Small-cap investing requires patient and detailed analytical rigor in a segment of the market that is frequently underfollowed and subject to liquidity concerns. At the helm of the John Hancock Small Cap Intrinsic Value Fund, Timothy Malloy and his team screen the small-cap universe for nimble and undiscovered companies with a near-term catalyst to boost sales and earnings.

Even good companies may fall out of favor, which provides patient investors with opportunities to invest in healthy businesses at a reasonable price. Tom Meehan and his team at the Meehan Focus Fund are on the lookout for companies with significant pricing power and a stable franchise, and they are disciplined and patient enough to pay only a price that offers a sufficient margin of safety.

Companies generating free cash flows are likely to sustain their growth rates in the long term. Bernard R. Horn, Jr., portfolio manager of the Polaris Global Value Fund, looks for such names worldwide, using a rigorous investment selection process that identifies companies trading at a discount to their intrinsic values.

Floating rate loans tend to be among the best ways to take advantage of the economic climate when rates are likely to rise in the longer term. James T. Anderson, who is at the helm of the DWS Floating Rate Plus Fund, enumerates the merits of investing in floating rate instruments as compared to fixed rate bonds.

The idea of diversification typically implies spreading assets across a selection of stocks and bonds. Portfolio manager Alan Gayle reveals how RidgeWorth Allocation Strategies achieve diversification by taking into account business and economic cycles as well as the full risk spectrum.

While the U.S. economy is turning around and improving, there are several economies around the world that are growing at a faster pace than the U.S.; and many of them are likely to sustain that growth for years to come. At the helm of the Wintergreen Fund, David J. Winters scours the horizons for undervalued companies that are both performing well in their core markets and participating in additional rapidly expanding economies creating currency diversification.

If technology and geology play a pivotal role in the precious metals industry, a thorough understanding of the geopolitical environment on the ground proves equally important for the savvy investor in this marketplace. Shanquan Li, portfolio manager of the Oppenheimer Gold and Special Minerals Fund, makes his selections in the sector by segregating companies based on a well-structured three-tier model.

Occasionally, companies with strong long-term outlook may face short-term temporary problems. To benefit from these situations, Aston/TAMRO Diversified Equity Fund is on the lookout for such companies trading at a discount. Co-Portfolio manager Tim Holland points out how the team’s disciplined five-step investment process helps navigate the fund through all market environments.