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.
Luckily for you, our mission at StockStory is to help you make money and avoid losses by sorting the winners from the losers. Keeping that in mind, here is one stock under $50 with huge potential and two that may have trouble.
Two Stocks Under $50 to Sell:
Albertsons (ACI)
Share Price: $14.93
With over 20 well-known grocery banners spanning 34 states, Albertsons (NYSE: ACI) operates food and drug retail stores across the US, offering groceries, pharmacy services, and own-brand products under banners like Safeway, Jewel-Osco, and Vons.
Why Do We Steer Clear of ACI?
- Lack of new stores puts a ceiling on its growth and reflects a focus on optimizing sales at existing locations
- Widely-available products (and therefore stiff competition) result in an inferior gross margin of 27.5% that must be offset through higher volumes
- Responsiveness to unforeseen market trends is restricted due to its substandard operating margin profitability
Albertsons is trading at $14.93 per share, or 6.7x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why ACI doesn’t pass our bar.
Green Plains (GPRE)
Share Price: $14.66
Operating one of North America's largest ethanol platforms with capacity to process 310 million bushels of corn annually, Green Plains (NASDAQ: GPRE) operates ten biorefineries that convert corn into ethanol for fuel, distillers grains for animal feed, and renewable corn oil.
Why Should You Dump GPRE?
- Sales stagnated over the last five years and signal the need for new growth strategies
- Gross margin of 5.5% reflects its high production costs and unfavorable asset base
- Cash-burning history makes us doubt the long-term viability of its business model
At $14.66 per share, Green Plains trades at 8.5x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than GPRE.
One Stock Under $50 to Buy:
SM Energy (SM)
Share Price: $28.10
Operating across three key regions with over 328,000 net acres under its control, SM Energy (NYSE: SM) explores for, develops, and produces oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids primarily from shale formations in Texas and Utah.
Why Are We Bullish on SM?
- Market share has increased this cycle as its 25.5% annual revenue growth over the last five years was exceptional
- Highly-profitable operating model results in strong unit economics and a best-in-class gross margin of 87.2%
- EBITDA profits and efficiency rose over the last five years as it benefited from some fixed cost leverage
SM Energy’s stock price of $28.10 implies a valuation ratio of 3.5x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
WHILE YOU’RE HERE: Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. The best stocks don’t just beat the market once. They do it again. And again. Robust revenue growth, rising free cash flow, returns on capital that leave their competition in the dust. The market has already rewarded these businesses.
But our AI platform says the party isn’t over. Find out which 9 stocks made the cut this week — FREE. Get Our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks for Free HERE.
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 Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
