investment

A: Altius Minerals Corp., $14.11, symbol ALS on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 43.2 million; Market cap: $586.2 million; www.altiusminerals.com), owns royalty interests in 15 operating mines that produce both precious and base metals, including copper, zinc, potash, and both thermal and steelmaking coal....

Ebitda stands for “earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization,” and it looks at the cash an underlying business can make. However, it has its limitations.

They may look like a great investment at first, but if you’re always looking for cheap stocks to buy, you’ll likely end up with losers.

Between its payroll services and cloud-based human resource system for smaller U.S. businesses, Paychex Inc. keeps its customers coming back.

SUNCOR ENERGY INC. $42 (Toronto symbol SU; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 1.7 billion; Market cap: $71.4 billion; Price-tosales ratio: 2.3; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.suncor.com) is Canada’s largest integrated oil company, with its major projects in the Alberta oil sands....

Smaller companies can generate higher returns than their larger counterparts, but they are often riskier and less liquid, and may underperform for long periods.

Small stocks are also more volatile in times of unsettled or falling markets.

Still, if you focus on the best-quality small companies— or ETFs that hold those stocks—they can be a worthwhile addition to a well-balanced portfolio.

Do small companies have an edge?

Small companies trading on U.S....

Insider buying and selling on public information is one of many factors worth considering when evaluating a stock.

But it’s a mistake to place too much importance on it—or any one or two investment indicators, or types of investment information.

In general, though, insiders only make substantial buys for one reason: they think the company has attractive investment appeal....

First, we look at a three-year-old fund that focuses on companies with substantial insider ownership. Then, we review two funds recently launched by ETF promoters. They aim to capitalize on blockchain technologies—currently a hot investment trend. That alone prompts us to recommend investors stay clear....

Like many commodities, gold stock prices are unpredictable. So if you plan to invest in this industry, here are some tips

A: Genworth MI Canada, $41.30, symbol MIC on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 91.9 million; Market cap: $3.7 billion; www.genworth.ca), is the second largest Canadian mortgage insurer. It provides this service through its subsidiary, Genworth Financial Mortgage Insurance Company of Canada.

Genworth’s U.S....