On balance, the winners outpaced the losers. Of course, it takes time for many stock picks to start earning returns for a portfolio, so SmallCap Informer’s analysts have high hopes that many companies that so far have returned nominal profits will eventually yield bigger sales and earnings, driving their share price higher.

Few market watchers expect 2014 to be as strong as the recent year. Estimates for large-company earnings growth next year seem to be around 5%, which would reasonably drive stock returns at about that level. Still, there are lots of possible headwinds that could blow in to stifle economic growth or the progress of the stock market. Click here to subscribe to SmallCap Informer.