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1 Cash-Heavy Stock with Exciting Potential and 2 Facing Headwinds


Jabin Bastian /
2026/01/01 11:40 pm EST

A cash-heavy balance sheet is often a sign of strength, but not always. Some companies avoid debt because they have weak business models, limited expansion opportunities, or inconsistent cash flow.

Just because a business has cash doesn’t mean it’s a good investment. Luckily, StockStory is here to help you separate the winners from the losers. That said, here is one company with a net cash position that can continue growing sustainably and two with hidden risks.

Two Stocks to Sell:

DoubleVerify (DV)

Net Cash Position: $97.62 million (5.3% of Market Cap)

Using advanced analytics to evaluate over 17 billion digital ad transactions daily, DoubleVerify (NYSE:DV) provides AI-powered technology that verifies digital ads are viewable, fraud-free, brand-suitable, and displayed in the intended geographic location.

Why Does DV Worry Us?

  1. Estimated sales growth of 9.3% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend
  2. Long payback periods on sales and marketing expenses limit customer growth and signal the company operates in a highly competitive environment
  3. Operating margin dropped by 1.8 percentage points over the last year as the company focused on expansion rather than profitability

DoubleVerify’s stock price of $11.57 implies a valuation ratio of 2.4x forward price-to-sales. To fully understand why you should be careful with DV, check out our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).

Eastern Bank (EBC)

Net Cash Position: $215.3 million (4.9% of Market Cap)

Founded in 1818 as one of America's oldest mutual banks before converting to a public company in 2020, Eastern Bankshares (NASDAQ:EBC) operates as a bank holding company providing commercial and retail banking services primarily in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Why Are We Cautious About EBC?

  1. Inferior net interest margin of 3.1% means it must compensate for lower profitability through increased loan originations
  2. Projected tangible book value per share decline of 3.5% for the next 12 months points to tough credit quality challenges ahead
  3. ROE of 1.9% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities

At $18.43 per share, Eastern Bank trades at 1.1x forward P/B. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including EBC in your portfolio.

One Stock to Buy:

LendingClub (LC)

Net Cash Position: $823.9 million (37.7% of Market Cap)

Pioneering peer-to-peer lending in the US before evolving into a digital bank, LendingClub (NYSE:LC) operates a marketplace that connects borrowers with lenders, offering personal loans, auto refinancing, and banking services.

Why Is LC a Top Pick?

  1. Impressive 24.7% annual revenue growth over the last five years indicates it’s winning market share this cycle
  2. Earnings per share grew by 38.3% annually over the last two years and trumped its peers

LendingClub is trading at $18.94 per share, or 12.8x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free for active Edge members.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

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-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today.