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 swipe left on and some alternatives you should look into instead.
Gap (GAP)
Share Price: $27.22
Operating under the Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands, Gap (NYSE: GAP) is an apparel and accessories retailer selling casual clothing to men, women, and children.
Why Are We Wary of GAP?
- Sales tumbled by 1.3% annually over the last three years, showing consumer trends are working against its favor
- Free cash flow margin dropped by 2.2 percentage points over the last year, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up
- ROIC of 7.7% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities
At $27.22 per share, Gap trades at 12.3x forward P/E. If you’re considering GAP for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD)
Share Price: $13.58
Founded as Lydon & Drews dredging company, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (NASDAQ: GLDD) provides dredging services, land reclamation, and coastal protection projects in the United States and internationally.
Why Does GLDD Worry Us?
- Average backlog growth of 4.2% over the past two years was mediocre and suggests fewer customers signed long-term contracts
- High input costs result in an inferior gross margin of 16.9% that must be offset through higher volumes
- Cash burn makes us question whether it can achieve sustainable long-term growth
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock’s stock price of $13.58 implies a valuation ratio of 14.1x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with GLDD, check out our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).
WesBanco (WSBC)
Share Price: $35.27
Tracing its roots back to 1870 in West Virginia, WesBanco (NASDAQ: WSBC) is a bank holding company that provides retail and commercial banking, trust services, insurance, and investment products through its subsidiaries across several Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states.
Why Is WSBC Not Exciting?
- Muted 9% annual net interest income growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its banking peers
- Incremental sales over the last two years were less profitable as its 6.3% annual earnings per share growth lagged its revenue gains
- Flat tangible book value per share over the last five years suggest it must find different ways to enhance shareholder value during this cycle
WesBanco is trading at $35.27 per share, or 0.9x forward P/B. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than WSBC.
Stocks We Like More
Your portfolio can’t afford to be based on yesterday’s story. The risk in a handful of heavily crowded stocks is rising daily.
The names generating the next wave of massive growth are right here in our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. 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-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.
