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Investment Strategies / Interesting Microcaps
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Author: ajm101   😊 😞
Number: of 50 
Subject: Too interesting to make the cut
Date: 10/04/24 11:53 PM
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I am just sharing this for the entertainment value, but I did find some very interesting microcaps as part of my previous post bout buying 4 small caps that were too interesting for me.

I think they are actually interesting investments, too. But I haven't purchased them and don't necessarily recommend them. Hope anyone reading this enjoys it.

Saker Aviation Services, Inc https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SKAS/

"Saker Aviation Services, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates in the aviation services segment of the general aviation industry in the United States. It serves as the operator of a Downtown Manhattan (New York) Heliport. The company was formerly known as FirstFlight, Inc. and changed its name to Saker Aviation Services, Inc. in September 2009. Saker Aviation Services, Inc. is headquartered in New York, New York."

Appeaer to have gone public in 2003 via SPAC. The operator a heliport in Manhattan used by sightseeing flights, and they don't own it! They might not be able to renew the lease and would have no operating businesses.

One of their key execs is "Mr. Samuel D. Goldstein: CEO, President, Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer & Director". Per the last 10-K, "Oversight of cybersecurity infrastructure is managed by members of our management team, including our President & Chief Executive Officer." too.

Market cap is $10.39M, TTM P/E is 5.2. Their share price is $10.50 and they have $9.50 cash per share with no debt!

Butler National Corporation https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BUKS/

"Butler National Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, engineers, manufactures, sells, integrates, installs, repairs, modifies, overhauls, services, and distributes a portfolio of aerostructures, aircraft components, avionics, accessories, subassemblies, and systems in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Aerospace Products and Professional Services. The Aerospace Products segment provides aircraft modifications to business-size aircraft, which include passenger-to-freighter configuration, radar systems, addition of aerial photography capabilities, search and rescue, environmental research, mapping, intelligence surveillance reconnaissance modifications, and stability enhancing modifications for Learjet, Beechcraft, and Cessna aircraft along with other specialized modifications. This segment manufactures, sells, and services electronics for weapon control systems that are used on government aircraft and vehicles; and sells, installs, and repairs aircraft avionics equipment, including airplane radio equipment and flight control systems, as well as troubleshoots and repairs autopilot systems. Its Professional Services segment manages Boot Hill Casino and Resort, a gaming, dining, and entertainment facility in Dodge City, Kansas. The company acquires, refurbishes, and sells airplanes, primarily Learjets; owns properties; and operates a management consulting and administrative services firm that provides business planning and financial coordination to Indian tribes interested in owning and operating casinos. It serves the aviation industry, including owners and operators of private and commercial business and government aircraft and suppliers. Butler National Corporation was incorporated in 1960 and is headquartered in New Century, Kansas."

Airplane business, weapons control systems, and a casino.

TTM P/E is 6.7, market cap is just ove $90M. Gaming and Aviation are roughly 50/50 in terms of revenue. It appears gaming generates more profit but requires more capital.

Autoscope Technologies Corporation https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AATC/

"Autoscope Technologies Corporation develops and markets video and radar processing products for use in intersection control, highway, bridge and tunnel traffic management, and traffic data collection applications"

TTM P/E of about 8, market cap of about $40. They have one subsidiary business that runs traffic monitoring systems. I needed more time to look into their accounting that I had, related to how they collect royalties.

AMCON Distributing Company https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/DIT/profile/

"It operates through Wholesale Distribution and Retail Health Food segments. The Wholesale Distribution segment distributes consumer products, including cigarettes and tobacco products, candy and other confectionery, beverages, groceries, paper products, health and beauty care products, frozen and refrigerated products, and institutional foodservice products. [...] In addition, the Retail Health Food segment is involved in the retail of natural, organic, dietary supplements, and specialty foods consisting of produce, baked goods, frozen foods, nutritional supplements, personal care items, and general merchandise. Further, it operates retail health food stores under the Chamberlin's Natural Foods, Akin's Natural Foods, and Earth Origins Market brands."

TTM P/E of about 14, market cap just under $90M. Substantial debt, EV is just under $300M. The reason I mention them is their share price is $136 currently, and they have $3,500 revenue per share. Their P/S is the smallest I can recall seeing, 0.04.

Acme United Corporation https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/ACU/

Another jack of many trades: "Acme United Corporation supplies cutting, measuring, first aid, and sharpening products to the school, home, office, hardware, sporting goods, and industrial markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company offers scissors, shears, knives, rulers, pencil sharpeners, paper trimmers, safety cutters, lettering products, glue guns, and other craft products under the Westcott brand name; and cutting tools under the Clauss brand. It also provides sharpening knives, scissors, chisels, skis, skates, and other edge under the DMT brand. In addition, the company offers first aid kit and safety solutions under the First Aid Only brand; portable eyewash solution and over-the-counter medication, including active ingredients aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen under the PhysiciansCare brand; bodily fluid and spill clean-up solution under the Spill Magic brand; various first aid kit, refill, and safety supplies, including CPR kits, burn kits, and automotive and emergency first aid kits under the First Aid Central; first aid kits for the promotional products industry under Safety Made brand; and alcohol prep pads, alcohol wipes, benzalkonium chloride wipes, various antiseptic wipes, castile soaps, and lens cleaning wipes under the Med-Nap brand"

TTM P/E of about 8, market cap of about $150M (EV $190M). Founded in 1867!
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Author: HohumYNWA   😊 😞
Number: of 50 
Subject: Re: Too interesting to make the cut
Date: 02/07/26 7:55 PM
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Greetings ajm101!

A year later, BUKS is still looking quite appealing.

Many years ago, I organized a stock picking contest on one of the MF boards.
Someone in the contest had Amcon Distribution (DIT) as one of their picks.
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Author: ajm101   😊 😞
Number: of 50 
Subject: Re: Too interesting to make the cut
Date: 02/08/26 1:09 AM
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Greetings in return, HohumYNWA!

I'm so pleased you posted that, I was looking at my saved screen results and thinking about BUKS literally yesterday. The old "aerospace services and casino management" company.

I ended up buying and still hold Amcon (DIT), Bel Fuse (BELFA), Core Molding Technology (CMT), Espey (ESP), FutureFuel (FF), Kewaunee Scientific (KEQU), McCrae (MCRAA), George Risk Industries (RSKIA), and several other I haven't posted about here. I like how DIT is run, and maybe they will get some market attention someday.

Butler National is one of the few that I passed on and one of the best performing, of course. Maybe I should reconsider? When I saw the share performance, I assumed a bit cyncially they'd become more of a casino company. That was incorrect, they Aerospace segment now makes up 54% of revenue now based on the latest 10-K (https://butlernational.com/wp-content/uploads/2025...). From a glance it looks like they are competently buying back shares and managing expenses. The latest earnings had special gains from the sale of a building, but they still look like they'd have a 10-12 p/e. Insider transactions look positive.

I wish there were more to post about for this board. I was looking through old screen results and not much was of interest. Armanino Foods's stock price has increased quite a bit, but out of proportion to its fundamentals. I recently added to some publicly traded microcap vineyard companies (Crimson, Willamette) on weakness as land plays.

I just ran a quick screen and ran across 24 SPACs in the first 100 results. Warning signs abound.
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Author: weatherman   😊 😞
Number: of 50 
Subject: Re: Too interesting to make the cut
Date: 02/08/26 9:57 AM
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after a quick search in january, i was unable to find any content where butler initiated\responded to separation of the casino biz.

too much synergy i guess.
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