A-rated penny stocks could be ideal investment opportunities to help growth stock investors expand their portfolios. While these stocks can be risky because of their volatile nature, they also offer unique benefits for investors.
Penny stocks aren’t just a penny — in fact, a stock qualifies as a penny stock if shares are less than $5 each. So it’s not usually as if you can buy 100 shares for just a dollar. But in reality, penny stock shares are the cheapest stocks you can buy.
For a growth investor, one of the top advantages of A-rated penny stocks is that they have the potential for rapid growth. Because the companies are small and usually unknown, any positive developments can trigger a run in the stock price.
And while you can support small, up-and-coming companies, penny stocks also can be volatile investments. The companies often have a small market cap and lack the liquidity of a blue-chip company. And some penny stocks don’t have a vibrant team of analysts covering the company, making information difficult to come by.
The Portfolio Grader, however, is a good tool for identifying A-rated penny stocks. By assigning a grade based on the company’s growth, earnings performance and momentum, you can get ahead of the game in finding the best penny stocks.
These are stocks that appear to have the best chance for success in the second half of 2024.
Akso Health Group (AHG)
Akso Health Group (NASDAQ:AHG) is a Chinese company that was formerly known as Xiaobai Maimai. Akso provides a social e-commerce platform that works with other e-commerce platforms in China to provide users with a range of health care products.
Its services include medical and health technology products, a remote diagnosis and treatment platform, an offline tumor treatment platform, and vaccine research and development.
Earlier this year, the company announced plans to acquire Deyihui, an online clinic in China, and to potentially expand the business to other countries and regions.
But there are caveats here, as there always are with penny stocks. Akso struggled last year to maintain Nasdaq compliance in keeping its share price over $1. However, the stock price is up over 59% this year, and gets an “A” rating in the Portfolio Grader.
Maris-Tech (MTEK)
Maris-Tech (NASDAQ:MTEK) designs, manufactures and sells miniature intelligent video and audio surveillance and communications systems. It offers home security products that include cloud-based video and audio streaming and recording products.
For professional markets, its products provide high-performance video and audio processing, streaming, recording and analytics functions, used in unmanned aerial, ground-based and maritime platforms.
Maris-Tech’s products are used for miniature drones, observation systems and other types of remote video-controlled units deployed for intelligence, surveillance, analysis and investigation.
Revenues for 2023 were $4 million, which are small but a 60% increase from 2022. And it recorded gross profits of $1.9 million, which was up 138% from the previous year. On a net basis, Maris-Tech had a loss of $2.7 million and 34 cents per share, which was an improvement from 2022 when the company posted a net loss of $3.7 million and 49 cents per share.
MTEK stock is up 28% in 2024 and gets an “A” rating in the Portfolio Grader.
D-Wave Quantum (QBTS)
D-Wave Quantum (NASDAQ:QBTS) is a quantum computing company operating in California and Vancouver, Canada.
The company provides a full-stack, cross-platform quantum computing solution built for businesses that are developing their quantum computing platforms. Its products include Leap, the company’s cloud service, and professional services to help transition clients into the quantum space.
Quantum computers have a massive advantage over classical computers, which are binary code-based machines using transistor technology. While it’s still early in the development of the technology, it’s clear that quantum computers are the future of the industry.
Earnings for the fourth quarter of 2023 included revenue of $2.9 million, up $500,000 from a year ago. D-Wave also recorded bookings through the quarter of $3.1 million, an increase of 34% from the previous year.
The company posted a net loss in the quarter of $16 million, or 10 cents per share. That was a 12% improvement from the fourth quarter of 2022.
QBTS stock is up 59% this year and gets an “A” rating in the Portfolio Grader.
Lexaria Bioscience (LEXX)
Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ:LEXX) is a biotech company that has developed DehydraTECH, which is a drug delivery technology that improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients enter the bloodstream.
Lexaria says its platform promotes healthier delivery methods and increases the effectiveness of drugs that are delivered by tablets, capsules and oral suspensions.
The DehydraTECH platform increases the absorption of the drug into a patient and helps the medication take effect faster. It also reduces the need for sugar-filled products because it can mask the taste of medications.
Earnings for the second quarter of fiscal 2024 included revenue of $145,000, up from $20,000 a year ago. After factoring in research and development as well as general and administrative costs, Lexaria posted a loss of $652,000, down from a loss of $1.3 million in the same quarter a year ago.
LEXX stock is up 171% in 2024 and gets an “A” rating in the Portfolio Grader.
Talkspace (TALK)
Everyone sometime needs someone to talk to — particularly if that person is a licensed therapist or psychiatrist. Talkspace (NASDAQ:TALK) provides an online platform to connect patients and medical professionals for virtual counseling.
Services include therapists for adults and teens, as well as couples therapy and psychiatry. Patients can be treated for ADHD, bipolar disorders, panic and anxiety and other conditions.
The company has a network of more than 5,000 clinicians, and recently launched partnerships with Baltimore County public schools in Maryland and New York City public schools. Therapy sessions can happen in live video, text, audio, or through messaging.
Revenue in the first quarter was $45.4 million, up 36% from a year ago. Talkspace posted a net loss of $1.4 million, which was an 83% improvement from last year.
TALK stock is up 11% from a year ago and it gets an “A” rating in the Portfolio Grader.
FingerMotion (FNGR)
FingerMotion (NASDAQ:FNGR) is another Chinese tech company. It provides mobile services, telecommunications and mobile recharge data subscription plans in China.
FingerMotion also works in the electric vehicle space through its Da Ge app, which helps users locate and charge EVs.
FingerMotion’s affiliate, Shanghai JiuGe Information Technology, announced it will now it will also work with Jiangsu YKC and Shanghai Anyo Charging Technology, which has more than 400,000 charging terminals, to integrate with the Da Ge app and give subscribers direct connections to those terminals.
FNGR stock is up 22% in the last three months. It gets an “A” rating in the Portfolio Grader.
JanOne (JAN)
JanOne (NASDAQ:JAN) is a biotech company that works to find nonaddictive treatments for conditions that cause severe pain.
Drug addiction is a huge barrier toward overcoming medical conditions and JanOne’s work is dedicated to helping people manage their pain without getting hooked on a treatment.
It currently has a drug candidate in Phase 2 trials to treat pain related to peripheral artery disease. JanOne says that 25% of patients who take medications for pain associated with peripheral artery disease are at risk for opioid prescriptions, and subsequent potential abuse.
Biotech companies can be challenging for investors because the research and development can last for several years with no guarantee that a drug will be taken to market. So there’s always a risk associated with biotech investments, but the rewards can also be huge.
JAN stock is up more than 440% so far this year, and gets an “A” rating in the Portfolio Grader.
On Penny Stocks and Low-Volume Stocks: With only the rarest exceptions, InvestorPlace does not publish commentary about companies that have a market cap of less than $100 million or trade less than 100,000 shares each day. That’s because these “penny stocks” are frequently the playground for scam artists and market manipulators. If we ever do publish commentary on a low-volume stock that may be affected by our commentary, we demand that InvestorPlace.com’s writers disclose this fact and warn readers of the risks.
Read More: Penny Stocks — How to Profit Without Getting Scammed
On the date of publication, neither Louis Navellier nor the InvestorPlace Research Staff member primarily responsible for this article held (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.