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
If you want to find out how to hire a stock broker who meets your needs, you need to watch out above all for conflicts of interest
Starbucks is opening 1,650 new shops in 2015 and has strong growth overseas—our take on whether that makes it a good stock investment
DREAM OFFICE REIT $25.34 (Toronto symbol D.UN; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (416-365-3535; www.dream.ca/office; Units outstanding: 108.4 million; Market cap: $2.9 billion; Dividend yield: 8.8%) (formerly Dundee REIT) owns and manages 176 properties comprising 24.1 million square feet of office space in major cities across Canada.

In Western Canada, the trust has 16% of its total square footage in Calgary and 20% elsewhere. In Eastern Canada, it holds 23% of its square footage in downtown Toronto, 17% in suburban Toronto and 24% elsewhere. Its occupancy rate is 92.8%.

In the three months ended March 31, 2015, Dream Office’s revenue fell 1.6%, to $205.2 million from $208.4 million a year earlier. The trust sold four properties to Dream Industrial REIT (symbol DIR.UN on Toronto) for $33.0 million in September 2014. Dream Office owns 24.2% of Dream Industrial.

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CHEMTRADE LOGISTICS INCOME FUND $19.98 (Toronto symbol CHE.UN; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (416-496-5856; www.chemtradelogistics .com; Units outstanding: 68.6 million; Market cap: $1.4 billion; Dividend yield: 6.0%) is one of North America’s largest providers of removal services for resource firms, such as oil refineries and base metal processors, whose operations create sulphur, acid and other by-products. Chemtrade converts these substances into useful chemicals, like sulphuric acid.

In the three months ended March 31, 2015, the company’s revenue rose 22.5%, to $326.0 million from $266.1 million a year earlier.

Big acquisition working out well

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FIRSTSERVICE CORP. $30.49 (Toronto symbol FSV; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (416-960-9500; www.firstservice.com; Shares outstanding: 34.6 million; Market cap: $1.1 billion; Dividend yield: 0.6%) has completed the spinoff of its Colliers International subsidiary after handing out Colliers shares to its investors.

The new FirstService began trading on Tuesday, June 2, 2015, retaining its FSV stock symbol. Colliers International Group, $47.01, symbol CIG on Toronto, began trading on the same day under its new symbol. Shareholders won’t pay capital gains taxes on the transaction until they sell their FirstService or Colliers shares.

Colliers is one of the world’s top three commercial real estate firms, offering a range of services in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Latin America. In 2014, it had $1.7 billion U.S. of revenue.

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WYNDHAM WORLDWIDE $84.04 (New York symbol WYN; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (973- 753-6000; www.wyndhamworldwide.com; Shares outstanding: 120.0 million; Market cap: $10.1 billion; Dividend yield: 2.0%) is one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, with 7,670 franchised hotels worldwide.

In addition to hotels, Wyndham manages vacation resorts, rental properties, luxury clubs and time-shares.

The company has just bought Vacation Palm Springs, which manages more than 450 upscale vacation properties, for an undisclosed amount. This is Wyndham’s first acquisition in California.

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RUSSEL METALS $23.29 (Toronto symbol RUS; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative)(905-819-7777; www.russelmetals.com; Shares outstanding: 61.7 million; Market cap: $1.4 billion; Dividend yield: 6.5%) has completed its acquisition of Western Fiberglass Pipe Sales for an undisclosed amount.

Western Fiberglass is a leading distributor of fibreglass pipe for the oil and gas industry. It serves Western Canada through offices in Estevan, Saskatchewan, and Red Deer, Alberta.

The acquisition will add just $30 million to Russel’s annual revenue of $3.9 billion. However, it lets it offer oil and gas customers fibreglass pipe as an alternative to steel. The company feels this could help them save on installation costs and maintenance while improving flow capacity and increasing service life.

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AGT FOOD & INGREDIENTS $32.17 (Toronto symbol AGT; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (306-525- 4490; www.alliancegrain.com; Shares outstanding: 23.1 million; Market cap: $755.8 million; Dividend yield: 1.9%) has bought the assets of West Central Road & Rail for $22 million. The acquisition includes five bulk-loading sites in Saskatchewan.

Purchases like this are important because they help ensure that AGT can supply its manufacturing plants and continue its growth.

AGT Food & Ingredients is still a buy.

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RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL $37.46 (New York symbol QSR; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (905-845-6511; www.rbi.com; Shares outstanding: 467.0 million; Market cap: $17.5 billion; Dividend yield: 1.0%) has joined McDonald’s and KFC in bringing back old mascots.

The company’s Burger King chain is now using its big-headed “King” mascot in its advertising for the first time since 2011. The move follows KFC’s reintroduction of Colonel Sanders after a 21-year absence, while McDonald’s brought back the Hamburglar after more than a decade.

Burger King recently paid $200,000 to have the King appear live on TV at the Belmont Stakes horse race. In May, the company reportedly paid $1 million to have the King included in Floyd Mayweather’s entourage during his Las Vegas boxing match.

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CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL $606.84 (New York symbol CMG; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (303-595-4000; www.chipotle.com; Shares outstanding: 31.0 million; Market cap: $18.7 billion; No dividends paid) is a Denver- based Mexican restaurant chain. It charges slightly higher prices than fast food companies, but it offers better quality food, including naturally raised meat, and superior decor and service.

In the three months ended March 31, 2015, Chipotle’s sales jumped 20.4%, to $1.09 billion from $904.2 million a year earlier. Its restaurants attracted more customers during the quarter, which pushed up same-restaurant sales by 10.4%.

Chipotle opened 49 new outlets and now has a total of 1,831. It plans to add 140 to 155 more in 2015. Earnings gained 47.6%, to $122.6 million, or $3.95 a share, from $83.1 million, or $2.67. That’s partly because it raised the prices of some menu items last year, offsetting higher costs for beef and tortillas. The company is a well-established chain with a growing following, especially among health conscious, environmentally aware consumers.

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