Even if a company is profitable, it doesn’t always mean it’s a great investment. Some struggle to maintain growth, face looming threats, or fail to reinvest wisely, limiting their future potential.

Profits are valuable, but they’re not everything. At StockStory, we help you identify the companies that have real staying power. Keeping that in mind, here are three profitable companies to avoid and some better opportunities instead.

Flowers Foods (FLO)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 7%

With Wonder Bread as its premier brand, Flower Foods (NYSE: FLO) is a packaged foods company that focuses on bakery products such as breads, buns, and cakes.

Why Should You Sell FLO?

1. Falling unit sales over the past two years suggest it might have to lower prices to stimulate growth
2. Estimated sales decline of 1.3% for the next 12 months implies a challenging demand environment
3. Incremental sales over the last three years were much less profitable as its earnings per share fell by 21% annually while its revenue grew

At $10.10 per share, Flowers Foods trades at 12.1x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including FLO in your portfolio.

Royal Caribbean (RCL)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 27.4%

Established in 1968, Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE: RCL) is a global cruise vacation company renowned for its innovative and exciting cruise experiences.

Why Is RCL Risky?

1. Number of passenger cruise days has disappointed over the past two years, indicating weak demand for its offerings
2. Lacking free cash flow generation means it has few chances to reinvest for growth, repurchase shares, or distribute capital
3. Low returns on capital reflect management’s struggle to allocate funds effectively

Royal Caribbean’s stock price of $317.74 implies a valuation ratio of 16.7x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why RCL doesn’t pass our bar.

Avnet (AVT)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 2.8%

With a century-long history of adapting to technological evolution, Avnet (NASDAQ: AVT) is a global electronic components distributor that connects manufacturers of semiconductors and other electronic parts with businesses that need these components.

Why Does AVT Worry Us?

1. Customers postponed purchases of its products and services this cycle as its revenue declined by 4.9% annually over the last two years
2. Earnings per share have dipped by 29.2% annually over the past two years, which is concerning because stock prices follow EPS over the long term
3. Low free cash flow margin of -0.2% for the last five years gives it little breathing room, constraining its ability to self-fund growth or return capital to shareholders

Avnet is trading at $67.71 per share, or 11.9x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with AVT, check out our full research report (it’s free).

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