A Canadian bottle-label maker. A British kitchen cabinet manufacturer. And an Irish biotech clinical research firm. These are three examples of the kinds of companies that offer some of the most intriguing stock opportunities in the world right now. Stocks of these fast-growing small and medium-sized companies based in developed nations operate in lucrative niches. Also, companies like these have more modest stock valuations than US companies and more reliable financial-reporting practices than companies in emerging markets.

MSCI’s index of foreign small- and mid-cap stocks returned 0.3% through the first eight months of 2015, versus a loss of 3% for the S&P 500 index of US large-cap stocks and a loss of 4.3% for the MSCI index of foreign large-cap stocks.

Here are three foreign stocks that look promising. They have market capitalizations under $5 billion, strong recent earnings growth and specific catalysts for continued ­improvement.

CCL Industries (CCDBF) is a leader in producing labels for global food, beverage and consumer brands ranging from Coca-Cola and Tide to Nivea and Panasonic. The Canadian company sets itself apart with innovative technology including labels with security features to protect against brand counterfeiting.

 Howden Joinery Group (HWDJF) supplies about 6 million kitchen cabinets and doors to trade professionals in the UK each year. The company will continue to benefit from the British housing recovery.

Icon PLC (ICLR) is a major player in global pharmaceutical research. The Irish company helps drug companies navigate clinical trials, shorten drug-development times and control costs.

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