We have some exciting news to share! The Motley Fool UK has now become The Twelfth Magpie -- an independent, UK-owned company, led by our long-serving UK management team — Mark Rogers, Chris Nials and Heather Adlington. In practical terms, it’s the same team you know, now fully focused on serving our UK readers and members.

Just as importantly, our approach remains unchanged: long-term, jargon-free, and on your side. This site is our new home, and there will be extra tweaks made across the coming few days as we settle in. So if anything looks a little off, please bear with us!

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

Are these the best small-cap shares for growth investors?

Royston Wild discusses the earnings outlook of two small-cap stars.

| More on:

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

Arrow Global Group (LSE: ARW) remains on course to break November’s record tops above 300p per share as deleveraging by European banks continues to drive business volumes sky high.

Arrow Global announced in November that total revenues detonated 37% during January-September, to £164.4m. And market appetite for the firm continues to fizzle as it follows through on its aim of “becoming Europe’s leading purchaser and manager of debt” — just last month the business entered the Italian market with the acquisition of Zenith for an enterprise value of €17m.

XXX

Against this backcloth the City expects the debt collector to keep punching explosive earnings growth for the foreseeable future, and predicts a 31% advance in 2016 to be followed by a 28% rise in the current period.

Consequently Arrow Global deals on a P/E ratio of nine times for the current period, falling below the bargain-basement benchmark of 10 times. Furthermore, a sub-1 PEG readout of 0.3 underlines the company’s exceptional value credentials.

Constructing corking growth

I also believe a healthy US construction market should help deliver resplendent earnings expansion at Tyman (LSE: TYMN) long into the future.

The number crunchers certainly expect the bottom line to keep swelling in the medium term, and have forecast a 15% rise for 2017, following on from an anticipated 12% rise last year. This results in a P/E ratio of just 11.5 times for the current year, as well as a PEG readout of 0.8.

And there’s good cause for such optimism. Latest construction data from across the Pond showed project spending up 0.9% in November, to $1.18trn, the highest since April 2006. And the strong industry upswing is expected to persist through 2017 at least as the US economic revival continues.

But the US isn’t the only bright spot for door-and-window-parts-builder Tyman, the company noting in November that “encouraging growth has continued in European markets and volumes have held up in UK and Irish markets.”

Build a fortune

And I reckon Tyman’s construction counterpart Severfield (LSE: SFR) is on course to deliver solid earnings growth too.

Despite concerns over the impact of Brexit on the construction sector, Severfield continues to rack up new business at an impressive rate. Indeed, Severfield’s order book clocked in at six-year peaks as of November, at £315m, providing the firm with terrific earnings visibility.

And Severfield’s presence in India also provides plenty of revenue opportunities. The company’s JSW Severfield Structures joint venture secured £29m worth of contracts just last month to build a variety of commercial and industrial structures. And the amount of business is likely to keep rising as the Indian economy booms.

The City has pencilled-in a 35% earnings advance at Severfield for the year to March 2017, creating a very-appealing P/E ratio of 15 times. And an anticipated 16% bottom-line charge in fiscal 2018 drives the multiple to a much-improved 12.9 times.

Moreover, PEG numbers of 0.4 and 0.8 for 2017 and 2018 highlight its exceptional value relative to its likely growth trajectory.

Royston Wild has no position in any shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Friends and sisters exploring the outdoors together in Cornwall. They are standing with their arms around each other at the coast.
Investing Articles

£503 buys 14 shares in this FTSE 250 stock that returned 23.9% annually for the last 15 years

This FTSE 250 stock has averaged a huge return for 15 years. At today's price, £503 buys 14 shares. But…

Read more »

Black woman using loudspeaker to be heard
Investing Articles

£1,000 buys 25 shares in this FTSE 100 stock that’s returned 29.2% annually for the last 10 years

This FTSE 100 mining stock has returned close to 30% a year for a decade. At 3,995p, £1,000 buys 25…

Read more »

Female student sitting at the steps and using laptop
Investing Articles

Down 47%, is this growth stock finally worth buying in May?

With a £288m order book and a hidden pipeline of defence and nuclear contracts, is this growth stock now too…

Read more »

House models and one with REIT - standing for real estate investment trust - written on it.
Investing Articles

2 REITs yielding 7%+ to consider for passive income in 2026

A REIT backed by the NHS and another backed by Tesco and Sainsbury's with both yielding 7%+. Here's why I'm…

Read more »

Woman riding her old fashioned bicycle along the Beach Esplanade at Aberdeen, Scotland.
Investing Articles

Just 97 shares of this UK dividend stock generate £238 in passive income

A 5.7% yield, £238 in passive income from just 97 shares, and one of the most divisive dividend stocks on…

Read more »

ISA coins
Investing Articles

£10,000 in an ISA generates a second income of…

The London Stock Exchange is home to some of the world's most generous dividends. But how big a second income…

Read more »

Shot of a senior man drinking coffee and looking thoughtfully out of a window
Investing Articles

Expert recommendations: 2 top income stocks yielding 7%+!

With yields of 7.2% and 7.8% respectively, these two income stocks are catching the eyes of institutional analysts. Should investors…

Read more »

Illustration of flames over a black background
Investing Articles

3 top income-focused stocks to buy in May 2026, according to experts

Looking for a stock to buy for income in May 2026? Experts have flagged these three UK dividend shares as…

Read more »