Companies: CHW    DOM    GOAL    WTM   

With valuations beating a retreat, Numis sees the small-cap scene as a land of opportunity across a range of industries.

Following full-year results that met expectations and with its site roll-out programme ‘at the upper end of expectations’, analyst Richard Carter thinks Goals Soccer Centres’ recent share price weakness has created a compelling buying opportunity for one of the leaders in the UK five-a-side football market. He sees the AIM-quoted company delivering three-year compound annual earnings growth of 29.8 per cent and rates the shares a buy.

Get a slice of the action
Carter also likes the whiff of fellow AIM counter Domino’s Pizza after the company ‘delivered another set of impressive results’ ahead of expectations. With current trading buoyant and the store opening programme ‘said to be looking more encouraging’, he ups this year’s earnings forecast to 9.5p, placing the 238.25p shares on a forward price-to-earnings (p/e) ratio of around 25. Moving to the Main Board in the second quarter of the year, the business is considered to be another worth buying.

Client Chime Communications is a buy based on its contract win to handle the advertising, promotion and PR of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, a triumph leaving it well placed for further wins. A target price of 54p has been set, against the current 24p.

In support services, although trading at Waterman is strong, the engineering consultancy sector is ‘being heavily discounted for concerns over 2009 forecasts’. Trading on a p/e ratio of ten, based on this year’s forecast earnings growth of 38 per cent to 16.3p, the broker rates the shares a buy.