Canada’s penny stocks

The term penny stocks is more commonly used overseas in the US, UK or Europe, but you could have also heard the phrase in Canada too. So what are they?

Penny stocks, also called micro-cap stocks, are usually cheap, low-priced shares of small, often newly listed companies. There are a few different ways to define Canada’s penny stocks. Some definitions say it’s listed companies with a market cap $50 million and $300 million. A value of less than $50 million can be referred to as a nano-cap stock. Another definition is stocks with a share price of less than $5.

Investors are often attracted to penny stocks for their cheap prices and potential growth opportunities, though there are risks involved with penny stocks, too.

Pros and cons of penny stocks

Here are some of the benefits and risks of investing in Canadian penny stocks:

Pros

• Low prices. Because they’re low priced, investors can hold a diversified portfolio of penny stock companies without needing to spend as much as they typically would.
• Growth opportunity. Small-cap, newly listed companies can often present great growth opportunities if you pick the right ones. However it could be a bumpy ride to the top.
• Thrilling. Penny stocks often see their share prices change significantly in little time, which can be exciting and thrilling for investors with a high risk tolerance.
• Day trading. Because of their large price swings, penny stocks are often used by active day traders.

Cons

• High risk. Penny stocks are very high-risk investments compared to other listed companies and ETFs with a longer financial track record. Not all companies that list on an exchange do well and a lot of penny stocks never become anything more than a penny stock.
• Very volatile. Penny stocks often experience extreme share price highs and lows within a matter of days (or even within the same day).
• No income. Penny stocks rarely pay any dividends, as all revenue is usually reinvested back into the company to help it grow.

Penny stocks versus blue chip stocks

On the opposite side of the scale to penny stocks are blue chip stocks. In comparison to penny stocks, blue chip stocks are large listed companies that have been around for a long time and have a long, stable financial track record. Some of Canada’s biggest and most well-known companies are considered blue chip stocks, such as the Big 5 banks, mining companies, retail giants and energy and utilities companies.

While penny stocks in most cases pay no dividends, blue chips stocks almost always do.

Should you invest in penny stocks?

You could consider investing in penny stocks if:

• You have a high risk tolerance
• You’re an experienced investor
• You’re willing to cut your losses if the share price falls significantly
• You have a long investment time frame and are willing to ride out the volatility
• You’re happy to take a bit of a “gamble”

Tips for investors considering buying penny stocks

If you want to invest in Canadian penny stocks, here are some tips to help you get started:

Do your research

This is important for all investments, but particularly higher-risk investments like penny stocks. Blue chip stocks are, by their nature, lower-risk options as they’ve got a long history of strong financial performance.

Plan a strategy and stick to it

Before you start buying, decide which penny stocks you’re going to invest in and how much you’re going to invest in each one. It’s also important to decide what price you’d sell at if the shares were to fall and stick to it to avoid the “I’ll just hold a little longer and see if the price jumps back up” mentality. The same applies for gains.

Don’t make emotional decisions

It can be easy to get emotionally attached to a penny stock, as they’re often the underdogs in your portfolio. So when their share price falls and falls some more, you can find yourself making excuses as to why you should keep holding. This is why it’s important to make a strategy, so you leave the emotions out of it.

Don’t get sucked in by the “cheap” prices

Penny stocks may appear to be cheap in comparison to other shares listed on the TSX, but don’t base your investment decision purely on this. One factor that influences a company’s share price is the demand for its shares. The less demand from investors, the lower the share price. So some penny stocks may appear to be cheap, but you need to ask yourself why this is.

How to buy penny stocks in Canada

1. Choose a share trading platform. If you’re a beginner, our table below can help you choose.
2. Open your account. You’ll need your ID and bank details.
3. Confirm your payment details. You’ll need to fund your account with a bank transfer, debit card or credit card.
4. Find the shares you want to buy. Search the platform and buy your shares. It’s that simple.

Compare share trading platforms to buy penny stocks

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Name	Product	Finder Rating	Available Asset Types	Stock Trading Fee	Account Fee	Signup Offer	Table description
CIBC Investor's Edge CIBC Investor's Edge		Finder Rating: ★★★★★ 3.8 / 5	Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual Funds, ETFs	$4.95–$6.95	$0 if conditions met, or $100	N/A	An easy-to-use platform with access to a variety of tools to help you trade with confidence.	Go to site View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Interactive Brokers Interactive Brokers Finder Award		Finder Rating: ★★★★★ 4.3 / 5	Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Currencies, Futures	min $1.00, max 0.5%	$0	N/A	Winner for Best Overall Broker in the Finder Stock Trading Platform Awards.	Go to site View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
National Bank Direct Brokerage National Bank Direct Brokerage		Finder Rating: ★★★★★ 4.2 / 5	Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual Funds, GICs	$0	$0 if conditions met, or $100	Get $0 commission on all transactions with promo code: finder		Go to site View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Questrade Questrade		Finder Rating: ★★★★★ 4.3 / 5	Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual Funds, ETFs, GICs, International Equities, Precious Metals	$4.95 - $9.95	$0	Get $50 in free trades when you fund your account with a minimum of $1,000.	Opt for self-directed investing and save on fees or get a pre-built portfolio to take out some of the guesswork.	Go to site View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Qtrade Direct Investing Qtrade Direct Investing		Finder Rating: ★★★★★ 3.7 / 5	Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual Funds, ETFs, GICs	$6.95 - $8.75	$0 if conditions met, otherwise $25/quarter	Get up to $150 sign-up bonus. Use promo code BONUS150. Conditions apply. Ends June 30, 2023.	Low trading commissions and an easy-to-use platform with access to powerful tools and a wide selection of investment options.	Go to site View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Important: Share trading can be financially risky and the value of your investment can go down as well as up. Standard brokerage is the cost to purchase $1,000 or less of equities without any qualifications or special eligibility. Where both CHESS sponsored and custodian shares are offered, we display the cheapest option.