What Kermit the Frog and Microcap Companies Have in Common: It’s Not Easy…

Pity Kermit the frog when he sang, It’s Not Easy Being Green.

We all know the tune. Now try singing that tune to yourself, quietly please, but exchange Kermit’s words with: It’s not easy being microcap. Respect is so hard to come by. It’s tough to get investors to listen. And people always call you ‘too small.’

It was never easy being a microcap company. And It got even a little tougher in the second half 2018, when, along with the market’s tumble, BofA Merrill Lynch quietly said it would no longer trade in stocks selling for $5 or below, with market caps lower than $300 million.

We even unofficially learned that Merrill distributed talking points to its wealth managers, saying penny stocks are illiquid and can be easily manipulated for fraudulent purposes, and that the asset class is rife with companies with shaky businesses.

How sad. While such negativity and bias against microcap companies may be appropriate for some, many microcap companies have solid management teams and business models… and deserve better. Hopefully in 2019, other brokerages will not follow Merrill.

It’s always been challenging for microcap companies to command the same degree of investor interest and respect as their bigger brethren. But with help from IR professionals, there are ways not only for microcap companies to command respect, but with a little patience, to enhance value as well. Some thoughts for the new year: 

— Carefully identify and attend select microcap conferences, even though there typically are fees to pay. 

— At those conferences, weed out the investors from those who are there selling services, then cultivate relationships and communicate with them regularly. 

— Issue corporate news on a regular basis to keep the company’s name in view, and think about conducting quarterly conference calls.

— Consider producing periodic podcasts and webinars to demonstrate industry leadership, then publicize those events. 

— Judiciously use social media, paying close attention to Reg FD. 

— Professionalize corporate communications, including having a great website, just like the bigger cap companies.

— Be transparent and apply sound corporate governance practices. 

— If you can get on the road occasionally and have cultivated enough investors who will take a one-on-one meeting, do so. 

— First and foremost, although last on this list, focus on profitably growing the business.

Roger Pondel, rpondel@pondel.com