While profitability is essential, it doesn’t guarantee long-term success. Some companies that rest on their margins will lose ground as competition intensifies — as Jeff Bezos said, “Your margin is my opportunity”.
Profits are valuable, but they’re not everything. At StockStory, we help you identify the companies that have real staying power. That said, here are three profitable companies to avoid and some better opportunities instead.
8x8 (EGHT)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 3.1%
Named after its founding year (1987) with "8x8" representing binary code for communications, 8x8 (NASDAQ:EGHT) provides cloud-based contact center and unified communications solutions that enable businesses to manage customer interactions and internal communications through a single platform.
Why Is EGHT Risky?
- Offerings struggled to generate meaningful interest as its average billings growth of 1.3% over the last year did not impress
- Anticipated sales growth of 2.6% for the next year implies demand will be shaky
- Operating margin didn’t move over the last year, showing it couldn’t increase its efficiency
8x8 is trading at $1.97 per share, or 0.4x forward price-to-sales. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than EGHT.
Churchill Downs (CHDN)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 24.1%
Famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs (NASDAQ:CHDN) operates a horse racing, online wagering, and gaming entertainment business in the United States.
Why Do We Avoid CHDN?
- Sales trends were unexciting over the last five years as its 15.5% annual growth was below the typical consumer discretionary company
- ROIC of 8.8% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities
- Returns on capital are growing as management invests in more worthwhile ventures
At $81.95 per share, Churchill Downs trades at 11.5x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including CHDN in your portfolio.
Concrete Pumping (BBCP)
Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 11.6%
Going public via SPAC in 2018, Concrete Pumping (NASDAQ:BBCP) is a provider of concrete pumping and waste management services in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Why Is BBCP Not Exciting?
- Annual sales declines of 1.4% for the past two years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
- Earnings per share have contracted by 19.3% annually over the last two years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance
- Underwhelming 6.6% return on capital reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities
Concrete Pumping’s stock price of $9.02 implies a valuation ratio of 30.3x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with BBCP, check out our full research report (it’s free).
High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions
ONE MORE THING: Top 6 Stocks for This Week. This market is separating quality stocks from expensive ones fast. AI is taking down whole sectors with no warning. In a rotation this fast, you need more than a list of good companies.
Our AI system flagged Palantir before it ran 1,662% between October 2022 and February 2026. AppLovin before it ran 753% between February 2024 and February 2026. Nvidia before it ran 1,178% between January 2023 and February 2026. Each week it produces 6 new names that pass the same tests. Get Our Top 6 Stocks for Free HERE.
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,460% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+214% between June 2020 and June 2025). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.