Once we look again in a number of years, I believe it will show to be a good time to spend money on small-cap development shares. Many of those smaller UK corporations are buying and selling at low valuations, regardless of having tonnes of potential.

Trying forward, investor sentiment may get a lift as inflation and rates of interest fall. So I believe now’s an opportune time to think about snapping up UK small-cap shares.

Analysts are bullish on this one

One which’s just lately caught my eye is Kooth (LSE: KOO). This can be a digital psychological well being supplier with a market cap of simply £114m.

Since going public in 2020, the inventory has risen 36%. Nonetheless, its down 19% from a excessive reached three years in the past.

On 17 September, Canaccord Genuity reaffirmed its ‘buy’ score on the inventory and issued a 580p share price goal. On the identical day, Berenberg Financial institution additionally reissued its ‘buy’ score, with a 590p goal.

If these are realised, they’d signify beneficial properties of up to 81% from the present 326p price. Naturally, this isn’t assured to occur. However when there’s such an enormous discrepancy, my ears prick up.

What does the agency do precisely?

Kooth works with the NHS, native authorities, charities, and companies to offer digital psychological well being companies to kids and younger individuals. It’s one of many largest and most trusted suppliers within the UK.

Final yr although, Kooth received a contract with the California Division of Well being Care Companies price at the least $188m. It is going to provide digital psychological well being care to 13- to 25-year-olds throughout all 58 counties within the state till mid-2027.

Within the first half, the agency’s income surged 179% yr on yr to £32.5m. This was pushed by the growth within the US, which now accounts for roughly 70% of complete annual recurring income.

The gross margin expanded to 82.4%, up from 68.8%, whereas adjusted EBITDA was £7.8m. Publish-tax revenue got here in at £3.9m, up from £0.5m.

Whereas Kooth is rising properly, it doesn’t have an extended observe document of profitability. This will increase the danger to the funding case.

Psychological well being epidemic

Stepping again, this (sadly) looks like a big and rising market. Social media is resulting in rising ranges of hysteria and melancholy amongst younger individuals.

In accordance with the British Medical Affiliation, the speed of individuals aged 17-19 possible experiencing a psychological well being dysfunction rose by roughly 150% between 2017 and 2022.

Shockingly, Kooth says that 22% of highschool college students within the US have severely thought-about suicide previously yr.

These points aren’t prone to go away within the digital age, which ought to lead to rising demand for the corporate’s on-line psychological well being platform.

My determination

There are a variety of issues I like right here from an funding perspective:

• Rising income, most of it recurring
• Sturdy goal at its core (sturdy ESG)
• Sturdy stability sheet, with internet money of £14.9m
• Probably growth into different US states (it’s additionally received a contract in Pennsylvania)
• Getting into the $30bn Medicaid market

The agency is simply simply turning worthwhile, so the P/E ratio is of little use. However the inventory is buying and selling at about 1.7 instances forecast gross sales. That’s very low cost for a rising enterprise, for my part.

I’ll take into account shopping for Kooth shares with spare money in October.