Sort through the latest POWR Ratings updates, and you will find there is considerable movement in both directions. Plenty of stocks have been upgraded and downgraded this past week.

But this article will focus on stocks that you should avoid. Even as the market hits new highs, uncertainty remains with COVID-19 cases rising. That's why it's just as important to avoid bad stocks as it is to buy the best stocks.   

Below, I provide a quick look at three of the latest downgrades in ENGlobal Corporation (ENG), Kopin Corporation (KOPN), and Velodyne Lidar (VLDR).

ENGlobal Corporation (ENG)

ENG provides land management, regulatory, field inspection, engineering, and system automation services. The company serves those in the petroleum refining, production, and pipeline industries here in the United States and abroad.

ENG has a beta of 2.30, which indicates the stock is highly volatile. ENG has an overall grade of F, which translates into a Strong Sell rating in our POWR Ratings system. The stock has an F Growth Grade along and Ds in the Value, Sentiment, and Quality components. Click here to find out how ENG fares in the rest of the components, including Momentum and Stability.

Out of 84 stocks in the Industrial - Services space, ENG is ranked in the bottom three, slotting in at 82nd. However, you can find the top stocks in this industry by clicking here. So far this year, the stock is down 22.50%. 

Kopin Corporation (KOPN)

KOPN is a global provider and developer of cutting-edge wearable tech. The military, consumers, and industrial clients use KOPN's computing and display systems for various purposes. In particular, the company's wearable computer headsets are quite innovative. KOPN has also developed breakthrough technologies, including bipolar transistors that power phones and microdisplays.

Unfortunately, KOPN has an overall grade of F and a Strong Sell rating in our POWR Ratings system. The company has a grade of F in the Sentiment component and Ds in the Value, Stability, and Growth components. You can find out how KOPN fares in the additional components, including Quality and Momentum, by clicking here.

Out of the 45 stocks in the Technology - Hardware industry, KOPN is ranked second last at number 44 overall. But you can find the top-ranked stocks in this industry by clicking here. KOPN has a high beta of 2.22, which means it is more than twice as volatile as the market. KOPN stock is down 22% in just the last month.

Velodyne Lidar (VLDR)

VLDR is a lidar tech business that makes three-dimensional vision technology for autonomous computer systems. Previously known as Graf Industrial, VLDR is headquartered in Houston.

VLDR has an overall grade of F, translating into a Strong Sell rating in our POWR Ratings system. The stock has a grade of F in the Sentiment component and Ds in the Quality, Value, and Stability components. Click here to find out how VLDR fares in the Momentum and Growth components of the POWR Ratings.

Of the 85 publicly traded companies in the Industrial - Machinery industry, VLDR is ranked 83rd. You can find the top stocks in this industry by clicking here.

ENG shares . Year-to-date, ENG has declined -26.56%, versus a 19.18% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.

Patrick Ryan has more than a dozen years of investing experience with a focus on information technology, consumer and entertainment sectors. In addition to working for StockNews, Patrick has also written for Wealth Authority and Fallon Wealth Management.

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