The following are today's upgrades for Validea's Small-Cap Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Motley Fool. This strategy looks for small cap growth stocks with solid fundamentals and strong price performance.
PHOTRONICS, INC. (PLAB) is a small-cap value stock in the Semiconductors industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 69% to 76% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Photronics, Inc. is a manufacturer of photomasks, which is a precision photographic quartz or glass plates containing microscopic images of electronic circuits. The Company is an element in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs) and flat panel displays (FPDs) and are used as masters to transfer circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers and FPD substrates during the fabrication of ICs, a variety of FPDs and, to a lesser extent, other types of electrical and optical components. It has approximately 11 manufacturing facilities, out of which three are located in Taiwan, one in Korea, three in the United States, two in Europe, and two in China. The Company's FPD facility is located in Hefei, China, and IC facility in Xiamen, China.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| PROFIT MARGIN: | PASS |
| RELATIVE STRENGTH: | PASS |
| COMPARE SALES AND EPS GROWTH TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR: | PASS |
| INSIDER HOLDINGS: | FAIL |
| CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS: | PASS |
| PROFIT MARGIN CONSISTENCY: | PASS |
| R&D AS A PERCENTAGE OF SALES: | FAIL |
| CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS: | PASS |
| INVENTORY TO SALES: | PASS |
| ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE TO SALES: | PASS |
| LONG TERM DEBT/EQUITY RATIO: | FAIL |
| "THE FOOL RATIO" (P/E TO GROWTH): | PASS |
| AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING: | PASS |
| SALES: | FAIL |
| DAILY DOLLAR VOLUME: | PASS |
| PRICE: | PASS |
| INCOME TAX PERCENTAGE: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of PHOTRONICS, INC.
SCHOLASTIC CORP (SCHL) is a small-cap growth stock in the Printing & Publishing industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 45% to 72% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Scholastic Corporation is a publisher and distributor of children's books. The Company operates through three segments: Children's Book Publishing and Distribution, Education Solutions and International. Children's Book Publishing and Distribution segment operates as an integrated business, which includes the publication and distribution of children's books, e-books, media and interactive products in the United States through its book clubs and book fairs in its school channels, and through the trade channel. Education Solutions segment includes the publication and distribution to schools and libraries of children's books, classroom magazines, print and digital supplemental and core classroom materials and programs and related support services, and print and on-line reference and non-fiction products for grades pre-kindergarten to 12 in the United States. Its International segment includes the publication and distribution of products and services outside the United States.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| PROFIT MARGIN: | FAIL |
| RELATIVE STRENGTH: | FAIL |
| COMPARE SALES AND EPS GROWTH TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR: | FAIL |
| INSIDER HOLDINGS: | PASS |
| CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS: | PASS |
| PROFIT MARGIN CONSISTENCY: | PASS |
| R&D AS A PERCENTAGE OF SALES: | NEUTRAL |
| CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS: | PASS |
| INVENTORY TO SALES: | PASS |
| ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE TO SALES: | PASS |
| LONG TERM DEBT/EQUITY RATIO: | PASS |
| "THE FOOL RATIO" (P/E TO GROWTH): | PASS |
| AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING: | PASS |
| SALES: | FAIL |
| DAILY DOLLAR VOLUME: | PASS |
| PRICE: | PASS |
| INCOME TAX PERCENTAGE: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of SCHOLASTIC CORP
UMB FINANCIAL CORP (UMBF) is a mid-cap value stock in the Money Center Banks industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 45% to 72% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: UMB Financial Corporation is a financial holding company that provides banking services and asset servicing to its customers in the United States and around the world. The Company operates through three segments: Commercial Banking, Institutional Banking, and Personal Banking. The Commercial Banking segment serves the commercial banking and treasury management needs of its small to middle-market businesses through a variety of products and services. The Institutional Banking segment is a combination of banking services, fund services, asset management services and healthcare services provided to institutional clients. It also provides fixed income sales, trading and underwriting, corporate trust and escrow services, as well as institutional custody. The Personal Banking segment combines consumer banking and wealth management services offered to clients and delivered through personal relationships and the Company's bank branches, automated teller machine networks and Internet banking.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| PROFIT MARGIN: | PASS |
| RELATIVE STRENGTH: | FAIL |
| COMPARE SALES AND EPS GROWTH TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR: | FAIL |
| INSIDER HOLDINGS: | FAIL |
| CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS: | PASS |
| PROFIT MARGIN CONSISTENCY: | PASS |
| R&D AS A PERCENTAGE OF SALES: | NEUTRAL |
| CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS: | PASS |
| "THE FOOL RATIO" (P/E TO GROWTH): | PASS |
| AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING: | PASS |
| SALES: | FAIL |
| DAILY DOLLAR VOLUME: | PASS |
| PRICE: | PASS |
| INCOME TAX PERCENTAGE: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of UMB FINANCIAL CORP
CAVCO INDUSTRIES, INC. (CVCO) is a small-cap value stock in the Mobile Homes & RVs industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 52% to 79% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Cavco Industries, Inc. designs and produces factory-built homes. Its segments include Factory-built Housing and Financial Services. The Factory-built Housing segment includes wholesale and retail factory-built housing operations. The Financial Services segment includes manufactured housing consumer finance and insurance. Its factory-built homes are primarily distributed through a network of independent and Company-owned retailers, planned community operators and residential developers. Its manufactured homes are marketed under a variety of brand names, including Cavco, Fleetwood, Palm Harbor, Nationwide, Fairmont, Friendship, Chariot, Eagle, Destiny, Commodore, Colony, Pennwest, R-Anell, Manorwood and MidCountry. It is also a producer of park model recreational vehicle (RVs), vacation cabins and factory-built commercial structures, as well as modular homes. CountryPlace Acceptance Corp. is its finance subsidiary and Standard Casualty Co. (Standard Casualty) is its insurance subsidiary.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| PROFIT MARGIN: | PASS |
| RELATIVE STRENGTH: | FAIL |
| COMPARE SALES AND EPS GROWTH TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR: | PASS |
| INSIDER HOLDINGS: | FAIL |
| CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS: | PASS |
| PROFIT MARGIN CONSISTENCY: | PASS |
| R&D AS A PERCENTAGE OF SALES: | NEUTRAL |
| CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS: | PASS |
| INVENTORY TO SALES: | PASS |
| ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE TO SALES: | PASS |
| LONG TERM DEBT/EQUITY RATIO: | PASS |
| "THE FOOL RATIO" (P/E TO GROWTH): | PASS |
| AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING: | PASS |
| SALES: | FAIL |
| DAILY DOLLAR VOLUME: | PASS |
| PRICE: | PASS |
| INCOME TAX PERCENTAGE: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of CAVCO INDUSTRIES, INC.
ENERGY RECOVERY, INC. (ERII) is a small-cap growth stock in the Misc. Capital Goods industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 69% to 76% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Energy Recovery, Inc. creates technologies that solve challenges for industrial fluid-flow markets. The Company's segments include Water and Emerging Technologies. Water segment includes the continued development, sales and support of the Pressure Exchanger (PX), hydraulic turbochargers and pumps used in its seawater desalination and industrial wastewater activities. Emerging Technologies segment includes the continued development, sales and support of activities related to technologies, such as the VorTeq used in the oil and gas market, the ISOBoost used in natural gas processing, the PX G1300 used in industrial and commercial refrigeration applications and certain other new products. It offers various products such as PX pressure exchanger, PX powertrain, Turbochargers, Ultra PX, Isoboost & Isogen, Circulation pumps, High-pressure Pumps, Vorteq, and PX G1300. It designs and manufactures solutions that reduce waste and energy consumption across a range of industrial processes.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| PROFIT MARGIN: | PASS |
| RELATIVE STRENGTH: | PASS |
| COMPARE SALES AND EPS GROWTH TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR: | FAIL |
| INSIDER HOLDINGS: | PASS |
| CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS: | PASS |
| PROFIT MARGIN CONSISTENCY: | FAIL |
| R&D AS A PERCENTAGE OF SALES: | NEUTRAL |
| CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS: | PASS |
| INVENTORY TO SALES: | PASS |
| ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE TO SALES: | PASS |
| LONG TERM DEBT/EQUITY RATIO: | PASS |
| "THE FOOL RATIO" (P/E TO GROWTH): | FAIL |
| AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING: | PASS |
| SALES: | PASS |
| DAILY DOLLAR VOLUME: | PASS |
| PRICE: | PASS |
| INCOME TAX PERCENTAGE: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of ENERGY RECOVERY, INC.
More details on Validea's Motley Fool strategy
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About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
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