Sign Up NowThis Month's Tiny Gems - May 2016

ContentChecked Holdings Inc. (CNCK)
Hanwha Q CELLS Co. Ltd. (HQCL)
International Stem Cell Corp. (ISCO)
JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (JASO)
Monaker Group, Inc. (MKGI)
Moxian, Inc. (MOXC)
OurPet's Company (OPCO)

 

 

 

ContentChecked Holdings Inc. (CNCK)

 

ContentChecked Holdings Inc. (CNCK) is the parent company of a family of mobile applications designed for individuals with specific dietary requirements. Since the official U.S. launch of its first app in early 2015, ContentChecked has continued to build its database of product information obtained from food manufacturers – the database now incorporates 70% of all conventional U.S. products, fully supporting the needs of ContentChecked customers.

 

Consumers register their food allergies or intolerances with ContentChecked, and simply scan the bar codes of whichever items they are considering purchasing. The app then provides users with information on what products fit their pre-set requirements. This connection between food producers and users is the basis of the ContentChecked business model – a highly engaged consumer, ready to buy, and in need of recommendations.

 

By initially focusing upon food allergies and intolerances, ContentChecked had access to a marketplace of more than 15 million people in the United States that suffer from food allergies, in addition to a demographic who develop stomach problems as a result of different foods. Though the overall market for food allergies and intolerances is valued at $13 billion in 2015, ContentChecked further expanded its market reach through the launch of MigraineChecked, SugarChecked and VeganChecked applications.

 

With these offerings, ContentChecked's market reach now extends to the roughly 38 million people in the United States currently diagnosed with migraines; as well as to the largest health-related cost in the country: the 97 million people at risk of developing, or have already developed, Type 2 diabetes. ContentChecked's growth is spearheaded by a talented team of professionals using their experience in entrepreneurial endeavors, sales, marketing and advisory services, nutrition, web design, social media and graphics and data management to help users better manage their food allergies, migraines, and overall health.

 

 

 

Hanwha Q CELLS Co. Ltd. (HQCL)

 

Hanwha Q CELLS Co. Ltd. (HQCL) is one of the world's largest and most recognizable manufacturers of high-efficiency solar cells and modules. With headquarters in both Seoul, South Korea, and Thalheim, Germany, along with a diverse collection of manufacturing facilities spanning Korea, Malaysia and China, HQCL is strategically positioned to address rising solar demand in markets around the globe. The company's product line includes a full spectrum of photovoltaic products, applications and solutions, ranging from solar modules and kits to large scale solar power plants. HQCL is also engaged in downstream development and EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) business.

 

HQCL originally burst onto the global solar scene in February 2015 as the result of a merger of two of the world's most recognized photovoltaic manufacturers, Hanwha SolarOne and Hanwha Q CELLS. Since the merger, the combined company has leaned on a diverse international production footprint and respected 'Engineered in Germany' technology to seamlessly address all global markets while promoting rapid financial growth. In March, HQCL offered additional insight into its financial performance when it released its financial results for the 2015 fiscal year. Of particular note, the company's total module shipments exceeded 3,300 MW, which was an increase of 60 percent from the combined 2,065 MW the two businesses shipped pre-merger in 2014. Net income attributable to HQCL's ordinary shareholders was $44 million for FY 2015.

 

"We are pleased to report a successful, transitional financial and operational results for full year 2015 highlighted by a return to net profitability and record high total module shipments as we celebrate the first full year since the merger between former Hanwha SolarOne and Hanwha Q Cells Investment," Seong-woo Nam, chairman and chief executive officer of HQCL, stated in a news release. "We have started 2016 with the strongest foundation in the Company's history as we continue to enhance our core competitiveness in terms of manufacturing cost, operational efficiencies, product quality and technology."

 

In recent months, HQCL has continued to capitalize on its status as a globally recognized brand while turning its attention toward the future of the solar industry. In April, the company announced its entry into a 5-year supply agreement with 1366 Technologies, Inc., a leading developer of practical manufacturing solutions that increase the efficiency of solar supply chains. Under the terms of this agreement, HQCL will purchase up to 700 MW of wafers manufactured with 1366's proprietary Direct Wafer™ technology, a transformative manufacturing process offering significant cost savings over traditional cast-and-saw wafer production technologies. The deal followed a year-long strategic partnership between the companies focused on commercializing Direct Wafer™ technology.

 

"This agreement aligns with our continuing efforts to bring about world leading technologies that enable solar energy to be more competitive and more affordable," Nam stated. "We are pleased with the progress we have made together during the past year and excited about the potential of 1366's Direct Wafer™ products with Hanwha's cell and module technologies to deliver further cost reductions and LCOE competitiveness to standard multi-crystalline wafer-based modules."

 

With an established and growing foothold in major solar markets around the globe, HQCL is primed to benefit from the strong performance of the solar power space moving forward. According to Mercom Capital Group (http://dtn.fm/0R8xG), global installations of solar photovoltaic systems are expected to exceed 64.7 gigawatts this year, led by strong growth in China, the United States and Japan.

 

 

 

International Stem Cell Corp. (ISCO)

 

International Stem Cell Corp. (ISCO) specializes in the therapeutic applications of human stem cells and the development and commercialization of cell-based biomedical products. The company was the first to develop and perfect a new class of human stem cells called parthenogenetic stem cells, created from unfertilized human eggs. ISCO has a strong patent portfolio offering clean intellectual property and freedom to operate. The company's stem cells present superior immune matching capabilities and can be used in millions of people regardless of sex or racial background, with minimal expectation of immune rejection after transplantation.

 

The company's human stem cells have been shown to be as pluripotent as embryonic stem cells, however their creation does not involve the destruction of a viable human embryo, which effectively sidesteps the controversy and ethical dilemmas associated with the use of human embryonic stem cells. In contrast to induced pluripotent stem cells, ISCO's stem cells do not involve manipulation of cells' genome thereby avoiding potential safety and regulatory obstacles in clinical applications.

 

The company's scientists are currently focused on using its stem cells to treat severe unmet medical needs of the central nervous system (Parkinson's disease), the liver and the eye, where cell therapy has been clinically proven but is limited due to the unavailability of safe human cells. Once the technology has been clinically validated there are an essentially unlimited number of potential applications. Because of their immune-matching ability a relatively small number of these stem cell lines could offer the potential of producing the first true stem cell bank as a means of serving populations of different immune types across the globe.

 

In addition to its therapeutic focus, ISCO also provides a growing revenue stream through two wholly owned subsidiaries. Lifeline Cell Technology specializes in producing primary human cells and growth media for biological research, and Lifeline Skin Care, the company manufactures and markets advanced anti-aging skincare products utilizing the company's expertise in stem cell biology.

 

 

 

JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (JASO)

 

JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (JASO) is one of the world's largest producers of solar power products for residential, commercial and utility-scale power generation. Founded in 2005 and based in Shanghai, the company has quickly captured market share in the solar power space through a focus on photovoltaic research and development, a commitment to driving innovation and the consistent manufacture of high-performance solar power products. In just over a decade, JASO quickly grew from an unknown startup to the world's fourth largest supplier of solar modules in 2015, according to data from PV-Tech (http://dtn.fm/qI4Kh). Currently, the company boasts long standing relationships with leading project developers and global distributors from around the globe, with roughly 64 percent of its 2014 shipments bound for China and Japan, 17 percent for Europe and 6 percent for America.

 

In March, JASO gave prospective shareholders additional insight into its growth when it announced its unaudited financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 (http://dtn.fm/wKgJ4). Total shipments for 2015 were up by 28.8 percent from the previous year, totaling approximately 4.0 gigawatts. The result was a significant spike in net revenue, which climbed from $1.7 billion in FY 2014 to $2.1 billion last year. Net income was also up, with JASO reporting $94.9 million in 2015, compared to $69 million the previous year, for an increase of more than 37 percent.

 

"Our fourth quarter results continued the momentum we built throughout 2015," Baofang Jin, chairman and chief executive officer of JASO, stated in a news release. "We fulfilled strong demand across Asia, especially in China, but also made meaningful advances in North America… We expect growth of over 30%, as countries around the world continue to encourage the growth of clean, renewable energy."

 

Markets around the world are installing solar power products at record rates. According to data from Texas-based Mercom Capital Group LLC (http://dtn.fm/0R8xG), new installations are expected to climb to 64.7 gigawatts in 2016, up from 57.8 gigawatts in 2015. The report goes on to highlight China as the largest solar market in the world, with forecasts calling for approximately 19.5 gigawatts installed in 2016, pushed forward by rising government installation targets. Strong growth is also expected in Japan, as the country continues to shift its energy mix to include more renewables while cutting back on the use of nuclear energy. With sizable market share in two of the world's three largest solar markets, JASO is strategically positioned for strong financial growth in the months to come by continuing to bolster its reputation as a leader in the solar power industry.

 

"We are able to capture this market growth due to our industry-leading reputation for quality and value," continued Jin. "We intend to aggressively protect that reputation through our ongoing investment in research and marketing."

 

 

 

Monaker Group, Inc. (MKGI)

 

Monaker Group, Inc. (MKGI) is a technology driven travel company focused on leveraging resources to become a significant presence in the fastest growing sector of the $1.3 trillion travel and tourism market. The company's flagship brand, NextTrip.com, is the industry's first and only real-time booking engine that features alternative lodging (vacation home rentals, resort residences and unused timeshare inventory), as well as a full selection of airlines, hotels, cruises, rental cars, tours and concierge services. These features are combined into a single, easy-to-use platform that gives travelers complete real-time control when planning and booking their vacations.

 

NextTrip.com takes an integrated approach to the needs of travelers by combining multiple booking solutions into a highly intuitive real-time booking platform. Since its launch in February 2016, NextTrip has already grown to more than 250,000 units of vacation rental inventory. Monaker currently has roughly 1 million additional alternative lodging units under contract that will soon be added to the platform. This will place NextTrip among the top three largest vacation rental inventories and rival industry peers, Airbnb and HomeAway, in the rapidly expanding alternative lodging market. Unlike the competition, which book by request which can take hours or days before a lodging owner confirms, NextTrip's platform books in real-time, similar to online hotel bookings.

 

Most NextTrip listings are in desirable locations in the U.S., the EU and the Caribbean with about 20% exclusive listings. Monaker expects rapid exclusive listing growth because, unlike the competition, Monaker doesn't charge a sign-up fee, just a commission upon booking. The competition charges both. Monaker even has a proprietary solution to unlock Timeshare and Fractional Share properties as rental inventory.

 

Through strategic partnerships and acquisitions Monaker is now positioned to be a major player in the travel and alternative lodging sector. In addition Monaker is also the parent to Maupintour and Voyage TV.

 

In business for 65 years, Maupintour still leads the tour industry in the creation of outstanding, unique itineraries and has the highest repeat rate in the tour industry. Maupintour's upscale luxury services create a unique blend with the various product offerings of NextTrip. Voyage TV has thousands of hours of travel footage shot in over 30 countries worldwide. These 15,000 video clips of hotels, resorts, cruise, and destination activities are a treasure trove for vacation travel marketing.

 

With an established portfolio of travel brands, and a proven record acquiring, consolidating and integrating companies, Monaker is building a diverse and exciting foundation to drive the company's future. According to data from the U.S. Travel Association, direct spending on leisure travel by domestic and international travelers topped $650 billion in 2015. When combined with the fact that roughly 64 percent of travel companies are still considered small businesses, Monaker's all-inclusive approach to vacation booking through NextTrip and Maupintour strategically positions it for sustainable growth moving forward.

 

Monaker is headquartered in South Florida with offices in California. The company is led by a seasoned management team with decades of applicable industry experience. Monaker's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill Kerby has over 18 years of experience in the media and travel industries, as well as 10 years of experience in the financial industry.

 

 

 

Moxian, Inc. (MOXC)

 

Moxian, Inc. (MOXC) engages in the business of providing social marketing and promotion platforms designed to help merchants accelerate and advertise their business growth through social media. These products and services enable merchants to run targeted advertising campaigns and promotions, and aim to enhance the interaction between users and merchant clients by using consumer behavior data compiled from the Moxian database of user activities. The company has two primary core products: Moxian+ User App and Moxian+ Business App.

 

Developed in Shenzhen, China, Moxian integrates social media, entertainment and business intelligence. The Multi-Channel Social Commerce Platform, which includes a variety of tools such as Moxian's proprietary Social Customer Relationship Management (SCRM) system, generates knowledgeable data for merchants. This way, consumers and businesses are able to connect and interact with one another to achieve the concept of "online lifestyle, offline fun."

 

Moxian+ User App serves as an App driven for consumer users to use the platform, consisting of our proprietary virtual currency (MO-Coin and MO-Points), social networking, redemption centre and game centre. Users can earn MO-Coins by playing games, and then use those coins to redeem prizes sponsored by Moxian and client merchants. This model not only drives registered consumers to Moxian and merchant, but also provides merchants the opportunity to advertise, run marketing campaigns, and learn about their customers through the Platform.

 

Moxian+ Business App is an independent App with built in Social Customer Relationship Management tool built for merchants. Merchants are able to set up a store on the Moxian platform through this business App, push promotions via a variety of methods offered on the platform and look at generated report customized to their own shop.

 

Moxian's management team has more than 100 years of combined experience in a variety of pertinent endeavors, including management of private and public enterprise, multi-national organizations, quality, engineering and procurement, finance, marketing, communication and more. Together, Moxian's management team is effecting the company's aim to create and lead a personalized social network platform that best fits users and businesses.

 

 

 

OurPet's Company (OPCO)

 

OurPet's Company (OPCO) develops, produces and markets various pet accessory and consumable products designed to awaken pets' natural instincts, be it in feeding, playing or waste management. Sold globally through pet specialty retailers, food, drug and mass chains, e-commerce and international channels, the company's products are marketed under a the OurPets®, Pet Zone® and PetTastic® brands with well-known sub-brands such as Play-N-Squeak™, Cosmic Catnip™, Durapet, SmartScoop and Flappy. In total, OurPet's has an intellectual property portfolio featuring more than 160 individual patents, giving the company sustainable access to the pet products industry for the foreseeable future.

 

In recent years, the U.S. pet products and services market has experienced strong growth, with total sales accounting for approximately $73 billion in 2014, according to a report by Packaged Facts. In 2015, this strong performance is expected to continue, building on the recent rise in related ecommerce purchases, as well as an uptick in dog and cat ownership throughout the country. In order to capitalize on this market performance, OurPet's maintains an ongoing new product development program to continually keep an evolutionary and revolutionary new product pipeline feeding its offerings. In July 2015, OurPet's introduced many new products at the national Super Zoo trade show in Las Vegas such as the Catty Whack®, Designer Diner™/Barking Bistro™ and the Zoom Plume™.

 

The company's capitalization strategy is guided by a management team of experienced industry professionals dedicated to further strengthening its product portfolio through aggressive development of innovative products. Management has a proven track-record of leveraging deep knowledge in the innovation, technology, distribution and pet markets to successfully push through adverse market conditions to achieve increases in revenue, margins and net income.

 

OurPet's, through its innovative and extensive line of popular pet products, is in a favorable strategic position to continue building upon its recent market growth. For prospective shareholders, this positioning makes the company an intriguing investment opportunity in the months to come. Look for OurPet's to capitalize on steady market performance moving forward, providing an opportunity for the company to realize strong investor returns in the future.