Philip Saglimbeni

When searching for high growth investments in trendy industries, it pays to consider lesser-followed stocks as they can often be a source of outperformance with less headline risk.

In recent weeks, 2013's most popular stock has come under fire, quite literally. The company's image and stock price have both suffered as a result of fires involving Tesla's luxurious Model S line.

Even though Chipotle has outperformed the vast majority of its peers in recent years, it still remains one of the best investments in the increasingly popular fast-casual dining space.

On the eve of Sony and Microsoft's next generation console launches, video game developer and distributor Valve is attempting to turn the entire industry on its head with the Steam Machine.

While less popular than Facebook and Twitter, Square's appealing business model and explosive growth potential means it could be the standout IPO of 2014.

Payments industry titans American Express, MasterCard and Visa are taking a break from fighting each other and teaming up to create a new global standard in security which will bolster growth for these companies and keep future competitors at bay.

Judging from the company's latest earnings report, there may never be a more exciting time to own shares of Disney!

Small-cap stocks have led the market higher in 2013, and none are more deserving of the spotlight than Balchem, a specialty chemical maker with a long history of consistent and well-balanced growth.

Sector rotation is an important aspect for investors to understand and it was never more apparent than in 2011 and 2012, when several high-flying growth stocks came crashing down to Earth in spectacular fashion, only to be resurrected shortly thereafter.

Known mainly for its industry-leading revenue and earnings growth, Starbucks is on the verge of becoming a force to be reckoned with in the dividend space.

Under Armour's recent earnings report beat analyst expectations on both the top and bottom lines and management raised guidance for fiscal 2013 and still the stock dropped, which sets up an ideal entry point for investors.

High-priced stocks seem to be all the rage among investors these days, but none has been more consistent with regard to growth than MasterCard, whose solid market positioning all but ensures it will continue to march towards $1,000.

Forget Tesla and Detroit's big three and consider these small-cap alternatives in the auto industry instead, as they are primed to offer investors solid growth and less headline risk going forward.

With successful mass consumer adoption of its signature performance apparel, Under Armour seems set to transition that success into lucrative new product segments like footwear and compete with larger rivals like Nike on a global scale.

Sharing many of the same characteristics with Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread, including a simple yet attractive menu and a focus on quality ingredients, Noodles just might be the next rising star in the fast casual dining segment.

With rapid revenue growth and increased adoption rates among consumers, eBay's PayPal division continues to be a bright spot for shareholders but is it enough to allow the company to challenge the major credit card operators on a grand scale?

On the heels of the most successful entertainment property launch in history that is Grand Theft Auto 5, video game publisher Take-Two Interactive remains in a great position to capitalize on the impending next-generation of video game consoles.

Despite the company's recent blunder with box-office flop The Lone Ranger, Disney remains the clear leader in creating content with broad-ranging appeal, although a serious competitor is arising in Time Warner.

The recent announcement of a spin-off series for AMC Networks' most successful franchise means big things for the company going forward and is just one of management's numerous moves in recent weeks to further improve its networks' content offerings.

Even with two of its more popular television franchises winding down, AMC Networks remains on a path towards growth as the company stands to benefit from an increasing demand for content and technological innovation.