The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition the best stocks are those of companies that resemble private firms as much as possible. Globe columnist Fabrice Taylor writes Accord Financial ($8.59) is one such firm, and he thinks the stock is worth buying. Accord was founded about 35 years ago by Ken Hitzig, now chairman. Accord is a niche lender to smaller companies who need to finance inventory and accounts receivable. It has paid a regular dividend for more than 20 years and has increased that dividend pretty much every year. The current yield is an attractive 4 per cent. Insiders and people close to them own about 60 per cent of the shares and have not been sellers recently. Accord lends its customers money to finance inventory or receivables. The lender aims to maximize the spread it earns. Mr. Hitzig also likes to be first in line for security on assets. In the first nine months of 2013, Accord earned 47 cents a share. Mr. Taylor figures Accord can earn $1 a share this year, meaning the stock is quoted at nine times earnings. Given what he expects to be an above-average growth rate, he believes the stock should trade at 12 times earnings. His numbers suggest a stock price of $12 plus dividend.