Some of the gains made by stocks in the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 over the last year have been hugely impressive. However, they pale in comparison to the profits investors will have made in certain UK small-cap shares. Today, I’m looking at three examples and asking whether there’s still time to ride this momentum.
Best of the Best
This time last year, shares in online competition firm Best of the Best (LSE: BOTB) were changing hands for 395p. Yesterday, the price closed at a staggering 3120p. Clearly, people have been very keen to win cars and other prizes while being forced to stay at home.
Back in February, the company revealed that strong trading had continued into the third quarter and that it remains likely to outperform management’s previous expectations. In fact, things have been going so well that BOTB has now removed its ‘for sale’ sign.
Despite rising by so much, I think this UK share could head higher. Analysts are forecasting a 14% jump in earnings in the next financial year. This gives BOTB a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 21. That still looks very reasonable when you consider the outsize returns on capital and decent operating margins it achieves.
On the flip side, one does need to consider whether trading will remain quite so stellar once lockdown restrictions are fully lifted. So, as much as I like to ‘run winners’, I’d be mightily tempted to take some money off the table if I were invested.
Rainbow Rare Earths
A second company worth highlighting is Rainbow Rare Earths (LSE: RBW). One year ago, its shares were 1.45p. Yesterday, they closed at 17.75p!
Much of this momentum is probably due to the buzz surrounding renewable energy. Rare earth metals (such as neodymium and praseodymium) are used in magnets for electric vehicles and wind turbines. Importantly, they have no known substitute.
Rainbow looks well placed to capitalise on demand eventually outstripping supply. Its Gakara Project in Burundi gives out one of the highest-grade concentrates in the world.
However, where the RBW share price goes in the rest of 2021 is difficult to say. Mining stocks are notoriously volatile and some profit-taking would be understandable after such a strong recovery.
Then again, I also wouldn’t be surprised if many investors elected to stay put. With countries looking to secure their supply chains (China already controls 80% of the rare earth market), there could still be quite a bit of upside ahead.
Naked Wines
A final UK share that’s done extremely well for holders is online wine seller Naked Wines (LSE: WINE). Sure, the share price hasn’t performed quite as brilliantly as BOTB or RBW but we’re still talking about a gain of 200% or so. If only I’d backed my judgement back in 2020!
As one would expect, Naked has benefited hugely from the UK lockdowns. Back in November, it revealed a near-80% rise in revenue (to £157.1m) for the six months to 28 September. Since we’ve had yet another lockdown in 2021, I believe the full-year numbers will be just as good. An update is due in a couple of weeks.
The question, however, is whether demand is likely to moderate when we’re allowed to visit the pub again. I suspect this might be the case. For this reason, I would probably only take a small position now.
