But it still leaves a few whose shares are priced at under 100p, with updates coming our way in October.

Software tech

Netcall (LSE: NET) is due to release full-year results on 5 October. The software tech stock has climbed strongly over five years. But in the past 12 months it’s been pretty flat, currently standing at 80p.

Netcall is only making modest profits, and the shares are on a fairly lofty valuation. We’re looking at a forecast price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of over 30. But with analysts forecasting solid earnings growth, that could come down.

In July’s trading update, the company said it expects to post a 12% rise in revenue, with a gain of approximately 20% in adjusted EBITDA. In particular, Netcall’s cloud offerings should see a revenue increase of 30%.

We’re clearly looking at a growth candidate here, and the shares are not obviously priced cheaply. But I reckon it could be one to watch.

Space investments

Have you ever fancied investing in space technology? I’ve always thought it a bit fanciful, and seriously risky. If I ever went for it, ideally I’d like to spread the risk by going for an investment trust.

And there is one, Seraphim Space Investment Trust (LSE: SSIT), which describes itself as “the world’s first listed SpaceTech investment company“. It will release its full year results on 17 October.

The shares haven’t done brilliantly over the last 12 months, dropping 50%. With a share price of 61p and a market-cap of a little below £150m, Seraphim is pretty small as investment trusts go.

The company’s July update was really all about assets and acquisitions, with net assets of £250m at 31 March.

We have no idea of current net asset value (NAV), so it’s hard to evaluate the share price today. But we should have a NAV update with October’s results. I’d definitely need to see that before making any decisions.

Gold miner

Finally, down to Earth and digging for gold. I’m talking about Centamin (LSE: CEY), on a share price of 86p.

It’s declined by 5% in the past 12 months, and by 40% over five years. Meanwhile, gold is up around 40% over five years as investors seek its safety.

A gold miner is not just a play on the gold price itself. Providing the cost of production is low enough, a miner can make profits even when gold is falling, and that doesn’t happen if we buy the metal itself.

That’s where I think the risk lies. In the first half, Centamin declared a cash cost of production of $931 per ounce produced. But its all-in sustaining costs reached $1,446 per ounce sold.

That might be squeezing margins a bit tightly. Before I’d make any decision, I’d probably wait for full-year results. But a Q3 report due on 20 October should help.

Stocks to buy for international growth

The first company on my list is a bit controversial. Indivior (LSE: INDV) develops and sells medications to treat opiate addictions. 

This corporation used to be highly profitable. Unfortunately, a string of lawsuits over the past couple of years has threatened its very survival. 

It now seems to be past the worst of these challenges, although I would not rule out further litigation in the future. Nevertheless, management is investing heavily in new growth initiatives, including the injectable drug Sublocade.

The lifting of pandemic restrictions has also helped the company return to growth. The group’s pre-tax profit for the final quarter of 2021 was $39m, compared with a loss of $14m for the same period a year before.

City analysts now believe the company’s net profit can hit $160m in 2022, putting the stock on a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 15.8.

Even though the corporation may continue to face challenges such as potential lawsuits and competition from peers, I would buy the stock for my portfolio of growth shares as the business moves back into growth territory. 

Unique opportunity

I would invest £2,500 of my £5,000 lump sum in Indivior. The rest I would deploy in the Seraphim Space Investment Trust (LSE: SSIT). 

This is a unique opportunity and one of the best stocks to buy now, I feel. The objective of the investment trust is to generate capital growth by investing in a diversified portfolio of firms focused on the final frontier — space and its impact on our lives here on earth.

Space is set to become big business over the next few decades as private companies deploy billions into the market. However, it is also a highly speculative sector. I think most of the enterprises trying to make money from space today will not survive the next few years. The capital requirements are just too large, and the market is becoming incredibly competitive. 

Considering these risks, while I want exposure to the sector, I would rather own a diversified trust. Seraphim’s offering is not immune from these risks, but the diversification will help spread the risk. 

Seraphim also provides exposure to assets individual investors like myself may not be able to buy directly. The company recently announced that it had made a new $25m investment into private firm ICEYE Oy, the global leader in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite imaging technology.

Despite the risks of getting involved in the space industry, I think this investment trust is one of the best growth stocks to buy now for my portfolio. It is one of the few ways I can build exposure to the rapidly expanding space technology industry.