When it comes to investing, a certain amount of comfort can be had by holding the stocks of massive, widely known businesses.
After all, who wouldn’t want a slice of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)‘s giant pie after watching it sell millions upon millions of iPhones and iPads? — and that’s not to mention the staggering amount of cash the company makes from its world-class ecosystem selling digital goods to the masses. With 45 market research firms covering Apple, you can also be sure there’s plenty of material available to help you decide whether its shares are worth your money.
However, its easy to forget that every large-cap stock had to start somewhere. For investors who discovered these great businesses early on… well, one would hope they’re satisfied with their life-altering returns.
With this in mind, here are three such stocks I believe fit the bill:
| Company | Market Cap | Est. Long- Term Growth Rate | Analyst Coverage | CAPS Rating (out of five) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Opportunity Investments Corp (NASDAQ:ROIC) | $679 million | 11.8% | 3 | ***** |
| Tile Shop Hldgs, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTS) | $756 million | 18% | 5 | **** |
| BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ:BJRI) | $884 million | 15.5% | 13 | **** |
Sources: Yahoo! Finance, Motley Fool CAPS.
In all fairness, while these businesses are indeed small, that doesn’t mean absolutely nobody knows about them. In fact, if you currently subscribe to any of our newsletters, you may already be familiar with all three. Even so, when I mention these tickers in conversation, I’m generally greeted with a blank stare and a fake smile that cries, “Can we just get back to Apple?”
Nonetheless, here’s why you should care about these often-overlooked names.
A world of opportunity
First up, perhaps you could consider building a position in real estate investment trust Retail Opportunity Investments Corp (NASDAQ:ROIC).
