A highly volatile stock can deliver big gains - or just as easily wipe out a portfolio if things go south. While some investors embrace risk, mistakes can be costly for those who aren’t prepared.
Navigating these stocks isn’t easy, which is why StockStory helps you find Comfort In Chaos. Keeping that in mind, here is one volatile stock with massive upside potential and two that might not be worth the risk.
Two Stocks to Sell:
Spectrum Brands (SPB)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.08
A leader in multiple consumer product categories, Spectrum Brands (NYSE: SPB) is a diversified company with a portfolio of trusted brands spanning home appliances, garden care, personal care, and pet care.
Why Do We Pass on SPB?
- Organic sales performance over the past two years indicates the company may need to make strategic adjustments or rely on M&A to catalyze faster growth
- Cash-burning tendencies make us wonder if it can sustainably generate shareholder value
- Underwhelming 0.8% return on capital reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities
At $54.47 per share, Spectrum Brands trades at 13.3x forward P/E. If you’re considering SPB for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.22
Named after the merger of Third National Bank and Fifth National Bank in 1908, Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ: FITB) is a financial services company that provides banking, lending, wealth management, and investment services to individuals and businesses across the Midwest and Southeast.
Why Is FITB Not Exciting?
- Net interest income trends were unexciting over the last five years as its 3.8% annual growth was below the typical banking firm
- Net interest margin of 3% is well below other banks, signaling its loans aren’t very profitable
- Products and services are facing significant credit quality challenges during this cycle as tangible book value per share has declined by 1.5% annually over the last five years
Fifth Third Bancorp is trading at $42.88 per share, or 1.5x forward P/B. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than FITB.
One Stock to Watch:
Upwork (UPWK)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.34
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 8.9% annual growth in its average revenue per customer
- Incremental sales significantly boosted profitability as its annual earnings per share growth of 166% over the last three years outstripped its revenue performance
- Free cash flow margin increased by 31.3 percentage points over the last few years, giving the company more capital to invest or return to shareholders
Upwork’s stock price of $14.79 implies a valuation ratio of 10.2x forward EV/EBITDA. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
Trump’s April 2025 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines.
Take advantage of the rebound by checking 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 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).
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