This year got off to a good start, with markets performing well, suggesting a resurgence of growth and pent-up driving gains in many categories. Small-cap and mid-cap stocks in January did even better than large-caps, however, turning in 6.2% and 7.1% returns, respectively. If you want to maximize the returns in your portfolio, you need to have plenty of exposure to smaller companies.

The March 2013 issue of the SmallCap Informer is now available online for subscribers. Print subscribers should expect to receive their issues by U.S. Mail within four to five business days.

When we analyze companies in SmallCap Informer, we provide a datable data on all the companies we have recommended and are tracking. Understanding why we include this data, and what it means, can provide you with valuable insight into whether a company is suitable for adding to your holdings.

The February 2013 issue of the SmallCap Informer is now available online for subscribers. Print subscribers should expect to receive their issues by U.S. Mail within four to five business days.

2012 turned out to be a great year for small-cap stock investors.

In December, the Russell 2000 Small-cap Stock index turned in jaw-dropping 3.56%, giving small-cap stocks a 16.35% return for the entire year of 2012. In contrast, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained just 0.71% in December 2012, but was still able to end the year up 13.41%. While that’s an exceptional year for the overall market, small-cap stocks provided an even better rate of return in 2012, emphasizing once again that stock investors should probably actively consider smaller company stocks for their portfolios if they truly wish to maximize the returns they are likely to earn.

When investing in small-cap stocks, one of the key disciplines for success is performing “due diligence,” or making sure you know as possible about a company, its products, its management and its prospects before you make a move.

Here are the keys for carrying out due diligence on small company stocks you’re considering making part of your long-term investment portfolio.

As a company succeeds and grows, it gets harder and harder for it to maintain the high growth rates it may have enjoyed when it was a much smaller business. For this reason, it is very important for investors to understand where a company stands in its life cycle to gauge its past results and likely future growth.

Subscribers in the Southeast U.S. are invited to join SmallCap Informer Editor-in-Chief Doug Gerlach at the World Money Show in Orlando, Fla., January 30-February 2, 2013.

In response to a subscriber question, Editor-in-Chief Doug Gerlach describes another tool that can be used to find small-cap stocks of interest.

The November 2012 issue of the SmallCap Informer is now available online for subscribers. Print subscribers should expect to receive their issues by U.S. Mail within four to five business days.

“Discovering Superior Small-Cap Stocks.” That’s the motto of our newest newsletter offering, theSmallCap Informer. Each month, we aim to deliver ideas for long-term-oriented investors who are interested in the higher growth and return potential offered by small-cap companies.

Since our launch last month, we've had a phenomenal response to our new publication. Here are Editor-in-Chief Doug Gerlach's thoughts on our overall approach to picking small company stocks. 

We're pleased to announce our new Facebook group for the SmallCap Informer. Join us there to keep up to date with new issues, get helpful tips on analyzing small company stocks, and learn more about our newsletter. Visit Facebook now.

Welcome to the SmallCap Informer! The first issue of our newest newsletter offering, the SmallCap Informer, has just been published.