Planet Microcap Podcast | Microcap Investing Strategies

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I spoke with Tim Travis, Founder and CIO of T&T Capital Management, to discuss where today’s biggest market disconnects may be creating opportunity - from REITs and BDCs trading at distressed valuations to overlooked microcaps priced for far worse outcomes than fundamentals suggest. Tim shares how his value investing approach has evolved beyond traditional “cigar butt” investing toward a more dynamic, sum-of-the-parts framework, why options strategies can create an edge in volatile markets, and how he’s thinking about management quality, survivability, and AI’s growing impact on both investing and entrepreneurship. We mention several companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them. For more information about T&T Capital Management, please visit: https://ttvalueinvesting.com/  Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Market Reflections 02:01 Identifying Opportunities in Real Estate and Private Credit 05:22 Margin of Safety

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I spoke with Sebastian Krog, Founder & Editor of Treasure Hunting Newsletter on Substack, to unpack the evolution of his process from stock picker to true portfolio manager. We dive into the hard lessons from recent portfolio companies, how “thesis drift” and position sizing can make or break returns, and why he’s shifted toward more predictable, profitable businesses over speculative turnarounds. Sebastian also shares how industry dynamics often matter more than management, how he’s using AI to uncover themes, and why in microcaps, what you do after you buy the stock is often the difference between winning and losing. We mention several companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them. For more information about Treasure Hunting Newsletter on Substack, please visit: https://treasure-hunting.co/  Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Background 02:03 Investment Philosophy Evolution 05:28 Case Study: Innovative Food Holdings

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I spoke with Michael Fritzell, Editor of Asian Century Stocks Newsletter. We break down the evolving opportunity set across Asia - from China’s state-driven economic shift and ongoing property fallout to the corporate governance unlocks happening in Japan and South Korea. We also dig into why Southeast Asia may be one of the most overlooked pockets of value globally, with “old economy” businesses trading at compelling valuations while capital chases AI elsewhere. The conversation highlights where inefficiencies exist today, how to think about insider alignment and currency tailwinds, and the key risks - from VIE structures to related-party transactions - that investors need to navigate when hunting for microcap alpha across the region. We mention several companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them. For more information about Asian Century Stocks, please visit: https://www.asiancenturystocks.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Introd

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I spoke with Travis Prentice, CIO of Informed Momentum Company, to break down what he’s seeing beneath the surface of today’s market—and where capital is actually flowing next. We dive into the concept of “Informed Momentum,” where price meets fundamentals, and why a faster, more disciplined approach is critical in a market increasingly driven by AI, infrastructure, and a shift back to the physical economy. Travis shares why breadth matters more than ever in capturing outsized winners, how to spot high-quality momentum versus noise, and why microcaps—after a long stretch of underperformance—may be setting up for a meaningful turn. This is a conversation focused on process, discipline, and staying aligned with what the market is doing—not what you think it should do. We mention several companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them.  For more information about Informed Momentum Company, please visit: https://www.informedm

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, we dive into the Diamond Hill Micro Cap Strategy with Aaron Monroe, Tyler Ventura, and John Loesch to break down how they’re finding alpha in one of the most underfollowed parts of the market. With a concentrated, long-term approach and a “three heads are better than one” framework, they focus on simple, durable businesses with strong balance sheets and aligned management. We dig into why illiquidity and lack of coverage are features—not bugs—in microcaps, how they build positions through their “graduation model,” and why “boring but beautiful” companies can quietly compound capital over time. We mention several companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them. For more information about Diamond Hill MicroCap Strategy, please visit: https://www.diamond-hill.com/investment-strategies/us-equity/micro-cap/separate-account/ Chapters:  00:00 Introduction to the Diamond Hill Microcap Team 02:31 Investor Origin Stories 07:59 Inve

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I’m joined by Andrew Pogue, Founder of the Underlying Value Substack, to break down his differentiated approach to microcap investing that blends deep fundamental work with an operator’s mindset and the use of AI. Andrew walks us through how he evaluates businesses with a sharp focus on management quality and capital allocation, why he sees massive opportunity outside the U.S. in the Nordics, South Africa, Canada and Australia, and how he leverages AI as a high-powered research assistant to uncover overlooked ideas globally. We also dive into his disciplined approach to position sizing, identifying real catalysts, spotting red flags like “consulting-speak,” and why the ability to talk yourself out of an investment may be one of the most important skills for long-term success in microcaps. We mention several companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them. For more information about the Underlying Value Substack, please vi

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I spoke with John Petrides, Portfolio Manager at Tocqueville Asset Management. We take a step back and examine the broader market landscape—from record concentration in mega-cap tech to the evolving AI investment thesis and the growing geopolitical and fiscal risks shaping today’s capital markets. We discuss why the S&P 500’s historic concentration may be creating hidden risks for passive investors, how the AI story is shifting from infrastructure providers to real-world adopters across industries, and why geopolitical flashpoints like Taiwan could represent the market’s most significant systemic risk. We also explore the implications of rising U.S. deficits and higher interest rates for fixed income investors, and why the growing valuation gap between large-cap tech and the rest of the market may be setting the stage for renewed opportunity in small and micro-cap stocks—particularly those with strong balance sheets and exposure to hard assets like energy an

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I’m joined by Artem Fokin, Founder and Portfolio Manager of Caro-Kann Capital, to reflect on more than a decade of running a concentrated small- and micro-cap strategy focused on finding multibagger opportunities. Artem shares how his bottoms-up approach centers on deeply understanding a handful of businesses, engaging thoughtfully with management teams while maintaining the discipline to stay objective—what he calls being “friendly, but not friends.” We also discuss why due diligence should extend beyond the CEO to the entire leadership bench, why microcaps remain one of the best training grounds for investors despite structural market changes, and how avoiding intellectual rigidity—while embracing tools like AI for research—can help investors continuously adapt and improve their decision-making. We mention several companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them. For more information about Caro-Kann Capital, please visit

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I’m joined by Jim Zimmerman, Founder & Fund Manager, and Abby Zimmerman, Research Analyst, of Lowell Capital Management to talk about their disciplined small-cap strategy built around what they call the “Fort Knox” balance sheet. At its core, it’s about owning resilient, cash-generative businesses with little to no debt—companies that can not only survive volatility but use it to their advantage. We dive into why they focus on operating cash flow over EBITDA, how they hunt for overlooked “boring” niche leaders trading at value prices, what they look for in management teams, and why constant re-underwriting—“buy and homework,” not just buy and hold—is critical to long-term compounding in microcaps. We mention several companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them. For more information about Lowell Capital Management, please visit: https://www.lowellcapitalmgmt.com/  Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Lowell Capital Manag

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I’m joined by Luis Sanchez, Founder of LVS Advisory, to discuss his firm’s differentiated event-driven and global growth strategies, and why he sees compelling opportunities emerging outside the crowded large-cap tech trade. Luis walks us through his high-conviction “Power Thesis,” which identifies a massive structural shortage in U.S. electricity driven by AI and data center demand, and highlights key beneficiaries across nuclear, LNG, and energy infrastructure. We also explore why LVS is optimistic about merger arbitrage and corporate restructurings in 2026, how he’s positioning around global dislocations and misunderstood compounders, and why today’s concentrated market environment may be creating one of the most attractive opportunity sets for disciplined, catalyst-driven investors. We mention a number of companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them. For more information about LVS Advisory, please visit: https://lv

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I spoke with Ryan Telford, Head of Evidence-Based Research at MicroCapClub, where he breaks down why headline profitability and earnings beats can be misleading, and how investors should instead focus on quality of earnings—cash flow support, reinvestment discipline, and earnings stability—along with dilution risk as the true predictors of performance. We discuss the data showing how high-quality earners significantly outperform low-quality peers globally, why many profitable microcaps still underperform after strong quarters, and how looming equity raises can act as a hidden “tax” on shareholder returns. We mention a number of companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Microcap Investing and Research 03:46 Understanding Quality of Earnings in Microcaps 08:49 The Quality of Earnings Scorecard Explained 13:43 Analyzing Low vs. High Quality Earnings 18:34 Modernizing the Quality of Earn

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I'm joined by Chris Marlett, Co-Founder and CEO of MDB Capital Holdings (NASDAQ: MDBH), to unpack the firm’s differentiated “public venture” model and why he believes the traditional venture capital and private equity ecosystem is breaking down. Chris explains how MDB operates as a hands-on merchant bank—building and taking early-stage, big-idea companies public as an alternative to VC—while addressing the shrinking U.S. microcap universe, the misperceptions around the cost of being public, and the opportunity created by a severe shortage of high-quality public companies. We also discuss MDB’s focus on category leaders with billion-dollar potential, its equity-aligned business model, and why public markets can offer founders a more attractive path to scale, liquidity, and long-term value creation. We mention a number of companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to MDB Capital Holdings

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap podcast, I spoke with Tobias Carlisle, a seasoned investor and co-host of Value After Hours. We delve into the 2025 value investing playbook, discussing key themes such as the importance of valuation metrics, the cyclical versus structural decline in businesses, and the significance of buying with a margin of safety. Tobias emphasizes the need for investors to focus on financial statements rather than narratives, especially in a market driven by growth stocks. The conversation also touches on the current state of energy investments, the challenges of identifying value traps, and the potential for mean reversion in 2026, particularly in small and micro-cap stocks. Throughout the discussion, Tobias shares insights on navigating the complexities of the market and the importance of patience in value investing. 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 02:36 2025 Value Investing Playbook 09:07 Cyclical Pain vs. Structural Decline 12:57 The Role of Narratives in Investing 13

My guest on the show today is Christian Schmidt, a private investor and co-founder of Tracktacle, a financial data and alerts platform that provides real-time alerts on filings and news, plus full-text search across U.S. and Canadian market documents. In this episode, Christian walks us through his unconventional path from banking and e-commerce to becoming a full-time private investor, and how a series of market experiences reshaped his approach to risk, valuation, and opportunity selection. We discuss why he believes private investors have a real edge in microcaps, how he builds positions around clearly defined catalysts, and why doing the valuation work before the news hits is critical to acting with conviction. Christian also shares how painful lessons from turnarounds and management missteps led him to re-prioritize assets and competitive advantage over management narratives — and how those experiences directly inspired the creation of Tracktackle. We dive into how the platform helps investors cut throug

My guest today is Robert Gardiner, Chairman and Co-Founder of Grandeur Peak Global Advisors. Robert has over four decades of experience investing in small and micro-cap companies across global markets, and in this conversation, he shares how his core investment philosophy has remained remarkably consistent over that entire period. His approach is rooted in bottom-up research — identifying high-quality growth businesses early in their lifecycle, partnering with strong management teams, and maintaining strict valuation discipline. A major theme of this episode is why Robert believes the most compelling opportunity in micro-cap investing today is outside the United States. He explains how international micro-cap markets now resemble the U.S. micro-cap environment of the 1990s — a time defined by a large and growing universe of public companies, limited institutional coverage, and meaningful inefficiencies. We discuss why regulatory changes and the rise of private equity have shrunk the opportunity set in the U.S

Welcome to the Planet MicroCap Podcast’s Due Diligence series. I’m your host, Robert Kraft. My guest today is Dan Goldberger, CEO of electroCore (NASDAQ: ECOR). electroCore is a commercial-stage neuromodulation company developing a suite of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation devices—delivering a two-minute therapy session designed to rebalance the autonomic nervous system. Built around its nVNS platform, the company operates across three channels: prescription medical devices for headache and migraine, the fast-growing Truvaga direct-to-consumer wellness brand, and a specialized military and government division built around its ruggedized tac-stim product.   Founded in 2006 as a non-invasive alternative to implanted vagus nerve stimulators, electroCore has evolved into a multi-indication business with seven FDA authorizations for headache, serving major customers like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the UK’s National Health Service. I invited Dan to the show to discuss all of this, as well as:

My guest today is Dylan Marrello, Founder and Portfolio Manager at Marrello Capital. In this episode, we take a deep dive into D-BOX Technologies (TSX: DBO), a haptic technology company that's been discussed quite a bit recently.  The movie theater industry has been through a dramatic reset over the past few years — from streaming pressure and COVID shutdowns to consolidation, higher ticket prices, and a renewed focus on premium, in-theater experiences that audiences simply can’t replicate at home. As the industry recovers, exhibitors and studios alike are leaning into technologies that enhance engagement, drive higher ticket spend, and improve theater economics. We discuss D-BOX’s shift to a high-margin theatrical royalty model, the impact of new management, strong insider alignment, and how premium experiential formats are reshaping the future of moviegoing. For more information about Marrello Capital, please visit: https://ragingbullinvestments.substack.com/ You can Follow Dylan Marrello on Twitter/X @Ragi

My guest on the show today is Paul Cerro, Founder and CIO of Cedar Grove Capital Management, and today’s conversation is all about fallen angels — once high-profile companies that collapse due to poor execution, leverage, or macro pressure, but can become some of the most mispriced and compelling opportunities in the market. Paul breaks down the anatomy of a fallen angel, why these setups create structural market inefficiencies — especially in illiquid micro-caps — and how forced selling, headline-driven reactions, and information scarcity can disconnect price from fundamentals. Most importantly, he explains the key dividing line between a genuine opportunity and a value trap: management credibility. In micro-caps, direct access to leadership gives investors a rare ability to test their assumptions and validate the story before making a high-conviction bet. We also zoom out to the macro landscape, where Paul sees 2026 shaping up as a major buyout year for fallen companies. With private equity sitting on rec

My guest on the show today is Jason Kirsch, Portfolio Manager at Rosen Partnership and co-architect of the firm’s Active Value Strategy — a concentrated, long-only, private-owner-style approach to investing in micro-cap companies across Canada, the U.S., and Europe. In this episode, Jason walks us through Rosen Partnership’s philosophy of thinking like private owners in the public markets: buying capital-light, high-ROIC compounders at meaningful discounts to intrinsic value; partnering with aligned management teams; and using “constructivism” — a collaborative, non-activist engagement style — to help unlock long-term value. We dig deep into how Jason builds a true knowledge edge: talking not just to management, but to former executives, board members, competitors, suppliers — anyone who can broaden the mosaic and create an informational gap most investors simply aren’t willing to develop. Jason also shares lessons learned from catalysts that didn’t play out, how misaligned incentives can turn a bargain into

My guest on the show today is Kenny Chan, Founder and Portfolio Manager of Korwell Capital. Kenny is only 23, but he’s built an investment philosophy rooted in the classics — Peter Lynch, Joel Greenblatt, Warren Buffett — and adapted with a modern, high-conviction approach. His north star: “Buy Phil Fisher–like businesses at Graham-like prices.” Kenny walks us through the four categories that define his framework: misunderstood Buffett-like compounders, deep Graham-style value plays, capital-cycle opportunities, and turnarounds. We discuss how he launched Korwell Capital straight out of college, and how investing his own convictions — not academic theory — drives his process. We dig into two examples that bring this to life. First, Advance Auto Parts, where Kenny saw a rare combination of capital-cycle tailwinds, industry consolidation, and a fixable integration problem — creating a classic turnaround at a very cheap price. Second, Trubar, which received a takeover bid on the day of our interview. Kenny break