NEW YORK, April 7, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Like most investors, Mario Gabelli and Laura Linehan of GAMCO Westwood Mighty Mites (WEMMX) are always on the hunt for up-and-coming stocks that are in the little leagues today but may grow up to be all-stars tomorrow: current contenders include players like Lifeway Foods Inc. (Nasdaq:LWAY).
"These are youngsters that are potential Hall of Famers," Gabelli recently told Wall Street Reporter in an exclusive interview (available at www.wallstreetreporter.com). "We're looking for companies that over time are going to have significant growth but at the same time have some substance the way they are."
WEMMX bought into Lifeway Foods Inc. (Nasdaq:LWAY), which makes yogurt-like cultured dairy and non-dairy products, at around $6 and the stock is now trading at over $10. Fund co-manager Laura Linehan notes that the company is benefiting from an aging population's increased interest in healthier foods and lifestyles.
Among other small names making big waves at WSR is China Holdings Inc. (OTCBB:CHHL). CHHL CEO Julianna Lu recently told Wall Street Reporter that the opportunity for hydro and biomass generation is "massive" as China searches for technologies that feed its exploding demand for electricity without aggravating air pollution.
Highlights of the interview:
-- An overview of how CHHL is emerging as an aggressive competitor
in China's hydro generation and biomass industries. "It's a new
market," Lu explains. "We will be focusing on the biomass and
alternative energy investments."
-- Detail on plans to expand the company's high-margin hydro
operation from a core of 60 megawatts of installed generation
capacity to 3.2 gigawatts over the next five years.
-- How CHHL's extensive interests in vanadium and other mining
assets play into its overall strategy.
Riptide Worldwide Inc. (OTCBB:RTWW) is aggressively rolling up vendors in its own fast-growing space: business practice management. CEO Frank Wilde tells us he's already bought five companies that are "very nice businesses that grow on their own" on the road to turning RTWW into a $100 million operation by the end of 2008.
Highlights of the interview:
-- More details on how Wilde plans to use his proven talent for M&A
(acquired at big names like IBM and Dell) to continue RTWW's
transformation into a $100 million enterprise.
-- An overview of the company's existing businesses, with special
attention to the long-term recurring revenue streams that are
driving it to breakeven status on an EBITDA basis.
-- Discussion of how acquisitions would further build out the
company's technological platform.
Wall Street Reporter (Est. 1843) is the premier source of investment information on global public companies in high-growth sectors. Through its magazines, special reports, website, and conferences, WSR presents unique opportunities for discovering stocks before they appear on the radar of Wall Street. Visitors to its website, www.wallstreetreporter.com, can listen to and view exclusive audio and video from an extensive library of CEO interviews, analyst roundtables, and conference webcast presentations, as well as subscribe to WSR's "Smart Money Alert" -- a weekly update of stock picks and timely market insights from top analysts and stock gurus.
About China Holdings Inc.
China Holdings Inc. (OTCBB:CHHL) is a development stage company with the goal of becoming a diversified global assets holding company. The company and its subsidiaries engage in multiple China-focused business activities including energy, renewable energy, resources, finance, real estate, utilities, and pharmaceuticals.
About Riptide Worldwide Inc.
Riptide Worldwide Inc. (OTCBB:RTWW) develops business process automation (BPA) and business process management (BPM) software to integrate, assemble, and optimize available IT assets to drive business process productivity, reliability, and security.