Generating cash is essential for any business, but not all cash-rich companies are great investments. Some produce plenty of cash but fail to allocate it effectively, leading to missed opportunities.

Not all companies are created equal, and StockStory is here to surface the ones with real upside. That said, here are three cash-producing companies to avoid and some better opportunities instead.

Sprinklr (CXM)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 12.9%

With a proprietary AI engine processing 450 million data points daily across 30+ digital channels, Sprinklr (NYSE: CXM) provides cloud-based software that helps large enterprises manage customer experiences across social, messaging, chat, and voice channels.

Why Do We Pass on CXM?

1. Customers had second thoughts about committing to its platform over the last year as its average billings growth of 4% underwhelmed
2. Estimated sales growth of 3.4% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its three-year trend
3. Day-to-day expenses have swelled relative to revenue over the last year as its operating margin fell by 3.6 percentage points

At $8.30 per share, Sprinklr trades at 2.6x forward price-to-sales. If you’re considering CXM for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Kennametal (KMT)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 6.2%

Involved in manufacturing hard tips of anti-tank projectiles in World War II, Kennametal (NYSE: KMT) is a provider of industrial materials and tools for various sectors.

Why Should You Dump KMT?

1. Core business is underperforming as its organic revenue has disappointed over the past two years, suggesting it might need acquisitions to stimulate growth
2. Projected sales growth of 1.4% for the next 12 months suggests sluggish demand
3. Earnings per share have dipped by 5.4% annually over the past two years, which is concerning because stock prices follow EPS over the long term

Kennametal is trading at $20.81 per share, or 14.2x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than KMT.

WEX (WEX)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 10.9%

Originally founded in 1983 as Wright Express to serve the fleet card market, WEX (NYSE: WEX) provides payment processing and business solutions across fleet management, employee benefits, and corporate payments sectors.

Why Does WEX Give Us Pause?

1. Sales trends were unexciting over the last two years as its 2.6% annual growth was below the typical financials company
2. Earnings per share lagged its peers over the last two years as they only grew by 5.2% annually
3. Low return on equity reflects management’s struggle to allocate funds effectively

WEX’s stock price of $169.61 implies a valuation ratio of 10.6x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including WEX in your portfolio.

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