3 Top Small-Cap Performers Over the Last Month

The small-cap space is like the wild west of the stock market. It is a venue where you can make or lose a lot of money in a hurry. While it is not advisable for inexperienced or unprofitable traders to venture too deep in the small-cap waters, it is a great place for successful market participants to root out inefficiencies, find trends, and make calculated bets. In our ongoing coverage of stocks with market caps between $50 and $300 million, Benzinga highlights 3 of the top small-cap performers this month. Always remember, tread at your own risk in these names and use stop losses to manage your risk.

- This stock has jumped over the last month as a result of a patent sale to Intel

. The patents and patent applications relate to WiFi (802.11n/ac), LTE and Wireline Home Networking. The deal was worth $75 million. As a result of the sale, AWRE shares have surged better than 51% over the last month. Year-to-date, the stock has gained more than 88%. Tomorrow, on May 25, AWRE will be paying out a special dividend of $1.15 per share, or approximately $24 million in total. Aware, Inc., (Aware) is a supplier of signal processing and digital communications technology for imaging and telecommunications applications.

- This tiny stock has been on a tear over the last month, adding around 94%. The move up has been persistent, and the 2012 chart looks very bullish. On Thursday, EMMS shares have added 2.48% and the stock is sitting near new 52-week highs. The Indianapolis-based company currently has a market cap of $64 million. Emmis Communications Corporation is a diversified media company, principally focused on radio broadcasting.

- This stock has jumped better than 84% over the last month and is approaching new highs on Thursday. Earlier in May, Repros Therapeutics Inc. (RPRX) announced it has held a meeting with the Division of Reproductive and Urologic Products or to agree upon the registration requirements for the Company's Androxal oral therapy for the treatment of secondary hypogonadism. This has been the catalyst for the stock. At current levels, RPRX has a market cap of roughly $117 million. Repros Therapeutics Inc. (Repros) is a development stage biopharmaceutical company. It is focused on the development of new drugs to treat hormonal and reproductive system disorders.