As we look ahead to next year, we must consider which stocks to sell and which opportunities to pursue. This year has been about de-risking portfolios, and that trend will likely continue for the foreseeable future.
Stocks have been under duress for several months now, and the trend isn’t going away anytime soon. The Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates aggressively, putting immense pressure on growth stocks, which still trade at relatively high valuations. If interest rates continue to rise, these stocks will likely experience even more compression.
Furthermore, economic growth is slowing down. If there is a recession, the market will only worsen. However, some stocks are more poised to wither in the painful downturn than others. Let’s look at three such stocks you should probably discard from your portfolios.
| Symbol | Company | Price |
| APRN | Blue Apron | $1.16 |
| META | Meta Platforms | $117.90 |
| TLRY | Tilray | $4.30 |
Blue Apron (APRN)
This surge in demand for online grocery shopping has been a boon for companies such as Blue Apron (NYSE:APRN), which delivers meal kits straight to your door. Founded in 2012, Blue Apron was one of the first companies to enter the meal kit delivery space. As of 2017, the firm boasted a market share of 40%, which stands at just 9% at this time.
Given the unfavorable market conditions, the firm has been facing rising cost pressures leading to widening losses. Moreover, its liquidity concerns point to more shareholder dilution ahead.
The path toward profitability is a massive concern for the business. The combination of rising costs, growing competition, and customers being squeezed by inflation has made the goal of breaking even elusive. Therefore, it’s one of the stocks to sell before it sheds more value in the upcoming quarters.
Meta Platforms (META)
Tech giant Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) has witnessed remarkable volatility this year, as have its peers. Its deplorable performance in the stock market this year can be widely attributed to inflation and the Fed’s response. Its business depends heavily on advertising revenue. As interest rates rise and the economy slows, businesses are less likely to advertise, directly impacting the top and bottom-line results of companies that depend on ad revenue.
Most of its problems, though, are self-inflicted. Its metaverse experiment under its Reality Labs segment has failed to deliver so far, burning its cash reserves at a healthy pace. The segment is losing billions each quarter, and while it may seem like a pittance to an enterprise such as Meta, it’s adding up significantly. Even if the plan materializes, it will take a lot of years before it impacts company sales. Meanwhile, META stock will continue to shed more value for the foreseeable future.
Tilray (TLRY)
Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY) is one of the top Canadian licensed producers and the largest cannabis businesses in the world. It’s done well to grow its business inorganically through its major acquisitions and investments in Aphria and Hexo. However, its acquisitions haven’t borne much fruit, with its results in both medical and adult-use markets down from the prior-year period. Moreover, it has limited access to the U.S. marijuana market, which makes it an unattractive U.S. legalization play.
Quantitative tightening has taken a toll on Tilray and other speculative growth stocks. However, companies in the cannabis sector haven’t learned how to make money efficiently, and Tilray is no different, with its stock taking a hammering. Even if interest rates were to revert to 2021 levels overnight, it shouldn’t be enough to save Tilray. Its recent earnings results show that it is not growing quickly enough to justify its stock price. Thus, it is one of the stocks to sell.