Bulls And Bud Of The Week: True Leaf And 'Mary Janes: The Women Of Weed'

Welcome to the fourth installment of “Bulls and Bud,” where we take a look at some of the most promising stocks and brands in the legal cannabis industry.

True Leaf

I was once accused of caring for dogs more than people.

This, after spending close to $3,000 to cover the cost of a surgery that would allow my dog to live a few more years.

I wouldn’t say such a thing is evidence of my caring for dogs more than people, but it's a clear indication I pretty much treat my pets as family. I make no apologies for this, either, and I know I’m not alone.

Truth is, particularly in the United States, Canada and Europe, pet owners spend small fortunes to keep their pets healthy and happy. In fact, the global pet care market is expected to be valued at more than $202.6 billion by 2025. That isn't chump change.

One area of this market that I find particularly interesting is the cannabis-based pet care market. Yeah, such a thing exists, and it’s expected to be worth about $125 million by 2022. Certainly not a massive market at the moment, but it’s one that is controlled by only a small number of companies.

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One of those companies is True Leaf Medicine International Ltd TRLFF, and last week it was upgraded from the OTCQB Venture Market to the OTCQX Best Market, under the symbol “TRLFF.” True Leaf has also been trading on the CSE, but with this recent upgrade to the OTCQX, the company will now have more exposure to U.S. investors. And as we saw last week, it didn’t take long for that message to get out.

Clearly, there’s an appetite. (Full disclosure: I own shares of True Leaf)

Now True Leaf does have a bit of a first-mover advantage, as it’s been operational since 2013. Its products, which include offerings to help pets with anxiety, general health, and hip and joint pain, are sold in more than 2,000 stores throughout North America and Europe. It currently has deals with the following retailers …

• • Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN
• • PetSmart Canada
• • Das Futterhaus - second largest pet store in Germany
• • Pet Supplies Plus - fourth largest pet store in North America
• • Global Pet Foods - sixth largest pet store in North America

Sales for fiscal year 2018 came in at $1.06 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 280 percent with a 45-percent gross margin.

In addition to its pet operations, the company is also expected to be licensed to grow and sell cannabis for human consumption this year.

'Mary Janes: The Women Of Weed'

In honor of Women’s History Month, I decided to focus this week's piece on successful women entrepreneurs in the cannabis space by introducing you to a fantastic documentary, called "Mary Janes: The Women of Weed."

Produced and directed by multi-award-winning documentary film maker Windy Borman, "Mary Janes: The Women of Weed" offers an intimate look at the rise of women entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry.

From dispensary owners and MIT-trained concentrate producers to CEOs and corporate attorneys, Borman highlights a group of highly-accomplished, highly successful women who have become some of the biggest players in the cannabis industry.

For longtime cannabis enthusiasts as well as those new to the space, "Mary Janes: The Women of Weed" offers a fresh perspective on an industry likely to go down as one of the most lucrative industries of the 21^st century.

Make no mistake: Women have been paramount to the early growth and success of this industry, and "Mary Janes: The Women of Weed" offers the most well-documented proof of this truism.

You can check out the trailer below:

Jeff Siegel is the co-founder and managing editor of Green Chip Stocks, a private investment community focused on socially-responsible investing. He is an expert in renewable energy and cannabis investing, has been a featured guest on Fox, CNBC, and Bloomberg Asia, and is the author of the best-selling book, "Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks."

Photo by Javier Hasse.