Investment | SFE Investment Counsel Inc.

Investing should be easy – just buy low and sell high – but most of us have trouble following that simple advice. There are principles and strategies that may enable you to put together an investment portfolio that reflects your risk tolerance, time horizon, and goals. Understanding these principles and strategies can help you avoid some of the pitfalls that snare some investors.

From Boats to Brokers

From the Dutch East India Company to Wall Street, the stock market has a long and storied history.

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Strategies

Getting what you want out of your money may require the right game plan.

Have A Question About This Topic?

Investments

You’ve made investments your whole life. Work with us to help make the most of them.

How Stocks Work

Understanding how a stock works is key to understanding your investments.

Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

With alternative investments, it’s critical to sort through the complexity.

Four Really Good Reasons to Invest

There are four very good reasons to start investing. Do you know what they are?

All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal

Gaining a better understanding of municipal bonds makes more sense than ever.

Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

Exchange-traded funds have some things in common with mutual funds, but there are differences, too.

Are You Ready for Your Portfolio to Make a Difference?

Learn about the rise of Impact Investing and how it may benefit you.

A Primer on Dividends

A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends."

Investment Challenges of the Affluent Investor

Affluent investors face unique challenges when putting together an investment strategy. Make sure you keep these in mind.

View all articles

Saving for College

This calculator can help you estimate how much you should be saving for college.

Impact of Taxes and Inflation

Estimate the potential impact taxes and inflation can have on the purchasing power of an investment.

What Is My Risk Tolerance?

This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

How Compound Interest Works

Use this calculator to better see the potential impact of compound interest on an asset.

What Is the Dividend Yield?

This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.

Contributing to an IRA?

Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.

View all calculators

5 Smart Investing Principles

Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.

5 Smart Investing Strategies

There are some smart strategies that may help you pursue your investment objectives

View all presentations

Where Is the Market Headed?

We all know the stock market can be unpredictable. We all want to know, “What’s next for the financial markets?”

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

Global and International Funds

Investors seeking world investments can choose between global and international funds. What's the difference?

The Cycle of Investing

Understanding the cycle of investing may help you avoid easy pitfalls.

Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

Agent Jane Bond is on the case, cracking the code on bonds.

Inflation and Your Portfolio

Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.