BAC
The bleak outlook for the U.S. housing industry continues to weigh on Sherwin-Williams and La-Z-Boy. Their cost-control plans and industry-leading brands should help them cope, but both will probably make little progress in the next few months.
SHERWIN-WILLIAMS CO. $46 (New York symbol SHW; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 116.9 million; Market cap: $5.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.7; WSSF …read more »
CHEVRON CORP. $64 (New York symbol CVX; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 2 billion; Market cap: $128 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.7; WSSF Rating: Above Average) is the second-largest integrated oil company in the United States, after ExxonMobil. Oil production supplied 86% of its earnings in 2008; the remaining 14% came from its refineries and retail gas stations.
In response …read more »
This year, global oil consumption will probably fall for the first time since the early 1980s. We feel now is a good time to buy well-established oil companies that can take advantage of low oil prices. The three listed below are good examples; all have low debt and plenty of cash, which puts them in a good position to buy …read more »
partly because so many commentators are talking about the risk of a 1930s-style depression.
That kind of talk is common in any deep stock market setback. But this time it’s closer to home, due to plunging house prices and the troubles of the auto industry.
To top it off, President Obama has taken to warning that we risk a new depression if …read more »
TOROMONT INDUSTRIES LTD. $20.51 (Toronto symbol TIH; SI Rating: Extra Risk) (416-667-5511; www.toromont.com; Shares outstanding: 64.6 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion) operates in two business segments: the equipment group and the compression group.
The equipment group’s Caterpillar dealership, which covers Ontario, Manitoba, Newfoundland, and most of Labrador and Nunavut, is one of the world’s largest. It also includes rental operations. Also …read more »
CALIAN TECHNOLOGIES $12.70 (Toronto symbol CTY; SI Rating: Speculative) (613-599-8600; www.calian.com; Shares outstanding: 7.8 million; Market cap: $99.1 million) operates in two areas: The business and technology services (BTS) division provides engineering, health care and other skilled professional personnel to clients on a contract basis, and generates 64% of Calian’s revenues. The systems engineering division (SED) offers a range of …read more »
BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS $16.27 (New York symbol BR: SI Rating: Extra Risk) (201-714-3000; www.broadridge.com; Shares outstanding: 140.4 million; Market cap: $2.3 billion) serves the investment industry in three main ways: investor communications; securities processing; and transaction clearing, trade settlements and other back-office operations. Broadridge’s clients include 250 banks, 500 mutual fund families and 5,000 publicly listed companies.
Broadridge’s shares have dropped …read more »
CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY CO. $44 (Toronto symbol CNR; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 464.9 million; Market cap: $20.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; SI Rating: Above Average) operates the largest freight-rail network in Canada, and serves 16 U.S. states. It hauls consumer and industrial goods, which accounted for 21% of its 2008 revenue, forest products (19%), grain …read more »
TORSTAR CORP. $7.80 (Toronto symbol TS.B; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 78.9 million; Market cap: $615.4 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; SI Rating: Above Average) owns Transit Television Network, which operates electronic advertising message boards in the transit systems of several U.S. cities. Due to falling ad spending, Transit TV has filed for bankruptcy protection. This will cost Torstar …read more »
CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE $46 (Toronto symbol CM; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 380.8 million; Market cap: $17.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; SI Rating: Above Average) is Canada’s fifth-largest bank, with assets of $353.9 billion.
CIBC is looking to cut its risk by focusing on retail banking, which now represents 65% of its business. CIBC wants to raise …read more »
