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.
Luckily for you, our mission at StockStory is to help you make money and avoid losses by sorting the winners from the losers. That said, here are three small-cap stocks to swipe left on and some alternatives you should look into instead.
Moog (MOG.A)
Market Cap: $9.75 billion
Responsible for the flight control actuation system integrated in the B-2 stealth bomber, Moog (NYSE: MOG.A) provides precision motion control solutions used in aerospace and defense applications
Why Do We Think Twice About MOG.A?
- Annual revenue growth of 4.9% over the last five years was below our standards for the industrials sector
- Capital intensity has ramped up over the last five years as its free cash flow margin decreased by 6.6 percentage points
- ROIC of 8% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities
At $296.62 per share, Moog trades at 30.9x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including MOG.A in your portfolio.
RXO (RXO)
Market Cap: $2.46 billion
With access to millions of trucks, RXO (NYSE: RXO) offers full-truckload, less-than-truckload, and last-mile deliveries.
Why Is RXO Not Exciting?
- Estimated sales decline of 2.4% for the next 12 months implies a challenging demand environment
- Costs have risen faster than its revenue over the last five years, causing its operating margin to decline by 5 percentage points
- Performance over the past two years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 60.8% annually
RXO’s stock price of $15.28 implies a valuation ratio of 30.6x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than RXO.
Dolby Laboratories (DLB)
Market Cap: $5.95 billion
Known for its iconic "D" logo that appears before countless movies and TV shows, Dolby Laboratories (NYSE: DLB) designs and licenses audio and video technologies that enhance entertainment experiences in movies, TV shows, music, and other media.
Why Do We Pass on DLB?
- Annual revenue growth of 3% over the last five years was well below our standards for the software sector
- Extended payback periods on sales investments suggest the company’s platform isn’t resonating enough to drive efficient sales conversions
- Operating margin failed to increase over the last year, indicating the company couldn’t optimize its expenses
Dolby Laboratories is trading at $62.48 per share, or 4.3x forward price-to-sales. To fully understand why you should be careful with DLB, check out our full research report (it’s free).
Stocks We Like More
If your portfolio success hinges on just 4 stocks, your wealth is built on fragile ground. You have a small window to secure high-quality assets before the market widens and these prices disappear.
Don’t wait for the next volatility shock. Check out 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.
