This lesser-known company, which has struggled through financial and administrative difficulties in recent years, has a smaller budget and fewer dancers.

In addition, clones of the more popular games are increasingly produced by lesser-known companies for a fraction of the cost.

Makers of security gear, many of which are small, lesser-known companies, rocketed.

But regular expeditions here can heat up business markedly, making the difference between success and obscurity for a number of lesser-known companies.

And to lower risk, we stick with lesser-known companies and avoid the high-traffic stocks, which have large institutional ownership and are very volatile.

Ms. Corey Blanck advises many students with lower grade-point averages to aim for smaller or lesser-known companies.

The failures occurred in slow motion over the last 18 months and have mostly involved smallish, lesser-known companies.

"The situation six months ago was that you could have lesser-known companies get things done," said Bill Barbe, a partner at Clayton, Dubilier.

They are usually issued by lesser-known companies as part of financings: to lower interest rate costs or raise equity sale prices by offering investors a kicker.

The big-name stocks that he favors remained in the stratosphere much longer than the shares of small, lesser-known companies.