Valuations for the small-cap asset class have returned to levels last seen during the Global Financial Crisis, and history shows that when valuations have plunged to similarly low levels in the past, stellar returns have ensued for small caps over the subsequent five years.A savvy way to gain differentiated exposure to this structurally-inefficient part of the market is through value-focused...

NAV gain of 21.4% compared with 16% loss in FTSE Small Cap indexValue investing mindset with concentrated portfolio approachUK small caps trading at deep discountSmall cap investing hasn't been easy of late with the FTSE Small Cap (ex investment trusts) index down 15.7% over the year to 31 March 2023.But small cap investment specialist Rockwood Strategic (RKW) delivered an increase in total...

China reported an increase in the number of deaths from and cases of coronavirus, while the first patient has been diagnosed in London, news that gave investors the jitters on Thursday. The FTSE 100 traded down 0.9% at 7,468.37, with its heavy weighting towards commodity stocks, which are particularly sensitive to events in China, contributing to the weakness.Barclays (BARC) cheapened 2.8% to...

Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) has shrugged off adverse sports results in late 2016 to say that full year earnings will come in at the mid-point of its previously guided £390m to £405m EBITDA range. It lost almost £5m as punters cleaned up with the US election result in addition to unfavourable football scores. The shares dip 1.7% to £85.32 despite the market already knowing about tough...

The small cap universe, and its somewhat erratic liquidity, regularly throws up valuation anomalies. Favoured stocks can see their share prices pushed ever higher to potentially unsustainable levels and the unloved find it increasingly hard to attract any interest, whatever the perceived valuation attractions.The following small caps offer food for thought in this respect, with dramatically...

Eagle Eye (EYE:AIM) 165pAIM is littered with strugglers chasing the mobile commerce dream but Eagle Eye is off to a decent start. SMS marketing and vouchers space has potential, but this is also high-risk territory.Earthport (EPO:AIM) 45.25pNew management is key to ending years of failure and cash calls. Making rapid progress to promised global platform for medium-sized cross-border payments...