Exploring 3 Promising Undervalued Small Caps With Insider Activity In UK
Name
PE
PS
Discount to Fair Value
Value Rating
Bytes Technology Group
20.7x
5.3x
17.69%
★★★★★☆
4imprint Group
17.8x
1.5x
28.99%
★★★★★☆
Stelrad Group
11.7x
0.6x
18.27%
★★★★★☆
Speedy Hire
NA
0.2x
24.81%
★★★★★☆
NCC Group
NA
1.3x
21.02%
★★★★★☆
Telecom Plus
17.9x
0.7x
26.15%
★★★★☆☆
Gamma Communications
22.9x
2.4x
33.35%
★★★★☆☆
CVS Group
29.8x
1.2x
36.03%
★★★★☆☆
Franchise Brands
40.6x
2.1x
22.04%
★★★★☆☆
Optima Health
NA
1.5x
47.04%
★★★★☆☆
Click here to see the full list of 35 stocks from our Undervalued UK Small Caps With Insider Buying screener.
We'll examine a selection from our screener results.
Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★☆☆☆
Overview: SThree is a global staffing company specializing in the recruitment of professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics sectors, with a market cap of £1.15 billion.
Operations: SThree's revenue streams are primarily derived from its operations in DACH, the Netherlands (including Spain), and the USA. The company's net profit margin has shown fluctuations, peaking at 3.73% in May 2024 before declining to 3.33% by February 2025. Operating expenses have consistently been a significant component of their cost structure, with general and administrative expenses being a major part of these costs.
PE: 6.8x
SThree, a staffing firm in the UK, reported a decline in sales to £1.49 billion for FY24, down from £1.66 billion the previous year, with net income also slipping to £49.69 million. Despite this challenging environment and an anticipated earnings contraction of 18% annually over the next three years, insider confidence is evident through strategic share repurchase plans worth £20 million initiated in December 2024. The company's stable dividend strategy remains attractive despite a proposed decrease for FY25.
Get an in-depth perspective on SThree's performance by reading our valuation report here.
Gain insights into SThree's historical performance by reviewing our past performance report.
Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★☆☆
Overview: Vp is a specialist rental business providing equipment and services to a diverse range of sectors, with a market cap of approximately £0.25 billion.
Operations: Vp generates revenue primarily from the UK at £339.21 million, with an additional contribution of £43.35 million internationally. The company's cost of goods sold (COGS) was £247.77 million in the latest reported period, impacting its gross profit of £122.46 million and resulting in a gross profit margin of 33.08%. Operating expenses were noted at £54.17 million, alongside significant non-operating expenses amounting to £73.69 million, affecting net income figures which showed a loss in recent periods.
PE: -42.7x
Vp's recent activities highlight its potential as an undervalued investment. The company reported half-year sales of £192.46 million, slightly up from the previous year, while net income saw a slight dip to £14.27 million. Insider confidence is evident with Jeremy F. Pilkington acquiring 113,532 shares for approximately £638,583 between late 2024 and early 2025, signaling belief in future prospects despite high debt levels. Vp Rail's launch aims to streamline operations and enhance customer experience in the rail sector, aligning with its growth-focused strategy amidst a challenging financial landscape.
Unlock comprehensive insights into our analysis of Vp stock in this valuation report.
Explore historical data to track Vp's performance over time in our Past section.
Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★★★
Overview: Zigup operates in the rental and claims services sectors, with a focus on the UK, Ireland, and Spain, and has a market capitalization of £2.75 billion.
Operations: Zigup generates revenue primarily from UK&I Rental (£575.33 million), Spain Rental (£360.69 million), and Claims & Services (£953.98 million). The company has experienced fluctuations in its gross profit margin, with a recent figure of 21.99% as of October 2024, down from a peak of 29.54% in October 2022. Operating expenses have shown an upward trend, reaching £244.24 million by October 2024, impacting overall profitability despite increasing revenues over time.
PE: 7.6x
Zigup, a UK-based company, is navigating financial challenges with profit margins dipping from 7.7% to 5.1% and earnings projected to grow at 5.38% annually. The company's reliance on external borrowing poses higher risk, yet recent executive changes bring optimism; Rachel Coulson joins as CFO by August 2025, promising digital transformation expertise from her tenure at Pearson and Vodafone. Despite revenue slipping slightly year-on-year to £903 million, Zigup declared an increased interim dividend of £0.088 per share for January 2025 payout, reflecting potential shareholder value appreciation amidst evolving leadership dynamics.
Take a closer look at Zigup's potential here in our valuation report.
Gain insights into Zigup's past trends and performance with our Past report.
Embark on your investment journey to our 35 Undervalued UK Small Caps With Insider Buying selection here.
Are you invested in these stocks already? Keep abreast of every twist and turn by setting up a portfolio with Simply Wall St, where we make it simple for investors like you to stay informed and proactive.
Simply Wall St is a revolutionary app designed for long-term stock investors, it's free and covers every market in the world.
Explore high-performing small cap companies that haven't yet garnered significant analyst attention.
Fuel your portfolio with companies showing strong growth potential, backed by optimistic outlooks both from analysts and management.
Find companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Companies discussed in this article include LSE:STEM LSE:VP. and LSE:ZIG.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

3 hours ago
Global shares are mixed, while Labubu maker Pop Mart soars 12.5% in Hong Kong
TOKYO -- Global shares were mostly lower on Wednesday, tracking a decline on Wall Street led by technology shares including Nvidia and other artificial-intelligence stars. France's CAC 40 slipped 0.1% to 7,967.89, while in Germany the DAX dipped 0.4% to 24,333.63. Britain's FTSE 100 lost 0.1% to 9,177.91. Futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were 0.2% lower. In Asia, benchmarks fell in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, weighed down by selling of shares in computer chip-related companies. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 declined 1.5% to close at 42,888.55. Japan reported its exports fell slightly more than expected in July, down 2.6% from the same month a year ago, pressured by higher tariffs on goods shipped to the U.S. Imports also fell, dropping 7.5% from a year ago. Exports to the U.S. fell 10.1%, while imports slipped 0.8%. Computer-chip equipment makers Advantest plunged 5.7% and Disco Corp. dropped 4.9%. Chip maker Tokyo Electron lost 1.4%. and Lasertec Corp. lost 1.7%. The Taiex in Taiwan fell 3.0% after chip maker TSMC dropped 4.2%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained nearly 0.2% to 25,165.94, while the Shanghai Composite index gained 1.0% to 3,766.21 after China's central bank opted to keep the benchmark interest rate unchanged, as markets had expected. Chinese toy company Pop Mart International Group's shares traded in Hong Kong soared 12.5% after its CEO said its annual revenue could top $4 billion this year, more than quadrupling after more than doubling in the first half of the year. Its CEO also announced that the company was releasing a mini version of its popular Labubu dolls. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained nearly 0.3% to 8,918.00. South Korea's Kospi dropped 0.7% to 3,130.09, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un condemned South Korean-U.S. military drills that began this week. He vowed a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces to counter rivals, according to North Korean state media. The week's headliner for Wall Street is likely arriving on Friday. That's when the chair of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, will give a highly anticipated speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The setting has been home to big policy announcements from the Fed in the past, and the hope on Wall Street is that Powell may hint that cuts to interest rates are coming soon. The Fed has kept its main interest rate steady this year, primarily because of the fear of the possibility that President Donald Trump's tariffs could push inflation higher. But a surprisingly weak report on job growth across the country may be superseding that. On Tuesday the S&P 500 fell 0.6% and the Dow gained less than 0.1%. The Nasdaq composite slumped 1.5%. The heaviest weight on the market was Nvidia, whose chips are powering much of the move into AI. It sank 3.5%. Another AI darling, Palantir Technologies, dropped 9.4% for the largest loss in the S&P 500. It's seen bets build up sharply that its stock price will drop, according to S3 Partners. Only Meta Platforms has seen a bigger increase this year in what's called 'short interest,' where traders essentially bet a stock's price will fall. Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, sank 2.1%. In other dealings early Wednesday, benchmark U.S. crude added 65 cents to $63.00 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 68 cents to $66.47 a barrel. The U.S. dollar edged down to 147.54 Japanese yen from 147.66 yen. The euro fell to $1.1640 from $1.1648.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
The dividend stocks to buy (and the ones to avoid)
The FTSE 100 is sometimes referred to as 'investing backwater', owing to its limited number of high-growth companies. But what the London stock market lacks in exciting tech giants, it makes up for in reliable income stocks. On average, the index offers a dividend yield of 3.6pc, compared to just 1.2pc for the S&P 500. Although dividends are expected to dip this year as a result of some companies cutting payouts, the FTSE 100 remains one of the highest-yielding markets in the world. Depending on whether you take or reinvest the payments, dividends can supplement your income or turbocharge your portfolio. According to analysis from investment firm Fidelity, an investor who put £100 a month in the FTSE 100 for 10 years – totalling £12,000 – would have £14,764 today. But if they had reinvested the dividends, they would have £18,132. Here, Telegraph Money explores some of the most compelling income plays in the market right now. Legal & General Forward yield: 8.2pc It can be difficult to find stocks that have both a high yield and a reliable track record for income investors, which is why Legal & General is such a popular pick. The financial services group is one of the highest-yielding stocks in the FTSE 100, and hasn't cut its dividend once in the past decade. It has delivered strong results for the first half of the year, with underlying profit up 6pc as it seeks to expand internationally. Susannah Streeter, of stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'The balance sheet is in a very strong position, which supports ambitious return plans. The market looks set to stay healthy over the medium term, and the valuation doesn't look too demanding.' Aviva Forward yield: 6pc Insurer Aviva has had an impressive year, with shares up 35pc after a strong 2024. Protection sales rose 42pc year-on-year thanks to the acquisition of AIG, and retirement sales increased 33pc as higher interest rates drove annuity sales. The stock offers a generous dividend, and has grown its yield by 12pc per year on average over the past five years, according to analysis by Fidelity. Primary Health Properties Forward yield: 7.5pc Healthcare landlord PHP, which owns over 500 surgeries, dental practices and medical centres, stands to benefit from the Government's 10-year NHS plan thanks to increased spending on infrastructure and proposals to shift care from hospitals to the community. As a real estate investment trust (REIT), PHP is required to pay out the majority of its rental profits as dividends, so income investors can generally expect a passive income. The landlord is on track for its 29th year of consecutive dividend growth. National Grid Forward yield: 4.38pc National Grid reduced its dividend yield by a fifth this year to fund its ambitious growth plans, but Ms Streeter said it was a 'sensible move' and the current yield of 4.38pc is still a robust offer. Ms Streeter said: 'National Grid managed to squeeze out slightly better-than-expected profits, despite revenue falling as it sold its Electricity System Operator business to the UK Government back in October 2024. 'Work is well under way for National Grid to plant itself at the heart of the electric revolution. Infrastructure investment is set to rise sharply to around £60bn over the five years to March 2029 – nearly double the previous five-year total.' NatWest Forward yield: 4.8pc The Government sold its final share in NatWest in May, which analysts think could free up the bank to take on more risk. NatWest had a strong start to the year, thanks in part to homebuyers getting in ahead of April's stamp duty changes, and falling interest rates could encourage more buyers to take out mortgages. The forward dividend yield of 4.8pc is modest, but its balance sheet is strong, putting management in a good position to invest in the business or return cash to shareholders. Dividend flags to watch for While it's understandable to be on the lookout for high yields, it's not always a good sign. Jemma Slingo, of Fidelity, said: 'Although it sounds counterintuitive, investors shouldn't get too obsessed with big dividend yields. A yield that is too high can actually be a red flag, as it suggests the market is braced for a cut.' In some cases, a company may have seen its dividend pushed up by a declining share price. This is because yield is calculated as the annual dividends per share divided by the share price. A falling share price could signal that earnings are expected to fall and a dividend cut is on the horizon. For example, advertiser WPP offers a tantalising yield of about 9pc, but its share price is at its lowest level in 15 years. It recently halved its interim dividend and announced a 48pc drop in operating profits for the first half of the year. Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey is another high-yielding stock whose share price has slumped this year. It plunged to a pre-tax loss in the first half after taking a £20m charge to fix poor workmanship at an old development. Ms Streeter said: 'Given that Taylor Wimpey cut its interim dividend, it could continue the trend for the full year.' She went on: 'There has been another interest rate cut this month, but further reductions in borrowing costs are looking less likely by the end of the year, so the company may well be a bit more cautious about shareholder returns going forward.'' Dividend cover can help you work out whether a company's payout is sustainable. This shows you how many times a firm can afford to pay its dividend out of available profits. It can be calculated as prospective earnings per share (EPS) divided by prospective dividend per share (DPS). Anything below one could be cause for concern, with anything above two generally considered healthy. You may also want to check the company's operating free cash flow and debt levels. This will tell you whether the company is making enough money to comfortably pay its dividend. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
The dividend stocks to buy (and the ones to avoid)
The FTSE 100 is sometimes referred to as 'investing backwater', owing to its limited number of high-growth companies. But what the London stock market lacks in exciting tech giants, it makes up for in reliable income stocks. On average, the index offers a dividend yield of 3.6pc, compared to just 1.2pc for the S&P 500. Although dividends are expected to dip this year as a result of some companies cutting payouts, the FTSE 100 remains one of the highest-yielding markets in the world. Depending on whether you take or reinvest the payments, dividends can supplement your income or turbocharge your portfolio. According to analysis from investment firm Fidelity, an investor who put £100 a month in the FTSE 100 for 10 years – totalling £12,000 – would have £14,764 today. But if they had reinvested the dividends, they would have £18,132. Here, Telegraph Money explores some of the most compelling income plays in the market right now. Legal & General Forward yield: 8.2pc It can be difficult to find stocks that have both a high yield and a reliable track record for income investors, which is why Legal & General is such a popular pick. The financial services group is one of the highest-yielding stocks in the FTSE 100, and hasn't cut its dividend once in the past decade. It has delivered strong results for the first half of the year, with underlying profit up 6pc as it seeks to expand internationally. Susannah Streeter, of stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'The balance sheet is in a very strong position, which supports ambitious return plans. The market looks set to stay healthy over the medium term, and the valuation doesn't look too demanding.' Aviva Forward yield: 6pc Insurer Aviva has had an impressive year, with shares up 35pc after a strong 2024. Protection sales rose 42pc year-on-year thanks to the acquisition of AIG, and retirement sales increased 33pc as higher interest rates drove annuity sales. The stock offers a generous dividend, and has grown its yield by 12pc per year on average over the past five years, according to analysis by Fidelity. Primary Health Properties Forward yield: 7.5pc Healthcare landlord PHP, which owns over 500 surgeries, dental practices and medical centres, stands to benefit from the Government's 10-year NHS plan thanks to increased spending on infrastructure and proposals to shift care from hospitals to the community. As a real estate investment trust (REIT), PHP is required to pay out the majority of its rental profits as dividends, so income investors can generally expect a passive income. The landlord is on track for its 29th year of consecutive dividend growth. National Grid Forward yield: 4.38pc National Grid reduced its dividend yield by a fifth this year to fund its ambitious growth plans, but Ms Streeter said it was a 'sensible move' and the current yield of 4.38pc is still a robust offer. Ms Streeter said: 'National Grid managed to squeeze out slightly better-than-expected profits, despite revenue falling as it sold its Electricity System Operator business to the UK Government back in October 2024. 'Work is well under way for National Grid to plant itself at the heart of the electric revolution. Infrastructure investment is set to rise sharply to around £60bn over the five years to March 2029 – nearly double the previous five-year total.' NatWest Forward yield: 4.8pc The Government sold its final share in NatWest in May, which analysts think could free up the bank to take on more risk. NatWest had a strong start to the year, thanks in part to homebuyers getting in ahead of April's stamp duty changes, and falling interest rates could encourage more buyers to take out mortgages. The forward dividend yield of 4.8pc is modest, but its balance sheet is strong, putting management in a good position to invest in the business or return cash to shareholders. Dividend flags to watch for While it's understandable to be on the lookout for high yields, it's not always a good sign. Jemma Slingo, of Fidelity, said: 'Although it sounds counterintuitive, investors shouldn't get too obsessed with big dividend yields. A yield that is too high can actually be a red flag, as it suggests the market is braced for a cut.' In some cases, a company may have seen its dividend pushed up by a declining share price. This is because yield is calculated as the annual dividends per share divided by the share price. A falling share price could signal that earnings are expected to fall and a dividend cut is on the horizon. For example, advertiser WPP offers a tantalising yield of about 9pc, but its share price is at its lowest level in 15 years. It recently halved its interim dividend and announced a 48pc drop in operating profits for the first half of the year. Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey is another high-yielding stock whose share price has slumped this year. It plunged to a pre-tax loss in the first half after taking a £20m charge to fix poor workmanship at an old development. Ms Streeter said: 'Given that Taylor Wimpey cut its interim dividend, it could continue the trend for the full year.' She went on: 'There has been another interest rate cut this month, but further reductions in borrowing costs are looking less likely by the end of the year, so the company may well be a bit more cautious about shareholder returns going forward.'' Dividend cover can help you work out whether a company's payout is sustainable. This shows you how many times a firm can afford to pay its dividend out of available profits. It can be calculated as prospective earnings per share (EPS) divided by prospective dividend per share (DPS). Anything below one could be cause for concern, with anything above two generally considered healthy. You may also want to check the company's operating free cash flow and debt levels. This will tell you whether the company is making enough money to comfortably pay its dividend. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data