Stocks trading in the $1-10 range are generally smaller players with less risk than their penny stock counterparts. But that doesn’t mean the underlying businesses are cheap, and we advise caution as many have questionable fundamentals.

Luckily for you, our mission at StockStory is to help you make money and avoid losses by sorting the winners from the losers. Keeping that in mind, here are three stocks under $10 to avoid and some other investments you should consider instead.

Hertz (HTZ)

Share Price: $5.70

Started with a dozen Model T Fords, Hertz (NASDAQ: HTZ) is a global car rental company providing vehicle rental services to leisure and business travelers.

Why Should You Sell HTZ?

1. Disappointing unit sales over the past two years suggest it might have to lower prices to accelerate growth
2. Diminishing returns on capital suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up
3. Unfavorable liquidity position could lead to additional equity financing that dilutes shareholders

Hertz is trading at $5.70 per share, or 4.2x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including HTZ in your portfolio.

AerSale (ASLE)

Share Price: $8.62

Providing a one-stop shop that integrates multiple services and product offerings, AerSale (NASDAQ: ASLE) delivers full-service support to mid-life commercial aircraft.

Why Are We Out on ASLE?

1. Muted 3.7% annual revenue growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its industrials peers
2. Cash burn makes us question whether it can achieve sustainable long-term growth
3. Waning returns on capital from an already weak starting point displays the inefficacy of management’s past and current investment decisions

At $8.62 per share, AerSale trades at 26.1x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why ASLE doesn’t pass our bar.

Fortrea (FTRE)

Share Price: $10.15

Spun off from Labcorp in 2023 to focus exclusively on clinical research services, Fortrea (NASDAQ: FTRE) is a contract research organization that helps pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies develop and bring their products to market through clinical trials and support services.

Why Do We Think FTRE Will Underperform?

1. Annual sales declines of 3.6% for the past two years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
2. Diminishing returns on capital from an already low starting point show that neither management’s prior nor current bets are going as planned
3. Depletion of cash reserves could lead to a fundraising event that triggers shareholder dilution

Fortrea’s stock price of $10.15 implies a valuation ratio of 16.3x forward P/E. If you’re considering FTRE for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Stocks We Like 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. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today

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