Even today?s market giants started out small. Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) may now be the world?s largest company with a $3 trillion valuation which rivals the GDP of some major global economies but it began life as a start-up founded by Harvard College drop-out Bill Gates and his childhood friend Paul Allen. Few then would have predicted its global domination today.While we are not expecting the names

Despite having generated more than three times the return of the FTSE All-Share index over the past 10 years (304% versus 100% respectively), North Atlantic Smaller Companies Investment Trust (NAS) remains under the radar of most investors.Those already owning the shares are rarely willing sellers, says manager Christopher Mills. 'A lot of our shareholders have been with us forever. We started wit

In light of the implications of the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine, the global growth outlook has dimmed, which means now more than ever, portfolios should be as diversified by asset class as possible to in order to maximise returns relative to risk.Higher risk assets they may be, yet 'micro caps', the London stock market's smallest quoted companies should form at least a portion of a well-diversifi

Hargreaves Services (HSP:AIM) 550pGain to date: 71.9%Original entry point: Buy at 320p, 25 February 2021Property and industrial services firm Hargreaves Services (HSP:AIM) is the gift that keeps on giving for shareholders.First half results for the period to November blew away estimates thanks to major strategic progress in both the land and industrial businesses.There was also a strong contributi

Hargreaves Services (HSP:AIM) 515pGain to date: 60.9%Original entry point: Buy at 320p, 25 February 2021Until the publication of its first half results, shares in industrial and property services group Hargreaves Services (HSP:AIM) were trading at just 400p, but the reaction to the numbers was bullish with the stock gaining 17% in a day.This optimism reflected the huge strategic progress the compa

Hargreaves Services (HSP:AIM) 525pGain to date: 64%Original entry point: Buy at 320p, 25 February 2021The basis of our buy call in February was that the firm had reached a strategic turning point, divesting its coal assets and becoming a focused, self-financing industrial and property services group.The cash received from the sale of inventories and the reduced working capital requirement thanks t

The UK's index of blue-chip shares finished the day holding in the green up 0.3% to close at 7,016.63.Across the pond, US markets were mixed as investors await update from US Federal Reserve, with tech and small caps rebounding. The Dow and S&P 500 were both trading modestly in the red but the Nasdaq Composite and Russell 2000 rallied 0.4% and 1% respectively.As well as continuing concerns about i

The UK's index of blue-chip shares regained ground in early afternoon trading after late morning drift as investors await update from US Federal Reserve.As well as continuing concerns about inflation, investors are worried about the rising number of Delta variant cases and the repercussions of China's latest clampdown on tech and other private sector businesses.At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE 100 w

UK stocks got off to a mixed start on Wednesday as better corporate earnings were outweighed by weak overnight performances in the US and Asia.US markets gave back some of their recent gains as heavyweight tech stocks Alphabet, Apple and Microsoft dipped despite strong earnings.In Asia, Chinese stocks remained at their lows for the year after three days of heavy losses despite state-run media chan

There has been a wave of takeover approaches for listed companies, both from rivals and from private equity buy-out firms in 2021.Something we have noticed is that, where private equity is concerned, rather than looking for companies which are on their knees and in desperate need of turning round, buyers seem to prefer companies which have already begun the turnaround process and therefore require

UK shares ended the day flat on Tuesday despite earlier optimism after positive overnight trading in Asia and a positive start on Wall Street.Commodity prices were generally higher with Brent crude rising 0.9% to $70.10 a barrel and gold prices up 0.2% to a three-month high of $1,870 an ounce.At the close the FTSE 100 of leading shares was virtually unchanged at 7,036 points with financial and con

A major shift in the business means now is an excellent time to buy small cap Hargreaves Services (HSP:AIM). The group delivers projects and services in the infrastructure, energy and property services, principally in the UK but also in South East Asia.Its main division, Distribution and Services, provides waste handling and logistics to various sectors together with specialist earthworks for majo

UK stocks traded sideways on Monday as concerns over the financial health of aerospace firm Rolls-Royce (RR.) and travel and leisure stocks were offset by a general rise in pharmaceutical and healthcare stocks.By 8.45am the FTSE 100 index was flat at 5,768 points, significantly outperforming European markets - many of which were closed on Friday for a bank holiday - which were down between 3% and

Bookmaker Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) shares are down 4% despite revealing a healthy set of fist half to 30 June results. Revenue is up 9% to £827m with operating profit up 22% to £180m both on a year on year basis. The company is losing its influential chief executive Breon Corcoran soon, he says 'we continue to make substantial investments to position Paddy Power Betfair as a structural winner i

The granting last week of planning permission to convert an old mine site into a property development adds 100p to Hargreaves Services' (HSP:AIM) net asset value, says N+1 Singer.The broker's new intrinsic value for the business is now 460p which compares to the trading price of 333.5p as of 4 April 2017.Last August Hargreaves said it had amassed an 18,500 acre portfolio of property which include

Coal specialist Hargreaves Services (HSP:AIM) is on the comeback trail, judging by significant earnings upgrades this morning from stockbroker N+1 Singer.The energy services business is now expected to make £7.5m pre-tax profit in 2017, compared to previous forecasts of £4.5m.The broker says its earnings upgrades are driven primarily by outperformance in Hargreaves' German operations.'The real s

Profit from coal trading at Hargreaves Services (HSP:AIM) looks set to be double analyst expectations after a recovery in pricing for the fossil fuel.Better market conditions should see Hargreaves' coal unit deliver a profit £3m higher than management plans outlined in August, according to comments by chief executive Gordon Banham today.Analysts previously expected the unit to deliver a £3m adju

UK shares face another pre-holidays lull on Thursday with investors lacking the appetite to drive London shares one way or the other. The FTSE 100 nudges a modest 6 points or so lower at 7,035, staying making a pre-Christmas close above the 7,000 mark more likely.In a quiet day for corporate news car dealer Inchcape (INCH) has agreed to pay £234m in cash to acquire a Subaru and Hino Motors-focuse

Surging coal prices could help speed up coal trader and miner Hargreaves Services' (HSP:AIM) plans to unlock 300p a share in business value.Struggling Hargreaves has been a casualty of falling energy prices over the last three years, as well as recent mild winters and coal power station closures as the UK's energy policy attempts to shift away from fossil fuels.European coking coal prices bottomed

SIS sales sprintInvestors can expect this summer's Rio Olympics to be boosting the top-line performance of ambitious sports nutrition minnow Science in Sport (SIS:AIM), now the official sports nutrition supplier to USA Cycling. The SiS brand, spanning everything from energy powders and isotonic gels to protein-based recovery bars is gaining traction among elite athletes and amateur enthusiasts ali