Although they make up part of the S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) today, shares such as Blackmores Limited (ASX: BKL) and TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPM) weren't always big blue chip shares.
All the way back in 2008, Blackmores and TPG Telecom were small cap shares with market capitalisations of just $265 million and $137 million, respectively. Investors that caught these two companies, whilst they were still small caps will be looking at incredible returns today.
For this reason I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye out on current small cap shares on the ASX. Who knows, one or two of these could be a future blue chip share from the S&P/ASX 200 index.
Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR)
Dicker Data is a wholesale distributor of computer hardware, software and related products with a market capitalisation of $292 million. I was very impressed with the company's first quarter, which saw year-on-year revenue growth of 11% to $268 million. Generally the first quarter is the company's weakest, so this result could be a sign of a great full year performance. Founder and CEO David Dicker put this result down to the company being able to realise full value from new vendors introduced in the last fiscal year. I believe a similarly strong performance in the second quarter could catch the eye of the market and have investors fighting to get hold of its shares.
DTI Group Ltd (ASX: DTI)
DTI Group is a provider of integrated surveillance systems and fleet management solutions for the mass transit industry worldwide. It currently has a market cap of just $41 million. DTI Group recently won a couple of key contracts for the supply of advanced CCTV surveillance systems on metro police vehicles in South Africa and trains in the US city of Philadelphia. According to its management team, the company has a global prospects list worth $388 million. If the company can capture even a small slice of these prospects, there is the potential for a lot of growth ahead in my opinion.
Melbourne IT Limited (ASX: MLB)
Melbourne IT provides internet related services such as critical web hosting, online brand protection and enterprise services for a wide range of customers. It is a competitive industry, but I believe its affiliation with TPG Telecom and its collection of brands should prove very beneficial for growth in the future. As will the recent acquisition of data and analytics provider InfoReady. According to CommSec, analysts expect earnings to grow by an average of around 69% per annum through to FY 2018.
Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME)
Pro Medicus is an exciting share which has been riding high in the last 12 months following a number of contract wins. The company's radiology technology is regarded by many in the industry as being best in class, and far beyond its nearest competitor in the market. This has helped it gain a lot of traction in the lucrative US market, which bodes well for future growth. Its shares are changing hands at 100x trailing earnings, making it a little on the expensive side. But I believe the potential growth that lies ahead and the fact it has zero debt on its balance sheet makes it worthy of consideration today.
Sealink Travel Group Ltd (ASX: SLK)
SeaLink Travel provides ferry services in key tourist hotspots such as Sydney Harbour and Kangaroo Island. With the Australian dollar weakening and tourism growing at a strong rate, I believe SeaLink Travel is a company that is positioned well to benefit. Analysts are estimating earnings growth to come in at a huge 41% per annum for the next couple of years. If this proves to be the case then I believe there could be buying pressure on SeaLink's shares, possibly taking the share price higher.
