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  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
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3 Small-Cap Stocks Walking a Fine Line

By: StockStory

STBA Cover Image

Many small-cap stocks have limited Wall Street coverage, giving savvy investors the chance to act before everyone else catches on. But the flip side is that these businesses have increased downside risk because they lack the scale and staying power of their larger competitors.

The downside that can come from buying these securities is precisely why we started StockStory - to isolate the long-term winners from the losers so you can invest with confidence. That said, here are three small-cap stocks to avoid and some other investments you should consider instead.

S&T Bancorp (STBA)

Market Cap: $1.50 billion

Tracing its roots back to 1902 in western Pennsylvania's industrial heartland, S&T Bancorp (NASDAQ: STBA) is a Pennsylvania-based bank holding company that provides retail and commercial banking services, cash management, trust services, and investment advisory solutions.

Why Is STBA Not Exciting?

  1. Muted 4.6% annual net interest income growth over the last four years shows its demand lagged behind its bank peers
  2. Estimated net interest income growth of 3.5% for the next 12 months is soft and implies weaker demand
  3. Annual interest expenses are high relative to its profits, increasing the probability of its failure to meet certain borrowing obligations

S&T Bancorp’s stock price of $39.19 implies a valuation ratio of 1x forward P/B. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including STBA in your portfolio.

Old National Bank (ONB)

Market Cap: $8.57 billion

Tracing its roots back to 1834 when Andrew Jackson was president, Old National Bancorp (NASDAQ: ONB) is a bank holding company that provides commercial and consumer loans, deposit services, wealth management, and treasury solutions primarily throughout the Midwest region.

Why Are We Hesitant About ONB?

  1. 1.1% annual revenue growth over the last two years was slower than its bank peers
  2. Net interest margin shrank by 27 basis points (100 basis points = 1 percentage point) over the last two years, suggesting the yields on its loan book are decreasing or the market is becoming more competitive
  3. High debt servicing costs relative to its earnings leave little margin for error in meeting its financial obligations

Old National Bank is trading at $23.13 per share, or 1.1x forward P/B. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why ONB doesn’t pass our bar.

Northwest Bancshares (NWBI)

Market Cap: $1.71 billion

Founded in 1896 and operating across Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Indiana, Northwest Bancshares (NASDAQ: NWBI) is a bank holding company that operates Northwest Bank, providing personal and business banking, investment management, and trust services.

Why Do We Avoid NWBI?

  1. 3.2% annual net interest income growth over the last four years was slower than its bank peers
  2. Muted 1.4% annual tangible book value per share growth over the last five years shows its capital generation lagged behind its bank peers
  3. Projected tangible book value per share decline of 7.1% for the next 12 months points to tough credit quality challenges ahead

At $13.29 per share, Northwest Bancshares trades at 1x forward P/B. To fully understand why you should be careful with NWBI, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Stocks We Like More

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 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 Tecnoglass (+1,754% 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.

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