Maynard wrote investment articles for The Motley Fool UK between 1999 and 2014 before becoming a full-time investor at the start of 2015. As well as the articles he writes for SharePad, Maynard publishes his own investment blog at maynardpaton.com.
I’ve developed my investing approach after years of learning about the stock market and experiencing what actually works for me. Important influences on my style include the strategies of Warren Buffett, Peter Lynch and Jim Slater. I look to invest in respectable smaller companies run by capable managers that trade at modest valuations and to hold them for the long term.
Property Franchise has consistently exhibited attractive financials and will soon combine with rival Belvoir. Maynard Paton delves into the small-cap’s balance sheet, acquisitive history, franchising KPIs and merger prospects. Today I am studying Property Franchise, an estate-agency franchising business that appeared on my radar after I reviewed fellow estate-agency franchisor Belvoir last year. To recap,
Fashion website Sosandar plans to open shops to bolster its sales and margins. Maynard Paton weighs up management’s bold financial ambition against the wider sector’s haphazard progress. Fashion website Sosandar provides a fascinating dilemma for small-cap growth investors. Bulls will highlight the online retailer’s very rapid expansion and bold ambition to raise profits to £10
A search for ‘owner managers’ leads Maynard Paton to the impressive dividend record of Lok’nStore and the ‘extremely stable’ nature of self storage. I love ‘owner managers’ — company bosses with significant shareholdings who want to build wealth for the long haul. Such leaders do seem to act differently to standard chief executives. A hefty
Judges Scientific has delivered mega-bagger returns for its very early shareholders. Maynard Paton studies the growth and success of the ‘buy and build’ operator. Today’s rough market for small-cap shares could be the exact time to hunt for your next great portfolio winner. Take Judges Scientific, the £540 million group of scientific instrument manufacturers, which
Significant, acquisition-free expansion is prized by many investors. Maynard Paton studies the organic growth record of pay-by-mobile small-cap Fonix Mobile. Whisper it, but a few UK small-caps are still progressing well and maintaining resilient share prices in this difficult market. Fonix Mobile is a good example. Recent full-year results from this £206 million business showed
Many great companies still can’t resist ‘diworsifiying’ in the quest for growth. Maynard Paton studies IT specialist NCC and its costly folly beyond software escrow. “Instead of buying back shares or raising dividends, profitable companies often prefer to blow the money on foolish acquisitions. The dedicated diworsifier seeks out merchandise that is (1) overpriced,
Screening for consistently high margins and ROE leads to currency manager Record. Maynard Paton weighs up the small-cap’s super cash flow, well-paid workforce, diversification ambitions and bold targets. I have once again revisited a SharePad screen that applies two ratios favoured by ‘quality’ investors — operating margin and return on equity (ROE). The exact criteria
Devoted company bosses do not always create great returns for outside shareholders. Maynard Paton studies chocolate retailer Hotel Chocolat and the board’s decisions and composition. I love ‘owner managers’ — company bosses with significant shareholdings who live and breathe their business and want to build wealth for the long haul. Typically, entrepreneurs, and owner-managers who
Screening for consistently high margins and ROE leads to property franchisor Belvoir. Maynard Paton weighs up the small-cap’s acquisitive history, super cash flow, visible management and immediate prospects. Today I have revisited a SharePad screen that applies two ratios favoured by ‘quality’ investors — operating margin and return on equity (ROE). The exact criteria I
Newspaper publisher Reach trades on a P/E of 3. Maynard Paton believes the rock-bottom rating reflects a pension scheme ‘black hole’. Let me start by confessing this article covers pension deficits. What follows is therefore not thrilling and does require some concentration. But please stick with me, especially if you have ever fallen victim to
Screening for a growing dividend, lowly valuation, net cash and decent director ownership leads to 40-bagger James Latham. Maynard Paton studies the timber distributor’s history, financials, management and prospects. I have embarked on further ‘back to basics‘ filtering to unearth a potential long-term winner for my portfolio. This new screen identifies companies that offer rising
WANdisco has owned up to ‘significant accounting irregularities’ and the prospects for shareholders now look grim. Maynard Paton revisits the software developer to identify the warning signs Small-Cap Spotlight Report Revisited: WANdisco (LSE: WAND) You can become a better investor by occasionally visiting the stock-market graveyard. One company that now seems destined for the cemetery