We simply try to balance all pertinent factors, and we always inform our readers of the same. Longevity and history weigh a great deal in separating substantial companies from those that might not be for real. Often the smaller but older, more established companies are good value investments. The companies we chose this year average more than twenty years of age. Profitability or trending towards profitability speaks to the viability of any concern.
Huge losses are difficult for any company to sustain over prolonged periods of time.
The number of employees an organization has is another example of a flag. A company with just a handful of employees should be evaluated with caution, not rejected outright. On the other hand, one with the infrastructure required to handle hundreds of employees would appear to have greater stability, but this should not be assumed without other supporting evidence. We neither favored nor prejudiced small companies, which certainly have their advantages as well as disadvantages. One look at the popularity of the small-cap segment of the marketplace should dispel any doubts about small company stocks.