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PERSONAL BUSINESS
More Ways to Invest in Privately Held Small Companies
A list of public companies whose customer base largely consists of small private businesses
 

Readers sometimes want to know which companies we looked at, but discarded,  in our search for the best stocks, on the chance that they might see something we missed.  Be our guest, but be warned — we wouldn't recommend most of these. Many have negative earnings, or worse, a negative net worth, and some report to shareholders only sporadically.  In other words, some of them are as risky as the industry they serve.
 
 

Symbol Name Company
Description		 Recent
Price		 Market
Cap		 P/E
Ratio
ACAS AMER CAPITAL STRAT 
Buyouts and specialty finance
 19 7/16 329.7M 9.19
ACRI ACACIA RESEARCH  Emerging company investments 15 1/4 165.1M N/A
ALLC ALLIED CAPITAL  Small business loans/investments 19 1/2 1.214B 14.89
BBDC BRANTLEY CAP  Invests in private equity and debt 7 5/16 27.9M 5.67
BCL BLC FIN SERVICE  Guaranteeed small business loans 1 13/16 36.8M 13.39
CBIZ CENTURY BUSINESS SVC  Accounting and related services 9 3/4 828.6M 16.67
CMGI CMGI INC  The leading backer of internet and tech startups, like Lycos and Alta Vista 103 9/16 9.871B 23.32
CNV CVF TECHNOLOGIES Develops and runs new information and environmental tech firms. 3 1/16 20.6M N/A
CSWC CAPITAL SW CP  Venture capital firm  65 1/4 248.9M N/A
EGX ENGEX INC  Closed-end fund for emerging growth and turnaround companies 11 1/4 11.0M N/A
EQS EQUUS II INC  Closed-end fund that owns stakes in private companies 15 74.3M N/A
FNV FINOVA GROUP  Finance company for small and medium businesses 38 1/4 2.371B 12.15
HF HELLER FINL  Major small business lender 21 7/8 2.123B 12.29
HHGP HARRIS & HARRIS  Venture capital 4 1/16 37.5M N/A
KBK KBK CAPITAL  Business financing for the middle market 5 1/8 16.4M 26.97
MACC MACC PRIV EQ  Investment company specializing in small business 13 9/16 22.0M N/A
NEB NEW ENGLAND BUS  Sells stationery and office supplies in person and by catalog 26 1/4 366.8M 14.45
NTPA NETOPIA INC  Provides online presence for small companies 47 3/8 724.5M N/A
OMX OFFICEMAX INC  Office supply superstore 4 13/16 601.6M 10.90
PAYX PAYCHEX INC  Payroll and related services 36 13/16 9.078B 65.21
PBIZ PRIV BUSINESS  Helps community banks  provide receivables financing to small business  2 41/64 71.9M N/A
RAMP RAMP NETWORKS  Provides internet access 10 1/8 205.4M N/A
RAND RAND CAP CORP  Buys securities issued by small  firms 15/16 5.4M N/A
RENN RENAISSANCE CAPITAL  Closed-end investment company 9 1/8 37.8M N/A
SFE SAFEGUARD SCIENTIFIC Develops and acquires interests in partnership companies 83 2.885B 33.22
SPLS STAPLES INC  Office superstore 19 9/16 9.086B 37.03
TAXI MEDALLION FIN  Specialty finance, including taxi cabs 20 1/16 281.3M 15.67
TMO THERMO ELECTRON  Noted developer of new technology companies, which get spun off 13 1/4 2.096B N/A
VRIO VERIO INC  Provides internet access and web hosting 35 15/16 2.739B N/A
WCAP WINFIELD CAP  Make guaranteeed loans and equity investments 14 3/4 77.5M 11.17
WSCC WATERSIDE CAP  Invests in equity and debt of small companies 8 5/8 12.9M 12.86

DATA: MARKET GUIDE VIA YAHOO, 10/26/99