CALIAN TECHNOLOGIES $18.91 (Toronto symbol CTY; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (613-599-8600; www.calian.com; Shares outstanding: 7.7 million; Market cap: $145.6 million; Dividend yield: 5.3%) operates in two areas: the business and technology services division (which supplies 74% of Calian’s revenue) provides engineers, health-care workers and other skilled professionals to clients on a contract basis. The systems engineering division (26% of revenue) sells …read more »

ATLANTIC TELE-NETWORK $33.08 (Nasdaq symbol ATNI; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (340-777-8000; www.atni.com; Shares outstanding: 15.5 million; Market cap: $512.7 million; Dividend yield: 2.8%) sells telecommunications services to rural areas and other underserved regions of the U.S., Bermuda and Caribbean.

Atlantic also owns an 80% stake in Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), as well as wireless interests in the Caribbean and Bermuda.

In …read more »

Pat McKeough responds to many personal questions on stocks and other investment topics from the members of his Inner Circle. Every week, his comments and recommendations on a selection of the most intriguing questions of the past week go out to all Inner Circle members. And every Friday, we offer you one of the highlights from these Q&A sessions.

This week, …read more »

The slowing global economy will likely prompt airlines to spend less on new planes and simulators. However, both Bombardier and CAE operate other businesses that help diversify their operations and cut their exposure to the cyclical air-travel industry.

BOMBARDIER INC. (Toronto symbols BBD.A $4.10 and BBD.B $4.01; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 1.7 billion; Market cap: $6.8 …read more »

LINAMAR CORP. $15 (Toronto symbol LNR; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 64.7 million; Market cap: $970.5 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 2.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.linamar.com) makes engines, transmissions and other precision-machined parts for the North American, European and Asian car and truck markets. The company has 39 plants in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, …read more »

ABB LTD. ADRs $18 (New York symbol ABB; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; ADRs outstanding: 2.3 billion; Market cap: $41.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 3.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.abb.com) is a leading maker of power technologies for utilities. The Switzerland-based company’s products include transformers, transmission systems and circuit breakers. ABB also makes automation systems and …read more »

THE JONES GROUP INC. $10 (New York symbol JNY; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 85.9 million; Market cap: $859.0 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.3; Dividend yield: 2.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.jonesgroupinc.com) has completed its $350-million purchase of Kurt Geiger, a U.K.-based company that owns and operates 49 shoe stores in Europe. It also sells its products in upscale department …read more »

Major Drilling, symbol MDI on Toronto, is a large contract-drilling firm that mainly serves the mining industry.

In the three months ended July 31, 2011, Major’s revenue rose 49.9%, to $164.2 million from $109.5 million a year earlier. Earnings per share jumped 257.1%, to $0.25 from $0.13.

During the quarter, many of Major’s customers increased their drilling activity to take …read more »

BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS $20.52 (New York symbol BR: TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (201-714-3000; www.broadridge.com; Shares outstanding: 126.8 million; Market cap: $2.5 billion; Dividend yield: 3.1%) serves the investment industry in three main areas: investor communications; securities processing; and transaction clearing. Broadridge’s systems help its customers cut costs.

Broadridge recently acquired privately held Paladyne Systems Inc., whose software helps over 150 hedge …read more »

PASON SYSTEMS $12.77 (Toronto symbol PSI; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403-301-3400; www.pason.com; Shares outstanding: 91.3 million; Market cap: $1.0 billion; Dividend yield: 2.8%) rents equipment for monitoring and managing oil and gas rigs. It also sells communications systems, such as its satellite system, which companies use to remotely collect data from their drilling operations. Pason serves oil and gas companies and …read more »