The following are today's upgrades for Validea's Small-Cap Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Motley Fool. This strategy looks for small cap growth stocks with solid fundamentals and strong price performance. FIRST FINANCIAL CORP (THFF) is a small-cap value stock in the Regional Banks industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 69% to 76% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest. Company Description: First Financial Corporation is a financial holding company. The Company offers a variety of financial services, including commercial, mortgage and consumer lending, lease financing, trust account services, depositor services and insurance services through its subsidiaries, which include First Financial Bank, N.A. (the Bank); The Morris Plan Company of Terre Haute (Morris Plan); First Chanticleer Corporation; and FFB Risk Management Co., Inc. The Bank has two investment subsidiaries, Portfolio Management Specialists A (Specialists A) and Portfolio Management Specialists B (Specialists B), which hold and manages certain assets to manage various income streams and provides opportunities for capital creation as needed. The Bank's loan portfolio includes commercial loans, residential loans, and consumer loans. Its deposits include non-interest-bearing demand deposits, interest-bearing demand deposits, savings deposits, time deposits and other time deposits. The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria. Detailed Analysis of FIRST FINANCIAL CORP ALPHA AND OMEGA SEMICONDUCTOR LTD (AOSL) is a small-cap value stock in the Semiconductors industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 59% to 72% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest. Company Description: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited is a designer, developer, and global supplier of power semiconductors. The Company's portfolio of products focuses on high-volume applications, including personal computers, flat-panel televisions, light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, smartphones, battery packs, consumer and industrial motor controls, and power supplies for television, computers, servers, and telecommunications equipment. It also offers power semiconductors, including a range portfolio of Power MOSFET, IGBT, IPM, TVS, HVIC, GaN/SiC, Power IC, and Digital Power products. The Company sells its products primarily to distributors in the Asia Pacific region, who in turn sell these products to end customers. Its products are applicable in desktop and tablet personal computers, flat panel displays, and televisions. The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria. Detailed Analysis of ALPHA AND OMEGA SEMICONDUCTOR LTD MERIDIAN CORP (MRBK) is a small-cap value stock in the Regional Banks industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 69% to 83% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest. Company Description: Meridian Corporation is a bank holding company. The Company is engaged in banking activities through its wholly owned subsidiary, Meridian Bank (the Bank), a full-service, state-chartered commercial bank. It has a financial services business model with non-interest income streams from mortgage lending, small business (SBA) lending and wealth management services. The Company's segments include the banking segment, wealth management segment and mortgage banking segment. The banking segment consists of commercial and retail banking. The wealth management segment provides an array of wealth management services and products and the guidance to help its clients and its banking customers prepare for the future. The mortgage banking segment consists of one central loan production facility and various retail and profit-sharing loan production offices. This segment originates one to four family residential mortgages and sells approximately all of its production to third party investors. The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria. Detailed Analysis of MERIDIAN CORP ENOVA INTERNATIONAL INC (ENVA) is a small-cap value stock in the Consumer Financial Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 59% to 72% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest. Company Description: Enova International, Inc. is a technology and analytics company. The Company operates through the domestic and international operations segment. It offers or arranges loans or draws on lines of credit to consumers in approximately 38 states in the United States and Brazil. The Company also offers financing to small businesses in all over 50 states and the Washington District of Columbia in the United States. The Company uses its technology, analytics and customer service capabilities to evaluate, underwrite and fund loans or provide financing, allowing it to offer consumers and small businesses credit or financing. Its customers include the growing number of consumers and small businesses, which have bank accounts but use alternative financial services because of their limited access to more traditional credit from banks, credit card companies and other lenders. Its financing products include installment loans and receivables purchase agreements (RPAs) and line of credit accounts. The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria. Detailed Analysis of ENOVA INTERNATIONAL INC FIRST NORTHWEST BANCORP (FNWB) is a small-cap value stock in the Regional Banks industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool changed from 45% to 72% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest. Company Description: First Northwest Bancorp is a bank holding company engaged in investment activities including the business activity of its subsidiary, First Fed Bank. First Fed is focused on building sustainable earnings by delivering a range of financial products and services for individuals, small business, and commercial customers. The Company offers a range of products and services focused on the financial needs of the communities. Its lending activities include one-to four-family mortgage loans, commercial and multi-family real estate loans, construction and land loans (including lot loans), commercial business loans, and consumer loans, consisting primarily of automobile loans as well as home equity loans and lines of credit. The Company offers traditional consumer and business deposit products, including transaction accounts, savings and money market accounts and certificates of deposit for individuals and businesses. The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria. Detailed Analysis of FIRST NORTHWEST BANCORP About Motley Fool: Brothers David and Tom Gardner often wear funny hats in public appearances, but they're hardly fools -- at least not the kind whose advice you should readily dismiss. The Gardners are the founders of the popular Motley Fool web site, which offers frank and often irreverent commentary on investing, the stock market, and personal finance. The Gardners' "Fool" really is a multi-media endeavor, offering not only its web content but also several books written by the brothers, a weekly syndicated newspaper column, and subscription newsletter services. About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.