3 Unpopular Stocks We Find Risky

Wall Street has issued downbeat forecasts for the stocks in this article. These predictions are rare - financial institutions typically hesitate to say bad things about a company because it can jeopardize their other revenue-generating business lines like M&A advisory.

At StockStory, we look beyond the headlines with our independent analysis to determine whether these bearish calls are justified. That said, here are three stocks where the skepticism is well-placed and some better opportunities to consider.

VSE Corporation (VSEC)

Consensus Price Target: $208.06 (1.8% implied return)

With roots dating back to 1959 and a strategic focus on extending the life of transportation assets, VSE Corporation (NASDAQ:VSEC) provides aftermarket parts distribution and maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for aircraft and vehicle fleets in commercial and government markets.

Why Does VSEC Fall Short?

1. Competitive supply chain dynamics and steep production costs are reflected in its low gross margin of 17.3%
2. Negative free cash flow raises questions about the return timeline for its investments
3. Underwhelming 5.1% return on capital reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities

VSE Corporation’s stock price of $204.31 implies a valuation ratio of 50.7x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why VSEC doesn’t pass our bar.

RXO (RXO)

Consensus Price Target: $15.59 (5.6% implied return)

With access to millions of trucks, RXO (NYSE:RXO) offers full-truckload, less-than-truckload, and last-mile deliveries.

Why Does RXO Give Us Pause?

1. Estimated sales decline of 2.6% for the next 12 months implies a challenging demand environment
2. Expenses have increased as a percentage of revenue over the last five years as its operating margin fell by 5 percentage points
3. Earnings per share fell by 60.8% annually over the last two years while its revenue grew, showing its incremental sales were much less profitable

At $14.76 per share, RXO trades at 1,150.5x forward P/E. If you’re considering RXO for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Encore Capital Group (ECPG)

Consensus Price Target: $60.25 (7.6% implied return)

Operating in the often misunderstood world of debt collection since 1999, Encore Capital Group (NASDAQ:ECPG) purchases portfolios of defaulted consumer debt at deep discounts and works with individuals to recover these obligations while helping them toward financial recovery.

Why Do We Think Twice About ECPG?

1. Annual revenue growth of 1.3% over the last five years was below our standards for the financials sector
2. Performance over the past five years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 15.9% annually
3. 11× net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio shows it’s overleveraged and increases the probability of shareholder dilution if things turn unexpectedly

Encore Capital Group is trading at $56.01 per share, or 7.7x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than ECPG.

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-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.