Quirky Value Plays with David Bastian, CIO of Kingdom Capital Advisors

In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I spoke with David Bastian, CIO of Kingdom Capital Advisors, to explore how he uncovers “quirky” opportunities in the microcap market where investor interest has disappeared but internal catalysts remain. David walks through why he focuses on self-help stories - businesses that can unlock value through asset sales, operational improvements, or debt reduction - rather than waiting on macro tailwinds, and shares real-world examples of turnarounds, restructurings, and special situations where narrative disconnects created compelling setups. We also dive into the risks of leverage, the importance of management incentives, and why finding value in microcaps often means getting comfortable where the market is not. We mention several companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them. For more information about Kingdom Capital Advisors, please visit: https://www.kingdomcapitaladvisors.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Context 00:11 Market Opportunities and Quirky Investments 04:38 Identifying Inflection Points 14:06 Management Quality and Value Traps 18:09 Narrative Dislocations in the Market 20:59 Market Confidence and Strategic Investments 24:31 Understanding Turnarounds and Management Impact 28:51 Identifying Key Performance Indicators 34:15 Navigating Risks in Micro Cap Investing 41:09 Evaluating Non-Financial Metrics for Investment Decisions Planet Microcap hosts the highest quality in-person microcap events in North America. The mission is to bring the best microcap investors, companies, and allocators together to gather, connect, and grow.; visit https://planetmicrocap.com/ to learn more about our Las Vegas and Toronto events. This presentation is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a recommendation to purchase or sell any security referenced herein. Planet MicroCap Holdings LLC and MicroCapClub LLC (collectively, “we” or “our”) are not licensed brokers nor registered investment advisors. We, our partners, contractors, members, subscribers, guests, or affiliates may or may not hold positions in one or more of the securities mentioned in this presentation and may trade in such securities at any time. We may have received cash compensation from one or more participants for presenting at past, present, or future events. We recommend you consult a licensed investment adviser, broker, or legal counsel before purchasing or selling any securities referenced in this presentation.