Many small-cap stocks have limited Wall Street coverage, giving savvy investors the chance to act before everyone else catches on. But the flip side is that these businesses have increased downside risk because they lack the scale and staying power of their larger competitors.
These trade-offs can cause headaches for even the most seasoned professionals, which is why we started StockStory - to help you separate the good companies from the bad. That said, here is one small-cap stock that could be the next 100 bagger and two that may have trouble.
Two Small-Cap Stocks to Sell:
Rapid7 (RPD)
Market Cap: $1.31 billion
Founded in 2000 with the idea that network security comes before endpoint security, Rapid7 (NASDAQ: RPD) provides software as a service that helps companies understand where they are exposed to cyber security risks, quickly detect breaches and respond to them.
Why Is RPD Risky?
- Customers had second thoughts about committing to its platform over the last year as its average billings growth of 4.6% underwhelmed
- Estimated sales growth of 2% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its three-year trend
- Capital intensity will likely ramp up in the next year as its free cash flow margin is expected to contract by 2.4 percentage points
At $20.76 per share, Rapid7 trades at 1.5x forward price-to-sales. If you’re considering RPD for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
Victoria's Secret (VSCO)
Market Cap: $1.49 billion
Spun off from L Brands in 2020, Victoria’s Secret (NYSE: VSCO) is an intimate clothing and beauty retailer that sells its own brands of lingerie, undergarments, and personal fragrances.
Why Do We Avoid VSCO?
- Weak same-store sales trends over the past two years suggest there may be few opportunities in its core markets to open new locations
- Poor expense management has led to an operating margin of 4.4% that is below the industry average
- Earnings per share have contracted by 25.8% annually over the last three years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance
Victoria's Secret is trading at $18.83 per share, or 8.7x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with VSCO, check out our full research report (it’s free).
One Small-Cap Stock to Watch:
H&R Block (HRB)
Market Cap: $7.29 billion
Founded in 1955 by brothers Henry W. Bloch and Richard A. Bloch, H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) is a tax preparation company offering professional tax assistance and financial solutions to individuals and small businesses.
Why Does HRB Stand Out?
- Annual revenue growth of 30.5% over the past five years was outstanding, reflecting market share gains
- Disciplined cost controls and effective management resulted in a strong two-year operating margin of 22.5%
- Stellar returns on capital showcase management’s ability to surface highly profitable business ventures, and its returns are growing as it capitalizes on even better market opportunities
H&R Block’s stock price of $55 implies a valuation ratio of 16x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
When Trump unveiled his aggressive tariff plan in April 2025, markets tanked as investors feared a full-blown trade war. But those who panicked and sold missed the subsequent rebound that’s already erased most losses.
Don’t let fear keep you from great opportunities and take a look at Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 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 for free.
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