7 Terrible Tech Stocks to Sell in March

With the tech sector selling off throughout 2022 and attempting to make a recovery this year, it may seem to some that now is the time to look for tech stocks to buy, rather than tech stocks to sell.

However, while there may be a case to be made for buying back into FAANG components like Facebook parent Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), or even into more speculative tech growth stories with near-term catalysts, like SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI), there are still plenty of hard-hit tech stocks that may be in for additional declines.

In some cases, this is due to the high likelihood of poor operating performance lingering on for longer than expected. In other cases, this is because the market has yet to fully re-rate, in light of the reversal of pandemic-era trends that were highly favorable to the tech space. So, what are the top names in tech to sell? If you are still holding these seven tech stocks to sell, consider heading for the exits, pronto.

Intel (INTC)

During 2022, poor financial results, plus rising concerns about softening chip demand resulted in big declines in shares in semiconductor giant Intel (NASDAQ:INTC). Thus far in 2023, the pullback for this struggling tech stock has continued.

Back in late Jan., INTC stock plunged after releasing underwhelming results and updates to guidance. The company is charging ahead with its transformation plans, which hinge heavily on the chipmaker becoming largely a contract manufacturer of chips for third parties.

To finance this turnaround, Intel has even slashed its dividend, lowering its payout by 66%. At one point a high-yielder, INTC’s forward dividend yield is now just 1.89%. Beyond the fact investors will not “get paid while they wait” for a rebound, a rebound may fail to arrive. As BofA analyst Vivek Arya recently argued, the company faces numerous challenges in its efforts to become a leading chip fabrication services provider.

Logitech (LOGI)

In a world of artificial intelligence and the metaverse, computer peripherals maker Logitech (NASDAQ:LOGI) may seem relatively low-tech. However, LOGI is still a tech stock, and indeed it is one of the top tech stocks to sell.

Logitech may be in a low-margin, cyclical business, but when market conditions are in their favor, profitability can skyrocket. That’s exactly what happened during the pandemic. During the fiscal year ending March 2021, Logitech’s revenue grew a staggering 76%, and earnings more than doubled.

Yet in the two years following the height of the “stay at home economy,” LOGI stock, which soared due to pandemic tailwinds, has given back almost all of its gains, in anticipation of operating results “returning to normal.” As analysts at UBS recently warned, Logitech’s operating performance could get worse, as the end of China’s Covid lockdowns further softens demand and high competition limits future top-line growth.

Lyft (LYFT)

After cratering in price last year, Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT) plunged again just recently, upon the release of the rideshare company’s latest financial results. Many tech stocks have experienced post-earnings declines due mainly to disappointing guidance, but in the case of Lyft, it was the results themselves that largely drove the drop.

Reporting an expected loss for the December quarter, LYFT stock moved 36% lower following the release. Shares have continued to slide lower, and the stock today changes hands at single-digit prices. Yet while some may believe LYFT is now a bargain, it could easily end up being a cheaper stock that keeps getting cheaper. Analysts have slashed their 2023 earnings forecasts, as concerns rise that the company’s efforts to regain ground lost to Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) will result in lower profits, with little to show for it. If these fears prove true, LYFT’s de-rating may continue.

Opendoor Technologies (OPEN)

Trading for just over $1 per share, I’ll admit it may seem too late to say Opendoor Technologies (NASDAQ:OPEN) is one of the tech stocks to sell. However, there may be some bargain hunters out there who have bought the real estate iBuyer’s shares, on the belief that OPEN is a vehicle to make an asymmetric wager on the housing market.

That is, if the housing slowdown fails to turn into a housing meltdown, OPEN stock could zoom back to prices many times above present price levels. Unfortunately, a look at the details suggests the risk/reward proposition here is not skewed in your favor. As a Seeking Alpha commentator argued last month, even as Opendoor may be transitioning to a more capital-light marketplace model, continued issues with its legacy business (basically large-scale house flipping) will limit near-term upside, with shares possibly at risk of further downside.

Snowflake (SNOW)

During the 2020/2021 tech bubble, Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW) shares commanded a premium valuation. Although the cloud-based data services firm had yet to reach profitability, the market was willing to pay up, due to the prospect of continued high growth.

However, it’s now been more than a year since “growth at any price” has been the market’s mantra. SNOW stock, like other tech darlings, now trades at a sharp discount to its all-time high. Even so, don’t take this to mean Snowflake will, even over a multi-year time frame, re-hit its high-water mark. At least, not when it’s becoming more apt to start calling this company “Slowflake.” With its growth rate decelerating, SNOW may be in for a further contraction of its valuation. Shares today trade for 232.8 times the estimated earnings for this fiscal year (ending January 2024). The stock could fall another 50% and still be considered pricey.

Teladoc Health (TDOC)

Down nearly 92% from its all-time closing high of $294.54 per share, Teladoc Health (NYSE:TDOC) is another situation where it may seem too late to say that it’s one of the tech stocks to sell. Yet while this leading company in the telehealth space now trades at a significantly lower valuation, don’t assume that means high upside potential for TDOC stock from here. As the adoption of telemedicine has stalled, revenue has plateaued. At the same time, despite scaling up into a multi-billion dollar business, Teladoc remains unprofitable.

According to the Wall Street Journal, sell-side forecasts call for the company to report negative earnings per share not only this year ($1.35), but next year ($1.14) and the year after that (94 cents) as well. If these forecasts play out, and Teladoc makes little progress toward profitability, TDOC’s valuation will likely remain under pressure.

Zoom Video (ZM)

Last Nov., I called Zoom Video (NASDAQ:ZM) a value trap stock. Despite it falling to what many may consider a reasonable valuation for a growth stock, I argued that worsening fundamentals would put more pressure on shares in the video conferencing technology provider.

This prediction has somewhat proved to be accurate. Although ZM stock appeared on the verge of a comeback in February, after reporting better-than-expected quarterly results, ZM has zoomed lower yet again, mainly due to the unexpected firing of the company’s President, Greg Tomb.

As InvestorPlace’s William White wrote on March 3, one can speculate that this firing may have to do with Zoom’s growth, which continues to decelerate. Even as the company may be able to keep earnings steady from here, through efforts like downsizing, if growth fails to speed back up, it’s questionable whether ZM can shake off its continued “value trap” status.

On the date of publication, Thomas Niel did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.