Apple

Demand for wireless services is rising sharply in North America. That’s partly because device makers continue to release new cellphones and wireless devices, such as Apple’s iPad and Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader.

As well, more customers are switching from traditional phones (or land lines) to wireless services.

Tap into wireless growth with blue chip stocks that operate networks

We think wireless carriers …read more »

BCE is using its strong cash flow to expand and improve its wireless and high-speed Internet networks. That will fuel the company’s long-term growth. It will also let BCE keep adding services, buying back shares and paying (and possibly raising) its high dividend.

BCE INC. $30.07 (Toronto symbol BCE; Shares outstanding: 765.2 million; Market cap: $23.0 billion; SI Rating: Above Average; …read more »

Members of our Inner Circle service often ask for investing advice on stocks they are thinking of buying that we don’t cover in our newsletters. A large number of these stocks fall into a grey area. Sometimes our investing advice is that they are “okay to hold,” but we wouldn’t advise buying them. When Inner Circle members ask about one …read more »

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) may have a place in your portfolio. That’s because, unlike many other financial innovations, they don’t load you up with heavy management fees, or tie you down with high redemption charges if you decide to get out of them. Instead, they give you a low-cost, flexible, convenient alternative to mutual funds.

ETFs trade on stock exchanges, just like …read more »

To cut your investing risk, we recommend following our three-part system: Hold mostly high-quality, dividend-paying stocks, spread your money out across the five main economic sectors (Manufacturing & Industry; Resources; Consumer; Finance; Utilities) and avoid or downplay stocks in the broker/public relations limelight.

How “in-the-limelight” stocks can hurt your portfolio

Even well-established large cap stocks (or shares of larger-sized companies) can stumble. …read more »

APPLE INC. $201 (Nasdaq symbol AAPL; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 906.8 million; Market cap: $182.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.8; No dividends paid; WSSF Rating: Average) will start selling its new iPad tablet computer in late March in the U.S.

Apple could sell 6 million iPads in the first year. When you account for the cost of …read more »

TELUS CORP. (Toronto symbols T $33 and T.A $32; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 318.0 million; Market cap: $10.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.1; Dividend yield: 5.8%; SI Rating: Above Average) provides telephone services in British Columbia, Alberta and eastern Quebec. It also sells wireless services through a nationwide network.

The company expects its revenue to rise by 2% to …read more »

Canada’s big telephone companies have faced strong competition from cable companies for years. This experience will help them deal with three new entrants in the wireless field. One of these new competitors, Wind Mobile, is already operating. Two more, Mobilicity and Public Mobile, should launch later this year.

Meanwhile, all four major phone companies are using their steady cash flows to …read more »

INDIGO BOOKS & MUSIC INC. $16 (Toronto symbol IDG; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 24.5 million; Market cap: $392.0 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.3; Dividend yield; 2.5%; SI Rating: Average) is Canada’s largest bookseller. The company operates 96 superstores under the Indigo and Chapters banners. It also has 151 mall-based stores under the Coles, Indigo, Indigospirit, SmithBooks and The …read more »

A subscriber to Stock Pickers Digest, our newsletter for aggressive investing, recently asked us how much importance we give to a company’s name when we’re selecting growth stock picks to recommend in our newsletters and investment services. He felt that a poorly thought-out company name may reflect a poorly thought-out business plan and a low chance of success.

He specifically …read more »