While strong cash flow is a key indicator of stability, it doesn’t always translate to superior returns. Some cash-heavy businesses struggle with inefficient spending, slowing demand, or weak competitive positioning.
Not all companies are created equal, and StockStory is here to surface the ones with real upside. That said, here are three cash-producing companies to avoid and some better opportunities instead.
JLL (JLL)
Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 3.6%
Founded in 1999 through the merger of Jones Lang Wootton and LaSalle Partners, JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a company specializing in real estate advisory and investment management services.
Why Should You Sell JLL?
- Large revenue base makes it harder to increase sales quickly, and its annual revenue growth of 10.1% over the last five years was below our standards for the consumer discretionary sector
- Ability to fund investments or reward shareholders with increased buybacks or dividends is restricted by its weak free cash flow margin of 2.9% for the last two years
- Unchanged returns on capital make it difficult for the company’s valuation multiple to re-rate
JLL is trading at $321.98 per share, or 13.8x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than JLL.
PayPal (PYPL)
Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 20%
Originally spun off from eBay in 2015 after being acquired by the auction giant in 2002, PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) operates a global digital payments platform that enables consumers and merchants to send, receive, and process payments online and in person.
Why Does PYPL Worry Us?
- Scale is a double-edged sword because it limits the company’s growth potential compared to its smaller competitors, as reflected in its below-average annual revenue increases of 5.3% for the last two years
- Performance over the past two years shows its incremental sales were less profitable, as its 2.8% annual earnings per share growth trailed its revenue gains
PayPal’s stock price of $47.62 implies a valuation ratio of 8.5x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with PYPL, check out our full research report (it’s free).
HP (HPQ)
Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 6.6%
Born from the legendary Silicon Valley garage startup founded by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard in 1939, HP (NYSE: HPQ) designs and sells personal computers, printers, and related technology products and services to consumers, businesses, and enterprises worldwide.
Why Do We Pass on HPQ?
- Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 1.2% annually over the last five years
- Demand is forecasted to shrink as its estimated sales for the next 12 months are flat
- Incremental sales over the last two years were less profitable as its earnings per share were flat while its revenue grew
At $24.77 per share, HP trades at 8.8x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why HPQ doesn’t pass our bar.
Stocks We Like More
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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 Tecnoglass (+1,552% between June 2020 and June 2025). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
