3 Unpopular Stocks We Approach with Caution

Wall Street’s bearish price targets for the stocks in this article signal serious concerns. Such forecasts are uncommon in an industry where maintaining cordial corporate relationships often trumps delivering the hard truth.

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

ON24 (ONTF)

Consensus Price Target: $8.10 (1% implied return)

Powering over 1,700 companies' virtual marketing efforts since 1998, ON24 (NYSE:ONTF) provides a cloud-based platform that enables businesses to create interactive digital experiences and capture actionable data from customer engagement.

Why Do We Pass on ONTF?

1. Billings have dropped by 5.6% over the last year, suggesting it might have to lower prices to stimulate growth
2. Sales are expected to decline once again over the next 12 months as it continues working through a challenging demand environment
3. Long payback periods on sales and marketing expenses limit customer growth and signal the company operates in a highly competitive environment

ON24 trades at a stock price of $8.02. If you’re considering ONTF for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Molson Coors (TAP)

Consensus Price Target: $48.71 (2.1% implied return)

Sporting an impressive roster of iconic beer brands, Molson Coors (NYSE:TAP) is a global brewing giant with a rich history dating back more than two centuries.

Why Do We Avoid TAP?

1. Declining unit sales over the past two years suggest it might have to lower prices to stimulate growth
2. Day-to-day expenses have swelled relative to revenue over the last year as its operating margin fell by 36.1 percentage points
3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities, and its falling returns suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up

Molson Coors’s stock price of $47.73 implies a valuation ratio of 10.5x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why TAP doesn’t pass our bar.

Comcast (CMCSA)

Consensus Price Target: $33.01 (6.7% implied return)

Formerly known as American Cable Systems, Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) is a multinational telecommunications company offering a wide range of services.

Why Should You Sell CMCSA?

1. Sluggish trends in its domestic broadband customers suggest customers aren’t adopting its solutions as quickly as the company hoped
2. Capital intensity will likely ramp up in the next year as its free cash flow margin is expected to contract by 4.3 percentage points
3. Returns on capital are increasing as management makes relatively better investment decisions

At $30.93 per share, Comcast trades at 8.6x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including CMCSA in your portfolio.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

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