Marvelous Microcaps
CECO Environmental Corp. (CECO)
INTRO:
At Perritt Capital Management, we take focused positions in companies where we have a high conviction in their success; companies that are out of the mainstream of small cap investing. To highlight our process, we are pleased to present the newest installment in our ongoing series “Marvelous Microcaps – Big Ideas on Small Companies.” This series profiles companies that we believe have a niche in their existing markets or are launching a product that could disrupt their marketplace.
THE COMPANY:
CECO Environmental Corp. (CECO) is a supplier of air and water quality solutions to a wide range of industrial end markets. They boast that they have an installed base of air pollution control systems that have the capability to eliminate more than 4.4 billion pounds of pollutants per year. CECO sells to rapidly growing sectors including power generation, petrochemical, industrial process, water and wastewater treatment and construction. Management raised its FY23 outlook three times since its first forecast in November 2022. CECO has focused on diversifying away from cyclical industries and has made numerous acquisitions. They expect at least four of the acquisitions to double in size over the first 18 to 24 months under CECO.
WHY WE OWN: THE PERRITT ADVANTAGE
EBITDA margins are expected to rise in 2024 driven by pricing and leverage of gross profit dollars. Management has once again lifted guidance and introduced 2024 targets, underscoring their confidence in the company’s position. Their addressable pipeline has doubled to nearly $3.0B from $1.5B mainly due to reshoring of manufacturing, energy transition and water solutions. They are diverse enough now that if an end market slows for a particular solution, sales can shift to a different area where growth is improving or there is a better opportunity. Organic growth is anticipated to be 10% in 2024 and this may be conservative. CECO continues to seek accretive acquisitions to boost their growth as well.