Stocks in the $10-50 range offer a sweet spot between affordability and stability as they’re typically more established than penny stocks. But their headline prices don’t guarantee quality, and investors should exercise caution as some have shaky business models.
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:
National Vision (EYE)
Share Price: $19.37
Operating under multiple brands, National Vision (NYSE: EYE) sells optical products such as eyeglasses and provides optical services such as eye exams.
Why Should You Sell EYE?
- Reduction in its number of stores signals a focus on profitability through targeted consolidation
- Subpar operating margin of 0.3% constrains its ability to invest in process improvements or effectively respond to new competitive threats
- Underwhelming 3% return on capital reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities, and its shrinking returns suggest its past profit sources are losing steam
National Vision is trading at $19.37 per share, or 31.5x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including EYE in your portfolio.
Travel + Leisure (TNL)
Share Price: $49
Formerly known as Wyndham Destinations, Travel + Leisure (NYSE: TNL) is a global vacation company that provides travelers with vacation ownership, exchange, and travel services.
Why Are We Cautious About TNL?
- Demand for its offerings was relatively low as its number of tours conducted has underwhelmed
- Estimated sales growth of 2.8% for the next 12 months is soft and implies weaker demand
- High net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 8× increases the risk of forced asset sales or dilutive financing if operational performance weakens
At $49 per share, Travel + Leisure trades at 7.4x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with TNL, check out our full research report (it’s free).
One Stock Under $50 to Watch:
Upwork (UPWK)
Share Price: $15.59
Formed through the 2013 merger of Elance and oDesk, Upwork (NASDAQ: UPWK) is an online platform where businesses and independent professionals connect to get work done.
Why Could UPWK Be a Winner?
- Customer spending is rising as the company has focused on monetization over the last two years, leading to 8.3% annual growth in its average revenue per customer
- Performance over the past three years shows its incremental sales were extremely profitable, as its annual earnings per share growth of 395% outpaced its revenue gains
- Free cash flow margin grew by 27 percentage points over the last few years, giving the company more chips to play with
Upwork’s stock price of $15.59 implies a valuation ratio of 11.9x forward EV/EBITDA. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs.
While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like 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 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.
