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.

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 is one stock under $50 with massive upside potential and two that could be down big.

Two Stocks Under $50 to Sell:

QuidelOrtho (QDEL)

Share Price: $30.92

Born from the 2022 merger of Quidel and Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, QuidelOrtho (NASDAQ: QDEL) develops and manufactures diagnostic testing solutions for healthcare providers, from rapid point-of-care tests to complex laboratory instruments and systems.

Why Do We Pass on QDEL?

1. Underwhelming constant currency revenue performance over the past two years suggests its product offering at current prices doesn’t resonate with customers
2. Free cash flow margin shrank by 28.6 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
3. Waning returns on capital imply its previous profit engines are losing steam

At $30.92 per share, QuidelOrtho trades at 12.1x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than QDEL.

First Commonwealth Financial (FCF)

Share Price: $16.05

With roots dating back to 1934 and a network spanning 30 counties across two states, First Commonwealth Financial (NYSE: FCF) is a financial holding company that provides consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and insurance services.

Why Does FCF Give Us Pause?

1. 4.8% annual revenue growth over the last two years was slower than its bank peers
2. 13.3 basis point (100 basis points = 1 percentage point) decline in its net interest margin over the last two years reflects the company’s willingness to accept lower yields to defend its market position
3. Performance over the past two years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 6.7% annually

First Commonwealth Financial is trading at $16.05 per share, or 1.1x forward P/B. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including FCF in your portfolio.

One Stock Under $50 to Buy:

Ibotta (IBTA)

Share Price: $46.75

Originally launched as a way to make grocery shopping more rewarding for budget-conscious consumers, Ibotta (NYSE: IBTA) is a mobile shopping app that allows consumers to earn cash back on everyday purchases by completing tasks and submitting receipts.

Why Will IBTA Beat the Market?

1. Number of total redemptions has surged, pointing to elevated demand
2. Projected revenue growth of 7.5% for the next 12 months suggests its momentum from the last two years will persist
3. Incremental sales over the last two years have been highly profitable as its earnings per share increased by 53.4% annually, topping its revenue gains

Ibotta’s stock price of $46.75 implies a valuation ratio of 14.8x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even More

Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth.

While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we’re leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. 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.