Best Stocks Under $20.00 for 2018

The stock market has had an incredible bull-run since the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009. Stocks continue to hit new all-time highs and the price-to-earnings ratios of most S&P 500 companies look very expensive. Many investors are having trouble finding low-priced stocks that haven't already appreciated greatly during the last decade. It's hard to find a good deal on Wall Street right now when even small S&P 500 companies are trading at market caps above $1 billion.

Stocks have gotten expensive both in-terms of share price and their valuation relative to earnings. In more normal markets, a typical S&P 500 company has traded at about fifteen times their earnings. Most stocks are currently trading closer to 25 times their annual earnings. While the stock market has become more expensive as a whole, there are still a handful of undervalued stocks that are trading at less than $20.00 per share.

Value investing opportunities do exist if you're looking in the right places. Putting together a list of the best stocks under $20.00 requires investors to look at smaller and riskier companies and in sectors that are either undiscovered or unloved by the market as a whole. Some of these cheap stocks may not look especially attractive today, but long-term investors will profit if they are willing to exercise patience and hold on to shares of these comapnies through multiple economic cycles.

Some of these companies are solid investing ideas because they are too little and considered too risky to attract the interest of most managed mutual funds and Wall Street money managers. Others operate in unloved and untested areas of the market. You may find even find crypto stocks, marijuana stocks and bitcoin stocks on this list. Others have been beat up by Mr. Market after a long period of slowing profits, but are now actively trying to turn around their business and bounce back. These low-priced stocks operate in a lot of different industries, but these picks all carry two common characteristics. They all have a super-low share price of $20.00 or less and consisently-receive "buy" and "strong buy" ratings from Wall Street's top-rated research analysts.

#1 - Construction Partners (NASDAQ:ROAD)

Stock Price: $11.97
Market Cap: $568.47 million
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 5 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $15.10 (26.1% Upside)

Construction Partners, Inc., an infrastructure and road construction company, provides construction products and services to public and private sectors. Its services cover construction of highways, roads, bridges, airports, and commercial and residential sites. The company provides site development, paving, utility and drainage systems, as well as supplies hot mix asphalt. It serves customers primarily in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The company was formerly known as SunTx CPI Growth Company, Inc. and changed its name to Construction Partners, Inc. in September 2017. Construction Partners, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Dothan, Alabama.

#2 - Ladder Capital (NYSE:LADR)

Stock Price: $17.00
Market Cap: $1.86 billion
P/E Ratio: 12.5
Dividend Yield: 7.73 %
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 6 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $17.2857 (1.7% Upside)

Ladder Capital Corp operates as a real estate investment trust in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Loans, Securities, and Real Estate. The Loans segment originates conduit first mortgage loans that are secured by cash-flowing commercial real estate; and originates and invests in balance sheet first mortgage loans secured by commercial real estate properties that are undergoing transition, including lease-up, sell-out, and renovation or repositioning. It also invests in note purchase financings, subordinated debt, mezzanine debt, and other structured finance products related to commercial real estate. The Securities segment invests in commercial mortgage-backed securities and the U.S. Agency Securities. The Real Estate segment owns and invests in a portfolio of commercial and residential real estate properties, such as leased properties, office buildings, a warehouse, and condominium units. The company qualifies as a real estate investment trust for federal income tax purposes. It generally would not be subject to federal corporate income taxes if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its stockholders. Ladder Capital Corp was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

#3 - Clearside Biomedical (NASDAQ:CLSD)

Stock Price: $6.96
Market Cap: $243.06 million
P/E Ratio: -2.9
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 7 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $22.40 (221.8% Upside)

Clearside Biomedical, Inc., a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company, develops pharmacological therapies to treat blinding diseases of the eye. It is developing suprachoroidal injection of CLS-TA, a proprietary preservative-free formulation of the corticosteroid triamcinolone acetonide, which is in Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of macular edema associated with non-infectious uveitis; suprachoroidal injection of CLS-TA and a concomitant intravitreal injection of Eylea, an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor that is in Phase III clinical trial to treat macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion; and suprachoroidal injection of CLS-TA alone or together with intravitreal injection of Eylea that is in phase II clinical trial for diabetic macular edema. The company also engages in the development of therapies in various areas, such as gene therapy for inherited retinal disorders, neovascular age-related macular degeneration, and other ocular diseases. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia.

#4 - G4S/ADR (OTCMKTS:GFSZY)

Stock Price: $15.84
Market Cap: $4.99 billion
Dividend Yield: 4.43 %
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 6 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: N/A

G4S plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of security and related services in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Africa, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, India, Latin America, Europe, and North America. The company offers integrated solutions, including analytics and intelligence, technology and software, consulting and risk management, monitoring and response, and manned and mobile security, as well as systems design, built, and integration services. It also provides electronic monitoring, secure health, forensic medical and police support, secure support, and custody, detention, and rehabilitation services. In addition, the company offers cash solutions, such as cash management software and systems, cash recycling, international secure logistics, ATM replenishment and engineering, cash processing, and cash in transit services. It serves government, financial institutions, private energy and utilities, and ports and airports, as well as transportation and logistics, leisure and tourism, corporate and industrial, and retail sectors. G4S plc was founded in 1901 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

#5 - SUNDANCE ENERGY/S (NASDAQ:SNDE)

Stock Price: $5.38
Market Cap: $69.97 million
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 5 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $7.75 (44.1% Upside)

Sundance Energy Australia Limited engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas in the United States. The company's exploration and development activities are focused on the Eagle Ford project in the South-Texas-Gulf Coast Basin. Sundance Energy Australia Limited was incorporated in 2004 and is based in Wayville, Australia.

#6 - Senseonics (NYSEAMERICAN:SENS)

Stock Price: $3.72
Market Cap: $434.88 million
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 5 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $6.00 (61.3% Upside)

Senseonics Holdings, Inc., a medical technology company, designs, develops, and commercializes continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems for people with diabetes primarily in Europe. Its products include Eversense and Eversense XL, which are implantable CGM systems that is designed to continually and accurately measure glucose levels in people with diabetes for a period of up to 90 and 180 days. The company has a research and development license agreement with TypeZero Technologies, Inc. and Roche Diabetes Care, Inc. to develop a closed loop diabetes management system that allow users to automatically maintain tight glucose control while avoiding hypoglycemia. Senseonics Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Germantown, Maryland.

#7 - AquaVenture (NYSE:WAAS)

Stock Price: $17.11
Market Cap: $448.15 million
P/E Ratio: -17.5
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 5 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $21.60 (26.2% Upside)

AquaVenture Holdings Limited provides water-as-a-service solutions in North America, the Caribbean, and South America. The company operates in two segments, Seven Seas Water and Quench. It offers desalination and wastewater treatment solutions for governmental, municipal, industrial, and hospitality customers; and point-of-use filtered water systems and related services to approximately 40,000 institutional and commercial customers. The company was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Road Town, British Virgin Islands.

#8 - Ra Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:RARX)

Stock Price: $10.53
Market Cap: $351.86 million
P/E Ratio: -4.3
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 6 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $19.60 (86.1% Upside)

Ra Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, develops therapeutics for the treatment of diseases caused by excessive or uncontrolled activation of the complement system in the United States. The company's peptide chemistry platform enables the production of synthetic macrocyclic peptides that combine the diversity and specificity of antibodies with the pharmacological properties of small molecules. Its lead product candidate is RA101495, an injection into the tissue under the skin that has completed Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH); and is in Phase II clinical trial for treating patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), as well as in Phase 1b clinical trial for treating atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and lupus nephritis (LN). The company's preclinical testing products include Factor D inhibition for orphan renal and dense deposit diseases, and C3 glomerulonephritis; Oral C5 inhibitor for PNH, gMG, aHUS, LN, and central nervous system (CNS) diseases; and other complement inhibitors for autoimmune/CNS diseases. It has multi-target collaboration and license agreement with Merck & Co., Inc. Ra Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

#9 - Earthstone Energy (NYSE:ESTE)

Stock Price: $8.01
Market Cap: $537.41 million
P/E Ratio: 5.5
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 9 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $13.75 (71.7% Upside)

Earthstone Energy, Inc., an oil and natural gas development and production company, operates in the up-stream segment of the oil and natural gas industry in the United States. Its asset portfolio includes the Midland Basin of west Texas and the Eagle Ford trend of south Texas. As of December 31, 2017, the company operated 91 gross Eagle Ford wells; and 12 gross Austin Chalk wells, as well as had 79,976 thousand barrels of oil equivalent (MBOE) of total proved reserves, 19,961 MBOE of proved developed reserves, and 60,015 MBOE of proved undeveloped reserves. Earthstone Energy, Inc. was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.

#10 - Foundation Building Materials (NYSE:FBM)

Stock Price: $13.80
Market Cap: $565.34 million
P/E Ratio: 46.0
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 6 Buy Ratings, 2 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $17.5714 (27.3% Upside)

Foundation Building Materials, Inc. distributes building products in the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments, Specialty Building Products and Mechanical Insulation. The Specialty Building Products segment distributes wallboard, metal framing, suspended ceiling system, and other products. It also provides wallboard accessories, stucco, and exterior insulation and finish systems, as well as tools, safety accessories, and fasteners. This segment serves non-residential, residential, and non-residential repair and remodel construction markets. The Mechanical Insulation segment distributes and fabricates commercial and industrial insulation for pipes and mechanical systems. It serves non-residential construction, non-residential repair and remodel construction, and industrial markets. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Tustin, California. Foundation Building Materials, Inc. is a subsidiary of LSF9 Cypress Parent 2 LLC.

#11 - Obseva (NASDAQ:OBSV)

Stock Price: $12.52
Market Cap: $546.91 million
P/E Ratio: -5.7
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 6 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $30.00 (139.6% Upside)

ObsEva SA, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for women suffering from reproductive health and pregnancy disorders. It is developing OBE2109, an oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor antagonist for the treatment of pain associated with endometriosis and heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine fibroids in pre-menopausal women; nolasiban, an oral oxytocin receptor antagonist to enhance clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in women undergoing in vitro fertilization; and OBE022, an oral and selective prostaglandin F2a, or PGF2a receptor antagonist, as a once daily treatment for preterm labor in weeks 24 to 34 of gestational age. The company was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland.

#12 - Daseke (NASDAQ:DSKE)

Stock Price: $8.71
Market Cap: $580.65 million
P/E Ratio: -14.6
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 5 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $14.8750 (70.8% Upside)

Daseke, Inc. provides transportation and logistics solutions with a focus on flatbed and specialized freight in North America. It operates through Flatbed Solutions and Specialized Solutions segments. The company transports heavy haul freight, defense and commercial arms, ammunition and explosives, radioactive cargo and hazardous materials, and commercial sheet glass, as well as offers 10-wheel drive-away services. It also offers industrial warehousing and distribution services, including export packaging and free trade zone access in Savannah, Georgia; and over-dimensional cargo solution. In addition, Daseke, Inc. operates as an open deck carrier for power sports industry. The company serves automotive, port intermodal, power generation, and steel and building materials markets. As of December 31, 2017, the company operated 3,218 company-owned tractors, and 11,237 trailers, as well as 2,056 tractors owned and operated by independent contractors. Daseke, Inc. is headquartered in Addison, Texas.

#13 - Lilis Energy (NYSEAMERICAN:LLEX)

Stock Price: $4.15
Market Cap: $186.56 million
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 8 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $7.1250 (71.7% Upside)

Lilis Energy, Inc., an independent oil and natural gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of conventional and unconventional oil and natural gas properties. Its total net acreage in the Permian Basin is approximately 19,000 acres. The company's oil and natural gas properties are located in the Delaware Basin in Winkler, Loving, and Reeves counties, Texas; and Lea County, New Mexico. As of December 31, 2017, it had proved reserves of 11,453 million barrels of oil equivalent (MBOE), including proved developed reserves of 4,275 MBOE and proved undeveloped reserves of 7,178 MBOE. The company also had proved natural gas reserves of 16,060 thousand cubic feet; and natural gas liquid reserves of 1,605 thousand barrels. The company was formerly known as Recovery Energy, Inc. and changed its name to Lilis Energy, Inc. in December 2013. Lilis Energy, Inc. was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

#14 - NCS Multistage (NASDAQ:NCSM)

Stock Price: $15.89
Market Cap: $730.22 million
P/E Ratio: 78.6
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 7 Buy Ratings, 1 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $23.5714 (48.3% Upside)

NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc. provides engineered products and support services for oil and natural gas well completions and field development strategies in the United States and internationally. The company's products include casing-installed sliding sleeves, downhole frac isolation assemblies, sand jet perforating products, spotfrac systems, ballshift sliding sleeves, airlock casing buoyancy systems, liner hanger systems, and spectrum tracer services. It also provides advisory services to customers on completion designs and field development strategies. NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc. offers its products and services primarily to exploration and production companies for use in onshore wells through technically-trained direct sales force, and operating partners or sales representatives. The company was formerly known as Pioneer Super Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc. in December 2016. NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

#15 - GrafTech International (NYSE:EAF)

Stock Price: $18.04
Market Cap: $5.88 billion
Dividend Yield: 1.32 %
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 7 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $26.60 (47.5% Upside)

GrafTech International Ltd. researches, develops, manufactures, and sells synthetic and natural graphite and carbon based products worldwide. It offers graphite electrodes, which are components of the conductive power systems used to produce steel and non-ferrous metals; and petroleum needle coke, a crystalline form of carbon used in the production of graphite electrodes. The company sells its products primarily through direct sales force, independent sales representatives, and distributors. The company was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Independence, Ohio. GrafTech International Ltd. is a subsidiary of BCP IV GrafTech Holdings LP.

#16 - Aquantia (NYSE:AQ)

Stock Price: $12.10
Market Cap: $427.91 million
P/E Ratio: -25.7
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 6 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $15.0833 (24.7% Upside)

Aquantia Corp., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, and markets advanced high-speed communication integrated circuits for Ethernet connectivity in the data center, enterprise infrastructure, and access markets worldwide. Its products include corporate and cloud data center products; enterprise infrastructure products; and access products, such as client connectivity and carrier access. The company sells its products to integrated circuit suppliers, original equipment manufacturers, and original design manufacturers through direct sales. Aquantia Corp. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

#17 - BioXcel Therapeutics (NASDAQ:BTAI)

Stock Price: $8.18
Market Cap: $144.72 million
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 5 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $20.40 (149.4% Upside)

BioXcel Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on novel artificial intelligence-based drug development in the fields of neuroscience and immuno-oncology in the United States. The company is involved in developing BXCL501, a sublingual thin film formulation of dexmedetomidine designed for acute treatment of agitation resulting from neurological and psychiatric disorders; and BXCL701, an immuno-oncology agent designed for the treatment of prostate and pancreatic cancers. It is also developing BXCL502, a novel approach to the treatment of symptoms resulting from neurological disorders; and BXCL702, an immuno-oncology agent for hematological malignancies. The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Branford, Connecticut. BioXcel Therapeutics, Inc. is a subsidiary of BioXcel Corporation.

#18 - Wheaton Precious Metals (NYSE:WPM)

Stock Price: $17.64
Market Cap: $9.24 billion
P/E Ratio: 29.3
Dividend Yield: 1.80 %
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 5 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $27.50 (55.9% Upside)

Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. operates as a silver and gold streaming company in Canada and internationally. It has streaming agreements for 20 operating mines and 9 development stage projects. The company was formerly known as Silver Wheaton Corp. and changed its name to Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. in May 2017. Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

#19 - VERONA PHARMA P/S (NASDAQ:VRNA)

Stock Price: $11.65
Market Cap: $182.46 million
P/E Ratio: -4.8
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 5 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $34.80 (198.7% Upside)

Verona Pharma plc, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, develops and commercializes therapeutics to treat respiratory diseases. The company's product candidate is RPL554, an inhaled dual inhibitor of the enzymes phosphodiesterase 3 and 4, which has completed Phase I and IIa clinical trials that acts as a bronchodilator and an anti-inflammatory agent for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis. Verona Pharma plc was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

#20 - Clementia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CMTA)

Stock Price: $9.89
Market Cap: $285.46 million
P/E Ratio: -1.2
Consensus Rating: Buy
Ratings Breakdown: 5 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
Consensus Price Target: $24.60 (148.7% Upside)

Clementia Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, develops treatments for patients suffering from bone disorders and other diseases. Its lead product candidate is palovarotene, an oral small molecule for the treatment of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive, multiple osteochondromas, dry eye disease, and other diseases is in the Phase 3 MOVE Trial. Clementia Pharmaceuticals Inc. was founded in 2010 and is based in Montreal, Canada.