Jim Bates

Jim is an associate editor at TSI Network. He is the lead reporter and analyst for The Successful Investor and Wall Street Stock Forecaster and a member of the Investment Planning Committee. Jim has held the Chartered Financial Analyst designation since 1992 and spent more than a decade at the Financial Post DataGroup before joining TSI Network. He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto.

Posts by the author

Growth Stocks

Baxter International’s Low Valuation Is Weighed Against Turnaround Potential by Investors

Baxter International Inc. has been under pressure from a skeptical market as it continues its turnaround strategy.

2 min read

Jim Bates

Dividend Stocks

J.P. Morgan Chase Extends Streak of Rising Revenues and Shareholder Payouts

2 min read

Jim Bates

Growth Stocks

Stantec Posts Double‑Digit Earnings Growth

2 min read

Jim Bates

How To Invest

Mortgage and loan software acquisitions spur growth for cheque printer

Pat McKeough responds to many requests from members of his Inner Circle for specific advice on buying stocks as well as questions on investment strategy and the economy. Every week, his comments and recommendations on the most intriguing questions of the past week go out to all Inner Circle members. And each week, we offer you one of the highlights from these Q&A sessions. While we reserve our buy-hold-sell advice for Inner Circle members, these excerpts provide a great deal of information and analysis on stocks we’ve covered for members of Pat’s Inner Circle....

3 min read

Jim Bates

Wealth Management

Investor Toolkit: The wrong way to shop for stocks

Trying to buy a stock you like at a lower price can actually expose you to unnecessary risk. For a number of investors, there are two steps to buying a stock.

2 min read

Jim Bates

How To Invest

Acquisitions help Canadian tech stock build on niche market

Pat McKeough responds to many requests from members of his Inner Circle for specific advice on investing in stocks as well as questions on investment strategy and the economy. Every week, his comments and recommendations on the most intriguing questions of the past week go out to all Inner Circle members. And each week, we offer you one of the highlights from these Q&A sessions. While we reserve our buy-hold-sell advice for Inner Circle members, these excerpts provide a great deal of information and analysis on stocks we’ve covered for members of Pat’s Inner Circle....

2 min read

Jim Bates

High-yielding utilities both striving to expand their markets

Wealth Management

Sale of Canada Bread is next step in Maple Leaf Foods restructuring plan

Holding companies give you an easy way to buy a variety of businesses at a discount. As well, their structure makes it easy for them to unlock hidden value by selling undervalued subsidiaries....

2 min read

Jim Bates

How To Invest

Starbucks forges ahead with more stores in more countries

3 min read

Jim Bates

Enbridge expansion goes on despite Northern Gateway controversy

Energy Stocks

How Potash Corp. and Agrium are dealing with volatile fertilizer prices

Fertilizer prices remain volatile, but these two producers have bright long-term outlooks. That’s because the growing global population is increasing food demand. Without fertilizer, the world would need 50% more farmland to meet this need....

3 min read

Jim Bates

Wealth Management

Investor Toolkit: 4 balancing acts for a successful portfolio

At first glance, managing an investment portfolio may resemble prize fighting, with an investor bobbing and weaving to get the upper hand on the market. But for successful investors, good portfolio management is much more like a multi-dimensional tightrope act. And you must be able to perform these 4 balancing acts to succeed.

2 min read

Jim Bates

Overseas growth helps Baxter overcome Obamacare tax

How To Invest

Restructured travel business could spur growth with Amex’s affluent clientele

AMERICAN EXPRESS CO. (New York symbol AXP, www.americanexpress.com) gets most of its revenue from the fees it charges merchants who accept its charge cards (which have no pre-set spending limit and must be paid in full each month) and credit cards (which can carry a balance)....

2 min read

Jim Bates

Canadian insurance giants aim for rising sales in Asia, less risk in U.S.

How To Invest

To keep its shares rising, Bard strives for even faster growth

C.R. BARD INC. (New York symbol BCR; www.crbard.com) makes vascular products, such as stents and catheters (29% of its 2012 sales); oncology products that detect and treat various types of cancer (27%); urology products, such as drainage and incontinence devices (26%); and surgical tools and other products (18%). The company mainly makes single-use, disposable products, so customers must continually buy new ones. This continued demand for supplies helped Bard’s sales rise 20.6%, from $2.5 billion in 2008 to $3.0 billion in 2012. Earnings improved by 24.1%, from $455.4 million in 2008 to $565.3 million in 2012. The company is an aggressive buyer of its own stock. This cuts its total shares outstanding, so per-share earnings jumped 48.0%, from $4.44 to $6.57....

2 min read

Jim Bates