3 Volatile Stocks We Steer Clear Of

Market swings can be tough to stomach, and volatile stocks often experience exaggerated moves in both directions. While many thrive during risk-on environments, many also struggle to maintain investor confidence when the ride gets bumpy.

These stocks can be a rollercoaster, and StockStory is here to guide you through the ups and downs. Keeping that in mind, here are three volatile stocks to steer clear of and a few better alternatives.

PlayStudios (MYPS)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.12

Founded by a team of former gaming industry executives, PlayStudios (NASDAQ:MYPS) offers free-to-play digital casino games.

Why Does MYPS Worry Us?

1. Products and services have few die-hard fans as sales have declined by 4.4% annually over the last two years
2. Poor expense management has led to operating margin losses
3. Negative returns on capital show management lost money while trying to expand the business

PlayStudios is trading at $1.25 per share, or 3x forward EV-to-EBITDA. If you’re considering MYPS for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

APi (APG)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.14

Started in 1926 as an insulation contractor, APi (NYSE:APG) provides life safety solutions and specialty services for buildings and infrastructure.

Why Does APG Fall Short?

1. Organic sales performance over the past two years indicates the company may need to make strategic adjustments or rely on M&A to catalyze faster growth
2. Free cash flow margin shrank by 3.9 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
3. ROIC of 3% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities

APi’s stock price of $34.95 implies a valuation ratio of 25x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with APG, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Jackson Financial (JXN)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.44

Spun off from British insurer Prudential plc in 2021 after more than 60 years as its U.S. subsidiary, Jackson Financial (NYSE:JXN) offers annuity products and retirement solutions that help Americans grow and protect their retirement savings and income.

Why Is JXN Not Exciting?

1. 3.2% annual net premiums earned growth over the last two years was slower than its insurance peers
2. Costs have risen faster than its revenue over the last two years, causing its pre-tax profit margin to decline by 48.2 percentage points
3. Falling earnings per share over the last three years has some investors worried as stock prices ultimately follow EPS over the long term

At $88.18 per share, Jackson Financial trades at 0.6x forward P/B. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why JXN doesn’t pass our bar.

Stocks We Like More

Trump’s April 2025 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines.

Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. 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 Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.

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