The $10-50 price range often includes mid-sized businesses with proven track records and plenty of growth runway ahead. They also usually carry less risk than penny stocks, though they’re not immune to volatility as many lack the scale advantages of their larger peers.
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 are three stocks under $50 to avoid and some other investments you should consider instead.
Crane NXT (CXT)
Share Price: $47.67
Born from a corporate transformation completed in 2023, Crane NXT (NYSE: CXT) provides specialized technology solutions for payment processing, banknote security, and authentication systems for financial institutions and businesses.
Why Should You Sell CXT?
- Core business is underperforming as its organic revenue has disappointed over the past two years, suggesting it might need acquisitions to stimulate growth
- Incremental sales over the last two years were much less profitable as its earnings per share fell by 6.3% annually while its revenue grew
- Free cash flow margin shrank by 11.5 percentage points over the last four years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
At $47.67 per share, Crane NXT trades at 10.6x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including CXT in your portfolio.
Trustmark (TRMK)
Share Price: $39.07
Tracing its roots back to 1889 in Mississippi, Trustmark (NASDAQ: TRMK) is a financial services organization providing banking, wealth management, insurance, and mortgage services across five southeastern states.
Why Does TRMK Worry Us?
- Annual net interest income growth of 8.6% over the last five years was below our standards for the banking sector
- Projected 1.7 percentage point efficiency ratio increase over the next year signals its day-to-day expenses will rise
- Underwhelming 7.2% return on equity reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities
Trustmark is trading at $39.07 per share, or 1.1x forward P/B. To fully understand why you should be careful with TRMK, check out our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).
Cathay General Bancorp (CATY)
Share Price: $48.66
Founded in 1962 with its first branch in Los Angeles' Chinatown, Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY) operates Cathay Bank, providing commercial banking services to businesses and individuals with a strong presence in Asian-American communities.
Why Is CATY Not Exciting?
- Annual sales declines of 1.7% for the past two years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
- Muted 5.4% annual net interest income growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its banking peers
- Sales were less profitable over the last two years as its earnings per share fell by 7.5% annually, worse than its revenue declines
Cathay General Bancorp’s stock price of $48.66 implies a valuation ratio of 1.1x forward P/B. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why CATY doesn’t pass our bar.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
If your portfolio success hinges on just 4 stocks, your wealth is built on fragile ground. You have a small window to secure high-quality assets before the market widens and these prices disappear.
Don’t wait for the next volatility shock. Check out our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 244% over the last five years (as of June 30, 2025).
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,326% between June 2020 and June 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. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
