Value stocks typically trade at discounts to the broader market, offering patient investors the opportunity to buy businesses when they’re out of favor. The key risk, however, is that these stocks are usually cheap for a reason – five cents for a piece of fruit may seem like a great deal until you find out it’s rotten.

This distinction between true value and value traps can challenge even the most skilled investors. Luckily for you, we started StockStory to help you uncover exceptional companies. Keeping that in mind, here are three value stocks climbing an uphill battle and some other investments you should look into instead.

Leslie's (LESL)

Forward P/E Ratio: 9.5x

Named after founder Philip Leslie, who established the company in 1963, Leslie’s (NASDAQ:LESL) is a retailer that sells pool and spa supplies, equipment, and maintenance services.

Why Are We Hesitant About LESL?

1. Poor same-store sales performance over the past two years indicates it’s having trouble bringing new shoppers into its brick-and-mortar locations

2. Subscale operations are evident in its revenue base of $1.33 billion, meaning it has fewer distribution channels than its larger rivals

3. High net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 10× could force the company to raise capital at unfavorable terms if market conditions deteriorate

Leslie's is trading at $0.60 per share, or 9.5x forward price-to-earnings. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including LESL in your portfolio, it’s free .

SunOpta (STKL)

Forward P/E Ratio: 14.8x

Committed to clean-label foods, SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) is a sustainability-focused food and beverage company specializing in the sourcing, processing, and packaging of organic products.

Why Does STKL Fall Short?

1. Annual sales declines of 3.8% for the past three years show its products struggled to connect with the market

2. Revenue base of $724 million puts it at a disadvantage compared to larger competitors exhibiting economies of scale

3. Commoditized products, bad unit economics, and high competition are reflected in its low gross margin of 16.6%

At $4 per share, SunOpta trades at 14.8x forward price-to-earnings. If you’re considering STKL for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more .

Astec (ASTE)

Forward P/E Ratio: 13.3x

Inventing the first ever double-barrel hot-mix asphalt plant, Astec (NASDAQ:ASTE) provides machines and equipment for building roads, processing raw materials, and producing concrete.

Why Is ASTE Not Exciting?

1. Muted 1.2% annual revenue growth over the last two years shows its demand lagged behind its industrials peers

2. Estimated sales growth of 3.5% for the next 12 months is soft and implies weaker demand

3. Free cash flow margin dropped by 12.1 percentage points over the last five years, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up