3 Small-Cap Stocks Skating on Thin Ice

Investors looking for hidden gems should keep an eye on small-cap stocks because they’re frequently overlooked by Wall Street. Many opportunities exist in this part of the market, but it is also a high-risk, high-reward environment due to the lack of reliable analyst price targets.

The downside that can come from buying these securities is precisely why we started StockStory - to isolate the long-term winners from the losers so you can invest with confidence. That said, here are three small-cap stocks to swipe left on and some alternatives you should look into instead.

Shutterstock (SSTK)

Market Cap: $657.8 million

Originally featuring a library that included many of founder Jon Oringer’s photos, Shutterstock (NYSE:SSTK) is now a digital platform where customers can license and use hundreds of millions of pieces of content.

Why Does SSTK Worry Us?

1. Focus on expanding its platform has led to weaker growth in its average revenue per request
2. Earnings growth over the last three years fell short of the peer group average as its EPS only increased by 4.7% annually
3. 21.2 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last few years reflects the company’s increased investments to defend its market position

Shutterstock is trading at $18.48 per share, or 3.2x forward EV/EBITDA. To fully understand why you should be careful with SSTK, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Skillz (SKLZ)

Market Cap: $101.4 million

Taking a new twist at video gaming, Skillz (NYSE:SKLZ) offers developers a platform to create and distribute mobile games where players can pay fees to compete for cash prizes.

Why Do We Think SKLZ Will Underperform?

1. Intense competition is diverting traffic from its platform as its paying monthly active users fell by 33.6% annually
2. Persistent EBITDA losses suggest the business manages its expenses poorly
3. Negative free cash flow raises questions about the return timeline for its investments

At $6.44 per share, Skillz trades at 1.3x forward price-to-gross profit. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why SKLZ doesn’t pass our bar.

Korn Ferry (KFY)

Market Cap: $3.53 billion

With clients including 97% of the S&P 100 and operations in 103 offices across 51 countries, Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) is a global consulting firm that helps organizations design optimal structures, recruit talent, develop leaders, and create effective compensation strategies.

Why Do We Pass on KFY?

1. Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 2% annually over the last two years
2. Projected sales growth of 1.6% for the next 12 months suggests sluggish demand
3. Performance over the past two years shows each sale was less profitable as its earnings per share dropped by 7.6% annually, worse than its revenue

Korn Ferry’s stock price of $68.72 implies a valuation ratio of 13.4x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including KFY in your portfolio.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025.

While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we’re homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver’s seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years.

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