Value stocks typically trade at discounts to the broader market, offering patient investors the opportunity to buy businesses when they’re out of favor. The key risk, however, is that these stocks are usually cheap for a reason – five cents for a piece of fruit may seem like a great deal until you find out it’s rotten.

This distinction between true value and value traps can challenge even the most skilled investors. Luckily for you, we started StockStory to help you uncover exceptional companies. That said, here are three value stocks with little support and some other investments you should consider instead.

Ford (F)

Forward P/E Ratio: 11x

Established to make automobiles accessible to a broader segment of the population, Ford (NYSE: F) designs, manufactures, and sells a variety of automobiles, trucks, and electric vehicles.

Why Is F Risky?

1. Flat vehicles sold over the past two years show it’s struggled to increase its sales volumes and had to rely on price increases
2. Performance over the past two years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 22.5% annually
3. High net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 9× increases the risk of forced asset sales or dilutive financing if operational performance weakens

Ford’s stock price of $13.31 implies a valuation ratio of 11x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why F doesn’t pass our bar.

Haemonetics (HAE)

Forward P/E Ratio: 14x

With roots dating back to 1971 and a mission to improve blood-related healthcare, Haemonetics (NYSE: HAE) provides specialized medical devices and software for blood collection, processing, and management across plasma centers, blood banks, and hospitals.

Why Does HAE Fall Short?

1. Organic revenue growth fell short of our benchmarks over the past two years and implies it may need to improve its products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy
2. Revenue base of $1.33 billion puts it at a disadvantage compared to larger competitors exhibiting economies of scale
3. Estimated sales growth of 1.7% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend

At $70.51 per share, Haemonetics trades at 14x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than HAE.

Artisan Partners (APAM)

Forward P/E Ratio: 11.1x

Founded in 1994 with a focus on autonomous investment teams and a "high-value-added" approach, Artisan Partners (NYSE: APAM) is an investment management firm that offers actively managed equity and fixed income strategies to institutional and individual investors.

Why Are We Wary of APAM?

1. Annual revenue growth of 6.5% over the last five years was below our standards for the financials sector
2. Annual earnings per share growth of 4.3% underperformed its revenue over the last five years, showing its incremental sales were less profitable

Artisan Partners is trading at $42.82 per share, or 11.1x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with APAM, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Stocks We Like More

Your portfolio can’t afford to be based on yesterday’s story. The risk in a handful of heavily crowded stocks is rising daily.

The names generating the next wave of massive growth are right here in our 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 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.