3 Value Stocks We Approach with Caution

Value stocks typically trade at discounts to the broader market, offering patient investors the opportunity to buy businesses when they’re out of favor. The key risk, however, is that these stocks are usually cheap for a reason – five cents for a piece of fruit may seem like a great deal until you find out it’s rotten.

Separating the winners from the value traps is a tough challenge, and that’s where StockStory comes in. Our job is to find you high-quality companies that will stand the test of time. Keeping that in mind, here are three value stocks with little support and some other investments you should consider instead.

G-III (GIII)

Forward P/E Ratio: 11.6x

Founded as a small leather goods business, G-III (NASDAQ:GIII) is a fashion and apparel conglomerate with a diverse portfolio of brands.

Why Do We Think GIII Will Underperform?

1. 5.8% annual revenue growth over the last five years was slower than its consumer discretionary peers
2. Lacking free cash flow generation means it has few chances to reinvest for growth, repurchase shares, or distribute capital
3. Returns on capital haven’t budged, indicating management couldn’t drive additional value creation

G-III is trading at $31.63 per share, or 11.6x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with GIII, check out our full research report (it’s free).

OneMain (OMF)

Forward P/E Ratio: 7.6x

Dating back to 1912 and formerly known as Springleaf, OneMain Holdings (NYSE:OMF) provides personal loans, auto financing, and credit cards to nonprime consumers who have limited access to traditional banking services.

Why Are We Wary of OMF?

1. Muted 4.9% annual revenue growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its financials peers
2. Annual earnings per share growth of 1.8% underperformed its revenue over the last five years, showing its incremental sales were less profitable
3. High debt-to-equity ratio of 6.6× shows the firm carries too much debt relative to shareholder equity, increasing bankruptcy risk

OneMain’s stock price of $58.33 implies a valuation ratio of 7.6x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than OMF.

Oaktree Specialty Lending (OCSL)

Forward P/E Ratio: 8.1x

Managed by Oaktree Capital Management, one of the world's premier alternative investment firms, Oaktree Specialty Lending (NASDAQ:OCSL) is a business development company that provides customized financing solutions to mid-market companies across various industries.

Why Are We Out on OCSL?

1. Customers postponed purchases of its products and services this cycle as its revenue declined by 12.4% annually over the last two years
2. Sales were less profitable over the last two years as its earnings per share fell by 18.1% annually, worse than its revenue declines
3. Tangible book value per share tumbled by 4.5% annually over the last five years, showing financials sector trends are working against its favor during this cycle

At $11.87 per share, Oaktree Specialty Lending trades at 8.1x forward P/E. If you’re considering OCSL for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

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 Growth Stocks for this month. 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 Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.