Cleantech Stocks Q&A with Josh Levine of the MicroCap Investor Newsletter
In Environment of Rising Oil Prices, Levine Sees Major Investment Opportunities in Cleantech
New York, NY, Point Roberts WA, March 3, 2011 – Investorideas.com, an investor research portal specializing in sector investing including cleantech presents a Q&A with Josh Levine of the MicroCap Investor newsletter, discussing why cleantech's outlook is excellent for both the short and longer term. Josh discusses his research model for identifying the best pure plays within the sector.
Investorideas.com Interview:
Q: Investorideas.com
Josh, with oil prices surging above $100, cleantech is getting a lot more attention again from Wall Street and independent investors. I know you look at the long term investment picture, so what do you think is driving cleantech and what is your outlook for opportunities in this sector?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
Let's first qualify what is meant by the term cleantech. Cleantech is often used interchangeably with green technologies and alternative energy, but it seems to be the one that's emerged to encompass all these things. Cleantech essentially covers technologies that are more energy-efficient than conventional technologies and offer more environmentally-friendly alternatives to fossil-fuel-driven energy applications.
Broadly speaking, the world is always moving towards more efficient use of resources. Year after year and decade after decade, we manage to get more out of a given amount of resources. The first industrial revolution was powered by coal and though it provided tremendous gains in production, the pollution negatively impacted the quality of life and health of millions of people.
In the past century, while coal continued to have a prominent role, oil reigned as the fuel of choice because its energy density is so high, it was incredibly abundant, and it's easy to transport. The downside is that the oil supply is finite and that the burning of it leaves an undesirable byproduct. Today, it's becoming increasingly more costly to find and produce new oil -- and that's critical in the energy equation.
This brings us to cleantech opportunities, which are only just emerging after very long periods of incubation in research and development. What's happening today is a huge shift in the consciousness of governments, corporations and consumers. Of course lots of people are talking about energy efficiency, but there are also many now taking action on all levels.
Several things are driving this shift toward cleantech including climate change, the fear of running out of global oil supplies, rising world population and the limits of natural resources, higher energy costs, and environmental concerns. And then there's the surging demand from China. That's a pretty powerful mix. And when we combine these forces with the progress being made in new energy technologies, investors have a remarkable opportunity for profits.
The first electric cars are hitting the road this year after several years of hybrids, and the prospects for broad adoption over the next several years are very promising. With this comes the need for infrastructure to support car charging and that will spawn huge investments in the electric grid and networks to support these new vehicles around the U.S. and all over the world.
Of course solar and wind will continue to grow as their costs approach parity with conventional energy and they address important niches in the energy sphere. Additionally, there are so many other technologies that are part of the cleantech ecosystem and critical to the development of these markets, including batteries, fuel cells, inverters, demand response and energy management systems, ultracapacitors, superconductor cables and so much more.
To succeed in cleantech, investors really need to stay focused on the bigger picture and to be patient. The energy space moves far slower than, for example, the IT world, so developments unfold at a different rate. But once these technologies start gaining market traction, the valuations of the leading small innovative cleantech companies will generate fantastic returns for investors who got an early start.
Q: Investorideas.com
You recently just added a new cleantech stock to your portfolio. Can you give us some insight as to what qualified this particular stock based on your investing model?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
My latest recommendation in unusual company which has developed and commercialized environmentally safe alternatives to plastics used for food containers, utensils, product wraps, as well as a wide range of parts in autos and many other things. Importantly, it meets all of my most important criteria for a great microcap investment.
As a cleantech play, this company's biodegradeable and completely safe products can replace petroleum-based polypropylene packaging. The result is less use of oil and a better outcome for the environment. It's a strong proposition.
It's a classic microcap story with all of the fundamentals in place for soaring growth -- a unique technology platform that's been validated by major customers worldwide, an experienced and proven management team, and powerful market drivers bolstered by increasing demand.
This company is addressing markets representing annual sales in the tens of billions of dollars, it has proven technology and products that are being rapidly adopted by large corporate customers, it has manufacturing capacity to scale several times current production, and its products are already on parity with polypropylene now that oil prices are north of $100.
In 2010, sales revenue for this company was $6.3 million, a 133% increase versus 2009, and projected revenue for the 2011 full year is between $24 million and $32 million -- a whopping 300% to 400% increase over 2010!
With all this going for it, this company is still valued well below $100 million. That's the kind of microcap opportunity I absolutely love!
Q: Investorideas.com
With all the government incentives and funding from this administration, how much of a role does government play for you when you look at a sector or an individual stock?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
First, it's important to point out that the oil and nuclear industries have enjoyed massive government subsidies forever. So it's totally ridiculous when some folks get all bent out of shape and complain about the unfair advantages for renewable energy.
Now, as for the role government plays, I would say that it is a factor on the sector level, especially as it concerns solar subsidies in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere. But as we've seen, it's tough to bet on companies when from year to year you don't know what's going to happen regarding tax credits and other such things.
On the other hand, government R&D grants serve a great purpose for small companies since these funds essentially cover the costs for specific projects and enable firms with limited resources to explore technologies that they may otherwise have to put on the back burner.
There is one cleantech company in the MicroCap Investor portfolio that has benefitted considerably from government grants and the nice thing for shareholders is that any value created by these projects stays with the company.
On a final note, the government's role in basic scientific research has always been very fundamental for U.S. economic growth and that's one area that the Feds should continue to focus on. This is especially vital for energy technologies since venture capitalists and other investors don't have the patience or staying power required to take these technologies from lab to market.
Q: Investorideas.com
Within cleantech there are a lot of sub-sectors from smart grid to solar to wind to energy efficiency and others; what are you focusing on and why?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
All of the above, but I'm especially looking at companies that solve big problems with elegant and cost-efficient solutions. There's got to be a powerful value proposition, adoption by key customers, multi-billion dollar markets, and fast-growing demand on a global scale.
There a wonderful opportunities in every segment of cleantech, but at the small company level an investor really needs to understand the dynamics of technologies and markets, not to mention to be able to evaluate management teams.
In the MicroCap Investor portfolio the cleantech companies are involved in energy storage, LED and other advanced lighting, equipment for large-scale solar projects, bioplastics, technologies for increasing the efficiency of the energy grid, and more.
I'm focusing on these companies because they could deliver profits of 100% to 1,000% over the next several years. In fact, I recently sold half of our position in one of these stocks to capture a 138% profit -- and that's just a small taste of what's ahead.
Q: Investorideas.com
What percentage of your portfolio is in the cleantech space currently and are you looking to add more companies in the space over this year?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
About one-third of the MicroCap Investor portfolio is devoted to cleantech companies, and I've got several top prospects in my sights. It's tough to predict, but I suspect I'll be adding at least a couple of more cleantech plays to our portfolio this year.
It's really a matter of quality, not quantity, and I am extremely bullish on the current group we have today. Still, cleantech is a ripe sector and it will yield tremendous opportunities year after year for a very long time. Every growth-oriented investor should make sure a healthy portion of his or her equities portfolio is allocated to cleantech.
Josh Levine’s MicroCap Investor http://www.levinesmicrocapinvestor.com
Levine's MicroCap Investor delves deep into the world of small stocks to identify big winners, targeting innovative companies on the path of the new and revolutionary.
The strategy for MicroCap Investor is simple: to focus on small, innovative companies representing the best pure plays in the fast-growing waves of change in biotechnology, cleantech, and emerging IT.
About Josh Levine
Levine has 25 years of senior-level experience in analyzing technology trends and investing in top-performing micro- and small-cap stocks. He excels at assessing management teams and evaluating new innovations and their impact on corporate valuations.
More on Levine’s bio: http://www.levinesmicrocapinvestor.com/aboutus/
To learn more about this and the other outstanding investment opportunities in the MicroCap Investor portfolio, subscribe now.
http://www.levinesmicrocapinvestor.com/subscriptions/order/
InvestorIdeas.com has partnered with Josh Levine and MicroCap Investor as part of its mission to provide investors with research tools to explore the world of small stocks. The InvestorIdeas.com team operates this web site and manages the administration and marketing for MicroCap Investor.
InvestorIdeas.com is a leading investment and industry research portal, with resources covering high-growth sectors including technology, biotech and cleantech.
Levine’s Microcap Investor
Contact us
admin@levinesmicrocapinvestor.com
800 665 0411
Research the sector:The renewable energy stocks directory features stocks listed on the TSX, OTC, NASDAQ, NYSE, AMEX, ASX, AIM, Hong Kong and China markets and other leading exchanges. The directory includes info and links on Alternative Energy Funds, Biogas and Ethanol Stocks, Energy Efficiency Stocks, Flywheel Stocks, Fuel Cell Stocks, Geothermal Stocks, Hydrogen Production, Micro Turbine Stocks, Solar Stocks, Green Transportation, Wind Power and Wind Energy Stocks and Green Infrastructure Stocks.
http://www.investorideas.com/Companies/RenewableEnergy/Stock_List.asp
.Become a member and get even more : Investor Ideas members can login to access all 4 cleantech stock directories. Learn more : http://www.investorideas.com/membership/
Showing posts with label microcap stocks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label microcap stocks. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Monday, February 07, 2011
Q&A with Josh Levine of MicroCap Investor; Winning Strategy for Stocks in Biotech, Cleantech, and Emerging Technologies
Q&A with Josh Levine of MicroCap Investor; Winning Strategy for Stocks in Biotech, Cleantech, and Emerging Technologies
Insight into Microcap Stock Research with a Long Term Investment Focus
New York, NY, Point Roberts WA, February 7, 2011 – Investorideas.com, an investor research portal specializing in sector investing including cleantech and biotech, interviews Josh Levine of the MicroCap Investor newsletter to gain insight on his research methodology.
Interview:
Q: Investorideas.com
Josh, your newsletter is unique in that you cover microcap stocks, which most investors associate with day trading -- but you research the space to look for long term wins. Can you tell investors why you look within the microcap space for those opportunities?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
I view microcap investing as a long-term process that entails holding stocks one, three, five years and longer. It is endlessly fascinating and rewarding to invest in small companies developing new technologies and innovations, but it does require lots of patience and discipline. Jumping in and out of stocks only creates short term capital gains -- a tax consequence we try to avoid.
Successful microcap investing, above all else, relies on fundamental analysis and not market timing or seasonal variations. As long as investors focus on the market’s inefficiencies at this level -- and capitalize on them -- they'll do very well in the long run.
This point about inefficiencies is extremely important. The gaps between the market's perspective and the fundamental realities of a company are vastly wider in smaller stocks than larger ones -- and that's why I‘ve uncovered so many enticing opportunities.
Like the old song goes, "You say potato and I say po-tah-to, you say tomato and I say to-mah-to ..." Similarly, investors in the microsphere seldom agree on the inherent values of these fledgling companies and, more specifically, their potential earnings power several years out.
Of course, that's what makes for a market and that's why there are usually buyers and sellers at almost every price. As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure. In microcap land, where there are thousands of penny stocks and solid fundamentals are at a premium, there is lots of trash to sift through. Fortunately, I've been around the block enough times to know which neighborhoods hold the real treasures.
Q: Investorideas.com
You have a focus on biotech, cleantech, and other emerging technologies. Can you tell us why those key areas?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
Small firms are able to concentrate on high-value-added functions where cutting-edge knowledge and technology are paramount. As a result, the microcaps that execute deliver amazingly high-growth margins and profits -- and fantastic returns to their investors.
By participating in transformational changes in the highest-growth industries, any microcap that successfully navigates the path from R&D to commercialization and beyond will emerge a big winner. There are no better sectors to find these companies than in biotechnology and medical technologies, cleantech and renewable energy, and advanced IT and networking technologies.
The life sciences is a particularly rich group to explore for exciting microcap opportunities. One reason is that big pharma companies are expected to lose as much as $140 billion in annual sales by 2016, as some of their key product patents expire. These drug giants are desperate for new innovations to revitalize their pipelines and small biotechs are an excellent source.
A surprisingly large number of the best microcap prospects reside in the biopharma and biotech sectors. I have always sought out and discovered bio companies with certain valuable attributes. Indeed, compared to the vast majority of sub-$100-million-market-value firms, the biotechs in our portfolio have seasoned management, big-league experienced boards, sane capital structures, enough cash to operate for more than 12 months, and solid partnerships with big pharmas.
In the energy world, for example, the shift to electric transportation will have far-reaching impact on nearly every industry and sector, from energy producers and suppliers to electrical equipment manufacturers and utilities to developers of the smart grid and numerous other advanced IT and energy technologies. Many small companies are building pieces of the emerging infrastructure and smart grids.
It's notable that one of the big boys in global electric infrastructure equipment, ABB, Inc. recently made a $10 million investment in a tiny company that supplies EV charging systems. Mergers and acquisitions will be happening more frequently among companies developing technologies for the smart grid. What’s more, the anticipated IPOs this year for cleantech rising stars like Silver Spring Networks and BrightSource Energy will attract new investors.
Electric networks are the largest, most complex systems around, and it will take massive investments in technology over the next couple of decades to get them into shape to meet soaring demand for ever more efficient and ubiquitous electric power. As a consequence, a multitude of opportunities exist for small, innovative firms to capture lucrative market niches.
Q: Investorideas.com
You have just added a new stock to your watch list I understand. Can you tell us the criteria you have in place when you add a new stock and what you typically look for?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
First, I want to point out there are variations in my decision-making process between, for instance, a nanocap listed on the OTC Bulletin Board and an established microcap with a $250 million market cap that’s profitable with an institutional following.
For the smallest microcaps, it’s essential to spend time with management and look at everything with a magnifying glass. For more seasoned companies, there is already a track record as well as more information available, which makes the due diligence process less of a maze.
Obviously, fundamental stock analysis is central, but I’ve learned that investing in small advanced-tech firms is as much art as science. It comes down to certain basics that apply across the board, and they are:
1) People – starting with the founders and top management, nothing counts more than the quality, experience, track record, and credibility of those running the company.
2) Technology – technologies need to perform well but they also must represent a transformational shift or add significant value by improving current products or systems.
3) Markets – technologies must address a sizable market, or it’s simply not worth the effort. Also, it’s essential to monitor market trends and being clued in to what industry leaders are doing. As senior analyst for ChangeWave Research, I am able to track the pace of change across many industries.
4) Intangibles – this covers everything under the intellectual property umbrella, from patents to trade secrets, including everything inside the heads of employees. There’s nothing tougher to quantify, but it’s vital to get as much understanding as you can about these assets.
5) Capital Structure – this reveals a whole lot about a company’s history and the ability of executives to manage growth and build for the future. Problems in the capital structure often cripple microcaps, so investors need to be very critical in their analysis.
Q: Investorideas.com
I remember hearing old time investors talking about making their big wins in the market by finding the next big thing and holding on for years. In the past few years that mentality has been dismantled by what transpired in 2008. Do you still see that kind of opportunity in the market – and what kind of wins are you seeing in your portfolio?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
Yes, the opportunities for returns of 200%, 500%, 1,000% and higher continue to be out there. But to earn the truly life-altering profits, you need to be fully invested in the best microcap stocks prior to any major bull cycle. A big portion of gains are often made in the early phase of a bull market for microcaps, so you’ve got to be positioned early. Otherwise, by the time the trend takes shape, it’s usually too late to build the kind of low-cost positions that ultimately deliver those ten-bagger profits.
Today I believe we’re in the early stages of a microcap bull market, but it’s difficult to predict the exact timing. Still, ever since the end of 2008 – even before the general market bottomed – the stocks in the MicroCap Investor portfolio have been trending higher.
We ended 2010 on a high note by capturing a 138% profit by selling one-half of our position in a company that’s leading the charge, so to speak, in energy solutions for transportation.
Another microcap in our portfolio, a developer of a new class of cancer therapeutics, is up 240% since I first recommended it to subscribers. When I added this stock to our portfolio it was within pennies of its six-year low. The value of this biotech, which has a long-standing partnership with a leading biopharma and a healthy cash hoard, lies in the ability of its drugs to be used in combination therapies and its excellent prospects for attracting licensees. While its gains so far have been good, this stock could soar five to ten times its current price depending on the success of clinical trials for its various drugs.
In general, our biotech positions are looking very, very good. In less than six months, we’re up 43% with a stem cell developer which already has two revenue-generating businesses. And a number of others have been regularly hitting new milestones, which eventually will be translated into much higher market valuations.
While all of the stocks in our portfolio are positioned for tremendous upside ahead, the most consistent performers have been what I call the “Mature Microcaps.” For instance, within this group we’ve got a gain of 109% with a supplier of advanced equipment for large-scale solar projects, and we’re up 76% with a designer of 3G/4G wireless chips.
Finally, one of my favorite microcaps today is a company which has developed and is selling advanced mobile services to multi-billion dollar markets worldwide in dire need of its cost-effective and efficient solutions. We’ve already got a 120% gain, but I believe this one has all the characteristics of rapidly becoming one of the great microcap winners of the decade.
The recent activity in our micros, nice as it’s been, hardly measures up to the bonanzas of past microcap bull runs. A big reason is that this bull market lacks the full participation of the public which has remained enormously risk-adverse after the blow-ups, busts and downturns of the past decade.
Depending on the breadth and length of this upturn, individual investors will increasingly come back into the game, and eventually in large numbers. By then, however, the biggest profits will have been registered by those investors positioned far ahead of the herd.
------------------------------------------------
Josh Levine’s MicroCap Investor http://www.levinesmicrocapinvestor.com
Levine's MicroCap Investor delves deep into the world of small stocks to identify big winners, targeting innovative companies on the path of the new and revolutionary.
About Josh Levine
Levine has 25 years of senior-level experience in analyzing technology trends and investing in top-performing micro- and small-cap stocks. He excels at assessing management teams and evaluating new innovations and their impact on corporate valuations.
More on Levine’s bio: http://www.levinesmicrocapinvestor.com/aboutus/
To learn more about this and the other outstanding investment opportunities in the MicroCap Investor portfolio, subscribe now.
http://www.levinesmicrocapinvestor.com/subscriptions/order/
InvestorIdeas.com is partnered with Josh Levine and MicroCap Investor as part of its mission to provide investors with research tools to explore the world of small stocks. The InvestorIdeas.com team operates this web site and manages the administration and marketing for MicroCap Investor.
InvestorIdeas.com is a leading investment and industry research portal, with resources covering high-growth sectors including technology, biotech and cleantech.
Levine’s Microcap Investor
Disclaimer and disclosure for Levine’s Microcap:
http://www.levinesmicrocapinvestor.com/disclosure/
Disclaimer and disclosure for Investorideas.com
Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. http://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp
Contact us
admin@levinesmicrocapinvestor.com
800 665 0411
Research the green sector:
The renewable energy stocks directory features stocks listed on the TSX, OTC, NASDAQ, NYSE, AMEX, ASX, AIM, Hong Kong and China markets and other leading exchanges. The directory includes info and links on Alternative Energy Funds, Biogas and Ethanol Stocks, Energy Efficiency Stocks, Flywheel Stocks, Fuel Cell Stocks, Geothermal Stocks, Hydrogen Production, Micro Turbine Stocks, Solar Stocks, Green Transportation, Wind Power and Wind Energy Stocks and Green Infrastructure Stocks.
.Become a member and get even more : Investor Ideas members can login to access all 4 cleantech stock directories. Learn more : http://www.investorideas.com/membership/
Insight into Microcap Stock Research with a Long Term Investment Focus
New York, NY, Point Roberts WA, February 7, 2011 – Investorideas.com, an investor research portal specializing in sector investing including cleantech and biotech, interviews Josh Levine of the MicroCap Investor newsletter to gain insight on his research methodology.
Interview:
Q: Investorideas.com
Josh, your newsletter is unique in that you cover microcap stocks, which most investors associate with day trading -- but you research the space to look for long term wins. Can you tell investors why you look within the microcap space for those opportunities?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
I view microcap investing as a long-term process that entails holding stocks one, three, five years and longer. It is endlessly fascinating and rewarding to invest in small companies developing new technologies and innovations, but it does require lots of patience and discipline. Jumping in and out of stocks only creates short term capital gains -- a tax consequence we try to avoid.
Successful microcap investing, above all else, relies on fundamental analysis and not market timing or seasonal variations. As long as investors focus on the market’s inefficiencies at this level -- and capitalize on them -- they'll do very well in the long run.
This point about inefficiencies is extremely important. The gaps between the market's perspective and the fundamental realities of a company are vastly wider in smaller stocks than larger ones -- and that's why I‘ve uncovered so many enticing opportunities.
Like the old song goes, "You say potato and I say po-tah-to, you say tomato and I say to-mah-to ..." Similarly, investors in the microsphere seldom agree on the inherent values of these fledgling companies and, more specifically, their potential earnings power several years out.
Of course, that's what makes for a market and that's why there are usually buyers and sellers at almost every price. As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure. In microcap land, where there are thousands of penny stocks and solid fundamentals are at a premium, there is lots of trash to sift through. Fortunately, I've been around the block enough times to know which neighborhoods hold the real treasures.
Q: Investorideas.com
You have a focus on biotech, cleantech, and other emerging technologies. Can you tell us why those key areas?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
Small firms are able to concentrate on high-value-added functions where cutting-edge knowledge and technology are paramount. As a result, the microcaps that execute deliver amazingly high-growth margins and profits -- and fantastic returns to their investors.
By participating in transformational changes in the highest-growth industries, any microcap that successfully navigates the path from R&D to commercialization and beyond will emerge a big winner. There are no better sectors to find these companies than in biotechnology and medical technologies, cleantech and renewable energy, and advanced IT and networking technologies.
The life sciences is a particularly rich group to explore for exciting microcap opportunities. One reason is that big pharma companies are expected to lose as much as $140 billion in annual sales by 2016, as some of their key product patents expire. These drug giants are desperate for new innovations to revitalize their pipelines and small biotechs are an excellent source.
A surprisingly large number of the best microcap prospects reside in the biopharma and biotech sectors. I have always sought out and discovered bio companies with certain valuable attributes. Indeed, compared to the vast majority of sub-$100-million-market-value firms, the biotechs in our portfolio have seasoned management, big-league experienced boards, sane capital structures, enough cash to operate for more than 12 months, and solid partnerships with big pharmas.
In the energy world, for example, the shift to electric transportation will have far-reaching impact on nearly every industry and sector, from energy producers and suppliers to electrical equipment manufacturers and utilities to developers of the smart grid and numerous other advanced IT and energy technologies. Many small companies are building pieces of the emerging infrastructure and smart grids.
It's notable that one of the big boys in global electric infrastructure equipment, ABB, Inc. recently made a $10 million investment in a tiny company that supplies EV charging systems. Mergers and acquisitions will be happening more frequently among companies developing technologies for the smart grid. What’s more, the anticipated IPOs this year for cleantech rising stars like Silver Spring Networks and BrightSource Energy will attract new investors.
Electric networks are the largest, most complex systems around, and it will take massive investments in technology over the next couple of decades to get them into shape to meet soaring demand for ever more efficient and ubiquitous electric power. As a consequence, a multitude of opportunities exist for small, innovative firms to capture lucrative market niches.
Q: Investorideas.com
You have just added a new stock to your watch list I understand. Can you tell us the criteria you have in place when you add a new stock and what you typically look for?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
First, I want to point out there are variations in my decision-making process between, for instance, a nanocap listed on the OTC Bulletin Board and an established microcap with a $250 million market cap that’s profitable with an institutional following.
For the smallest microcaps, it’s essential to spend time with management and look at everything with a magnifying glass. For more seasoned companies, there is already a track record as well as more information available, which makes the due diligence process less of a maze.
Obviously, fundamental stock analysis is central, but I’ve learned that investing in small advanced-tech firms is as much art as science. It comes down to certain basics that apply across the board, and they are:
1) People – starting with the founders and top management, nothing counts more than the quality, experience, track record, and credibility of those running the company.
2) Technology – technologies need to perform well but they also must represent a transformational shift or add significant value by improving current products or systems.
3) Markets – technologies must address a sizable market, or it’s simply not worth the effort. Also, it’s essential to monitor market trends and being clued in to what industry leaders are doing. As senior analyst for ChangeWave Research, I am able to track the pace of change across many industries.
4) Intangibles – this covers everything under the intellectual property umbrella, from patents to trade secrets, including everything inside the heads of employees. There’s nothing tougher to quantify, but it’s vital to get as much understanding as you can about these assets.
5) Capital Structure – this reveals a whole lot about a company’s history and the ability of executives to manage growth and build for the future. Problems in the capital structure often cripple microcaps, so investors need to be very critical in their analysis.
Q: Investorideas.com
I remember hearing old time investors talking about making their big wins in the market by finding the next big thing and holding on for years. In the past few years that mentality has been dismantled by what transpired in 2008. Do you still see that kind of opportunity in the market – and what kind of wins are you seeing in your portfolio?
A: Josh Levine, MicroCap Investor
Yes, the opportunities for returns of 200%, 500%, 1,000% and higher continue to be out there. But to earn the truly life-altering profits, you need to be fully invested in the best microcap stocks prior to any major bull cycle. A big portion of gains are often made in the early phase of a bull market for microcaps, so you’ve got to be positioned early. Otherwise, by the time the trend takes shape, it’s usually too late to build the kind of low-cost positions that ultimately deliver those ten-bagger profits.
Today I believe we’re in the early stages of a microcap bull market, but it’s difficult to predict the exact timing. Still, ever since the end of 2008 – even before the general market bottomed – the stocks in the MicroCap Investor portfolio have been trending higher.
We ended 2010 on a high note by capturing a 138% profit by selling one-half of our position in a company that’s leading the charge, so to speak, in energy solutions for transportation.
Another microcap in our portfolio, a developer of a new class of cancer therapeutics, is up 240% since I first recommended it to subscribers. When I added this stock to our portfolio it was within pennies of its six-year low. The value of this biotech, which has a long-standing partnership with a leading biopharma and a healthy cash hoard, lies in the ability of its drugs to be used in combination therapies and its excellent prospects for attracting licensees. While its gains so far have been good, this stock could soar five to ten times its current price depending on the success of clinical trials for its various drugs.
In general, our biotech positions are looking very, very good. In less than six months, we’re up 43% with a stem cell developer which already has two revenue-generating businesses. And a number of others have been regularly hitting new milestones, which eventually will be translated into much higher market valuations.
While all of the stocks in our portfolio are positioned for tremendous upside ahead, the most consistent performers have been what I call the “Mature Microcaps.” For instance, within this group we’ve got a gain of 109% with a supplier of advanced equipment for large-scale solar projects, and we’re up 76% with a designer of 3G/4G wireless chips.
Finally, one of my favorite microcaps today is a company which has developed and is selling advanced mobile services to multi-billion dollar markets worldwide in dire need of its cost-effective and efficient solutions. We’ve already got a 120% gain, but I believe this one has all the characteristics of rapidly becoming one of the great microcap winners of the decade.
The recent activity in our micros, nice as it’s been, hardly measures up to the bonanzas of past microcap bull runs. A big reason is that this bull market lacks the full participation of the public which has remained enormously risk-adverse after the blow-ups, busts and downturns of the past decade.
Depending on the breadth and length of this upturn, individual investors will increasingly come back into the game, and eventually in large numbers. By then, however, the biggest profits will have been registered by those investors positioned far ahead of the herd.
------------------------------------------------
Josh Levine’s MicroCap Investor http://www.levinesmicrocapinvestor.com
Levine's MicroCap Investor delves deep into the world of small stocks to identify big winners, targeting innovative companies on the path of the new and revolutionary.
About Josh Levine
Levine has 25 years of senior-level experience in analyzing technology trends and investing in top-performing micro- and small-cap stocks. He excels at assessing management teams and evaluating new innovations and their impact on corporate valuations.
More on Levine’s bio: http://www.levinesmicrocapinvestor.com/aboutus/
To learn more about this and the other outstanding investment opportunities in the MicroCap Investor portfolio, subscribe now.
http://www.levinesmicrocapinvestor.com/subscriptions/order/
InvestorIdeas.com is partnered with Josh Levine and MicroCap Investor as part of its mission to provide investors with research tools to explore the world of small stocks. The InvestorIdeas.com team operates this web site and manages the administration and marketing for MicroCap Investor.
InvestorIdeas.com is a leading investment and industry research portal, with resources covering high-growth sectors including technology, biotech and cleantech.
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Research the green sector:
The renewable energy stocks directory features stocks listed on the TSX, OTC, NASDAQ, NYSE, AMEX, ASX, AIM, Hong Kong and China markets and other leading exchanges. The directory includes info and links on Alternative Energy Funds, Biogas and Ethanol Stocks, Energy Efficiency Stocks, Flywheel Stocks, Fuel Cell Stocks, Geothermal Stocks, Hydrogen Production, Micro Turbine Stocks, Solar Stocks, Green Transportation, Wind Power and Wind Energy Stocks and Green Infrastructure Stocks.
.Become a member and get even more : Investor Ideas members can login to access all 4 cleantech stock directories. Learn more : http://www.investorideas.com/membership/
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