In recent weeks, global markets have been navigating a complex landscape marked by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and robust economic indicators in the U.S., which have influenced investor sentiment and impacted various indices, including small-cap stocks. The S&P MidCap 400 and Russell 2000 indices experienced declines as investors weighed these developments alongside strong job growth and rising oil prices. In this environment, identifying promising small-cap stocks involves looking for those with solid fundamentals that may be temporarily undervalued due to broader market volatility, offering potential opportunities for growth as conditions stabilize.

Top 10 Undervalued Small Caps With Insider Buying

Click here to see the full list of 188 stocks from our Undervalued Small Caps With Insider Buying screener.

Let's review some notable picks from our screened stocks.

Magellan Financial Group

Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★★☆

Overview: Magellan Financial Group is an Australian-based investment management company that specializes in global equities and infrastructure strategies, with a market capitalization of A$3.95 billion.

Operations: Magellan Financial Group generates revenue primarily through its Investment Management Services, contributing significantly to its overall income. The company's cost of goods sold (COGS) impacts its gross profit, with a recent gross profit margin of 80.78%. Operating expenses include general and administrative costs, depreciation and amortization, and sales and marketing expenses. Notably, the net income margin has shown variation over time, reaching 63.07% in one period.

PE: 7.8x

Magellan Financial Group, a small company, has shown insider confidence with share purchases from July 2023 to June 2024, repurchasing 685,571 shares for A$5.19 million. Despite its high-quality earnings and recent dividend increase to A$0.357 per share for the six months ending June 2024, the firm faces challenges with forecasted earnings declines of 9.2% annually over three years and reliance on external borrowing as funding. However, their net income rose to A$238.76 million from A$182.66 million last year, indicating potential resilience amidst market pressures.

• Navigate through the intricacies of Magellan Financial Group with our comprehensive valuation report here.

• Learn about Magellan Financial Group's historical performance.

Gujarat Ambuja Exports

Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★☆☆☆

Overview: Gujarat Ambuja Exports operates in agro-processing, spinning, renewable power, and maize processing sectors with a market capitalization of ?67.10 billion.

Operations: The company's primary revenue stream is from its Maize Processing Division, contributing significantly to its total revenue. The gross profit margin has shown fluctuations, peaking at 30.85% in March 2022 before declining to 27.68% by June 2024. Operating expenses have consistently been a notable component of the cost structure, with general and administrative expenses being a consistent part of it over time.

PE: 18.3x

Gujarat Ambuja Exports, a smaller company in its sector, has shown insider confidence with Sandeep Agrawal purchasing 3,050 shares for ?389,235 between July and August 2024. The company's earnings are expected to grow by 15.93% annually. Despite relying solely on external borrowing for funding, which carries higher risk, the firm declared a final dividend of ?0.35 per share for fiscal year 2023-24 at its AGM on August 31st.

• Take a closer look at Gujarat Ambuja Exports' potential here in our valuation report.

• Understand Gujarat Ambuja Exports' track record by examining our Past report.

Victoria's Secret

Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★☆☆

Overview: Victoria's Secret is a leading specialty retailer primarily focused on women's intimate apparel, beauty products, and lingerie, with operations centered around its retail segment valued at $6.13 billion.

Operations: Victoria's Secret generates revenue primarily from its retail specialty segment, with recent figures around $6.13 billion. The company's cost of goods sold (COGS) significantly impacts its gross profit margin, which was 44.67% as of the latest period. Operating expenses, including general and administrative costs and sales & marketing expenses, are substantial components affecting profitability.

PE: 14.3x

Victoria's Secret, a smaller company in the market, has shown signs of financial improvement with second-quarter net income reaching US$31.8 million, reversing a previous loss. The company raised its full-year sales guidance for 2024 despite expecting a slight decline compared to last year. Recent leadership changes include appointing Hillary Super as CEO, bringing extensive retail experience from her tenure at Savage X Fenty and Anthropologie Group. However, the company's reliance on external borrowing poses higher financial risks without insider confidence through share purchases or repurchases observed recently.

• Dive into the specifics of Victoria's Secret here with our thorough valuation report.

• Review our historical performance report to gain insights into Victoria's Secret's's past performance.

Where To Now?

• Explore the 188 names from our Undervalued Small Caps With Insider Buying screener here.

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• Find companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include ASX:MFG NSEI:GAEL and NYSE:VSCO.

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