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The following are today's upgrades for Validea's Book/Market Investor model based on the published strategy of Joseph Piotroski. This value-quant strategy screens for high book-to-market stocks, and then separates out financially sound firms by looking at a host of improving financial criteria.

VERA BRADLEY, INC. (VRA) is a small-cap growth stock in the Apparel/Accessories industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Joseph Piotroski changed from 50% to 90% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Vera Bradley, Inc. is a designer of women's handbags, luggage and other travel items, fashion, and home accessories. The Company operates through three segments: Vera Bradley Direct (VB Direct), Vera Bradley Indirect (VB Indirect), and Pura Vida. The VB Direct business consists of sales of Vera Bradley products through Vera Bradley full-line and factory outlet stores in the United States; e-commerce sites verabradley.com and verabradley.ca; the Vera Bradley online outlet site; and typically, the Vera Bradley annual outlet sale in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The VB Indirect business consists of sales of Vera Bradley products to, specialty retail locations, all of which are located in the United States; as well as department stores, national accounts, third-party e-commerce sites, and third-party inventory liquidators; and royalties recognized through licensing agreements related to the Vera Bradley brand. Its Pura Vida is a digitally native lifestyle brand.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

Detailed Analysis of VERA BRADLEY, INC.

SMART SHARE GLOBAL LTD (ADR) (EM) is a small-cap value stock in the Electronic Instr. & Controls industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Joseph Piotroski changed from 50% to 90% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Smart Share Global Ltd is a China-based consumer tech company principally providing mobile device charging service through an online and offline network. The Company provides services through its power banks, placed in Points of Interest (POIs) operated by its location partners, such as entertainment venues, restaurants, shopping centers, hotels, transportation hubs and public spaces. Users can start using its products by either spotting its cabinets at one of its POIs, or find its cabinet locations through its mini programs. Its mini programs show users a map view with its cabinets' locations.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

Detailed Analysis of SMART SHARE GLOBAL LTD (ADR)

SHNZHN INVT HLNGS BAY ARA DVT CO LTD-ADR (SIHBY) is a small-cap value stock in the Misc. Transportation industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Joseph Piotroski changed from 0% to 80% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Shenzhen Investment Holdings Bay Area Development Co Ltd, formerly Hopewell Highway Infrastructure Ltd, is an investment holding company principally engaged in highway and infrastructure businesses. The Company operates its business through three segments. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen Superhighway segment mainly develops and operates related infrastructure projects of guangzhou-shenzhen superhighway (GS Superhighway). The Guangzhou-Zhuhai West Superhighway segment mainly develops and operates related infrastructure projects of guangzhou-zhuhai west superhighway (GZ West Superhighway). The Xintang Interchange segment is engaged in the development of residential projects on the Xintang interchange.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

Detailed Analysis of SHNZHN INVT HLNGS BAY ARA DVT CO LTD-ADR

PORTMAN RIDGE FINANCE CORP (PTMN) is a small-cap growth stock in the Misc. Financial Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Joseph Piotroski changed from 0% to 80% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Portman Ridge Finance Corporation (the Fund) is a non-diversified closed-end investment company. The Fund's investment objective is to generate current income and, to a lesser extent, capital appreciation from the investments in senior secured term loans, mezzanine debt and selected equity investments in privately held middle market companies. The Fund primarily invests in first and second lien term loans. The Fund originates, structures and invests in secured term loans, bonds or notes and mezzanine debt primarily in privately held middle market companies but may also invest in other investments, such as loans to publicly traded companies, high-yield bonds and distressed debt securities (collectively, the Debt Securities Portfolio). The Fund also invests in debt and subordinated securities issued by collateralized loan obligation funds (CLO Fund Securities). The Fund's investment advisor is Sierra Crest Investment Management LLC and is an affiliate of BC Partners LLP.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

Detailed Analysis of PORTMAN RIDGE FINANCE CORP

About Joseph Piotroski: Piotroski isn't your typical Wall Street big shot. In fact, he's not even a professional investor. He's a good old numbers-crunching accountant and college professor. But in 2000, shortly after he started teaching at the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business, Piotroski published a groundbreaking paper in the Journal of Accounting Research entitled "Value Investing: The Use of Historical Financial Statement Information to Separate Winners from Losers". In it, Piotroski laid out an accounting-based stock-selection/shorting method that produced a 23 percent average annual back-tested return from 1976 through 1996 -- more than double the S&P 500's gain during that time. Piotroski's findings were reported in major financial publiations like SmartMoney. Today, he teaches accounting at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business.

About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.