Food safety, food transparency, and food verification are expected to be some of the top consumer trends of the next decade. A powerful dynamic occurs when there are several large emerging consumer trends and the best way to play it is a microcap stock. Plenty of investors are aware of Whole Foods (WFM), The Fresh Market (TFM), Annie’s (BNNY), Natural Grocers (NGVC), but few have heard of a 17 year old company called Where Food Comes From (WFCF). You ever wonder who actually verifies food labels? WFCF does, and they have a 50%+ market share in verifying beef and are now expanding into other food groups. They are now launching their own food label called Where Food Comes From. Listen to CEO John Saunders as he tells the story.
Cranberry fields forever! Located in the agricultural centre of the province, just west of the town of Berwick, this vibrant agricultural location is a mix of active farming operations and two residential properties. Offering 375 acres with 40 workable acres and 70 treed acres, allowing for several agricultural uses. Cleverly designed with inter-connecting irrigation ponds to service the entire operation, the facility is a combination of buildings joined together over the last 45 years. All farm equipment is included. The main home is a delight, with modern finishes and fantastic views. Also on the property is a care-takers residence. A well established farm with great potential for expansion.
MicroCapClub Invitational: Vertex Energy (VTNR)Ian Cassel
Vertex Energy (VTNR) is a vertically integrated hydrocarbon recovery company that has profitably grown revenues from $38m in 2009 to $110m in 2011. The company owns and operates a network of used motor oil collectors and aggregators, and then refines this feedstock using the company’s proprietary TCEP technology into higher value end products. The company has been expanding organically and by way of strategic acquisitions to broaden its footprint. Recovering, recycling and reusing hydrocarbons, plastics, and chemicals, has been a very hot area for investors the last couple of years. Several mergers and acquisitions in the space have made Vertex Energy a potential target. Heckmann (HEK) acquired Thermal Fluids in 2011, followed by Clean Harbor’s (CLH) acquisition of Safety-Kleen a few months ago. Heritage-Crystal Clean (HCCI), an industry comparable trades at over 20x 2013 EPS estimates. Vertex Energy has flown under the radar even while producing a more impressive growth curve then its larger peers. While the peer group trades at 20x 2013 analyst estimates, Vertex trades at 5x 2013 estimates, and that's the opportunity. Listen to CEO Ben Cowart as he tells the story.
MicroCapClub Invitational: OurPet's Company (OPCO)Ian Cassel
OurPet's Company (OPCO) develops and markets innovative products for improving the health, safety, comfort, and enjoyment of pets. The company sells over 1,000 products for dogs, cats, and domestic and wild birds. According to the most recent report from the American Pet Products Manufactures Association (APPA) approximately 82.5 million U.S. Households reported owning a pet with an estimated pet population of 83.3 million dogs, 95.6 million cats, and 20.6 million birds. US pet industry sales totaled $59.1 billion in 2012 and expected to grow to $75 billion by 2017. This under followed nano cap has a very tight share structure of only ~18.6m shares out FD. TTM the company has earned $929,000 or 5c in EPS on a Fully Diluted basis compared to $193,000 or 1c in EPS FY 2012 doing just about the same amount of revenue of ~$21m. We feel that OurPet's is operating as a well oil machine versus the past several years. The company is showing significant increases in sales in all of their primary sales channels. Their Pet Specialty sales channel along with the "mass retail" channel are gaining real traction. The company is launching several new innovative products this year supported by it's strong IP portfolio of 100 patents and about 125 pending.
Cranberry fields forever! Located in the agricultural centre of the province, just west of the town of Berwick, this vibrant agricultural location is a mix of active farming operations and two residential properties. Offering 375 acres with 40 workable acres and 70 treed acres, allowing for several agricultural uses. Cleverly designed with inter-connecting irrigation ponds to service the entire operation, the facility is a combination of buildings joined together over the last 45 years. All farm equipment is included. The main home is a delight, with modern finishes and fantastic views. Also on the property is a care-takers residence. A well established farm with great potential for expansion.
MicroCapClub Invitational: Vertex Energy (VTNR)Ian Cassel
Vertex Energy (VTNR) is a vertically integrated hydrocarbon recovery company that has profitably grown revenues from $38m in 2009 to $110m in 2011. The company owns and operates a network of used motor oil collectors and aggregators, and then refines this feedstock using the company’s proprietary TCEP technology into higher value end products. The company has been expanding organically and by way of strategic acquisitions to broaden its footprint. Recovering, recycling and reusing hydrocarbons, plastics, and chemicals, has been a very hot area for investors the last couple of years. Several mergers and acquisitions in the space have made Vertex Energy a potential target. Heckmann (HEK) acquired Thermal Fluids in 2011, followed by Clean Harbor’s (CLH) acquisition of Safety-Kleen a few months ago. Heritage-Crystal Clean (HCCI), an industry comparable trades at over 20x 2013 EPS estimates. Vertex Energy has flown under the radar even while producing a more impressive growth curve then its larger peers. While the peer group trades at 20x 2013 analyst estimates, Vertex trades at 5x 2013 estimates, and that's the opportunity. Listen to CEO Ben Cowart as he tells the story.
MicroCapClub Invitational: OurPet's Company (OPCO)Ian Cassel
OurPet's Company (OPCO) develops and markets innovative products for improving the health, safety, comfort, and enjoyment of pets. The company sells over 1,000 products for dogs, cats, and domestic and wild birds. According to the most recent report from the American Pet Products Manufactures Association (APPA) approximately 82.5 million U.S. Households reported owning a pet with an estimated pet population of 83.3 million dogs, 95.6 million cats, and 20.6 million birds. US pet industry sales totaled $59.1 billion in 2012 and expected to grow to $75 billion by 2017. This under followed nano cap has a very tight share structure of only ~18.6m shares out FD. TTM the company has earned $929,000 or 5c in EPS on a Fully Diluted basis compared to $193,000 or 1c in EPS FY 2012 doing just about the same amount of revenue of ~$21m. We feel that OurPet's is operating as a well oil machine versus the past several years. The company is showing significant increases in sales in all of their primary sales channels. Their Pet Specialty sales channel along with the "mass retail" channel are gaining real traction. The company is launching several new innovative products this year supported by it's strong IP portfolio of 100 patents and about 125 pending.
Innovative Food Holdings (IVFH) is a leading nationwide provider of direct from source specialty foods, healthcare foods, gluten free foods, and artisanal foods. The company’s specialty food platform powers some of the largest food distributors in the country. Innovative Food Holdings has showcased over 50 consecutive months of year over year growth while increasing profitability. A few of us MicroCapClub members visited the company’s headquarters in Florida last summer and came away impressed with how management is positioning itself in the Specialty Food space. The industry is ripe for consolidation. In the month of January alone, there were 21 M&A transactions in the food distributor industry. In the specialty food distributor category The Chefs’ Warehouse (CHEF) and United Natural Foods (UNFI) have been growing rapidly, mostly by way of acquisitions. With Amazon.com (AMZN) now entering the direct to consumer space by way of amazonfresh, we feel Innovative Food Holdings is right in the sweet spot of the industry and also likely in the crosshairs of industry participants.
Xpel Technologies (DAP.U or XPLT) sells paint protection products that protect the vehicle from damage caused by rocks, gravel, salt, acid rain and sand. The company’s Ultimate Film has driven significant sales growth since 2011. When we first looked at Xpel it reminded us a lot of ZAGG (ZAGG) from back in 2008-09 when sales were just starting to ramp. Xpel has profitably grown revenues from $6 million in 2011, to ~$16 million for the LTM. The company has no debt, and a very clean share structure with only 25.7m shares outstanding with no options or warrants. We expect the growth trend to continue as more independent installers, new car dealerships, and international distributors, partner with Xpel. Several members on MicroCapClub have done exhaustive due diligence traveling to numerous dealers and attending car shows. As the company scales it’s business in 2014 and beyond we expect to start to see operating leverage drop more income to the bottom line. We also believe a possible up-listing to a major exchange in 2014 will bring many more eyes on the name.
MicroCapClub Invitational: International Commercial Television (ICTL)Ian Cassel
International Commercial Television (ICTL) sells various health and beauty products through infomercials and other channels in the United States and internationally. Some of the best management teams I’ve invested in were those that successfully dug there way out of a hole and turned the company around without much dilution to shareholders. As an investor this is important because management has proven they can navigate the company through the worst of times. A few years ago ICTL was on the brink of bankruptcy, but the management team lead by Kelvin Claney and Richard Ransom would not give up. They felt they had a company-making product with the DermaWand. They ended up scratching and clawing to raise $300,000 to give it one last shot. With this little bit of capital they built the company from $3 million in revenues in 2011 to $30+ million and profitability in 2013. In 2014, the company is looking to continue its profitable growth trajectory with the launch of additional products.
ViryaNet (VRYAF) is a provider of mobile workforce and field service management software. Companies in field service intensive industries, such as utilities and telecoms, rely on ViryaNet’s solutions to optimize their mobile workforce and respond to scheduling changes in real-time. We were first drawn to the company by it’s compelling valuation, blue-chip customer base, and niche positioning, where it has been recognized as an innovator in the $1.5B field service management industry. The company’s flagship product, ViryaNet G4, has gained traction lately through the support of a key partnership with GE Energy, leading to an impressive 34% increase in revenues and 155% increase in total bookings for the third quarter of 2013. CEO Memy Ish-Shaol and Chairman Samuel HaCohen together own over 20% of the shares outstanding and have demonstrated their confidence in the business recently through open-market purchases. With ViryaNet’s addressable market only 25% penetrated and a new cloud-based solution in the offering, we believe the company can continue its double-digit growth trajectory in 2014 and attract more attention as management tells their story to investors.
FitLife Brands (FTLF) is a profitable and fast growing nutritional supplements company that is the #1 vendor in the GNC franchise system. The company has showcased a 39% CAGR over the last three years, and expects to grow at a double digit CAGR over the next 3-5 years. John Wilson, CEO of FitLife, and his management team have successfully turned the company around since he joined the company in 2009. In September of 2013, the company completed a recapitalization, which cleaned up the share structure and balance sheet. We feel the perceived customer concentration risk with GNC isn’t well understood by the market, and creates an interesting value proposition for investors.
Avante Logixx (XX.V / ALXXF) has built its reputation as a preeminent security company by providing premium security services through the use of advanced technology and a focus on client service. Avante’s security business provides a complete suite of security services ranging from system design, sales, installations, and monitoring to services such as alarm response, patrols, personal protection and secure transportation. We were initially attracted to the company because of the significant growth in both revenues and earnings. The company has shown consistent revenue growth over the last three years and was able to grow sales by 43% in the last 12 months from $6.15 million to $8.82 million and earnings from a loss of $57,000 to a profit of just over $1.3 million giving evidence to the leverage within the business. Management and directors are well vested in the company and own approximately 45% of the 59 million shares issued and outstanding. Shares in Avante currently trade at a price earnings ratio of 15.8 times, significantly below the industry average of 29. The company has a solid balance sheet and has accumulated over $1.5 million in cash and has zero debt. We expect growth to continue both organically and now with a healthier balance sheet through accretive acquisitions.
Yum Brands just launched a review of KFC’s $220 million media business. WPP’s MEC has handled media duties for the brand for over a decade but opted not to participate in the review. According to Kantar Media, the fast food brand spent around $55 million on measured media during the first quarter of 2016, down from $56.5 million over the same period last year.
Innovative Food Holdings (IVFH) is a leading nationwide provider of direct from source specialty foods, healthcare foods, gluten free foods, and artisanal foods. The company’s specialty food platform powers some of the largest food distributors in the country. Innovative Food Holdings has showcased over 50 consecutive months of year over year growth while increasing profitability. A few of us MicroCapClub members visited the company’s headquarters in Florida last summer and came away impressed with how management is positioning itself in the Specialty Food space. The industry is ripe for consolidation. In the month of January alone, there were 21 M&A transactions in the food distributor industry. In the specialty food distributor category The Chefs’ Warehouse (CHEF) and United Natural Foods (UNFI) have been growing rapidly, mostly by way of acquisitions. With Amazon.com (AMZN) now entering the direct to consumer space by way of amazonfresh, we feel Innovative Food Holdings is right in the sweet spot of the industry and also likely in the crosshairs of industry participants.
Xpel Technologies (DAP.U or XPLT) sells paint protection products that protect the vehicle from damage caused by rocks, gravel, salt, acid rain and sand. The company’s Ultimate Film has driven significant sales growth since 2011. When we first looked at Xpel it reminded us a lot of ZAGG (ZAGG) from back in 2008-09 when sales were just starting to ramp. Xpel has profitably grown revenues from $6 million in 2011, to ~$16 million for the LTM. The company has no debt, and a very clean share structure with only 25.7m shares outstanding with no options or warrants. We expect the growth trend to continue as more independent installers, new car dealerships, and international distributors, partner with Xpel. Several members on MicroCapClub have done exhaustive due diligence traveling to numerous dealers and attending car shows. As the company scales it’s business in 2014 and beyond we expect to start to see operating leverage drop more income to the bottom line. We also believe a possible up-listing to a major exchange in 2014 will bring many more eyes on the name.
MicroCapClub Invitational: International Commercial Television (ICTL)Ian Cassel
International Commercial Television (ICTL) sells various health and beauty products through infomercials and other channels in the United States and internationally. Some of the best management teams I’ve invested in were those that successfully dug there way out of a hole and turned the company around without much dilution to shareholders. As an investor this is important because management has proven they can navigate the company through the worst of times. A few years ago ICTL was on the brink of bankruptcy, but the management team lead by Kelvin Claney and Richard Ransom would not give up. They felt they had a company-making product with the DermaWand. They ended up scratching and clawing to raise $300,000 to give it one last shot. With this little bit of capital they built the company from $3 million in revenues in 2011 to $30+ million and profitability in 2013. In 2014, the company is looking to continue its profitable growth trajectory with the launch of additional products.
ViryaNet (VRYAF) is a provider of mobile workforce and field service management software. Companies in field service intensive industries, such as utilities and telecoms, rely on ViryaNet’s solutions to optimize their mobile workforce and respond to scheduling changes in real-time. We were first drawn to the company by it’s compelling valuation, blue-chip customer base, and niche positioning, where it has been recognized as an innovator in the $1.5B field service management industry. The company’s flagship product, ViryaNet G4, has gained traction lately through the support of a key partnership with GE Energy, leading to an impressive 34% increase in revenues and 155% increase in total bookings for the third quarter of 2013. CEO Memy Ish-Shaol and Chairman Samuel HaCohen together own over 20% of the shares outstanding and have demonstrated their confidence in the business recently through open-market purchases. With ViryaNet’s addressable market only 25% penetrated and a new cloud-based solution in the offering, we believe the company can continue its double-digit growth trajectory in 2014 and attract more attention as management tells their story to investors.
FitLife Brands (FTLF) is a profitable and fast growing nutritional supplements company that is the #1 vendor in the GNC franchise system. The company has showcased a 39% CAGR over the last three years, and expects to grow at a double digit CAGR over the next 3-5 years. John Wilson, CEO of FitLife, and his management team have successfully turned the company around since he joined the company in 2009. In September of 2013, the company completed a recapitalization, which cleaned up the share structure and balance sheet. We feel the perceived customer concentration risk with GNC isn’t well understood by the market, and creates an interesting value proposition for investors.
Avante Logixx (XX.V / ALXXF) has built its reputation as a preeminent security company by providing premium security services through the use of advanced technology and a focus on client service. Avante’s security business provides a complete suite of security services ranging from system design, sales, installations, and monitoring to services such as alarm response, patrols, personal protection and secure transportation. We were initially attracted to the company because of the significant growth in both revenues and earnings. The company has shown consistent revenue growth over the last three years and was able to grow sales by 43% in the last 12 months from $6.15 million to $8.82 million and earnings from a loss of $57,000 to a profit of just over $1.3 million giving evidence to the leverage within the business. Management and directors are well vested in the company and own approximately 45% of the 59 million shares issued and outstanding. Shares in Avante currently trade at a price earnings ratio of 15.8 times, significantly below the industry average of 29. The company has a solid balance sheet and has accumulated over $1.5 million in cash and has zero debt. We expect growth to continue both organically and now with a healthier balance sheet through accretive acquisitions.
Yum Brands just launched a review of KFC’s $220 million media business. WPP’s MEC has handled media duties for the brand for over a decade but opted not to participate in the review. According to Kantar Media, the fast food brand spent around $55 million on measured media during the first quarter of 2016, down from $56.5 million over the same period last year.
Beef sales bring more value to the basket, but retailers face high cost and preparation hurdles when selling beef as part of their fresh prepared food offerings. New research identifies opportunities and unveils successful examples from retailers overcoming these challenges with creative strategies that can work in the deli prepared perimeter.
Xplore Technologies (XPLR) manufactures two forms of tablet computers: Ultra rugged, which has been their core business for many years, and rugged, which is a new growth driver that expands their previously addressable market by a factor of 10. Their legacy, ultra-rugged product has customers on record such as AT&T (T) and the US Military. This highly differentiated product is waterproof, can withstand a 7 foot drop, and can function in a temperature range of -40 to 167 degrees. One of the key reasons we became involved with the stock is their new rugged line of tablets, called Ranger X. In July of this past year, they unveiled the Ranger X, which the company just recently announced its first multi million dollar purchase order from a major U.S. telecom provider. We expect the Ranger X to be a major growth catalyst in 2014. Phil Sassower, Chairman and CEO, owns 33% of the company through his private equity vehicle, and has successfully led the company to the inflection point on which it stands today.
The cure for cancer still eludes us. The next best thing to a cure is the early detection of cancer. In most cases if you detect cancer early enough it can be treated successfully. The holy grail of cancer diagnostics would be a simple blood test with high specificity and sensitivity. VolitionRx (VNRX) is a clinical stage cancer diagnostic company working on a series of blood-based tests for a range of cancers, beginning with Colorectal Cancer (CRC). The company is starting a lucrative 11,000 patient clinical trial in early 2014 to validate their CRC test. The company expects to have multiple data points throughout 2014 and 2015. If early results prove successful, Volition’s current $25 million valuation will likely expand closer to comparables such as Exact Sciences (EXAS) $950 million valuation.
BioSyent (RX.V or BIOYF) is a rapidly growing pharmaceutical company that acquires or in-licenses proven drugs and markets them in Canada. Their business model is to build and sell a portfolio of products that have a peak penetration potential that is too small for major pharmaceutical companies. What has fascinated us about BioSyent is their ability to consistently grow revenue and earnings. In fact, their pharmaceutical sales have grown sequentially for the past 12 quarters, which is very rare in the microcap space. In 2012 they announced several new products that they have added to their portfolio plus they have a nice pipeline of additional products that we expect to further fuel their growth. In the most recent quarter they grew revenues 60% and net income 79% year/year. Listen to CEO Rene Goehrum as he tells the story.
Digital Out-Of-Home (DOOH) is currently the third fastest growing advertising medium in the world. The US DOOH market place has grown rapidly and almost in spite of itself. There are approximately 1.7 million screens in the US growing about 10% per year. These screens are owned and operated by over 200 different operators. Currently if a brand wants to advertise it takes several weeks to several months just to plan the campaign, flying around to each individual operator etc. Similarly to what Google Adwords did for internet advertising, rVue (RVUE) is trying to do for DOOH advertising. rVue’s ad buying software platform connects over 740,000 screens from 180 network operators, and a brand can plan and deploy a campaign in minutes (not months). Over the last couple of years rVue has had its issues monetizing this potentially game changing platform. Last fall, Michael Mullarkey took over as CEO while rVue’s largest shareholder provided a $1.2 million cash infusion. We are hopeful that under Michael’s leadership rVue will become a successful turnaround story in 2013. Listen to CEO Michael Mullarkey as he tells the story.
A few months ago I wrote an article entitled: 8 Habits Of Highly Effective MicroCap CEO’s. Greystone Logistics (GLGI) CEO Warren Kruger is one of the few CEO’s I’ve met recently that meets all 8 criteria. Warren Kruger owns 30% of the company, takes an average salary, buys stock in the open market every quarter, and has invested over $10 million of his own money to turn the company around. I would also add that there has been little to no share dilution for several years. With the turnaround complete, the stage is set for a growth story to emerge. Greystone Logistics is the only public company focused on manufacturing and leasing plastic pallets, the fastest growing segment of the $9.5 billion pallet industry. The company is currently trading at 4x TTM EPS. This is the first time the company has presented anywhere, so listen to CEO Warren Kruger as he tells the story.
The U.S. medical device industry continues to grow at a brisk pace, thanks to an aging Baby Boomer population, high unmet medical needs and increased incidence of lifestyle diseases (including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension and obesity). The global medical device market is expected to reach $300 billion by 2017 with a CAGR of 6.1% over the next several years (2011-2017). Misonix (MSON) is aggressively pursuing a $3 billion+ piece of the market with their ultrasonic medical devices. Last quarter the company grew revenues 42%, with the highest growth occurring internationally. Misonix’s three core products grew at an impressive 220% (BoneScalpel), 97% (SonicOne), and 21% (SonaStar) year over year respectively. More importantly we expect profitable growth in 2013 and beyond. Listen to CEO Michael McManus as he tells the story.
MicroCapClub Invitational: NXT Energy (SFD.V)Ian Cassel
Welcome to the first ever MicroCapClub Invitational where our membership is showcasing several companies we are discussing in our members forum. Oil and gas companies spend tens of billions of dollars every year on exploration trying to discover the next big oil field. With the evolution of 2d, 3d, and now 4d seismic, technology is playing a greater and greater role in reducing the time and money spent discovering oil reservoirs. NXT Energy’s (SFD.V) Stress Field Protection technology is just starting to get adopted by large oil/gas companies such as PEMEX, Pacific Rubiales (PRE.TO), and others. The technology can identify the best oil and gas prospects 10 times faster, and at up to 1/20th the cost of seismic. NXT’s survey technology has already been associated with the finding over 1 billion barrels of OOIP in Colombia in the few short years since the technology has been commercialized. We expect adoption of this technology to increase throughout 2013 and beyond. Listen to CEO George Liszicasc as he tells the story.
Over the years I’ve found that restaurant roll out stories can capture more momentum and trade at higher multiples then even tech stocks. Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) and Chipotle (CMG) are prime examples of such companies that have captured the attention of Wall Street over the last few years. Noble Roman’s (NROM) is an undiscovered food franchising-licensing company with 35%+ operating margins at an inflection point of growth. The company is targeting the fastest growing segment of the pizza industry, the take-n-bake arena. Since 2010, the company has signed take-n-bake supply agreements with over 1300 grocery stores. In mid-2012, Noble Roman’s entered the standalone take-n-bake market place with their own franchise concept. In a few short months the company has signed agreements for 9 locations, 3 of which have already been opened. Listen to CEO Paul Mobley as he tells the story.
Welcome to the first ever MicroCapClub Invitational where our membership is showcasing several companies we are discussing in our members forum. Over the last ten years there have been huge technological leaps, and the most apparent ones are the ones you can literally see like HD television, displays on computers or smart phones, or even 3D movies in theatres. The crystal clear, pixel-rich, brilliant displays are breathtaking, but the sound emanating from them hasn’t changed in twenty years. Where is the technological leap in sound? Parametric Sound (PAMT) delivers sound to its intended listener in a rich three dimensional method that results in a feeling of being fully immersed in sound. The technology is something you need to hear to believe, and once you hear it just seems so obvious. There are numerous end markets for the technology like digital signage, home entertainment, video gaming, healthcare, etc. Parametric is pursing them all, with their first major licensing deals expected in the next few months. Listen to Executive Chairman Ken Potashner as he tells the story.
The EPA estimates that 40-60% of contamination pouring into oceans, streams, and rivers is caused by storm water runoff. For the first time ever, the EPA is now forcing municipalities to do something about it. EPA consent decrees have created $30+ billion in mandated municipal spending of storm water/sewer overflow improvements. Abtech’s (ABHD) Smart Sponge technology is the first antimicrobial application for storm water registered with the EPA for outdoor use. Waste Management (WM) has partnered with Abtech to market and sell a stormwater runoff solution directly to municipalities. The company announced they have 80+ municipal proposals in various stages of progress. Listen to CEO Glenn Rink and VP Bjurnolf White as they talk about the municipal opportunity as well as many other applications for the technology.
Welcome to the first ever MicroCapClub Invitational where our membership is showcasing several companies we are discussing in our members forum. The government is mandating the switch to electronic health records (EHR) over the next few years, which is also propelling physician’s use of e-prescriptions. E-prescriptions are expected to grow from 570 million in 2011 to 2 billion by 2016. So who is the microcap benefactor of this trend? Enter, OptimizeRx (OPRX) and their SampleMD e- coupon software that is currently embedded in over 300 EHR’s/e-prescribe software providers including the largest ones such as Allscripts (MDRX), NewCrop, and Dr. First. OptimizeRX gets paid $4-5 each e-coupon distribution. The operating leverage in the business is quite extraordinary as more and more pharmaceutical companies partner with SampleMD for e-coupons. Listen to Chairman and Founder Dave Harrell and CEO David Lester as they tell the story.
MicroCapClub Company Presentation: Acorn Energy (ACFN)Ian Cassel
Acorn Energy, Inc (ACFN), the digital energy company is a holding company focused on making energy better by providing digital solutions for energy infrastructure asset management. The four businesses in which we have controlling interests, improve the world's energy infrastructure by making it: more secure - providing security solutions for underwater energy infrastructure (DSIT); more reliable - providing condition-based monitoring to critical assets on the electric grid (GridSense, OmniMetrix) and more productive and efficient - increasing oil and gas production while lowering costs through use of permanent ultra-high sensitive seismic tools that allow for a more precise picture of reservoirs (US Seismic).
This is the first ever MicroCapClub company presentation featuring Acorn Energy (ACFN). Investors Neil Cataldi and DavidS join me while we listen and provide feedback to John Moore CEO of Acorn Energy. We hope you enjoy this medium, and we look forward to doing more interactive company presentations in the future with companies we find interesting.
Disclosures: ACFN is a sponsor of MicroCapClub. Ian Cassel, Neil Cataldi, and DavidS do not own shares of ACFN.
The MicroCapClub (mc2) is an exclusive micro cap forum focused on micro cap companies (sub $300m market cap). The MicroCapClub was created and founded by Ian Cassel as a way to share ideas and to learn from other seasoned like-minded micro cap investors. Our goal at MicroCapClub.com is quality membership and quality stock ideas. If you are an experienced micro cap investor, feel free to Apply today.
This presentation poster infographic delves into the multifaceted impacts of globalization through the lens of Nike, a prominent global brand. It explores how globalization has reshaped Nike's supply chain, marketing strategies, and cultural influence worldwide, examining both the benefits and challenges associated with its global expansion.
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Nike Product Development
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Automation in Nike Manufacturing
Nike Consumer Direct Acceleration
Nike Logistics and Transport
how to sell pi coins effectively (from 50 - 100k pi)DOT TECH
Anywhere in the world, including Africa, America, and Europe, you can sell Pi Network Coins online and receive cash through online payment options.
Pi has not yet been launched on any exchange because we are currently using the confined Mainnet. The planned launch date for Pi is June 28, 2026.
Reselling to investors who want to hold until the mainnet launch in 2026 is currently the sole way to sell.
Consequently, right now. All you need to do is select the right pi network provider.
Who is a pi merchant?
An individual who buys coins from miners on the pi network and resells them to investors hoping to hang onto them until the mainnet is launched is known as a pi merchant.
debuts.
I'll provide you the what'sapp number.
+12349014282
how to swap pi coins to foreign currency withdrawable.DOT TECH
As of my last update, Pi is still in the testing phase and is not tradable on any exchanges.
However, Pi Network has announced plans to launch its Testnet and Mainnet in the future, which may include listing Pi on exchanges.
The current method for selling pi coins involves exchanging them with a pi vendor who purchases pi coins for investment reasons.
If you want to sell your pi coins, reach out to a pi vendor and sell them to anyone looking to sell pi coins from any country around the globe.
Below is the what'sapp information for my personal pi vendor.
+12349014282
The European Unemployment Puzzle: implications from population agingGRAPE
We study the link between the evolving age structure of the working population and unemployment. We build a large new Keynesian OLG model with a realistic age structure, labor market frictions, sticky prices, and aggregate shocks. Once calibrated to the European economy, we quantify the extent to which demographic changes over the last three decades have contributed to the decline of the unemployment rate. Our findings yield important implications for the future evolution of unemployment given the anticipated further aging of the working population in Europe. We also quantify the implications for optimal monetary policy: lowering inflation volatility becomes less costly in terms of GDP and unemployment volatility, which hints that optimal monetary policy may be more hawkish in an aging society. Finally, our results also propose a partial reversal of the European-US unemployment puzzle due to the fact that the share of young workers is expected to remain robust in the US.
when will pi network coin be available on crypto exchange.DOT TECH
There is no set date for when Pi coins will enter the market.
However, the developers are working hard to get them released as soon as possible.
Once they are available, users will be able to exchange other cryptocurrencies for Pi coins on designated exchanges.
But for now the only way to sell your pi coins is through verified pi vendor.
Here is the what'sapp contact of my personal pi vendor
+12349014282
BYD SWOT Analysis and In-Depth Insights 2024.pptxmikemetalprod
Indepth analysis of the BYD 2024
BYD (Build Your Dreams) is a Chinese automaker and battery manufacturer that has snowballed over the past two decades to become a significant player in electric vehicles and global clean energy technology.
This SWOT analysis examines BYD's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats as it competes in the fast-changing automotive and energy storage industries.
Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Shenzhen, BYD started as a battery company before expanding into automobiles in the early 2000s.
Initially manufacturing gasoline-powered vehicles, BYD focused on plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles, leveraging its expertise in battery technology.
Today, BYD is the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, delivering over 1.2 million electric cars globally. The company also produces electric buses, trucks, forklifts, and rail transit.
On the energy side, BYD is a major supplier of rechargeable batteries for cell phones, laptops, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems.
where can I find a legit pi merchant onlineDOT TECH
Yes. This is very easy what you need is a recommendation from someone who has successfully traded pi coins before with a merchant.
Who is a pi merchant?
A pi merchant is someone who buys pi network coins and resell them to Investors looking forward to hold thousands of pi coins before the open mainnet.
I will leave the what'sapp contact of my personal pi merchant to trade with
+12349014282
Yes of course, you can easily start mining pi network coin today and sell to legit pi vendors in the United States.
Here the what'sapp contact of my personal vendor.
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#pi network #pi coins #legit #passive income
#US
1. Elemental Economics - Introduction to mining.pdfNeal Brewster
After this first you should: Understand the nature of mining; have an awareness of the industry’s boundaries, corporate structure and size; appreciation the complex motivations and objectives of the industries’ various participants; know how mineral reserves are defined and estimated, and how they evolve over time.
1. Elemental Economics - Introduction to mining.pdf
MicroCapClub Invitational: Where Food Comes From (WFCF)
1. Where
Food
Comes
From®,
Inc.
MicroCapClub
Presenta2on
January
3,
2013
Where
Food
Comes
From,
Inc.
D.B.A.
IMI
Global,
Inc.
OTCQB:
WFCF
2.
Forward-‐Looking
Statements
This
presentaNon
contains
"forward-‐looking
statements"
within
the
meaning
of
the
U.S.
Private
SecuriNes
LiNgaNon
Reform
Act
of
1995,
based
on
current
expectaNons,
esNmates
and
projecNons
that
are
subject
to
risk.
Forward-‐looking
statements
are
inherently
uncertain,
and
actual
events
could
differ
materially
from
the
Company’s
predicNons.
Important
factors
that
could
cause
actual
events
to
vary
from
predicNons
include
those
discussed
in
our
SEC
filings.
Specifically,
statements
in
this
presentaNon
about
financial
performance,
new
business
development,
growth
potenNal,
market
leadership,
and
the
impact
and
potenNal
of
the
Company’s
products
and
services
on
the
marketplace
and
customers
are
forward-‐looking
statements
that
are
subject
to
a
variety
of
factors,
including
availability
of
capital,
personnel
and
other
resources;
compeNNon,
governmental
regulaNon
of
the
beef
industry,
the
market
for
beef
and
other
factors.
Readers
should
not
place
undue
reliance
on
these
forward-‐looking
statements.
The
Company
assumes
no
obligaNon
to
update
its
forward-‐looking
statements
to
reflect
new
informaNon
or
developments.
For
a
more
extensive
discussion
of
the
Company’s
business,
please
refer
to
the
Company’s
SEC
filings
at
www.sec.gov.
3. People
are
asking…
”Where
does
my
food
come
from?”
“I’ve
never
seen
a
stronger
desire
for…..knowing
where
their
food
is
coming
from…”
-‐-‐
Whole
Foods
CEO
Walter
Robb
“ This
trend
of
the
global
consumer
really
wanNng
to
know
where
their
food
comes
from…
-‐-‐
McDonald’s
VP
Bob
Langert
“Oprah
explored
the
quesNon
on
today’s
show,
‘Do
you
know
where
your
food
comes
from?’”
-‐-‐
Examiner.com
4.
What’s
driving
this
trend?
• Food
Animal
Disease
and
Food
Safety
– BSE
(Mad
Cow),
E-‐coli,
Salmonella,
Foot
and
Mouth
Disease
(FMD)
• Truth
in
Labeling
– Taco
Bell
Beef?,
“Pink
Slime”,
AnNbioNc
and
Hormone
Free
• RegulaNon
– Food
Safety
ModernizaNon
Act,
GMO
Labeling
(CA
Prop
37),
InternaNonal
Trade
(Free
Trade
Agreements),
Childhood
Obesity
• “Local”,
“Ethical”
and
“Sustainable”
Food
ProducNon
– Family
Vs
Factory
Farms,
Omnivores
Dilemma,
Jamie
Oliver’s
Food
RevoluNon,
Animal
Rights
Movements
(PETA),
Fair
Trade
CerNfied
6. That’s
a
great
idea
for
a
startup
business…not
quite.
…this
is
17
years
in
the
making.
• #1
provider
of
third-‐party
cerNficaNon
services
to
the
food
and
agricultural
industries
• 6,000+
customers:
ranchers,
feed
yards,
packers,
retailers,
restaurants
• USVerified™
brand
industry
standard
for
USDA
PVP
programs
• Verify
markeNng
claims
for
half
of
all
U.S.
beef
exports
• Recurring
revenue
model
generaNng
strong
cash
flows
to
support
growth
Infrastructure,
know-‐how,
solu3ons
por5olio,
USDA
rela3onship,
track
record
and
large
customer
base
create
significant
barriers
to
entry
and
support
long-‐term
leadership
status
7.
Core
VerificaNon
Services
• USVerified™
source
and
age
verifica2on
–
USDA
approved
program
addresses
country
of
origin
labeling
and
overseas
export
requirements
• Non-‐Hormone
Treated
CaLle
(NHTC)
verifica2on
–
USDA
approved
program
verifies
hormone
free
claims
and
qualify
caple
for
export
to
European
Union
• Pork
for
European
Union
(PFEU)
–
USDA
approved
program
verifies
hormone
free
claims
and
qualify
pork
for
export
to
European
Union
• Verified
Natural
Beef™
–
USDA
approved
program
confirms
all-‐natural
claims
and
USDA’s
NeverEver3
compliance
• Verified
Green™
–
Verifies
and
promotes
producers
pracNcing
sustainable
agriculture
• Verified
Humane™
–
Verifies
humane
handling
claims
• Verified
Grassfed™
–
Verifies
caple
raised
strictly
on
grass
diet
• Farm
Verified
Organic,
NOP
Organic
• Verified
Gluten
Free
• Where
Food
Comes
From®
–
New
retail
product
labeling
program
8.
WFCF
Customers
• Customers include
retailers, restaurants, food
distributors, meatpackers,
feed yards and auction
barns
• The company also
provides products and
services to more than 6,000
farms and ranches
9. High
Customer
RetenNon
Total
Customers
90% plus 7000
retention rate for
USDA Process 6000
Verified
Programs 5000
4000
New
Customers
3000
Repeat
Customers
2000
1000
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
10.
WFCF
Product
Launch
Iden2fied
THREE
primary
target
customer
types
– High
End
Retailer
– Regional
Family
Style
Chain
– White
Table
Cloth
Restaurant
Main Course
Grilled Meat
Delmonicos Steak
Vintage All Natural Boneless Rib Eye
46
Prime New York Strip
Vintage All Natural Dry Aged Sirloin Strip
45
Double Porterhouse
Vintage All Natural Dry Aged Short Loin Steak
95
Delmonico Double Rib Chop “John Krupa”
Vintage All Natural Dry Aged, Three Pound Bone In Rib Eye
95
Filet Mignon
Vintage All Natural Tenderloin Steak
45
Steak Style
Oscar Au Poivre Surf For Turf
21 8 19
Sides
Garlic–Herb Whipped Potatoes 9
F r e n c h F r i e s, S p i c y M a y o 8
Hash Browns 9
D e l m o n i c o P o t a t o e s “S U M M E R “ 12
M a r k e t C a r r o t s, P e a s, C i p o l l i n i 10
C r e a m e d S p in a c h 10
Foraged Mushrooms 14
Grilled Asparagus 14
King Crab Macaroni & Cheese 18
Spaetzle 8
L o c a l G r e e n s, S w e e t C o r n, P o r k B e l l y 12
11. Heinen’s
Supermarket
Heinen’s Fine Foods is a leading specialty grocer –
family owned, 83 years old
18 high-end stores in Ohio and Illinois
www.wherefoodcomesfrom.com/heinens
12. Anderson’s
Frozen
Custard
Anderson’s Frozen Custard becomes
first regional restaurant chain to adopt
Where Food Comes From
• May 2012 rollout in 7 restaurants
• Patrons can access information on
select farms and families that raised
Anderson’s all natural beef
13. Delmonico’s
Steak
House
-‐
NY
NY’s oldest steakhouse and one of
America’s most renowned restaurants
14. What
do
shoppers
think
about
WFCF?
February
2012
market
research
highlights:
94.5%
of
respondents
reacted
posiNvely
to
WFCF
labeling
51%
of
respondents
“definitely
more
likely”
to
purchase
product
with
WFCF
brand
15.
WFCF
Revenue
Model
Recurring
Revenue
Model
Retailers, distributors and
restaurants who carry products
displaying the WFCF brand pay us in
the following ways:
• License fees
• Per pound royalties
Customer for life mentality
16.
Market
Opportunity
Very
Hard
to
Define
Consider
these
facts…each
year
in
the
US
there
are:
1. Over
30
Billion
lbs
of
Beef
produced
2. Over
25
Billion
lbs
of
Pork
produced
3. Over
30
Billion
lbs
of
Chicken
produced
Based
on
our
per
pound
model
alone,
the
addressable
market
for
the
Where
Food
Comes
From
labeling
program
for
these
three
meat
products
is
es3mated
at
$2.7
billion
17.
Business
Strategy
Our
goal
is
to
be
the
leading
provider
of
third-‐party
verifica2on,
iden2fica2on
and
traceability
solu2ons
to
the
food
and
agriculture
industries
Our
strategy
for
accomplishing
this
includes:
•
SoluNons
for
enNre
food
supply
chain
conNnuum,
including
feed
and
input
providers,
ranchers,
producers,
packers,
aucNon
barns,
processors,
distributors,
retailers
and
consumers
•
SoluNons
for
all
food
groups:
beef,
pork,
poultry,
produce,
dairy,
seafood,
beverages
•
Grow
our
large
and
diversified
customer
base
with
high
retenNon
rates
and
recurring
revenue
•
Preserve
and
expand
our
compeNNve
advantages
in
products,
soluNons
and
customer
service
•
Establish
Where
Food
Comes
From
as
industry
standard
soluNon
for
retail/consumer
market
•
Augment
organic
growth
with
select
acquisiNons
18.
M&A
OpportuniNes
–
ICS,
Inc.
In
Q1
2012
we
purchased
60%
of
the
outstanding
shares
of
Interna2onal
Cer2fica2on
Services
(ICS)
–
a
leader
in
organic
and
gluten
free
cer2fica2on
Terms:
$350,000
cash,
172,840
shares
of
common
stock;
non-‐diluNon
provisions;
right
of
first
refusal
on
remaining
40%.
ICS
solu2ons:
Farm
Verified
Organic;
CerNfied
Gluten
Free
Synergies:
Leaders
in
respecNve
fields;
broadens
soluNons
poryolio;
cross
markeNng
to
disNnct
customer
bases.
Economic
impact:
ICS
unaudited
2011
revenue
of
$1.0M;
60%
ICS
revenue/expense
accrues
to
WFCF.
19. Revenue
Growth
30% CAGR since 2006
$4.2M
$4M
$3.3M
$3M
$2.7M
$2.4M
$2M
$1.7M
$1.1M
$1M
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Note: To more accurately illustrate results from continuing operations, the financial data
presented excludes CattleNetwork and CattleStore operations that were divested in 2008.
21. 2012
Year
To
Date
Highlights
• Q3
revenue
up
24%
to
$1.5
million
from
$1.3
million
• 11th
straight
profitable
quarter
• Nine-‐month
revenue
up
24%
to
$4.0
million
from
$3.2
million
• Nine-‐month
net
income
of
$730,200
versus
$558,300
year
over
year
23. Balance
Sheet
Highlights
• Working
capital
of
$1.6
million
• Cash/cash
equivalents
&
short-‐term
investments
of
$1.4
million
• Stockholders’
equity
of
$2.1
million
As of September 30, 2012.
24. Management
Team
John
Saunders
Chief
Execu2ve
Officer
and
Chairman
of
the
Board
• Founded
IMI
Global
in
1995;
deep
background
in
livestock/agricultural
industry
• BA
History,
BS
Environmental
Studies
–
Yale
University
Leann
Saunders
President
• BS
Agriculture
Business,
MS
Beef
Industry
Leadership
–
Colorado
State
University
• McDonald’s
Corp.,
PM
Beef
Holdings,
Hudson
Foods
Corp.
DanneLe
Henning
Chief
Financial
Officer,
Accoun2ng
Officer,
SEC
Compliance
• CerNfied
Public
Accountant
• Einstein
Noah
Restaurant
Group,
Sirenza
Microdevices,
Peat
Marwick
25. Board
of
Directors
John
Saunders
-‐
Chairman
of
the
Board
Leann
Saunders
-‐
President
Dr.
Gary
Smith,
PhD
•
Dept.
of
Animal
Science,
Colorado
State
Univ.
–
Ken
&
Myra
Monfort
endowed
chair,
meat
science
•
PhD
Meat
Science
&
Muscle
Biology,
Texas
A&M;
Professor,
Washington
State
Univ.
&
Texas
A&M
•
Instructor,
FSIS-‐USDA
NaNonal
Meat
InspecNon
Training
Center
Pete
Lapaseotes
•
Co-‐manager
Lapaseotes
family
farm
and
feeding
operaNon;
partner
in
five
John
Deere
dealerships
•
Partner,
11
The
MercanNle
Farm,
Ranch
&
Home
retail
stores;
board
member,
Valley
Bank
&
Trust
Adam
Larson
•
Member
and
manager
of
eight
caple
ranching
and
caple
feeding
operaNons
•
Member
and
manager
of
caple
financing
company;
University
of
Colorado
Robert
Van
Schoick
II
•
President
of
Med-‐Pharmex
Animal
Health;
sales
and
markeNng
execuNve
of
Merck
&
Co.
•
Merial
Merck
animal
health
joint
venture;
BA,
MA
AusNn
College,
BS
Animal
Science
Texas
A&M
26.
Selected
Stock
Data
• Traded
–
OTCQB:
WFCF
• 52
week
stock
price
range
–
$0.13
-‐
$1.55
• Average
daily
trading
volume
–
15,000
• Weighted
average
shares
outstanding
(diluted)
–
21,000,000
• Management/board
ownership
–
11,500,000
• Approximate
float
–
9,300,000
• Market
Cap
–
$25
million
• Fiscal
year
–
December
31
Note: Certain figures are rounded. Valuation and other data is subject to change on a daily basis and
is presented as a general reference as of Q3, 2012. Investors are encouraged to read the
Company’s SEC filings.
27.
Investment
Highlights
• Recurring
revenue
model
with
solid
track
record
of
profitable
growth
• Strong
balance
sheet
–
minimal
long-‐term
debt
• Where
Food
Comes
From
has
significant
upside
• Scalable
playorm
can
support
much
larger
revenue
stream
• Expanding
market
opportunity
supported
by
long-‐term
trends
• Organic
and
M&A
growth
opportuniNes
• Management/Board
own
55%
of
outstanding
shares