Keep holding these top-quality small caps

Article Excerpt

These three small-cap manufacturers continue to dominate their niche industries. They’re staying ahead of the competition by developing innovative products or building their businesses through timely acquisitions. But all three operate in cyclical industries, and their share prices have fallen lately as economic growth slows. The high U.S. dollar is also hurting the contribution from their overseas operations. We feel they’ll need signs of improving global growth to move higher. TENNANT CO. $55 (New York symbol TNC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 18.3 million; Market cap: $1.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 1.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www. tennantco.com) makes industrial floor-cleaning equipment, including scrubbers, sweepers and polishers. It also manufactures cleaning gear for garages, stadiums, parking lots and city streets. The company continues to benefit from strong demand for products featuring its ec-H20 technology, which uses electricity to make tap water act like a detergent. Tennant recently improved the effectiveness of this process with a..