3 Dirt Cheap Stocks to Buy With $1,000 Right Now

Motley Fool highlights three non‑S&P names it views as undervalued: Plug Power, Opendoor and SoFi, arguing each offers upside as sector and macro headwinds abate. Plug Power — which has deployed ~72,000 fuel‑cell systems and 275 fueling stations — saw revenue fall 24% last year but has a $1.66bn DOE loan guarantee, a Project Quantum Leap cost plan, analyst‑modeled revenue CAGR of ~30% for 2024–27 and trades at under 1x sales amid ~28% short interest. Opendoor, the largest U.S. iBuyer, suffered steep revenue declines (‑55% in 2023, ‑26% in 2024) but has begun buying more homes as rates eased, cut costs, launched seller/buyer matching and partnerships, and is forecast to return to growth (12% CAGR 2025–27) with EBITDA turning positive by 2027 while trading below 1x sales. SoFi has scaled rapidly (members 2.5m→10.1m; revenue $1.01bn→$2.61bn), benefits from Galileo’s payments scale (~160m accounts), and — as interest‑rate pressure and student‑loan distortions ease — is modeled to deliver ~25% revenue and ~37% adj. EBITDA CAGRs to 2027 and trades at roughly 17x next‑year adjusted EBITDA.

Analysis

Plug Power has deployed roughly 72,000 fuel‑cell systems and 275 fueling stations but reported revenue down 24% last year with a widened net loss. Analysts model a 30% revenue CAGR for 2024–27 and management is executing a Project Quantum Leap cost‑cutting plan while a $1.66 billion DOE loan guarantee to build six green hydrogen plants supports near‑term liquidity. The stock trades at under 1x this year's sales and faces elevated short interest (28% of float) even as insiders were net buyers over the past 12 months, making execution and DOE milestones the primary catalysts.

Opendoor, the largest U.S. iBuyer, saw revenue decline 55% in 2023 and 26% in 2024 but resumed buying more homes in 2024 after the Fed cut rates three times. Cost cuts, improved resale economics, upgraded AI pricing, partnerships and the Opendoor Exclusives matching product have improved adjusted EBITDA margins; analysts forecast a 12% revenue CAGR for 2025–27 and positive adjusted EBITDA by 2027. Shares trade below 1x sales with ~24% short interest, so recovery hinges on further rate relief and execution of new channels.

SoFi scaled members from 2.5 million to 10.1 million and revenue from $1.01bn to $2.61bn from 2021–24, with Galileo supporting nearly 160 million accounts. Rising rates and the student‑loan payment pause compressed origination and margins, but analysts expect 25% revenue and 37% adjusted EBITDA CAGRs to 2027 as those headwinds ease; the stock trades at about 17x next‑year adjusted EBITDA while insiders were net sellers. Monitor loan demand, student‑loan repayment flow‑through and margin normalization as the key value drivers.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Consider selective, event‑driven exposure to PLUG sized conservatively given execution risk; monitor DOE loan milestone progress, Project Quantum Leap cost savings, revenue guidance and short interest reduction as primary upside catalysts
• Accumulate OPEN on confirmed rate declines and improving home‑buying volumes while watching adjusted EBITDA margin trends, AI pricing accuracy, and partnership rollout; avoid large positions until revenue inflection and positive EBITDA trajectory are visible
• Favor SOFI for growth exposure if loan originations rebound and student‑loan repayment ramps as forecasted, but track monthly loan volume trends and margin recovery closely given insider selling
• Across all three, use tight position sizing or hedges because of elevated short interest and historical revenue volatility, and prioritize catalyst monitoring over passive buy‑and‑hold allocations