Steady, reliable performers might form the backbone of our portfolios but who doesn't hanker after a 10-bagger to spice things up? Even watching a share price double or triple in value is an immensely rewarding experience. On the following pages Martin Li identifies 10 shares whose fortunes rest almost entirely on the outcome of a single event. You'll need to be able to stomach the risk involved but if all goes to plan, those share prices can be expected to soar in value delivering handsome rewards to their brave shareholders in the process
"Stuffed or bust" was how a corporate finance director I worked for regularly used to describe situations facing clients. While we never quite worked out which of the two options was preferable, what wasn't in doubt was that the client's future depended critically on the outcome of a single event. If event X happened, it would mean very good news for the company, but if event X didn't happen, that could mean very bad news indeed.
Such investments can offer the ultimate in high-risk, high-reward plays. Pivotal events such as being awarded (or losing) a licence or major contract, gaining planning consent or regulatory approval, raising finance, making an exploration discovery etc, can mean life or death for some companies, particularly smaller Alternative Investment Market (Aim)-traded companies that depend on a single project or product.
Naturally, this type of investment comes with significantly higher than usual health warnings for widows and orphans, and anyone else for whom capital preservation is paramount. However, the high returns they offer can provide attractive upside value for investors who can afford to risk a portion of their capital in return for the chance of exceptional growth and invariably an exciting roller-coaster ride thrown in for free.
