A stock with low volatility can be reassuring, but it doesn’t always mean strong long-term performance. Investors who prioritize stability may miss out on higher-reward opportunities elsewhere.

Finding the right balance between safety and returns isn’t easy, which is why StockStory is here to help. Keeping that in mind, here is one low-volatility stock providing safe-and-steady growth and two stuck in limbo.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Dollar General (DG)

Rolling One-Year Beta: -0.41

Appealing to the budget-conscious consumer, Dollar General (NYSE: DG) is a discount retailer that sells a wide range of household essentials, groceries, apparel/beauty products, and seasonal merchandise.

Why Are We Hesitant About DG?

1. Poor same-store sales performance over the past two years indicates it’s having trouble bringing new shoppers into its brick-and-mortar locations
2. Widely-available products (and therefore stiff competition) result in an inferior gross margin of 29.9% that must be offset through higher volumes
3. 5× net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio shows it’s overleveraged and increases the probability of shareholder dilution if things turn unexpectedly

Dollar General’s stock price of $105.30 implies a valuation ratio of 17.2x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including DG in your portfolio.

Collegium Pharmaceutical (COLL)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.25

Pioneering abuse-deterrent technology in a field plagued by addiction concerns, Collegium Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: COLL) develops and markets specialty medications for treating moderate to severe pain, including abuse-deterrent opioid formulations.

Why Is COLL Not Exciting?

1. Revenue base of $707 million puts it at a disadvantage compared to larger competitors exhibiting economies of scale
2. Free cash flow margin dropped by 2.7 percentage points over the last five years, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up
3. Shrinking returns on capital suggest that increasing competition is eating into the company’s profitability

At $39.06 per share, Collegium Pharmaceutical trades at 5.2x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with COLL, check out our full research report (it’s free).

One Stock to Watch:

Travelers (TRV)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.42

Tracing its roots back to 1853 when it insured travelers against accidents on steamboats and railroads, Travelers (NYSE: TRV) provides a wide range of commercial and personal property and casualty insurance products to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals.

Why Could TRV Be a Winner?

1. Insurance products connect with policyholders, demonstrated by its above-market 10.3% annual growth in net premiums earned over the last two years
2. Incremental sales significantly boosted profitability as its annual earnings per share growth of 52.8% over the last two years outstripped its revenue performance
3. Exciting book value per share outlook for the upcoming 12 months calls for 24.2% growth, an acceleration from its two-year trend

Travelers is trading at $279 per share, or 2x forward P/B. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

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.