equipment for various industries.

Why Are We Cautious About GTES?

  1. Organic revenue growth fell short of our benchmarks over the past two years and implies it may need to improve its products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy
  2. Anticipated sales growth of 3.2% for the next year implies demand will be shaky
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities

At $22.08 per share, Gates Industrial Corporation trades at 13.8x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with GTES, check out our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).

United Bankshares (UBSI)

Share Price: $35.80

With roots dating back to 1982 and a strong presence in the Mid-Atlantic region, United Bankshares (NASDAQ: UBSI) is a bank holding company that provides commercial and retail banking services through its United Bank subsidiary across multiple states.

Why Is UBSI Not Exciting?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 4.7% over the last five years was below our standards for the banking sector
  2. Earnings growth underperformed the sector average over the last five years as its EPS grew by just 3.9% annually
  3. Capital trends were unexciting over the last two years as its 8.7% annual tangible book value per share growth was below the typical banking firm

United Bankshares’s stock price of $35.80 implies a valuation ratio of 0.9x forward P/B. If you’re considering UBSI for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Stocks We Like 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 Kadant (+351% 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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