And Super Micro Computer? It's a bit of an outlier, being the only name of the four laggards to tumble for a reason other than earnings. Accounting firm Ernst & Young resigned as the company's auditor last week, saying it was "unwilling to be associated" with the technology company that allegedly ignored the firm's concerns about Supermicro's accounting practices and internal controls. While Ernst & Young's exit doesn't necessarily mean the company didn't achieve the stellar results it's been reporting of late, it does call them into question.

Opportunity or omen?

So now what?

The discounts are deep to be sure. And, although each company clearly has its problems at this time, none of them are insurmountable. Most of them are temporary in nature, in fact, stemming from predictably cyclical challenges. Even Super Micro Computer's woes will eventually be put in the rearview mirror.

But this is a situation in which interested investors might want to take a step back and proverbially read the room -- starting with the sheer scope and size of these sell-offs.

Simply put, there's more going on here than just knee-jerk overreactions to a handful of disappointing quarterly reports. These steep sell-offs are an indication of just how quickly -- and how decisively -- the market is coming to sweeping bearish conclusions.

See, it's not just these four tickers. While these are the worst of the worst, a few dozen S&P 500 constituents logged double-digit losses in October. Some of these setbacks were earnings-related. Others were just because. All of them, however, arguably underscore broad concerns about future earnings and the overall market's valuation. The S&P 500's trailing-12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 25 and its forward-looking ratio of 24 are both above long-term bull market norms.

Perhaps without even consciously realizing it, investors are looking for ways and reasons to adjust these numbers.

And that's what makes buying any of these beaten-down stocks such a dangerous proposition right now. These four names have already been identified as the market's top targets. Right or wrong, investors could hold on to or even foment a "pile on" attitude for these tickers, driving them even lower before they reach their ultimate lows.

Making them even riskier is the fact that these four companies are struggling for reasons beyond their immediate control, leaving them somewhat powerless to combat their challenges.

Huntington Ingalls' business, for example, is almost exclusively shipbuilding for a fickle U.S. Department of Defense. Estée Lauder's target market is similarly fickle, with many regular cosmetics users perpetually hunting for something new, and often hunting for brands other than the obvious major ones.

For instance, consumer research company McKinsey reported earlier this year that nearly half of Gen Z consumers try a new beauty brand every two to three months, while only 60% of this crowd claims to be truly loyal to a particular cosmetics brand. Between an increasingly crowded market and a lethargic economy, Estée Lauder's future is far from promising.

Investors are finally starting to sense this, it seems.

Not forever, but certainly for now

This won't always be the case. Sooner or later, each of these companies will fare better than they're doing right now. Their stocks will follow suit. Nothing lasts forever, after all, including weakness.

Until that time, though, take the bigger hint being dropped by the sheer size and number of post-earnings and guidance-prompted plunges. We're in an environment where investors are quick to sell en masse, and companies are able to deliver just enough concerning news to spark that selling. It could take a while to work through this rough patch. These four names are probably best avoided in the meantime simply because they're the poster children for this dynamic.

Don’t miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity

Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this.

On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves:

• Amazon: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2010, you’d have $22,292!*

• Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $42,169!*

• Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $407,758!*

Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.

See 3 “Double Down” stocks ?

*Stock Advisor returns as of October 28, 2024

James Brumley has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Qorvo. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Is It Time to Buy October's Worst-Performing S&P 500 Stocks? was originally published by The Motley Fool