Undiscovered Gems In Australia Featuring Three Promising Small Cap Stocks

Simply Wall St · 10/16 19:04

The Australian market has shown robust performance, rising 1.7% over the last week and 18% over the past year, with earnings expected to grow by 12% annually. In this thriving environment, identifying promising small-cap stocks can offer unique opportunities for investors seeking to capitalize on potential growth beyond the well-trodden paths of larger companies.

Top 10 Undiscovered Gems With Strong Fundamentals In Australia

Name Debt To Equity Revenue Growth Earnings Growth Health Rating
Fiducian Group NA 9.94% 6.48% ★★★★★★
Schaffer 24.98% 2.97% -6.23% ★★★★★★
Sugar Terminals NA 3.14% 3.53% ★★★★★★
Lycopodium NA 17.22% 33.85% ★★★★★★
Red Hill Minerals NA 75.05% 36.74% ★★★★★★
Steamships Trading 33.60% 4.17% 3.90% ★★★★★☆
AMCIL NA 5.16% 5.31% ★★★★★☆
Hearts and Minds Investments 1.00% 18.81% 20.95% ★★★★☆☆
A2B Australia 15.83% -7.78% 25.44% ★★★★☆☆
Boart Longyear Group 71.20% 9.71% 39.19% ★★★★☆☆

Click here to see the full list of 53 stocks from our ASX Undiscovered Gems With Strong Fundamentals screener.

Below we spotlight a couple of our favorites from our exclusive screener.

Emerald Resources (ASX:EMR)

Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★★☆

Overview: Emerald Resources NL is involved in the exploration and development of mineral reserves in Cambodia and Australia, with a market capitalization of A$2.73 billion.

Operations: Emerald Resources generates revenue primarily from its mine operations, amounting to A$366.04 million.

Emerald Resources, a growing player in the mining sector, has seen its earnings surge by 41.9% over the past year, outpacing industry growth. Despite shareholder dilution last year, Emerald remains free cash flow positive with A$150.49 million as of October 2024. The company's debt to equity ratio increased to 8.5% over five years but is manageable given its cash surplus and strong EBIT interest coverage at 18.6x. Recent leadership changes include Simon Lee's retirement from the board after significant contributions to its evolution into a gold producer with projects in Cambodia and Australia.

ASX:EMR Debt to Equity as at Oct 2024
ASX:EMR Debt to Equity as at Oct 2024

MFF Capital Investments (ASX:MFF)

Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★★☆

Overview: MFF Capital Investments Limited is an investment firm manager with a market capitalization of A$2.28 billion.

Operations: MFF Capital Investments generates revenue primarily from its equity investments, amounting to A$659.96 million.

MFF Capital Investments, a smaller player in the Australian market, is trading at a significant 44.3% discount to its estimated fair value. Over the past year, earnings growth of 38.3% has outpaced the industry average of 15.6%, showcasing robust performance. With net income climbing to A$447 million from A$324 million and basic earnings per share rising to A$0.77 from A$0.55, MFF's financial health appears solid despite an increased debt-to-equity ratio over five years reaching 7.9%.

ASX:MFF Debt to Equity as at Oct 2024
ASX:MFF Debt to Equity as at Oct 2024

Ora Banda Mining (ASX:OBM)

Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★☆☆

Overview: Ora Banda Mining Limited is involved in the exploration, operation, and development of mineral properties in Australia with a market capitalization of A$1.25 billion.

Operations: The primary revenue stream for Ora Banda Mining Limited is derived from its gold mining operations, generating A$214.24 million.

Ora Banda Mining, a promising player in the Australian mining sector, recently reported sales of A$214.24 million for the year ending June 2024, up from A$135.89 million previously. It turned a corner with net income hitting A$27.57 million compared to last year's net loss of A$44.13 million, reflecting its newfound profitability and high-quality earnings marked by significant non-cash components. Despite shareholder dilution over the past year, OBM is trading at 91.7% below its estimated fair value and has strong interest coverage with EBIT covering debt payments 7.8 times over.

ASX:OBM Debt to Equity as at Oct 2024
ASX:OBM Debt to Equity as at Oct 2024

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.