Top 20 Small-Cap Stocks Ranked by Marvin Scores
Marvin's rules picked these 20 small-cap stocks, ranked by Overall score compared with industry peers, with at most three per sector. Each pick has strengths and a caution, so check the figures behind the score.
Small-cap stocks are shares of smaller public companies. This list covers 20 of them, drawn from sectors such as healthcare, financial services, energy, industrials and real estate. Marvin's rules chose the stocks and set their order, and this guide explains what the numbers say about each one.
Smaller companies often have less history, fewer analysts watching them and results that change quickly. In this list, one company's revenue grew by more than a thousand percent, while another's revenue fell sharply. Look at the margins, debt and growth figures as well as the headline score.
Marvin's scores run from 0 to 100 and compare each company only with others in its own industry. A high score does not mean the business is strong in absolute terms, and it does not predict future results. Some figures are missing for some companies, and the blurbs say so.
The list
How Marvin ranked these stocks
Marvin started with companies above a minimum size and kept only those under a small-company size ceiling. It ranked them by Overall score, highest first, and allowed at most three stocks per sector. Scores (0 to 100) are relative to each company's own industry, so a high score means a company compares well with its industry peers as of the date of this guide, not with every company in the market.
Companies above about $300 million in size, ranked by Marvin scores (0-100, relative to each company's own industry). Companies under about $2 billion in size, highest Overall first; at most 3 per sector.
The stocks, one by one
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. BCRX
BioCryst has an overall score of 97. Revenue grew 94.1% last fiscal year and gross margin is 97.8%, which points to fast growth and high profit on each sale. Caution: operating margin is -33.3%, so day-to-day operations still ran at a loss.
Gold.com, Inc. GOLD
Gold.com has an overall score of 97 and revenue growth of 132.4% last fiscal year. Gross margin is only 1.8%, which is thin, and return on equity is 9.4%. Caution: operating margin and free cash flow margin are not available, and quality is a middling 67.
Nutex Health, Inc. NUTX
Nutex Health combines revenue growth of 82.4% with an operating margin of 40.6% and a free cash flow margin of 32.4%, which suggests fast growth and strong profits. Return on equity is 45.6%. Caution: debt-to-equity of 0.88 means debt is nearly as large as equity.
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. RIGL
Rigel Pharmaceuticals has an overall score of 97, revenue growth of 64.1%, an operating margin of 31.5% and a gross margin of 91.4%. These point to growth and profitable sales. Caution: free cash flow and debt figures are not available, and quality is 70, lower than its other scores.
American Integrity Insurance Group, Inc. AII
American Integrity Insurance Group shows revenue growth of 35.3%, an operating margin of 36.2% and return on equity of 23.8%, all solid. Debt-to-equity is just 0.09, which is low. Caution: free cash flow and gross margin are not available, and quality is 86.
Bank of Marin Bancorp BMRC
Bank of Marin Bancorp scores 94 overall compared with other regional banks, but its raw figures are weak: revenue growth was -59.9%, operating margin is -39.6% and return on equity is -3.6%. Caution: those results show shrinking revenue and losses, and no debt figure is available.
Ellington Financial Inc. EFC
Ellington Financial has a quality score of 96 and an operating margin of 37.2%, which is strong. Revenue growth of 10.1% and return on equity of 9.9% are more modest. Caution: cash flow and debt figures are not available, so the picture is incomplete.
Flowco Holdings Inc. FLOC
Flowco Holdings grew revenue 41.9% last fiscal year, with an operating margin of 18.8% and a free cash flow margin of 25.4%, suggesting healthy growth and cash generation. Caution: return on equity is a moderate 13.6%, and debt-to-equity of 0.94 means debt nearly matches equity.
Pangaea Logistics Solutions, Ltd. PANL
Pangaea Logistics Solutions grew revenue 17.8% and earned an operating margin of 9.3%, with return on equity of 10.6%. Debt-to-equity of 0.55 is moderate. Caution: the operating margin is thin, quality is 71, and free cash flow is not available.
Douglas Dynamics, Inc. PLOW
Douglas Dynamics grew revenue 15.4% and earned a return on equity of 17.5%, which is decent for its industry. Operating margin is 11.3% and free cash flow margin is 7.0%. Caution: cash conversion is modest, and no debt figure is available.
American Superconductor Corporation AMSC
American Superconductor grew revenue 34.3% and earned a return on equity of 23.9%. Caution: margins are thin, with an operating margin of 4.9% and a free cash flow margin of 6.4%, so little of each sale turns into profit. No debt figure is available.
Quanex Building Products Corporation NX
Quanex Building Products grew revenue 43.8% last fiscal year, but return on equity is only 6.1% and debt-to-equity is 1.09, so debt exceeds equity. Caution: its quality score is just 59, and margin and cash flow figures are not available.
SandRidge Energy, Inc. SD
SandRidge Energy has an operating margin of 41.1% and a free cash flow margin of 23.6%, both strong. Revenue grew 24.8% and return on equity is 15.3%. Caution: debt and gross margin figures are not available, so balance sheet strength is unclear.
Uranium Royalty Corp. UROY
Uranium Royalty reported revenue growth of 1566.0% and an operating margin of 29.3%. Debt-to-equity is 0.62. Caution: growth that large suggests uneven revenue, return on equity is only 5.8%, and cash flow figures are not available.
Newmark Group, Inc. NMRK
Newmark Group grew revenue 20.3% and has a free cash flow margin of 22.1%, with return on equity of 10.3%. Caution: operating margin is a thin 7.7%, and debt-to-equity of 0.94 means debt is close to equity.
Postal Realty Trust, Inc. PSTL
Postal Realty Trust has an operating margin of 37.8% and revenue growth of 25.5%, both solid. Caution: return on equity is just 5.2%, debt-to-equity of 1.15 means debt exceeds equity, and cash flow figures are not available.
QuinStreet, Inc. QNST
QuinStreet earned a return on equity of 25.1% and grew revenue 18.3%, with low debt-to-equity of 0.24. Caution: margins are thin, with an operating margin of 2.7% and a gross margin of 11.3%, leaving little cushion if costs rise.
Taboola.com Ltd. TBLA
Taboola.com has low debt, with debt-to-equity of 0.17, and a free cash flow margin of 10.2%. Return on equity is 12.7%. Caution: revenue growth was a modest 8.3% and operating margin is a thin 6.5%.
Blue Bird Corporation BLBD
Blue Bird has a quality score of 94 and a return on equity of 43.0%, with low debt-to-equity of 0.18. Operating margin is 11.8%. Caution: revenue growth of 9.9% is modest, and gross margin of 20.6% is not especially high.
Genie Energy Ltd. GNE
Genie Energy carries very little debt, with debt-to-equity of 0.03, and grew revenue 18.1%. Return on equity is 9.7%. Caution: operating margin is a thin 4.1%, gross margin is 25.3%, and free cash flow is not available.
Common questions
What is a small-cap stock?
A small-cap stock is a share in a company whose total market value is small compared with the largest public companies. Smaller companies often have less history and fewer analysts covering them, and their results and share prices can change quickly.
Why do some stocks here have high scores but weak figures?
Marvin's scores compare each company only with others in its own industry. A company can rank well against weaker peers while still showing a loss or shrinking revenue. Bank of Marin Bancorp is an example, so read the individual figures as well as the score.
Does a high Marvin score mean a stock will perform well?
No. The scores describe how a company compares with industry peers today, based on the data available. They are not predictions, and they are not advice to buy, sell or hold any stock.
Keep reading
- Top 20 Growth Stocks Right Now
- Top 20 Good Stocks With the Least Debt
- Top 15 Industrials Stocks Ranked by Marvin Opportunity Score
- Top 15 Financial Services Stocks by Marvin's Opportunity Score
Free account. Build your own AI-made watchlists, follow Marvin's scores and share lists.
Create a free account
Marvin's scores (0-100) compare each company with others in its industry today. Growth and margin figures come from SEC filings. This is general information, not personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell anything. Do your own research.