Crocs beats Q4 expectations, but don't be fooled ...

Now, let's look at the stock itself. The shares closed on Thursday at $1.21 (although, they rallied up to $1.33 in after-hours). The 52-week low on the stock is $0.79 and the 52-week high is $34.75. The market is doing you a favor here: it's telling you not to speculate. Crocs is not a value. It has simply become a trading vehicle for only the bravest of traders. Listen to the price action on this one.

Sure, the economy has made things rough for Crocs, but come on, it's probably more than that. The fad just isn't what it used to be. Melly Alazraki talked back in November about how the Crocs phenomenon seemed to be weakening. Given the steep drop in the shares over a year's time, and given that this is a company whose fortunes are based on the fickle consumer fashion, I'd say that this is an easy decision: do not give in to the temptation to gamble with Crocs. You just don't know how low it'll sink.

If I had to buy something related with footwear, I'd probably look at a Nike (NYSE: NKE), or a Deckers Outdoor (NASDAQ: DECK) first. Of course, considering the lousy sentiment of the markets, there aren't many stocks that I'm looking at with tremendous confidence, so I'd be careful with those two as well. As for Crocs, it's not even a blip on the proverbial radar.

Disclosure: I don't own any company mentioned; positions can change without notice.