Low-volatility stocks may offer stability, but that often comes at the cost of slower growth and the upside potential of more dynamic companies.
Choosing the wrong investments can cause you to fall behind, which is why we started StockStory - to separate the winners from the losers. That said, here is one low-volatility stock that could succeed under all market conditions and two that may not keep up.
Two Stocks to Sell:
Agilysys (AGYS)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.49
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 Is AGYS Not Exciting?
- Annual revenue growth of 17.2% over the last five years was below our standards for the software sector
- High servicing costs result in a relatively inferior gross margin of 61.7% that must be offset through increased usage
- Operating margin expanded by 3.6 percentage points over the last year as it scaled and became more efficient
Agilysys’s stock price of $80.81 implies a valuation ratio of 6.9x forward price-to-sales. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including AGYS in your portfolio.
Dime Community Bancshares (DCOM)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.62
With roots dating back to 1910 and a name that evokes the historic "dime savings banks" of America's past, Dime Community Bancshares (NASDAQ:DCOM) is a New York-based bank holding company that provides commercial banking and financial services to businesses and consumers throughout Greater Long Island.
Why Does DCOM Give Us Pause?
- Inferior net interest margin of 2.7% means it must compensate for lower profitability through increased loan originations
- Annual earnings per share growth of 1.9% underperformed its revenue over the last five years, showing its incremental sales were less profitable
- 1.9% annual tangible book value per share growth over the last five years was slower than its banking peers
Dime Community Bancshares is trading at $35.04 per share, or 1.1x forward P/B. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why DCOM doesn’t pass our bar.
One Stock to Watch:
Universal Health Services (UHS)
Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.61
With a network spanning 39 states and three countries, Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) operates acute care hospitals and behavioral health facilities across the United States, United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico.
Why Are We Fans of UHS?
- Revenue base of $16.99 billion gives it economies of scale and some negotiating power
- Share repurchases have amplified shareholder returns as its annual earnings per share growth of 15% exceeded its revenue gains over the last five years
- Free cash flow margin grew by 6.9 percentage points over the last five years, giving the company more chips to play with
At $234.03 per share, Universal Health Services trades at 10.1x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
The market’s up big this year - but there’s a catch. Just 4 stocks account for half the S&P 500’s entire gain. That kind of concentration makes investors nervous, and for good reason. While everyone piles into the same crowded names, smart investors are hunting quality where no one’s looking - and paying a fraction of the price. Check out the high-quality names we’ve flagged in our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. 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-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.