Under the Radar: Uncover Potential Before Wall Street Does

As the old saying goes, “There are different strokes for different folks.”

I like to put both ketchup and mustard on my hot dogs. Those who choose to engage in this practice in the Wrigley Field Bleachers should expect to be met by waves of hostility at the ill-mannered treatment of the Great American culinary icon.

My father was a big fan of Canadian whiskey with Seven Up. I prefer bourbon with a splash of ginger.

I think that Toulouse-Lautrec was the greatest French painter.

I can find few who agree with my deeply held belief that if Louis L’Amour’s “Sackett Series” and “Meditations of Marcus Aurelius” were both taught in middle school, we would live in a better world.

“Islands in the Stream” is the only Hemingway novel worth reading.

Putting ketchup on steak should be a criminal act.

Not only will everyone not agree with these statements, but we could start a grand argument with these ideas.

The same holds true for investors. Some prefer deeply undervalued securities, while others prefer fast-growing companies with exciting new predictions and ideas. Both work. It is just a question of finding the best approach for your personality and temperament.

The trick is that you must get there before Wall Street does to reap the most significant gains.

Today, I want to look at some fast-growing companies that Wall Street is ignoring or has overlooked. Wall Street, the media, and the Internet’s instant experts are all focused on a small handful of stocks. If some of the under-the-radar fast-growing companies attract the attention of the Thundering Herd, the buying pressure will cause the shares to soar in price. Those who get there before the herd will ring the cash register for massive gains.

I will confess that before I sat down and started running the screen for today’s article, I had never heard of FAT Brands FAT. It turns out that it owns several restaurant chains, several of which are familiar to me. It is growing rapidly, with revenue growth consistently exceeding 20% annually.

All in all, this company owns 18 chains with over 2,300 stores worldwide. Most of the locations are franchises, and FAT Brands collects royalties from the owners. FAT Brands recently announced that it was spinning off 5% of the Twin Hospitality franchise, which owns the racy Twin Peaks restaurant and bar. It will retain ownership of the rest of the fast-growing chain.

I am tempted to buy a few shares of the company simply because it owns the old Ponderosa Steakhouse, a favorite of my father and me back in the ’70s. Of course, a chance to be a shareholder in the rapidly growing Hot Dog on a Stick restaurant is also hard to pass up.

There is limited Wall Street coverage, and institutions own less than 10% of the stock. If FAT Brands keeps growing rapidly, Wall Street will notice and pile into the stock, increasing the price by several multiples of the current price.

Kolibri Global Energy KGEI is a small but fast-growing oil and gas company focused on getting the most out of its assets in the Tishomingo Field in Oklahoma. This is way off Wall Street’s radar, but it has consistently increased revenues and cash flows at a high level.

This is not a massive energy giant, but what makes Kolibri stand out is how efficiently it operates. Using advanced drilling and completion techniques, the company has boosted production while keeping costs low, making it a highly profitable player.

Growth has been the name of the game for Kolibri. Over the past few years, the company has steadily increased production by focusing on high-return drilling opportunities. Unlike smaller energy companies that stretch themselves too thin, Kolibri has been smart about its spending—putting money where it makes the most sense and ensuring every new well contributes to long-term value.

What is exciting is the company’s ability to generate strong free cash flow. That means it can reinvest in more drilling, pay down debt, or even return value to shareholders. As long as oil and gas prices remain solid, Kolibri is in a great spot to keep expanding.

Looking ahead, Kolibri has plenty of room to grow. It has a solid asset base, a management team that knows how to maximize returns, and a strategy built on intelligent, disciplined growth.

Wall Street is not paying attention, and institutions do not own a lot of stock, but if the growth continues at the recent pace, they will take notice, and buying pressure will lift the stock higher.

Wall Street and most investors are only paying attention to a few companies. This creates huge opportunities for investors willing to take the road less traveled.