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1 Stock Under $50 to Consider Right Now and 2 to Approach with Caution

By: StockStory

May 20, 2025 at 00:34 AM EDT

HUBG Cover Image

Stocks trading between $10 and $50 can be particularly interesting as they frequently represent businesses that have survived their early challenges. However, investors should remain vigilant as some may still have unproven business models, leaving them vulnerable to the ebbs and flows of the broader market.

These dynamics can cause headaches for even the most seasoned professionals, which is why we started StockStory - to help you separate the good companies from the bad. That said, here is one stock under $50 that could 10x and two that may have trouble.

Two Stocks Under $50 to Sell:

Hub Group (HUBG)

Share Price: $35.72

Started with $10,000, Hub Group (NASDAQ: HUBG) is a provider of intermodal, truck brokerage, and logistics services, facilitating transportation solutions for businesses worldwide.

Why Are We Out on HUBG?

Declining unit sales over the past two years indicate demand is soft and that the company may need to revise its strategy
Sales were less profitable over the last two years as its earnings per share fell by 41.4% annually, worse than its revenue declines
Shrinking returns on capital suggest that increasing competition is eating into the company’s profitability

Hub Group is trading at $35.72 per share, or 16.3x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including HUBG in your portfolio.

Select Medical (SEM)

Share Price: $15.20

With a nationwide network spanning 46 states and over 2,700 healthcare facilities, Select Medical (NYSE: SEM) operates critical illness recovery hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, and occupational health centers across the United States.

Why Do We Avoid SEM?

Declining admissions over the past two years show it’s struggled to increase its sales volumes and had to rely on price increases
Forecasted revenue decline of 11.6% for the upcoming 12 months implies demand will fall even further
Free cash flow margin dropped by 13.2 percentage points over the last five years, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up

Select Medical’s stock price of $15.20 implies a valuation ratio of 13x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with SEM, check out our full research report (it’s free).

One Stock Under $50 to Watch:

Barrett (BBSI)

Share Price: $42.61

Operating as a professional employer organization (PEO) that serves over 8,000 companies with more than 120,000 worksite employees, Barrett Business Services (NASDAQ: BBSI) provides management solutions that help small and mid-sized businesses handle human resources, payroll, workers' compensation, and other administrative functions.

Why Are We Fans of BBSI?

Operating margin improvement of 1.1 percentage points over the last five years demonstrates its ability to scale efficiently
Industry-leading 57.3% return on capital demonstrates management’s skill in finding high-return investments, and its returns are growing as it capitalizes on even better market opportunities
Returns on capital are climbing as management makes more lucrative bets

At $42.61 per share, Barrett trades at 18.8x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs.

While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years.

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-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.

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