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The following are today's upgrades for Validea's Small-Cap Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Motley Fool. This strategy looks for small cap growth stocks with solid fundamentals and strong price performance.

CAL-MAINE FOODS INC (CALM) is a mid-cap value stock in the Fish/Livestock industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 52% to 79% 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: Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. is engaged in the production, grading, packaging, marketing and distribution of fresh shell eggs. Its integrated operations consist of hatching chicks, growing and maintaining flocks of pullets, layers and breeders, manufacturing feed, and producing, processing, packaging, and distributing shell eggs. It offers shell eggs, including specialty and conventional eggs. It classifies cage-free, organic and brown eggs as specialty eggs. Its Egg-Land's Best and Land O' Lakes branded eggs are produced and processed under license from Eggland's Best, Inc. Its Farmhouse Eggs branded eggs are produced at its facilities by cage-free hens that are provided with a vegetarian diet. It markets organic, vegetarian, and omega-3 eggs under its 4-Grain brand. The Company sells most of its shell eggs in the southwestern, mid-western and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Its subsidiaries include American Egg Products, LLC located in Georgia and Texas Egg Products, LLC.

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 CAL-MAINE FOODS INC

CALM Guru Analysis

CALM Fundamental Analysis

EZCORP INC (EZPW) is a small-cap value stock in the Consumer Financial Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 49% to 76% 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: EZCORP, Inc. is a provider of pawn transactions in the United States and Latin America. The Company also sells merchandise, primarily collateral forfeited from pawn lending operations and pre-owned and recycled merchandise purchased from customers. It operates through three segments: U.S. Pawn, Latin America Pawn, and Other Investments. The U.S. Pawn segment includes its EZPAWN, Value Pawn & Jewelry and other branded pawn operations in the United States. The Latin America Pawn segment includes its Empeno Facil, Cash Apoyo Efectivo (CAE) and other branded pawn operations in Mexico, as well as its GuatePrenda and MaxiEfectivo pawn operations in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras (GPMX). At its pawn stores, it advances cash against the value of collateralized tangible personal property and sells merchandise to customers looking for good value. The merchandise it sells primarily consists of second-hand collateral forfeited from its pawn activities or merchandise purchased from customers.

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 EZCORP INC

EZPW Guru Analysis

EZPW Fundamental Analysis

HAMILTON LANE INC (HLNE) is a mid-cap growth stock in the Investment Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 69% to 72% 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: Hamilton Lane Incorporated is a private market investment management company. The Company works with its clients to conceive, structure, build out, manage and monitor portfolios of private markets funds and direct investments, and it enables them to access a diversified set of such investment opportunities worldwide. The Company offers a variety of investment solutions to address its clients' needs across a range of private markets, including private equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure, natural resources, growth equity, venture capital and impact. These solutions are constructed from a range of investment types, including primary investments in funds managed by third-party managers, direct investments alongside such funds and acquisitions of secondary stakes in such funds, with a number of its clients utilizing multiple investment types. These solutions are offered in a variety of formats covering some or all phases of the private market's investment program.

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 HAMILTON LANE INC

HLNE Guru Analysis

HLNE Fundamental Analysis

PALOMAR HOLDINGS INC (PLMR) is a mid-cap growth stock in the Insurance (Prop. & Casualty) industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 73% 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: Palomar Holdings, Inc. is an insurance holding company. The Company provides property and casualty insurance products to individuals and businesses. The Company's primary lines of business include Residential and Commercial Earthquake, Fronting, Inland Marine, and Casualty. It distributes its products through multiple channels, including retail agents, program administrators, wholesale brokers, and partnerships with other insurance companies. It offers Residential Earthquake products on an admitted and excess and surplus lines (E&S) basis. Its products insure against damage to the home, contents and any appurtenant structures, and reimburse for temporary housing costs in the event of an earthquake. Its Commercial Earthquake products focused on providing coverage for benign commercial risks. Its Inland Marine products include builder's risk, contractor's equipment, mobile equipment, motor truck cargo, miscellaneous floaters, installation floaters, and special property floaters.

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 PALOMAR HOLDINGS INC

PLMR Guru Analysis

PLMR Fundamental Analysis

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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.