Growth is a hallmark of all great companies, but the laws of gravity eventually take hold. Those who rode the COVID boom and ensuing tech selloff in 2022 will surely remember that the market’s punishment can be swift and severe when trajectories fall.

The risks that can come from buying these assets 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 growth stocks climbing an uphill battle and some other opportunities you should consider instead.

Agilysys (AGYS)

One-Year Revenue Growth: +17.9%

With a tech stack that powers everything from check-in to checkout at some of the world's top hospitality venues, Agilysys (NASDAQ: AGYS) develops and provides cloud-based and on-premise software solutions for hotels, resorts, casinos, and restaurants to manage operations and enhance guest experiences.

Why Are We Wary of AGYS?

1. Sales trends were unexciting over the last five years as its 17.2% annual growth was below the typical software company
2. High servicing costs result in a relatively inferior gross margin of 61.7% that must be offset through increased usage
3. Operating profits and efficiency rose over the last year as it benefited from some fixed cost leverage

Agilysys’s stock price of $72.90 implies a valuation ratio of 5.5x forward price-to-sales. To fully understand why you should be careful with AGYS, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Hope Bancorp (HOPE)

One-Year Revenue Growth: +20.2%

With roots in serving Korean-American communities and now expanded to a multi-ethnic clientele across 12 states, Hope Bancorp (NASDAQ: HOPE) operates Bank of Hope, providing commercial and retail banking services with a focus on serving multi-ethnic communities across the United States.

Why Is HOPE Risky?

1. Net interest income trends were unexciting over the last five years as its 1% annual growth was below the typical banking firm
2. Performance over the past five years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 2.2% annually
3. Tangible book value per share was flat over the last two years, indicating it’s failed to build equity value this cycle

Hope Bancorp is trading at $12.51 per share, or 0.7x forward P/B. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including HOPE in your portfolio.

Bunge Global (BG)

One-Year Revenue Growth: +56.9%

With origins dating back to 1818 and operations spanning both hemispheres to balance seasonal harvests, Bunge Global (NYSE: BG) is an agribusiness and food company that processes oilseeds, grains, and other agricultural commodities into vegetable oils, protein meals, flours, and specialty ingredients.

Why Do We Think Twice About BG?

1. The company has faced growth challenges as its 6.5% annual revenue increases over the last three years fell short of other consumer staples companies
2. Earnings per share fell by 17% annually over the last three years while its revenue grew, showing its incremental sales were much less profitable
3. Limited cash reserves may force the company to seek unfavorable financing terms that could dilute shareholders

At $125.20 per share, Bunge Global trades at 12.4x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than BG.

Stocks We Like More

ONE MORE THING: Top 5 Growth Stocks. The biggest stock winners almost always had one thing in common before they ran. Revenue growing like crazy. Meta. CrowdStrike. Broadcom. Our AI flagged all three. They returned 315%, 314%, and 455%, respectively.

Find out which 5 stocks it's flagging for this month - FREE. Get Our Top 5 Growth Stocks for Free HERE.

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.