Is Now the Time to Buy 3 of the S&P 500's Worst-Performing Stocks of 2025?

The S&P 500 had another strong year in 2025, rising by more than 16%, even after it had come off a couple of strong years. In 2026, now may be a good time to consider stocks that may have room to rebound and that may not have been done so well last year.

And what better place to start than some of the worst-performing stocks on the S&P 500 last year?

Deckers Outdoor (NYSE: DECK), Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD), and Fiserv (NASDAQ: FISV) were all among the worst stocks to own on the index in 2025. Here's how poorly they did last year, and why, and whether they could make for good buys today.

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Deckers Outdoors: Down 49%

Apparel company Deckers struggled mightily in 2025, losing roughly half its value over the course of the year. The big problems with the company were due to tariffs on imported products from Asia, resulting in the business having to carefully increase prices. While Deckers possesses popular brands such as Hoka and Ugg, its growth rate has been slowing down amid challenging economic conditions.

In its most recent quarter, which ended Sept. 30, 2025, net sales of $1.4 billion rose by just 9% year over year. A year earlier, however, the company's growth rate was more than 20%. The slowdown made the stock a less attractive option for growth investors, and with concerns that many tariffs aren't going away, investors have adjusted the premium they are willing to pay for the stock.

The stock currently trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 16, which is modest when compared to the average S&P 500 stock that trades at a multiple of 25. For long-term investors, it may be a good idea to consider buying shares of Deckers. As long as you're willing to be patient, this could make for a solid contrarian pick as Deckers has strong brands, and if economic conditions improve or tariffs are eliminated in the future, the stock could be due for a considerable rally.

Trade Desk: Down 68%

Shares of adtech company Trade Desk collapsed in 2025 as the business lost two-thirds of its value. Investors have been growing concerned about the company's ability to compete in an increasingly crowded ad market, particularly with tech giant Amazon becoming a bigger player in it. Investors were also rattled by the news that chief financial officer Laura Schenkein was stepping down as the company released its quarterly results back in August.

The trouble with Trade Desk is that it has been priced as a premium growth stock, and as its growth rate has fallen and concerns about competition are rising, investors headed for the exits. In its most recent quarter, which ended Sept. 30, 2025, its revenue rose by 18% to $739 million. That wasn't bad, but it was far less than the 27% growth rate it posted in the previous year.

Even with the stock's decline, it's trading at 43 times its trailing earnings. Given how competitive the ad market is and how vulnerable it may be if economic conditions worsen, I wouldn't rush to buy shares of The Trade Desk today. This is a stock that in the past traded at well over 200 times earnings; it was simply long overdue for a correction, and it may still head lower this year.

Fiserv: Down 67%

Global fintech company Fiserv crashed last year after reporting disappointing quarterly results and making significant changes to its leadership team. It also faced headwinds as a result of challenging economic conditions in Argentina, which have weighed on its performance. It also slashed its guidance.

Fiserv's growth has normally been in single digits, and even that has dipped recently, with the company's top line being flat in the most recent quarter. The business isn't a terribly exciting one to invest in, and the main reason for buying the stock may be for its valuation -- it trades at a P/E of just 10. But as with Trade Desk, this may have been a stock that was punching above its weight for far too long and arguably wasn't worth paying 40 times earnings for, as was the case in the past.

The slow-growing fintech stock doesn't make for a compelling buy, and while it may look cheap compared to where it was a year ago, taking a wait-and-see approach with it may be most appropriate at this stage.

David Jagielski, CPA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Deckers Outdoor, and The Trade Desk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.