Kirkland's, Inc.

Osmium Partners seeks to generate strong, risk-adjusted returns by investing in undervalued, small-cap companies across US equity markets. The firm employs a bottom-up research process. Their research process is based on eight simple factors involving balance sheet strength, aligned interests, attractive reinvestment opportunities, a low valuation, and reasonable growth prospects.

Founded in 1974, Friess Associates manages the Brandywine Funds family of mutual funds and a wide range of separate portfolios. Instead of aiming to be all things to all investors, growth-equity investing is our sole focus. All of our portfolios follow the same time-tested investment strategy, which emphasizes each company’s ability to influence its share-price performance through earnings growth. We rely on exhaustive, company-by-company research to identify companies with promising earnings-growth potential that has yet to be recognized by the broader investment community. Friess Associates is a research-driven firm. We dedicate our resources to growing the assets entrusted to us rather than to aggressively gathering assets through marketing. We maintain a consistent fee policy that treats the smallest Brandywine shareholder and our biggest institutional client alike. We’re also chefs who eat our own cooking, with Friess Associates employees representing the largest single shareholder group in the Brandywine Funds

Impala Asset Management seeks to maximize returns in strong markets and protect returns in weak markets primarily through a long/short equity strategy utilizing fundamental research and analysis. In addition, the firm manages a long-only equity strategy. They invest primarily in global cyclical companies in basic industries such as consumer, energy, industrials and materials sectors. Impala Asset Management seeks undervalued securities that offer upside potential often times due to changes in the economic or business cycle for long positions and overvalued stocks that offer downside potential for short positions. The firm examines the aforementioned global cyclical sectors and the securities therein from a bottom-up and top-down perspective. Their bottom-up analysis involves granular research on the best-managed companies within the sectors and industries that are most likely to be affected through earnings change. Investment decisions are made by a portfolio manager.

SSM Partners invests in rapidly growing, privately-held companies in the business, healthcare and consumer services industries. They invest to fund organic growth strategies, acquisitions and recapitalizations. The firm is typically the lead investor. Investments range from $5 million to $20 million. SSM Partners targets companies that have reached an inflection point and have the potential for significant growth and profitability within a three to five year period. They look for companies with (1) strong management teams (2) 25% or more revenue growth rate (3) proven and differentiated business models, (4) large market opportunities and (5) the potential for high return on invested capital.

Robinson Humphrey Ventures focuses on investments in selected core industries and sub-sectors including business and technology services, consumer, diversified growth, financial services, healthcare, media and technology.

Advent International was founded in 1984 and is one of the largest and most experienced global private equity firms. With offices on four continents, they have established a globally integrated team of over 180 investment professionals, focused on buyouts and growth equity investments in five core sectors. Since initiating their private equity strategy in 1989, they have invested $33 billion in 325 transactions across 40 countries, and as of December 31, 2016, managed $41 billion in assets.