Topic: How To Invest

Could you please let me know about a company called Stevia Corp.?

Article Excerpt

Stevia Corp., $1.53, symbol STEV on the U.S. over-the-counter bulletin board (Shares outstanding: 52.8 million; Market cap: $80.8 million, www.stevia.co), hopes to develop and sell stevia, a zero-calorie, all-natural sweetener derived from Stevia Rebaudiana leaves. The plant, a member of the chrysanthemum family, is quickly gaining in popularity because it supplies sweetness without the calories or health drawbacks of sugar. Stevia has a negligible impact on blood sugar. To date, the company has signed contracts with potential growers in Vietnam. It has also acquired three nursery fields in that country. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the sale of certain extracts from stevia leaves. These products are sold by Cargill, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and other companies. As well, Cargill and PepsiCo have jointly developed an FDA-approved stevia-based sugar substitute called Truvia, which is used in products such as flavoured water, juice and baked goods. To date, Stevia Corp. has reported virtually no revenue. It used cash of about $233,000 in the third…