Volatility cuts both ways - while it creates opportunities, it also increases risk, making sharp declines just as likely as big gains. This unpredictability can shake out even the most experienced investors.
These stocks can be a rollercoaster, and StockStory is here to guide you through the ups and downs. That said, here are three volatile stocks best left to the gamblers and some better opportunities instead.
Asana (ASAN)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.39
Born from the founders' frustration with the inefficiencies of email-based collaboration at Facebook, Asana (NYSE:ASAN) provides a work management platform that helps organizations track projects, set goals, and manage workflows in a centralized digital workspace.
Why Do We Avoid ASAN?
- Products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy may need some adjustments as its 9.3% average billings growth over the last year was weak
- Customers have churned over the last year due to the commoditized nature of its software, as reflected in its 95.7% net revenue retention rate
- Complex implementation process for enterprise clients means customers take longer to ramp up, as seen in its extended payback periods
Asana’s stock price of $10.25 implies a valuation ratio of 2.9x forward price-to-sales. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including ASAN in your portfolio.
Beyond Meat (BYND)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 2.62
A pioneer at the forefront of the plant-based protein revolution, Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND) is a food company specializing in alternatives to traditional meat products.
Why Should You Sell BYND?
- Declining unit sales over the past two years show it’s struggled to move its products and had to rely on price increases
- Capital intensity has ramped up over the last year as its free cash flow margin decreased by 16.7 percentage points
- Unfavorable liquidity position could lead to additional equity financing that dilutes shareholders
Beyond Meat is trading at $0.76 per share, or 0.2x forward price-to-sales. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why BYND doesn’t pass our bar.
QuidelOrtho (QDEL)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.47
Born from the 2022 merger of Quidel and Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, QuidelOrtho (NASDAQ:QDEL) develops and manufactures diagnostic testing solutions for healthcare providers, from rapid point-of-care tests to complex laboratory instruments and systems.
Why Is QDEL Risky?
- Constant currency revenue growth has disappointed over the past two years and shows demand was soft
- Free cash flow margin dropped by 27.6 percentage points over the last five years, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up
- Diminishing returns on capital from an already low starting point show that neither management’s prior nor current bets are going as planned
At $27.21 per share, QuidelOrtho trades at 13.1x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with QDEL, check out our full research report (it’s free).
Stocks We Like More
Check out the high-quality names we’ve flagged in 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 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.