Small cap successes highlighted at the Australian Microcap Investment Conference

The 10th Annual Australian Microcap Investment Conference will be held on Tuesday 22 October 2019 over two days at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins.

The Conference is Australia’s largest and most comprehensive emerging company investment event and will showcase the services, products, strategies and people driving Australia's micro-capped ASX listed growth companies.

The CEOs of 27 of Australia’s leading and dynamic emerging companies, from a varied range of sectors, will showcase their companies, strategies and people to investors.

Joel Fleming and Peter Switzer will act as keynote speakers.

Fleming is the Fund Manager of the UBS Microcap Fund, and Switzer, a widely known and respected identity in the investment and business community, the founder of the Switzer Report.

Both speakers will impart their wide knowledge of investing, particularly in the Microcap sector, to the Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday morning respectively.

Emerging or microcap companies provide access to many niche industry sectors, as well as emerging technologies and business areas that are sometimes overlooked by larger companies. The sector is generally recognised as comprising those companies with a market capitalisation of under $300 million.

Sectors are up

Despite the topsy turvy year for the markets, there are some sectors that have presented well in 2019 and are worth a look.

Medtech is up 64%, Industrial Chemicals up 63%, Life Sciences Tools and Services up 55%, Interactive Media and Services up 52% and Aerospace and Defence Goods up 29% this year.

Several companies within these industries will be presenting at this year's conference. Interestingly, in the ten years the conference has been in operation, eleven of the companies that have presented have grown to have a market capitalisation in excess of $500 million with four companies having grown to a market capitalisation of over $1 billion.

Amongst the ‘Success Stories’ that have been presented at the Conference over the years that have ‘shot the lights out’ are:
• Jumbo Interactive first presented at the conference with a market capitalisation of $9 million now has a market cap of $1.6 billion
• EML Payments presented with a $56 million market capitalisation, now at $1.12 billion
• Nearmap Limited $1.1 billion
• Gold Road Resources $1.0 billion
• AMA group $710 million
• HUB24 $727 million
• Webster $706 million
• Phoslock Environmental $678 million
• Infigin Energy $645 million
• Vocus $620million
• Integrated Research $534 million

Each of the above companies presented at the Conference when their market capitalisation was under $130 million.

At last year’s Conference 26 listed companies presented. Six of the companies achieved returns of over 30% in the year to 30 September 2019. These companies include Phoslock Environmental (213%), Bluechiip (166%), CV Check (113%), Image Resources (100%), XTEK (74%) and Australian Ethical Investment (47%). Over the same period the S&P/ASX Emerging Companies Index produced a return of 17%.

The companies presenting at this year’s Conference include financial services groups (Australian Ethical Investments, APN Property Group, DomaCom, Collection House), a security specialist (XTEK), technology solutions providers (CV Check, 1st Group, Hazer Group, identitii, RETECH and Xref).

Vasco has partnered with leading investor relations firm Bourse Communications, The City of Melbourne, insurance specialist GSA Insurance, marketing communications group Motivo and corporate advisory firm D H Flinders to present the conference in conjunction with association partners the Stockbrokers and Financial Advisers Association of Australia and the UNSW Business School.

The Australian Microcap Investment Conference aims to act as a conduit and facilitate the sometimes challenging communication process between a company and its stakeholders, which may include shareholders, stockbrokers, fund managers, analysts, institutions, private investors and the business media.

In commenting on Australia’s largest Microcap Event, Craig Dunstan, Managing Director of Vasco Trustees said: “We are delighted to have secured 27 outstanding ASX listed companies to present as well as key note presentations from Mr Joel Fleming, Fund Manager of the UBS Microcap Fund and Mr Peter Switzer, founder and publisher of the Switzer Report.”

“This year we have over 400 professional investors, stockbrokers and financial advisers registered to attend. The microcap sector is generating greater interest each year as investors realise the gains to be made by investing in smaller companies.”

The microcap universe comprises over 1,800 companies with a market capitalisation of under $300m presenting many opportunities for investors.

Australia’s leading group of emerging ASX listed companies to showcase at this year’s Conference are:

Capital Goods
• XTEK Limited (XTE) Philippe Odouard, Managing Director

Diversified Financials
• Australian Ethical Investment Limited (AEF) Steve Gibbs, Acting Chief Executive Officer
• APN Property Group (APD) Tim Slattery, Chief Executive Officer
• DomaCom Limited (DCL) Arthur Naoumidis, Chief Executive Officer
• Collection House Limited (CLH) Anthony Rivas, Managing Director

Materials
• Leaf Resources Limited (LER) Alex Baker, Chief Executive Officer
• NOVONIX Limited (NVX) Philip St Baker, Managing Director
• Altech Chemicals Limited (ATC) Iggy Tan, Managing Director
• Hazer Group (HZR) Geoff Ward, Managing Director

Utilities
• Genex Power Limited (GNX) Simon Kidston, Executive Director
• Localities Planning Energy Holdings Limited (LPE) Damien Glanville, Managing Director

Food, Beverage and Tobacco
• Clean Seas Seafood Limited (CSS) David Head, Managing Director

Health Care Equipment & Services
• 1st Group (1st) Klaus Bartosch, Managing Director
• EMVision medical Devices Limited (EMV) Dr Ron Weinberger, Chief Executive Officer
• IMEXHS Limited (IME) Dr German Arango, Chief Executive Officer
• LBT Innovations Limited (LBT) Brent Barnes, Managing Director
• Osteopore Limited (OSX) Geoff Pocock, Executive Director
• TruScreen Limited (NSX:TRU) Martin Dillon, Chief Executive Officer

Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology
• Actinogen Medical Limited (ACW) Dr Bill Ketelbey, Managing Director
• Acrux Limited (ACR) Michael Kotsanis, Managing Director
• AdAlta Limited (1AD) Paul MacLeman, Executive Chairman
• Anatara Lifesciences Ltd (ANR) Steven Lydeamore, Chief Executive Officer
• CANNATREK Tommy Huppert, Chief Executive Officer

Software & Services
• CV Check Limited (CV1) Rod Sherwood, Chief Executive Officer
• Identitii (ID8) Nick Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer
• Xref Limited (XF1) Lee-Martin Seymour, Chief Executive Officer
• Retech Technology Company Limited (RTE) Edward Slade, Consultant

For more information please visit www.microcapconferences.com and go to ‘Events’.