A company that generates cash isn’t automatically a winner. Some businesses stockpile cash but fail to reinvest wisely, limiting their ability to expand.

Cash flow is valuable, but it’s not everything - StockStory helps you identify the companies that truly put it to work. Keeping that in mind, here are three cash-producing companies to steer clear of and a few better alternatives.

Asana (ASAN)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 8.4%

Born from the founders' frustration with the inefficiencies of email-based collaboration at Facebook, Asana (NYSE: ASAN) provides a work management platform that helps organizations track projects, set goals, and manage workflows in a centralized digital workspace.

Why Do We Steer Clear of ASAN?

1. Products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy may need some adjustments as its 9.3% average billings growth over the last year was weak
2. Customers have churned over the last year due to the commoditized nature of its software, as reflected in its 95.7% net revenue retention rate
3. Complex implementation process for enterprise clients means customers take longer to ramp up, as seen in its extended payback periods

Asana’s stock price of $7.56 implies a valuation ratio of 2.1x forward price-to-sales. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why ASAN doesn’t pass our bar.

PACCAR (PCAR)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 12%

Founded more than a century ago, PACCAR (NASDAQ: PCAR) designs and manufactures commercial trucks of various weights and sizes for the commercial trucking industry.

Why Are We Hesitant About PCAR?

1. Customers postponed purchases of its products and services this cycle as its revenue declined by 10% annually over the last two years
2. Gross margin of 16.5% reflects its high production costs
3. Earnings per share have dipped by 27.8% annually over the past two years, which is concerning because stock prices follow EPS over the long term

PACCAR is trading at $127.67 per share, or 22.9x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with PCAR, check out our full research report (it’s free).

MYR Group (MYRG)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 4.4%

Constructing electrical and phone lines in the American Midwest dating back to the 1890s, MYR Group (NASDAQ: MYRG) is a specialty contractor in the electrical construction industry.

Why Do We Think Twice About MYRG?

1. Backlog growth averaged a weak 4.4% over the past two years, suggesting it may need to tweak its product roadmap or go-to-market strategy
2. Gross margin of 10.8% is below its competitors, leaving less money to invest in areas like marketing and R&D
3. Eroding returns on capital suggest its historical profit centers are aging

At $279.37 per share, MYR Group trades at 31.9x forward P/E. If you’re considering MYRG for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

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