Tag - Ufpt

In yesterday's letter, Making the Microcap Index Adds Cache, I wrote that "Several of the companies that have been selected to join the [Russell] microcap index have the potential to make significant gains over the second half of this year - but just making the index alone doesn't guarantee share price appreciation. The companies need to perform - and we only want to get in on the best ones."

Today I'm introducing you to three of the best. These are three tiny companies that have to potential for eye popping gains. Of course, they are risky investments as well simply because of their miniscule size - but it's much more likely that a sub-$100 million market cap company will triple, or more, in size than a company worth $5 billion.

Shares of UFP Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:UFPT) have gained 13% today after reporting ahead of the opening second-quarter profits that beat analyst views. For the quarter ended June 30, net income was $1.57 million, or $0.25 per share, compared with $0.98 million, or $0.17 per share, for the same period a year earlier. Net sales for the Georgetown, Mass.-based company were $28.5 million, up from $23.2 million a year ago. Wall Street was expecting earnings per share of $0.24 on revenues of $28.3 million.

“I am very pleased with our continued progress,” said R. Jeffrey Bailly, chairman, CEO and president, in a statement. “Our 23% sales increase includes solid internal growth of 9%, coupled with gains from our January acquisition of Stephenson & Lawyer in Grand Rapids, Michigan. When you factor in the impact of our ongoing operational improvements, the result is a dramatic 61% increase in net profits for the quarter.”

The company is a manufacturer of packaging and component products. At 10:28 a.m. ET, shares are at $9.47, up $1.12 from Monday’s close. Trading volume is well below the average number of shares. During the past year, shares have ranged from $4.45 to $14.63.

Rimage Corp (Nasdaq:RIMG), AEP Industries Inc (Nasdaq:AEPI) and Spreadtrum Communications Inc (Nasdaq:SPRD) are among the biggest percentage losers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

TASER International Inc (Nasdaq:TASR), Astro-Med Inc (Nasdaq:ALOT) and PAM Transportation Services Inc (Nasdaq:PTSI) are also among the biggest percentage losers.

Pier 1 Imports Inc (Nasdaq:PIR), Southern Community Financial Corp (Nasdaq:SCMF) and UFP Technologies Inc (Nasdaq:UFPT) were additionally included among the results.

Here are the biggest percentage losers among small caps:

Pyramid Oil Co (Nasdaq:PDO), National Coal Corp (Nasdaq:NCOC) and A Power Energy Generation Systems (Nasdaq:APWR) are among the new 52-week highs in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

Avant Immunotherapeutics Inc (Nasdaq:AVAN), HQ Sustainable Maritime Industries Inc (Nasdaq:HQS) and UFP Technologies Inc (NYSE:UFPT) are also among the new 52-week highs.

Here are the new 52-week highs among small caps:

Pyramid Oil Co. (AMEX:PDO), James River Coal Co. (Nasdaq:JRCC) and WSI Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:WSCI) were among the new 52-week highs established during Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations or values under $750 million.

Gencor Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:GENC), UFP Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:UFPT) and AgFeed Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:FEED) were also among the 52-week small-cap highs.

Here are Monday's 52-week small-cap highs:

Digital Ally, Inc. (Nasdaq:DGLY), Metalico, Inc. (AMEX:MEA) and Cascal B.V. (NYSE:HOO) were among the new 52-week highs established during Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations or values under $750 million.

UFP Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:UFPT), Raining Data Corp. (Nasdaq:RDTA) and PHI Inc. (Nasdaq:PHIIK) were also among the 52-week small-cap highs.

Here are Thursday's 52-week small-cap highs:

Gencor Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:GENC), Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. (AMEX:NGS) and Brigham Exploration Co. (Nasdaq:BEXP) were among the new 52-week highs established during Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations or values under $750 million.

Clayton Williams Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:CWEI), UFP Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:UFPT) and United States Gasoline Fund (AMEX:UGA) were also among the 52-week small-cap highs.

Here are Monday's 52-week small-cap highs:

Mesabi Trust (NYSE:MSB), Lumber Liquidators, Inc. (NYSE:LL) and UFP Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:UFPT) were among the new 52-week highs established during Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations or values under $750 million.

TNS, Inc. (NYSE:TNS) was also among the 52-week small-cap highs.

Here are today's 52-week small-cap highs:

UFP Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:UFPT), WSI Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:WSCI) and United States Oil Fund LP (AMEX:USO) were among the new 52-week highs established during Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations or values under $750 million.

Clayton Williams Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:CWEI), Danvers Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq:DNBK) and PHI Inc. (Nasdaq:PHIIK) were also among the 52-week small-cap highs.

Here are today's 52-week small-cap highs:

UFP Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: UFPT), a manufacturer of packaging and component products, today reported third-quarter earnings that beat a sole analyst’s estimate on Wall Street.

For the three months ended Sept. 30, the Georgetown, Mass.-based company recorded net income of $0.88 million, or $0.15 per share, above an analyst’s estimate of $0.09, as polled by Thomson Financial. The current quarter’s bottom-line result was more than double the company’s net income of $0.396 million, or $0.07 per share, for the third quarter of 2006.

Sales clocked in at $22.9 million or 5.5% higher than in the same period last year’s sales of $21.7 million. The sole analyst polled by Thomson Financial was forecasting revenues of $22 million.

The company said its balance sheet was bolstered during the quarter with over $5.5 million in cash and declining debt. UFP noted that its strengthened balance sheet yields a basis for the company to grow through prospective acquisitions, invest in new technologies, and develop new products.

Shares of UFP Technologies (UFPT) bolted 33.62%, or $1.95, to $7.75 in pre-market trading. Shares of UFP Technologies have been trading in the range of $4.15 to $6.43 for the past 52 weeks.

The small-cap Russell 2000 index joined the other major U.S. indices in losing ground as investors consolidated their gains in anticipation of Wednesday’s meeting of the Federal Reserve.  Among specific small-cap stocks, Cutera, Inc. (Nasdaq: CUTR) said its net income missed expectations, while Playboy Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: PLA) reported a strong first quarter.

The Russell 2000 lost 0.97 points, or 0.12 percent, to 830.90.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average snapped its five-day winning streak, losing 3.90 points, or 0.03 percent, to 13,309.07.

These are the biggest percentage losers among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million:

Shares of Waltham, Mass.-based Lionbridge Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: LIOX) are trading higher on news this morning that earnings beat expectations.  Net income for the quarter ended March 31 was $4.4 million, or $0.07 per share, compared with $0.9 million, or $0.01 per share in the final quarter of 2006.  Wall Street was expecting the provider of globalization and offshoring services to break even.  Shares are up $0.06, or 1%, to $5.21.