Running at a loss can be a red flag. Many of these businesses face mounting challenges as competition increases and funding becomes harder to secure.
A lack of profits can lead to trouble, but StockStory helps you identify the businesses that stand a chance of making it through. Keeping that in mind, here is one unprofitable company with the potential to become an industry leader and two that may never reach the Promised Land.
Two Stocks to Sell:
Bandwidth (BAND)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: -1.9%
Powering communications for tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Zoom, Bandwidth (NASDAQ: BAND) provides cloud-based communications software and APIs that enable businesses to embed voice, messaging, and emergency services into their applications and platforms.
Why Does BAND Give Us Pause?
- 12% annual revenue growth over the last two years was slower than its software peers
- Bad unit economics and steep infrastructure costs are reflected in its gross margin of 39.1%, one of the worst among software companies
- Static operating margin over the last year shows it couldn’t become more efficient
Bandwidth’s stock price of $19.37 implies a valuation ratio of 0.6x forward price-to-sales. To fully understand why you should be careful with BAND, check out our full research report (it’s free).
3D Systems (DDD)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: -24.8%
Founded by the inventor of stereolithography, 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) engineers, manufactures, and sells 3D printers and other related products to the aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and consumer goods industries.
Why Are We Out on DDD?
- Annual sales declines of 7% for the past five years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
- Eroding returns on capital from an already low base indicate that management’s recent investments are destroying value
- Unfavorable liquidity position could lead to additional equity financing that dilutes shareholders
3D Systems is trading at $2.02 per share, or 0.6x forward price-to-sales. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than DDD.
One Stock to Buy:
CrowdStrike (CRWD)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: -6.1%
Known for detecting the massive SolarWinds hack in 2020 that compromised numerous government agencies, CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD) provides cloud-based cybersecurity solutions that protect endpoints, cloud workloads, identity, and data through its Falcon platform.
Why Are We Backing CRWD?
- Winning new contracts that can potentially increase in value as its billings growth has averaged 26% over the last year
- Estimated revenue growth of 22.8% for the next 12 months implies its momentum over the last two years will continue
- Well-designed software integrates seamlessly with other workflows, enabling swift payback periods on marketing expenses and customer growth at scale
At $413.73 per share, CrowdStrike trades at 17.4x forward price-to-sales. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
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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.
