Pat McKeough

A professional investment analyst for more than 30 years, Pat has developed a stock-selection technique that has proven reliable in both bull and bear markets. His proprietary ValuVesting System™ focuses on stocks that provide exceptional quality at relatively low prices. Many savvy investors and industry leaders consider it the most powerful stock-picking method ever created.

As early as 1980, Pat was recognized as #1 in the world of published investment advice by the Washington, DC–based Newsletter Publishers Association, and he was the first multi-year winner of The Globe and Mail’s stock picking contest.

Both CBS MarketWatch and The Hulbert Financial Digest recognized Pat as one of North America’s top stock analysts. The Wall Street Journal called him “one of only four investment newsletter advisors who have managed to serve their readers well over the long haul.”

A best-selling Canadian author, he wrote Riding the Bull, his 1993 book that predicted the stock-market boom of the last half of that decade. Through his many television appearances, he is well-known to investors for his insightful analysis and his candid, unpretentious style.

Bottom line: Pat’s conservative, reduced-risk strategy is a proven approach to safe investing.

Posts by the author
AMERICAN EXPRESS CO. $76 (www.americanexpress.com) is finding new retail partners to help offset the upcoming expiry of its deal with Costco’s U.S. stores, under which the chain only accepts American Express credit cards. For example, Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club subsidiary recently agreed to accept Amex’s cards at its 650 warehouse stores in the U.S....
MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INC. $68 (www.motorolasolutions.com) has completed its offer to buy back $2.0 billion worth of its shares. Under the plan, it repurchased 30.1 million shares, or 14.5% of the total outstanding, for $66.50 each. Buybacks raise earnings per share and other per-share calculations and give the remaining shareholders a larger stake in the company....
CEDAR FAIR L.P. $53 (New York symbol FUN; Income Portfolio, Consumer sector; Units outstanding: 56.0 million; Market cap: $3.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; Dividend yield: 5.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.cedarfair.com) began operating in 1987 and is now one the world’s largest amusement park operators. Its parks attracted more than 23.3 million visitors in 2014.

Its flagship park is Cedar Point, in Sandusky, Ohio, which was first developed as a recreational area in 1870. Other major parks include Knott’s Berry Farm near Los Angeles, Kings Island in Cincinnati, Dorney Park in Pennsylvania and Adventure in central Michigan. In 2006, Cedar Fair expanded outside the U.S. for the first time when it purchased Canada’s Wonderland near Toronto.

In all, it owns 11 amusement parks, three outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five hotels.

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MOLSON COORS BREWING CO. $83 (New York symbol TAP; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 185.0 million; Market cap: $15.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.0; Dividend yield: 2.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.molson coors.com) jumped 20% in response to Anheuser-Busch InBev’s offer to buy rival brewer SABMiller plc.

In 2008, Molson Coors merged its U.S. brewing operations with those of SABMiller to form MillerCoors. Each company has a 50% voting interest in this joint venture, but SABMiller gets 58% of the profits, while Molson Coors gets 42%.

To satisfy competition regulators, a combined Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller would probably have to sell its stake in the MillerCoors joint venture.

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MCDONALD’S CORP. $97 (New York symbol MCD; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 941.8 million; Market cap: $91.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.5; Dividend yield: 3.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.mcdonalds.com) plans to start selling breakfast items all day. The move could increase its U.S. sales by up to 2.5%.

McDonald’s has also announced that it will only use eggs from chickens that haven’t been raised in cages. This should boost its appeal among increasingly health-conscious, environmentally aware consumers.

The company expects to make this switch by 2025. It purchases about two billion eggs in the U.S. annually, and its Canadian business buys roughly 120 million.

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TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC. $47 (Nasdaq symbol TXN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 1.0 billion; Market cap: $47.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.6; Dividend yield: 3.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.ti.com) has increased its quarterly dividend by 11.8%, to $0.38 a share from $0.34. The new annual rate of $1.52 yields 3.2%. It has now raised its payout annually for the past 12 years.

In addition, the chipmaker has increased its share repurchase authorization by $7.5 billion. As a result, it can now buy back up to $9.3 billion of its shares, which is equal to 20% of its market cap. There are no time limits for these repurchases. Since 2005, it has bought back 40% of its outstanding shares.

Texas Instruments is a buy.

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ABB LTD. ADRs $17 (New York symbol ABB; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; ADRs outstanding: 2.3 billion; Market cap: $39.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.0; Dividend yield: 4.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.abb.com) makes transformers, transmission systems and circuit breakers for electrical utilities. The Switzerland-based firm also produces automation systems and robotics for industrial clients.

Due to slowing economic growth in China and developing countries, the company now expects its revenue to grow by 3% to 6% each year to 2020. That’s down from its earlier forecast of 4% to 7% annual growth.

ABB is also reorganizing into four new divisions: Discrete Automation and Motion, Power Grids, Electrification Products and Process Automation. This change will make it easier for ABB to sell the Power Grids division, which makes transmission and distribution equipment for utilities. This business’s sales have slowed, and it faces strong competition from bigger firms like GE/Alstom.

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GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. $25 (New York symbol GE; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 10.1 billion; Market cap: $252.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.7; Dividend yield: 3.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ge.com) has received approval from U.S. and European regulators for its alliance with France’s Alstom SA, a leading maker of parts for power plants and transmission gear.

Under the deal, GE will form three 50/50 joint ventures with Alstom: one will combine their electrical grid operations, while a second will focus on products for renewable energy projects. The third will hold Alstom’s nuclear power equipment division.

To win approval, GE agreed to sell some of Alstom’s operations. If you adjust for these sales and other changes, GE will now contribute $9.5 billion, down from the original cost of $13 billion. The company expects to complete the deal by the end of 2015.

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INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC. $105 (New York symbol IFF; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 80.7 million; Market cap: $8.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.7; Dividend yield: 2.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.iff.com) makes over 36,000 compounds that improve the taste of food and the smell of consumer products.

IFF recently paid $311 million for Lucas Meyer Cosmetics, a Quebec-based company that supplies ingredients to makers of cosmetics and personal care products.

It also acquired Henry H. Ottens Manufacturing, a private Philadelphia-based firm that makes flavourings for major food makers. IFF paid $199.2 million for this business.

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