MissionIR Small-Cap Investor Blog: June 2014

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Methes Energies International Ltd. (MEIL) Capturing Sustained Demand for Biofuel, Modular Denami Processors Heart of Success Story

Methes Energies is an increasingly successful producer/seller of biodiesel, as well as automated biodiesel processors which are coveted throughout the industry for their compact, continuous flow, multi feedstock-ready design and the proprietary, performance maximizing/remote monitoring software that goes along with them. The company continues to edge forward as a sector player on the strength of top-quality B100 (100% biodiesel) coming out of their showcase production and the 13M gallons/year primary production facilities in Ontario, in conjunction with a considerable mastery of the complex RIN (Renewable Identification Number) tracking and documentation required to satisfy EPA, IRS and LCFS (Low Carbon Fuel Standard) regulations.

Methes has even developed a comprehensive RIN authentication architecture consisting of a best practices model and proprietary software platform that is feedstock-centric (as it should be for optimal RIN authentication), tracking the entire lifecycle of the feedstock/fuel while also giving the user a powerful tool for handling everyday accounting tasks. This situational awareness capability over its own feedstock/output, and the ability to provide the same service to its clientele, is one of the keys to MEIL’s competition-friendly business model, which emphasizes building a network of interests in the biodiesel space and optimizing its own competitiveness (like a franchisor role in the fast food sector). Recent Producer/Marketer status achieved for the BQ-9000® National Biodiesel Accreditation Program, combined with the company’s selection of EPA-registered QAP (quality assurance program) provider, Genscape Inc., for RIN verification and the company’s existing Foreign Renewable Fuel Producer importer of record status with EPA, makes Methes an extremely agile biodiesel facilitator.

With global biodiesel production on-track to rise 8% this year to just over 29M tons, even the lower proposed EPA target cap in the Renewable Fuel Standard for 2014/2015 of 1.28B gallons of biodiesel, nearly 29% lower than the 1.8B gallons produced by the industry last year, can’t slow down what markets see as a good thing. A major deal announced last week by Methes Energies (Jun 18) with some of the company’s U.S. clients has them on task to supply over $6M in biodiesel (1.4M gallons plus) by September 30 this year. Moreover, this deal is essentially the tip of the iceberg with these clients and it is expected to be the first of many more like it to come. MEIL structured the deal around a 3-month window, wisely not getting themselves locked into a longer period, largely due to the potential for market volatility.

Interestingly enough, this deal also holds the possibility for MEIL to get retroactively reinstated Biodiesel Blender’s Tax Credit at $1.00/gallon. All the sweeter when you realize Methes has their feedstock and selling prices locked in for the next three months according to company President, Nicholas Ng, who also noted that production ramping across the company’s entire footprint was currently going quite well. With 26 jumbo rail cars at their disposal dedicated to moving B100, Methes is able to ship relatively cheap, yet extremely high-quality product to markets across North America and the U.S. appetite for biofuels isn’t slowing down, despite what the EPA thinks the market wants. Motorists in Iowa for example purchased some 2.7M gallons of E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gas) in Q1 this year, a 48% jump over the same period in 2013 according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, with the real-world cost saving benefits of biofuel resonating in end markets soundly.

The company’s production footprint is made up of their own Denami 600 (1.3M gallons/year) and Denami 3000 (6.5M gallons/year) units, a testament to their system engineering and manufacturing prowess. These babies can reliably produce ASTM-quality B100 biodiesel from a wide variety of feedstocks and MEIL is able to churn a new unit out in only 16 to 20 weeks of manufacturing up-time, ultimately delivering solutions based on the Denami unit(s) that range from customized turn-key facility installs, to fully-managed and maintained implementations. Modular and scalable, the Denami systems can rapidly evolve a biodiesel production footprint in a highly granular fashion, allowing customers to tack on as much or as little custom production as required for their specific purposes/locations as things change over time.

Whether they are shipping fuel to eager end markets or helping clients implement their own localized production solutions, Methes continues to generate substantial buzz in the biofuels space and it is worth keeping an eye on the company for more activity as energy prices inexorably climb on broad-spectrum influences that range from mounting carbon regulations in the U.S. and EU, to energy-related geopolitical tensions. Green energy like biofuels continue to remain an attractive, securely executable play in this market, with ready transportation and usability logistics maintaining bullish baseline tailwinds for the entire sector.

For more info on Methes Energies, visit: www.Methes.com

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5Barz International, Inc. (BARZ) Conquers the Wireless Dead Zone

There is nothing more annoying to a cell phone user than ending up in a location where one has a consistently weak signal leading to barely audible conversations and continuously dropped calls. A geography that includes hills, mountains, and valleys or any number of certain physical structures can all significantly impact a cellular phone’s full network coverage. 5Barz International Inc. conquers this wireless dead zone. The company incorporates multiple patented technologies to create a highly engineered, single-piece, plug and play device called 5Barz Network Extender that strengthens weak cellular signals to deliver high quality signals for voice, data and video reception on cell phones and other cellular equipped devices.

One current class of products in the market designed to improve poor cell reception involves what are called repeaters, also called cell phone boosters, which depend on at least a weak cell tower signal to amplify and rebroadcast. Many repeaters have multiple parts, starting with an antenna that you place as close as possible to the strongest cell tower signal, which is typically found near a window or even outdoors or on the roof. The antenna transmits signals over a cable connected to an amplifier, which boosts the signal and retransmits it indoors. However, this lacks portability as one has to deal with an external antenna and an extension of coaxial cable. Repeater kits can be purchased at specialty electronics retailers for prices that range anywhere from $150 to $600.

The other main technology to boost cell phone signals is a class of products referred to as femtocells. Femtocells connect directly into a broadband Internet access port, and so the mobile phone carrier is now requiring the broadband carrier to provide good service. As that is not always the case, there may be degradation of quality. Also, a femtocell can only be used at the address where it is registered. To enforce that restriction, the FCC stipulates that all femtocells must be equipped with GPS receivers, and that they either must be placed close enough to a window to receive GPS signals directly or must be connected to a GPS antenna that can pick up the signals. Many U.S. wireless services offer their own femtocell based network extenders at an initial price plus a monthly subscription fee. As a result, critics complain about having to pay for a service that essentially delivers what the wireless network is supposed to have provided all along.

T-Mobile has a slightly different approach in that phones that support Wi-Fi calling use what is referred to as Unified Mobile Access (UMA) technology to route calls over Wi-Fi hotspots. T-Mobile notes that this helps with calls made through any hotspot that its phones can access, and not just at a single location. Like the femtocell technology based products, this will not work for phones from other carriers.

5Barz International’s Network Extender is the size of a paperback book, doesn’t have the messy cable and antenna of repeaters, doesn’t require handoff to the Internet, and is fully portable. The product has a compact, fully integrated antenna which is used for both outgoing and incoming signals. Such compact antenna configurations could lead to a parasitic feedback which leads to a noisy signal and echo. 5Barz International’s patented smart signal processing technology achieves echo cancellation. The 5Barz International Network Extender supports all radio frequencies and spectrums, and currently supports multiple bands including 2G and 3G. 5Barz is expected to have their product support 4G cellular within the next 6 months.

5Barz International, Inc. has recently announced a partnership with the global supply chain management company, Flextronics, a world-class iconic manufacturer for high volume production, allowing the company to extend their reach and connect with more customers and channels in several regions. As more of our communication and media consumption shifts to mobile networks, people will demand strong cell phone signals to be able to deliver those services. Cisco Systems this week predicted that in 2018 there will be nearly three networked devices per person on Earth and mobile devices will generate more than 60% of Internet traffic. 5Barz International Inc. is well positioned to take advantage of this trend.

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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Following Recent Trading Suspensions, SEC Warns that Some Marijuana-Related Stocks may be Blowing Smoke

If you’re paying any attention to emerging markets, it goes without saying that the legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational use has triggered a stampede of medical marijuana-related stocks. And along with it, fraud in the microcap space. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued a warning to investors about possible scams involving marijuana-related investments after a handful of companies came into question.

In the past two months alone, the agency says it has suspended trading on five cannabis industry microcaps flagged for potential fraud.

“For marijuana-related companies that are not required to report with the SEC, investors may have limited information about the company’s management, products, services, and finances,” the SEC’s alert says. “When publicly available information is scarce, fraudsters can more easily spread false information about a company, making profits for themselves while creating losses for unsuspecting investors.”

The SEC’s Microcap Fraud Task Force is responsible for sharking the microcap market to identify inadequate or potentially misleading/inaccurate news disseminated by public companies. The SEC is authorized to suspend trading on questionable companies for up to 10 days while the alleged activity is further investigated.

“Recent changes in state laws concerning medical and recreational marijuana have created new opportunities for penny stock fraud,” Elisha Frank, co-chair of the SEC Enforcement Division’s Microcap Fraud Task Force, stated in the SEC’s news release. “Wherever we see incomplete or misleading disclosures, we act quickly to protect investors.”

The SEC recently suspended trading on FusionPharm, Inc.; Cannabusiness Group, Inc.; GrowLife, Inc.; Advanced Cannabis Solutions, Inc.; and Petrotech Oil and Gas, Inc.

“We know from experience that fraudsters follow the headlines,” said Lori J. Schock, director of the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, which prepared the investor alert. “Given the attention that marijuana-related companies have attracted recently, we urge investors to exercise caution when looking at investments in this space. Always thoroughly research the company – and the person selling the investment – before making a decision.”

For more information visit www.sec.gov

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Monday, June 23, 2014

RiceBran Technologies (RIBT) has Huge Market Potential

RiceBran Technologies has numerous products which are used by food manufacturers to create gluten-free, hypo-allergenic, minimally processed and non-GMO (i.e., non-genetically modified organism) nutrition rich products used in pasta, baked goods, pizza dough, cereals, ground meats, healthy beverages and numerous other applications. The company also makes similar protein rich ingredients used to make animal feed for pets and horses.

All of their products are derived from rice bran, in other words, the hard outer layer of the rice grain. After rice is harvested, the farms mill the rice by crushing rice grains together, which breaks off the husk, and then the next few outer layers of the rice grain, the bran and the germ, are also broken off as one converts brown rice to white rice. The bran is separated and further processed via a combination of heat, water, and pressure are used to deactivate the enzymes that cause rancidity in the rice bran. From this various products are manufactured that have assorted levels of plant protein, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber.

Much of the nutritional value of rice lies in the germ and bran, which is typically discarded during the milling process. About 60 million metric tons of rice bran is thrown away or used as low-level animal feed annually. RiceBran Technologies knows the value of this non-GMO food product rich in nutrients and anti-oxidants. As rice is a staple food for 70% of the population with 600 million tons consumed annually, RiceBran Technologies has explosive potential for growth.

The U.S. nutraceutical and functional food market is expected to grow at a 5% compounded annualized growth rate from 2013 to 2018, reaching $75 billion by 2018. RiceBran Technologies products are also sold into the functional food segment, and are used in protein beverages, energy bars, meal replacement products and a host of other healthy and natural products. The sheer size of the market RiceBran Technologies addresses combined with its range of products suggests this company has a very optimistic future.

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MYOS Corporation (MYOS): Keeping Everyone Strong

After we turn 30, we all lose muscle and strength at the rate of 1% a year. MYOS Corporation intends to reverse that.

MYOS Corporation focuses on the formulation, acquisition, and distribution of nutritional, nutraceutical, physical performance enhancement, and wellness products that focus solely on maintaining or improving the health and performance of muscle tissue. Currently the company has on the market MYO-T12, a dietary supplement product for optimizing biological activity, which is marketed at retail stores like GNC as MYO-X.

Myostatin is a structurally related regulatory protein produced in our bodies that inhibits muscle differentiation and growth which our bodies needed mainly at the time of embryonic development. MYOS Corp.’s products focus on inhibiting the activity of myostatin.

While the company has products appreciated by those seeking to build muscle mass, the company aims to treat sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is the progressive loss of muscle that comes with aging. If a person has problems with at least three of the following conditions, they probably have this degenerative muscle disease: problems in lifting or carrying three pounds, need assistance walking, have trouble rising from a chair, have difficulty climbing a set of stairs, or tendency to fall in the past six months.

The population of people in the United States of age 65 increased from 35 million in the year 2000 to about 40 million people in 2010, and that is expected to grow to 72.1 million people. Estimates suggest 45% of that older population suffer from sarcopenia, which amounts to 18 million people, and that number is expected to rise. Of the 1.5 million older people that end up institutionalized into nursing homes and long-term care facilities, about one third were admitted because of their inability to perform the basic activities of daily living. About 1.5% of total healthcare expenditures, or $18.5 billion, are directly attributable to treating sarcopenia. The U.S. spends $26 billion additionally on people over the age of 65 that lose the ability to perform daily activities.

With no drugs on the market approved by the FDA for treatment of Sarcopenia, a resistance training program and supplements from MYOS under the guidance of a geriatrician can play a major role in treating those that suffer from this condition. MYOS Corp. has an aggressive business and marketing strategy which opens the door to opportunity.

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VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VSTA) Employs a Unique Drug Rescue Model

VistaGen Therapeutics is a biotechnology company mainly focusing on human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) technology for drug rescue and regenerative medicine. Human pluripotent cells are the building blocks of all cells of the human body. VistaGen’s versatile stem cell technology platform, “Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™,” has been developed to provide clinically relevant predictions of potential heart and liver toxicities of new drug candidates and to enable the company to develop drug rescue variants for once-promising drug candidates. These variants help biotech companies to overcome heart and liver toxicity issues that halted prior clinical trials.

Drug rescue and regenerative is a unique model as VistaGen selects drug candidates that have good future growth prospects but that were abandoned by biotech companies before the approval stage because of their negative effects on the patients’ hearts and livers.

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To create a pipeline of drug rescue variants, VistaGen reworks rejected drug candidates by combining its Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube platform with contemporary curative chemistry. This will help VistaGen to develop safer drug rescue variants, which will then be sold to biotech companies that will further process and commercialize them. The technology allows the buyer to develop safer drug rescue variants, improve the predictability of a drug’s success or failure, and lower their R&D cost. According to the FDA, 10% improvement in a drug’s failure predictability before commencing its trial studies could save companies around $100 million in R&D costs, helping them to develop new, improved drugs with reduced investment.

Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube is also expected to achieve faster FDA approval for drug candidates, increasing the biotech company’s bottom line. For developing these variants VistaGen will receive upfront and milestone payments and is eligible for royalties on net sales of these drugs as per their agreement.

Opening doors for future growth

VistaGen with its technological experience designed and developed CardioSafe 3D™, a high throughput, human heart cell-based bioassay. CardioSafe 3D screens heart toxicity in connection with developing drug rescue variants. This will enhance the company’s capability to generate data with its internal validation studies that will allow it to demonstrate more accurate in-vitro prediction of the in-vivo cardiac effects, both toxic and nontoxic, of the new molecules.

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On April 10, VistaGen began collaboration with Cardiac Research Consortium to improve the cardiac safety of medical products as per FDA norms. Along with this the company is also planning to partner with big pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies. VistaGen, with its expertise in developing drug rescue variants, will allow biotech companies to advance their drugs as per FDA norms by improving cardiac safety abilities of new molecules. VistaGen has successfully demonstrated significant development in clinically predictive systems for the preclinical cardiac safety screening of anti-cancer drug candidates with its CardioSafe 3D bioassay. This technology improved the efficacy of new molecules and reduces heart toxicity compared to earlier cancer drugs and other therapeutic compounds. Along with this VistaGen is focusing on developing and validating LiverSafe 3D™, a novel, three-dimensional in-vitro bioassay system that will enable the company to evaluate liver toxicity and drug metabolism issues.

The successful implementation of CardioSafe 3D and Liversafe 3D will allow molecule-developing companies to significantly reduce R&D expenses and earn faster FDA approval. This will in turn strengthen VistaGen financially with an increase in royalties.

Leading its own pain-relieving drug

VistaGen is developing AV-101, a pain reliever drug candidate that it acquired through the acquisition of Artemis Neuroscience in 2003. The company successfully completed phase I development of AV-101 as per the active Investigational New Drug (IND) application filed to FDA for treating neuropathic pain. VistaGen is evaluating the efficacy of this drug in trial studies for treating neuropathic pain, a serious and chronic conditions that causes pain after an injury, and for treating depression, epilepsy, and other neurological conditions. VistaGen’s strategic plans will help it to progress AV-101 to phase II development and enhance its efficacy in treating depression, epilepsy, Huntington’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. By developing this candidate the company will have greater growth opportunities as neuropathic pain affects around 1.8 million in the U.S. alone. The company has received grants of $8.75 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop this drug and receive regulatory approval.

Further, “the safety iceberg model” represents huge underlying opportunities in developing drug rescue variants. VistaGen has a higher future growth opportunity with its hPSC technology, which will enable biotech companies to overcome the weakness related to heart and liver toxicity.

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Conclusion

VistaGen’s hPSC technology platform will enable it to develop drug rescue variants of the promising drug candidate, supporting it financially long-term. Additionally, expanding its product portfolio with AV-101 will support its top line. This unique model developed by the company makes it a good long-term investment.

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Friday, June 20, 2014

U.S. Geothermal Inc. (HTM): Overlooked & Undervalued

U.S. Geothermal is primarily engaged in the development, acquisition, and utilization of geothermal resources for the generation of electrical power and for sustainable direct use applications. The company strives to enhance shareholder value by addressing energy needs both domestically in America and abroad, while also promoting a clean environment.

Geothermal energy is energy that results from the temperature gradient between the surface of the crust of the Earth to that closer to the Earth’s interior. The geothermal gradient, which is the difference in temperature between the core of the planet and its surface, drives a continuous conduction of thermal energy in the form of heat from the core to the surface. About 20% of the higher temperatures within the Earth are the result of heat that became trapped during the formation of the Earth, and the bulk of the heat, 80%, comes from the decay of radioactive elements within the Earth.

At depths of 80 kilometers (49.7 miles) to 100 kilometers (62.1 miles), temperatures can be as hot as 4,200 degrees Celsius (7,592 degrees Fahrenheit). The deepest we drilled into the surface of the Earth was in 2011, offshore the Russian island of Sakhalin, at over 12 kilometers (around 7.5 miles). The heat source is primarily magmatic systems deep within the Earth’s crust and there is a constant movement of thermal energy that travels outward through highly permeable fracture zones to the surface. Geothermal power is cost effective, reliable, and sustainable, but typically is limited to areas near tectonic plate boundaries. Geothermal energy production does release some greenhouse gases from the Earth, but a mere five percent of the greenhouse gas emissions emitted from fossil fuels, so it is very environmentally friendly.

Two main systems of geothermal electricity production are in use. One that is rarely used is a vapor-dominated system taking advantage of heated ground water that is already present in the earth, such as hot springs, and piping that into a turbine for electricity production. The vapor-dominated system operates in temperature ranges that are above 235 degrees Celsius (455 degrees Fahrenheit). The other pipes in hot water to be heated by the hot source in the ground, and again the water is converted into steam which pushes a turbine that spins a generator, and this more common system operates with water temperatures in the range of 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit) to 300 degrees Celsius (700 degrees Fahrenheit).

Currently, U.S. Geothermal Inc. is operating geothermal power projects at Neal Hot Springs, Oregon, San Emidio, Nevada and Raft River, Idaho. In addition to this newly acquired Geysers development project, the company is currently developing a second phase project at San Emidio Nevada, as well as developing the El Ceibillo geothermal prospect located within a 24,710 acre (100sq km) energy rights concession area in Guatemala, located 8.5 miles (14 km) from Guatemala City, the largest city in Central America.

U.S. Geothermal, Inc. also recently acquired the Geyser’s project of Ram Power Corporation located in the Mayacamas Mountains of Sonoma County, California, approximately 12 miles north of the City of Healdsburg for $6.4 million in cash. The acquisition of the Geyser’s project gives U.S. Geothermal five completed enhanced geothermal production/injection wells which have enough steam production for about 30 Megawatts of power. Enhanced geothermal production/injection (EGP) geothermal wells are drilled to about 10,000 feet deep, and have cooled water injected deeply into the ground via a process called hydro-shearing, the water then travels in fractures in the deep rock, the water then gets heated and is forced out a separate borehole where it has become steam and is used once again to push a turbine, after which the water is cooled and sent back into the ground. The advantage of enhanced geothermal systems is that it does not require naturally occurring hydro-convective resources. MIT’s Institute of Technology estimated that enhanced geothermal technology can provide up to 100 Gig Watts of geothermal power.

US Geothermal reported a net profit of $1.9 million on $28.8 million in total sales in the twelve months ending March 2014. At the end of March 2014, US Geothermal reported a total of $204.5 million in tangible assets or $1.97 per share of which $0.38 is in the forms of cash and financial assets. At around $0.65 per share, the company is trading at about 33% of tangible book value. U.S. Geothermal, Inc. appears to be a tiny gem that is both overlooked and undervalued.

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Crexendo, Inc (EXE) and the Explosive Growth of Cloud Computing

When a business offers its services “in the cloud,” they are offering access to their software, platform, and infrastructure remotely through the Internet, so that the end user can simply log onto that network, without having to download anything. So with cloud computing, users can at any time simply log on to their own secure workspace, using almost any Internet-connected device they desire, from any location and immediately have access to the right software and tools, without having to install anything.

Crexendo, Inc. is one of the faster growing cloud-based web and communications services companies, and winner of the 2013 Internet Telephony Excellence Award for its leading communication technology, Crexendo Cloud Telephony Solution from Internet Telephony Magazine. Crexendo operates through three main business segments: (1) the Crexendo Network Services segment which offers hosted telecommunications services that transmit calls using IP or cloud technology, and broadband Internet services; (2) the Crexendo Web Services segment which provides search engine optimization, link building, paid search management, conversion rate optimization, and website design and development services; and the StoresOnline segment which offers website hosting services through in-house telemarketing, online marketing channels, and direct prospecting for small office/ home office business owner and entrepreneurs.

Cloud computing is definitely a strong growth area to build a niche. IBM has suggested that by the end 2014, businesses in the United States will spend over $13 billion on cloud computing and managed hosting services. On a global level, by 2015, end-user spending on cloud services could grow to a $180 billion market. Among the chief reasons for this remarkable growth include cost reduction, increased productivity, shortening of development cycles, and increased access to better analytics. Small businesses and mid-sized businesses in particular benefit from cloud services, so rather spend the money on software, expertise to run the software and additional technological infrastructure, they can just pay a subscription fee and access all they need on the cloud.

According to IT publication SiliconAngle, more than 60% of American businesses already report using cloud-based services, and of those that do, 82% have reported cost savings. Over the next five years, business workloads performed over the public cloud are expected to grow at an annual compounded growth rate of 44% versus an 8.9% annual compounded growth rate for workloads performed at a business’s premises. Of the businesses using cloud computing, 14% recognized further cost savings by downsizing their information technology departments.

A significant of businesses see cloud computing as the future, and there is really only one issue that may be in question, and that’s regarding the future of net neutrality. Net neutrality is the notion that all Internet traffic and data should be treated equally and not be discriminated against or meddled with. Net neutrality safeguards a level playing field ensuring that cloud service providers and cloud consumers both small and large have an equal stake on the pathways of the Internet regardless of what they are up to.

If net neutrality is removed, the typical cloud computing company may be forced to strike a deal with the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to prioritize their data over everyone else’s to maintain competitiveness. This would be an added cost to cloud companies that would either shrink profit margins or have to be passed on to their consumers.

Verizon took the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to court regarding the net neutrality rules and effective won a victory in the U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit this past January of 2014, where the judge essentially ruled that the FCC Open Internet rules could only be applied to common carriers. The FCC currently classifies ISPs such as Verizon and Comcast as information providers and can simply maintain the same net neutrality by re-classifying ISPs as telecommunication services. However, Tom Wheeler, the current chairman of the FCC has instead proposed a two-tier “pay for prioritization” scheme which effectively does end net neutrality, and the FCC’s proposal is open for public comment on FCC.gov. Right now it does appear that the ISPs have more influence on the FCC than content providers such as Netflix and Amazon.com. Tom Wheeler himself was formerly the president of the corporate lobby, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), and the current president of the NCTA, Michael Powell, was formerly the previous chairman of the FCC. There is a significant grassroots movement demanding that net neutrality stay in place as well as the elites of the companies that provide the content, so it is difficult to say which direction the FCC will ultimately take.

Senator Patrick Leahy (Democrat of Vermont) and House Representative Doris Matsui (Democrat of California) have jointly introduced a bill called the Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act which would maintain net neutrality and prevent any pay for prioritization schemes, but with a Republican dominated House of Representatives, the bill may not have a chance to move forward for a vote. In the meantime, regardless of what occurs to net neutrality, the cost savings alone will virtually guarantee double digit growth in the usage of cloud computing services.

Recently, Crexendo, Inc. has acquired the Voice-over-Internet protocol company, One Stop Voice, which focuses on the small to mid-sized business market. This acquisition is expected to bring in $500,000 in added revenues and to be accretive to earnings immediately. The rollout of a new web builder program called Slingshot is expected to revive growth in the Crexendo Web Services division. Overall, with the promising outlook for cloud computing, Crexendo, Inc. is very well positioned.

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Thursday, June 19, 2014

Noble Financial to Host Annual Equity Conference at Club Med Resort, Sandpiper Bay, Florida

Noble Financial / Capital Markets will hold its 11th annual Equity Conference, January 18 – 21, 2015, at Club Med’s 220 acre resort for the second year in a row. The resort is located at Sandpiper Bay, Florida – 40 minutes from Palm Beach International Airport (PBI).

Referred to as, “the ultimate adventure in capitalism,” Noble will host a select group of one hundred and fifty corporate executive teams and qualified institutional investors. The three-day program kicks off with a Sunday watch party featuring the AFC/NFC Championship NFL Games before segueing to formal presentations, cocktail receptions, one-on-ones, scheduled executives / investors lunches and dinners, and three evening events that will expand the business day and produce a rich environment of networking opportunities.

Registration includes all food and beverage, HD video webcasting and access to the club’s athletic and sporting amenities. Companies that register early have first call on the date and time of their presentations, a $1000 discount on the cost of registration, and allowance for one executive from each company to bring his or her spouse/partner at no additional cost.

Additionally, registrants can look forward to an activity-rich spouse / partner & children’s program which promises to turn the conference into an enjoyable family experience. Noble encourages interested parties to plan early as space is limited. Record attendance is expected. The conference marks the beginning of the company’s second decade of conferences.

Noble has been in the investment banking / capital markets business for close to three decades. Its analysts and bankers average more than 25 years in the industry. The company has developed important verticals in healthcare, technology and media. Noble strives to be a market leader in the small-cap, emerging growth arena. Its strategy is to achieve this status by providing an ethical, timely, quality product to both its corporate partner and institutional investor customer base.

For more information on the company, visit www.nobleresearch.com

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Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Methes Energies International Ltd. (MEIL) Inks Agreements for Over $6 Million of Biodiesel Supply

Today before the opening bell, renewable energy company Methes Energies reported its finalization of agreements with U.S.-based clients to supply them with more than $6 million worth of biodiesel by September 30, 2014. The amount includes Methes Energies’ portion of the expected blenders’ tax credit. Methes Energies anticipates the agreements as the beginning of a strong, long-term business relationship with the clients.

The agreements require Methes Energies to ship approximately 1.4 million gallons of biodiesel in this period, starting around June 23, 2014. They also cover the potential reinstatement of the Biodiesel Blender’s Tax Credit, or a tax of $1.00 paid per gallon in the United States. If the tax credit is reinstated retroactively, the majority of the tax credit claimed by Methes Energies’ clients will be transferred to Methes Energies.

Nicholas Ng, President of Methes Energies, said, “Production is currently going very well and we’ll be ramping up very quickly over the next few weeks. We’ve locked in our feedstock price as well as our selling price for the next 3 months. We see some upside moving forward so we are comfortable with a 3-month at the time strategy with the volume committed in these agreements. We are also in a great position to move more biodiesel on the spot market where we believe we can make more money.”

For more information, visit: www.methes.com

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Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company is an Important Friend to Have When Filing with the SEC

Proper filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is never easy. They demand comprehensive information, accuracy, and timeliness. Filing regulations can be complex, and can frequently change. Mistakes can cost a company time, and much more. When a company has Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company on their side, they can rest assured that filings meet all SEC requirements, and meet them on time. Continental works directly with client accountant and audit teams to keep on top of what is required, and when it is required.

The company has EDGAR/XBRL experts to provide client support in all aspects of SEC filing:

• EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval) filing, including:

– Reports (10-Q, 10-K, 6-K, 8-K, 20-F)

– Registrations (S-1, S-2, S-3, S-4, S-6, S-8, 424)

– Proxies (14A, 14C)

– Ownership reports (Forms 3, 4, 5)

– Forms 144, SC13D, SC13G, 13F

• eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) reporting of exhibits to periodic and current reports, registrations, and other documents.

Continental’s full suite of EDGAR and related services also includes typesetting and printing, newswire services, and publishing EDGAR, HTML, bookmarked PDFs, and high-quality formatted Microsoft Word files.

Full service is not only part of Continental’s mission, it’s part of the company’s reputation. Annual industry surveys repeatedly indicate that Continental offers the best value among major agents, satisfies clients better, and has an overall performance that is better than any competitor.

For more information, visit www.ContinentalStock.com

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Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Methes Energies International Ltd. (MEIL) Meets Regulatory Specification to Produce, Market B100 Pure Biodiesel

Biodiesel is a domestically produced, non-toxic, clean-burning, renewable alternative to petroleum diesel. In a conventional petroleum diesel engine, biodiesel significantly reduces tailpipe emissions of a range of harmful emissions, making it an increasingly viable option for transportation fuel, among other uses.

In an effort to utilize the benefits of biodiesel and lower greenhouse gas emissions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administers the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which mandates that transportation fuel sold in the U.S. must contain a minimum volume of renewable fuels. Each year, the amount of renewable fuel to be blended into transportation fuel increases, and is expected to escalate to 36 billion gallons by 2022, compared to 1.3 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel in 2013.

Biodiesel can be blended and is typically produced in a range of concentrations, including B100 (pure biodiesel), B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel), B5 (5% biodiesel, 95% petroleum diesel) and B2 (2% biodiesel, 98% petroleum diesel), according to the Alternative Fuels Data Center.

B20 is commonly used in the United Sates, while B100 and other high-level biodiesel blends are less common due to a lack of regulatory incentives and pricing. However, B100 has a solvent effect that can clean a vehicle’s fuel system and release deposits accumulated from previous petroleum diesel use. This blend of B100 requires special handling and may require equipment modifications and must meet the requirements of ASTM D6751, Standard Specification for Biodiesel Fuel (B100) Blend Stock for Distillate Fuels.

Methes Energies is a renewable energy company rising to meet demand for B100 and filling the supply gap in the blend’s production while meeting ASTM requirements. The company offers an array of products and services to biodiesel fuel producers, and has aggressively secured footing in the biodiesel industry by developing two proprietary biodiesel processors, the Denami 600 and the Denami 3000.

The two biodiesel units have emerged as a reliable and cost-effective method to produce quality B100 biodiesel from a wide variety of feedstock. These biodiesel processors provide clients with three distinct methods to become corporately involved in the ASTM biodiesel production business, per the company’s website:

1. “Pipe‐to‐Pipe” solution – Ideal for individuals/corporations/municipalities with experience in the biodiesel/oil and gas industry. This solution provides for a Denami biodiesel processor, as well as an environmental checklist, lab equipment, in addition to an overseeing of the installation, commissioning, training, ongoing support and maintenance via an annual service agreement.

2. Turn‐key “Production Line” solution – Once the project site has been selected and approved for the production and storage of biodiesel, Methes will work with each client to set their location, including: the environmental checklist, lab equipment, overseeing of the installation of storage tanks, pipes, truck / railcar loading facility and a Denami biodiesel processor. This solution is ideal for individuals/corporations with limited experience in the biodiesel production business, looking to jump start production starting at 1.3M gallons per year (5M liters per year) of biodiesel.

3. Turn‐key “Facility” solution ‐ Methes will deliver an operating biodiesel production facility to the customer’s chosen site. Starting with an existing building or selecting to build a new one, the company will turn‐over the key to the front door of the completed project, once it is running and producing ASTM quality biodiesel. This is a great option for individuals/corporations looking for a “no hassle” solution.

Methes stated mission is to provide its clients with the best equipment and unconditional support so that they can operate a highly successful biodiesel business with total peace of mind. In doing so, the company has established itself as reputable player in the growing biodiesel industry.

For more information, visit www.methes.com

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Monday, June 16, 2014

VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VSTA) Expands IP Portfolio, Awarded Canadian Patent Coverage

VistaGen Therapeutics, a biotech company using proprietary pluripotent stem cell technology for drug rescue and regenerative medicine, has received from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office a Notice of Allowance for Canadian patent No. 2,684,022, entitled “Mesoderm and Definitive Endoderm Cell Populations.”

This patent, which is exclusively licensed to VistaGen by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, will expand VistaGen’s intellectual property portfolio for pluripotent stem cell culture systems that produce human cells of the endoderm lineage, including liver, lung, pancreas, parathyroid and thyroid cells. The patent enables the company to extend its research into the Canadian market and follows the company’s recently awarded U.S. patent.

“This important Canadian patent allowance extends our core intellectual property protection in a market that has been strategically significant to us for many years,” Shawn K. Singh, JD, VistaGen’s chief executive officer, stated in the news release. “In a manner similar to our recently announced Notice of Allowance for its counterpart, U.S. Patent Application 12/836,275, this new Canadian patent allowance and our world-class differentiation and assay formulation expertise put us in a strong position to pursue additional stem cell research projects in Canada, especially innovative projects involving liver biology, customized drug metabolism assays, and pilot nonclinical studies using pancreatic beta-islet cells for drug and regenerative cell therapies for diabetes.”

For more information visit http://www.vistagen.com/

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Feel Empowered to Make that Trade with TradePower.com

Purchasing stock confidently requires the right knowledge. As Francis Bacon, the father of the scientific method once stated, “Knowledge is power.”

In mankind’s agricultural past, ownership of land and property meant power. During the Industrial Revolution, ownership of factories and machinery became the basis of wealth and power. Now more than ever, in our globally integrated cybernetic information driven world, knowledge and information in and of itself has become the basis of wealth and power. Examples of those that are powerful due to our current knowledge based society include the wealth of Bill Gates to the influence of the large pharmaceutical companies of which both are based on intellectual property rights.

Control of information is something corporate elites always recognized as a way to consolidate and build wealth and power. In 1983, 90% of American media was owned by 50 companies. Right now, over 90% of the information diet of 313 million Americans is controlled by 6 corporations: News Corporation, Disney, Comcast, Viacom, Time Warner, and CBS. That is 90% of everything Americans see, hear, and consider important. As author Tom Clancy pointed out, those that control the information can control the people. Governments that are despotic have long recognized the importance of controlling the flow of information in a society. For example, China’s government controls its population in part by maintaining massive surveillance and a content control system over their population’s access to the Internet. As elites and governments recognize the importance of controlling knowledge and information, so should you be seeking to build on your sources of information.

Decisions do not happen in a vacuum. They are best made when the individual has sufficient information to weigh the possible consequences of various choices. Access to the right information gives decision-making power, builds your range of options from which to make choices, and is a key step toward empowerment and building wealth. Knowledge gives competence and the capacity to act, and sets one on a path of never ending and self-initiated growth.

One of TraderPower.com’s primary goals is to help investors make the right decisions and discover undervalued stocks poised for exceptional profits. For more information, visit www.TraderPower.com.

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Friday, June 13, 2014

VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VSTA) Stands to Reverse Tremendous Costs of Drug Failure with Pluripotent Stem Cell Technology

For 16 years, California-based VistaGen Therapeutics has worked with key collaborators to develop proprietary technologies which produce several types of several types of mature, functional adult human cells for drug rescue application. In its drug rescue model, the company leverages its two biological assay systems, CardioSafe 3D™ and LiverSafe 3D™, and modern medicinal chemistry to generate novel, safer variants of once-promising drug candidates that were terminated due to unexpected heart or liver safety issues.

In laymen’s terms, “drug rescue” refers to research and development efforts that use small molecule drug candidates that had been discovered and validated in medical efficacy tests, but were discontinued due to health safety concerns before they obtained FDA approval. Many of these drug candidates were shelved due to heart- or liver-related concerns.

When a pharmaceutical company develops a new drug candidate, the company often invests a decade-worth of dedicated efforts and millions of dollars in the drug candidate’s discovery, optimization, and validation of its medical potency. When a drug candidate is terminated, that equates to tens of millions of dollars and countless man-hours going down the drain. Nearly one-third of all drug candidates fail in preclinical or clinical development due to unexpected health safety risks arising during the process.

From years of development, VistaGen Therapeutics has come up with a proprietary stem cell technology platform that it believes may be an answer. The company’s platform, Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™, enables drug candidates to be tested for toxicity concerns in their early stages of development, reducing the staggering costs and time invested when a drug candidate fails. Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ consists of VistaGen’s CardioSafe 3D™ and LiverSafe 3D™ systems.

In 2013, the U.S. pharmaceutical industry spent more than $51 billion in drug research and development. With heart and liver safety issues as a Top reason for why many drug candidates are discontinued, VistaGen Therapeutics aims to recapture substantial value from the prior investment by pharmaceutical companies and others in failed drug candidates by reintroducing them to the biomedical space as new, proprietary variants of the original drug candidates.

For more information, visit: http://www.vistagen.com/

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Volt Information Sciences, Inc. (VISI) Narrows Q2 Loss, Staffing Services Segment Drags Revenues Lower

Volt Information Sciences, an international provider of staffing services and workforce solutions, today posted its Q2 results, showing year-over-year improvements in profitability and a decrease in revenues.

The company recorded a Q2 loss of $3.5 million, or $0.17 per share, compared with a net loss of $17.5 million, or $0.84 per share in the year ago quarter. On a proforma basis, the company reported a 2013 Q2 net loss of $5.3 million, or $0.17 per share.

Volt attributes the improved profitability to targeted acquisitions in recent quarters in addition to the sale of its Procurestaff business, among other factors.

“These actions not only increase profitability, but also allow for greater flexibility in responding to the business environment. Second quarter revenue continued to be impacted by lower traditional staffing demand levels from a number of our larger enterprise customers as compared to last year, although most have shown a slight improvement in demand compared to the first quarter,” Ron Kochman, president and CEO of Volt stated in the news release. “We also exited our telecommunication government solutions business during the quarter as reduced federal spending significantly minimized growth opportunity, efficiencies and our ability to deliver profitability.”

Quarterly revenues decreased to $451.5 million from $519.7 million in Q2 2013 as a result of decreased Staffing Services revenues, partially due to lagging demand and the exit of certain customers as the company continues to divest unfavorable business. On a proforma basis, Q2 2014 revenues were $70.0 million.

Operating income for the 2014 quarter included restatement, investigations and remediation costs of $0.6 million and restructuring costs of $0.9 million, reflecting a reduced headcount in response to lower revenue levels and staffing segment reorganization. Excluding these items, Volt would have had operating income of $2.1 million and proforma operating income of $0.3 million.

Operating results improved $17.5 million to operating income of $0.6 million from an operating loss of $16.9 million in 2013, and proforma operating loss decreased $12.4 million to a proforma loss of $1.2 million from $13.6 million in 2013.

As of May 4, 2014, Volt had cash and cash equivalents of $16.6 million and an additional $28.8 million of cash restricted as collateral for foreign currency credit lines and banking facilities. The company also had approximately $18.2 million available from its short-term financing program. Excluding $8.6 million of long-term debt, the company’s consolidated borrowings were $147.5 million.

For more information visit www.volt.com

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Tuesday, June 10, 2014

MissionSMR Leverages Social Technology to Provide Clients with a Powerful, Successful and Radical Outreach Platform

The applications for social technology in the corporate world are moving at warp speed. Once a means of entertainment, e-mail access and online shopping, social technology has become so entrenched within global businesses, that it is unarguably one of the most powerful and yet largely untapped business tools on the planet.

In a McKinsey & Company study of 4,200 companies around the world, 70% report that they currently use social technology in some form or fashion; and 90% of those companies said they were seeing some degree of business benefit. However, only 3% of companies were fully networked to achieve substantial benefits from these technologies.

Recognizing the deep, untapped potential for social technology to improve communications and collaboration within and across enterprises is one thing. Executing a plan to actually participate in and take advantage of the billowing market is quite another.

Social technologies serve as a platform for the key fundamentals of a progressive and thriving outreach strategy. At MissionSMR we help our clients leverage social technology in regards to:

• Operations and distribution

• Investor Relations

• Marketing and Sales

• Customer Service

• Business Support

As a valued MissionSMR client, your company, initiatives and challenges are taken seriously. The team of professionals is committed to:

• Delivering news and key investment highlights to targeted audiences

• Establishing presence on prominent investor-oriented sites

• Generating buzz with wide distribution and consistent communication

• Optimizing and refining social networking strategy

• Adding power and reach to existing investor relations programs

• Strategic execution and specialized expertise

• Proven results and prompt service

MissionSMR leverages the incredible dynamics of social media that set it apart as a leading and preferred means of communication among businesses, investors and consumers. Peeling back layer by layer, the team gets to the core of how your company can fully maximize social media and execute the most effective plan. This is more than a Facebook or Twitter account – this is using a well-established network and fine-tuned strategies to help you get noticed and stay on top.

To learn more, visit www.MissionSMR.com

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