The S&P / ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) has gained ground in afternoon trade but is still sitting marginally underwater today as mining and energy stocks continue to feel the pain of falling commodity prices.
Intelligent investors know it sometimes pays to spread your wings in search of investment opportunities and several of today's top performers are small players with big ambitions. Let's take a look at what they have to offer.
Global Health Limited (ASX: GLH) is a micro-cap stock that has caught the attention of several respected investors and its shares are up 5.5 cents or more than 14% today. E-health looks a clear future trend and Global Health designs and supplies software support applications to help medical professionals and organisations manage their own and patients' records.
The digital records are stored in the cloud for convenience and the group believes the sky is the limit in its attempts at selling its cutting-edge software and systems to the healthcare marketplace globally. Net profit last year was $1.4 million and investors obviously liked today's update provided to the market.
Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) has climbed more than 5% today and around 20% this week after uranium prices shot up on the news that Japan is to restart some its previously dormant nuclear reactor power stations.
As a uranium miner Paladin is entirely reliant on growing demand for nuclear fall and unsurprisingly its share price is sensitive to the energy policies of developed nation states such as Japan. Ever since the Fukushima nuclear disaster uranium prices have been in a prolonged bear market and whether the recent rally lasts amidst a backdrop of generally falling demand is questionable.
Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) is a mobile payments and mobile marketing company which has seen its shares climb one cent or more than 5% to 19.5 cents today. The group delivered a net profit of $2.49 million last year and the stock is around 33% off 52-week highs hit at peak excitement levels over its potential to cash in on the global mobile revolution. It certainly looks one for the watch list.
Clover Corporation Limited (ASX: CLV) climbed 1.5 cents or nearly 4.5% today as investors remain interested in its potential to provide nutritional health foods to children. The company sells functional ingredients for use in children's foods, supplements and pharmaceuticals.
More than half of the company's sales already come from fast-growing Asian markets although the company saw sales slump last financial year due to a health scare incident around whey protein concentrate at a related New Zealand business.
However, the business expects to regain lost revenues this financial year and today's discounted share price may be an opportunity provided sales recover over the medium-to-long term.
