ARBOR MEMORIAL SERVICES INC. $20 (Toronto symbol ABO.A; SI Rating: Average) earned $0.42 a share in its first fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2006, down 2.3% from $0.43 a year earlier. Revenue grew 5.6%, partly due to last year’s acquisition of an Ottawa-based funeral home operator. It’s also earning more investment income from cemetery pre-payments and deposits.

Arbor Memorial Services is …read more »

MOLSON COORS CANADA INC. (Toronto symbols TPX.LV.A $79 and TPX.NV $79; SI Rating: Average) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Molson Coors Brewing Co., the world’s fifth-largest brewer by volume. Holders of exchangeable shares in Molson Coors Canada can swap them at any time for common shares of the parent, Molson Coors Brewing Company (New York symbol TAP), on a …read more »

TRANSCANADA CORP. $34 (Toronto symbol TRP; SI Rating: Above average) gets most of its revenue from its gas pipeline systems, but most of its earnings growth in the past few years has come from the 23 electric power plants that it either owns or controls. In fact, TransCanada’s power operations supplied just 32% of its revenue in 2005, but 55% …read more »

TRANSALTA CORP. $23 (Toronto symbol TA; SI Rating: Average) operates 51 power plants in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Australia. It also owns 50% of a major Canadian wind farm operator.

In the past few years, the company has sold its regulated operations to focus solely on its nonregulated plants.

However, it sells roughly 90% of its power under long-term, firm-price contracts …read more »

EMERA INC. $20 (Toronto symbol EMA; SI Rating: Average) supplies roughly 95% of Nova Scotia’s electricity needs. This business accounts for over 80% of its income. It also owns the main electrical utility in Bangor, Maine, and holds interests in other power-related projects.

In the three months ended December 31, 2005, Emera earned $0.34 a share from continuing operations, up 25.9% …read more »

FORTIS INC. $23 (Toronto symbol FTS; SI Rating: Above average) operates regulated and non-regulated power systems in Canada, the United States, Belize and the Cayman Islands. It also owns hotels and commercial real estate properties, mainly in Atlantic Canada.

In 2004, the company paid $1.5 billion in cash and stock for regulated electrical utilities in Alberta and British Columbia. This helped …read more »

Deregulation in Canada’s power industry has helped fuel strong growth at many electrical utilities in the past few years. However, some power providers prefer regulation, since it virtually guarantees that they will earn a profit without the risk that deregulated plants face. It’s now common to find power companies that operate both types of plants.

They’re also expanding to other parts …read more »

SOBEYS INC. $38 (Toronto symbol SBY; SI Rating: Average) is Canada’s second-largest food seller, with 1,300 stores under the Sobeys, IGA and Price Chopper banners. The company owns roughly a third of its stores; franchisees own the remaining two-thirds. The Sobey family controls 68% of the company’s stock.

Like Loblaw, Sobeys used non-food items and in-store services such as pharmacies and …read more »

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD. $58 (Toronto symbol L; SI Rating: Above average) is Canada’s largest supermarket operator, with over 1,600 company-owned and franchised stores. The company also distributes food and other goods to independent retailers. George Weston Ltd. owns 63% of the company.

Loblaw’s revenue grew from $21.5 billion in 2001 to $26.2 billion in 2004, as the company expanded the amount …read more »

Consumers today generally have more money to spend, but less time to shop. Consequently, demand for ready-to-eat convenience foods has shot up. But consumers are also paying more attention to food safety and nutritional content. They are also developing an appetite and a budget for a wider variety of higher quality, more expensive foods.

These trends have forced Canada’s major food …read more »