3 Stocks Under $50 Walking a Fine Line

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 are three stocks under $50 to swipe left on and some alternatives you should look into instead.

Dentsply Sirona (XRAY)

Share Price: $12.82

With roots dating back to 1877 when it introduced the first dental electric drill, Dentsply Sirona (NASDAQ:XRAY) manufactures and sells professional dental equipment, technologies, and consumable products used by dentists and specialists worldwide.

Why Do We Steer Clear of XRAY?

1. Underwhelming constant currency revenue performance over the past two years suggests its product offering at current prices doesn’t resonate with customers
2. Negative returns on capital show that some of its growth strategies have backfired, and its decreasing returns suggest its historical profit centers are aging
3. Diminishing returns on capital from an already low starting point show that neither management’s prior nor current bets are going as planned

Dentsply Sirona is trading at $12.82 per share, or 9.3x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than XRAY.

Fortrea (FTRE)

Share Price: $9.61

Spun off from Labcorp in 2023 to focus exclusively on clinical research services, Fortrea (NASDAQ:FTRE) is a contract research organization that helps pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies develop and bring their products to market through clinical trials and support services.

Why Are We Out on FTRE?

1. Customers postponed purchases of its products and services this cycle as its revenue declined by 2.9% annually over the last four years
2. Push for growth has led to negative returns on capital, signaling value destruction, and its falling returns suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up
3. Eroding returns on capital from an already low base indicate that management’s recent investments are destroying value

Fortrea’s stock price of $9.61 implies a valuation ratio of 14.3x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with FTRE, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Fulton Financial (FULT)

Share Price: $20.20

Tracing its roots back to 1882 in the heart of Pennsylvania, Fulton Financial (NASDAQ:FULT) is a financial holding company that provides banking, lending, and wealth management services to consumers and businesses across five Mid-Atlantic states.

Why Does FULT Fall Short?

1. 8.7% annual revenue growth over the last five years was slower than its banking peers
2. Projected 2.5 percentage point efficiency ratio increase over the next year signals its day-to-day expenses will rise
3. Anticipated tangible book value per share growth of 8.9% for the next year implies profitability will be modest

At $20.20 per share, Fulton Financial trades at 1.1x forward P/B. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why FULT doesn’t pass our bar.

Stocks We Like More

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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 Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.