Scott Clayton

Scott is an associate editor at TSI Network. He is the lead reporter and analyst for Dividend Advisor, Power Growth Investor and Canadian Wealth Advisor and a member of the Investment Planning Committee. Scott began his investment and financial career working with Pat McKeough at The Investment Reporter in the 1980s. Subsequently, he worked at the Financial Post Corporation Service for 10 years. He joined TSI Network in 1998. He is a Bachelor of Economics graduate of York University, and he also has an M.B.A. from the Schulich School of Business.

Posts by the author

How To Invest

5 Facts About Investing in Stocks You Should Know to Maximize Profits

Discover five facts about investing in stocks that will help you make better investment decisions over the long term. Learn more in this article now.

4 min read

Scott Clayton

Growth Stocks

Successful Investors Use These Key Tips to Find the Best Growth Companies to Invest In

4 min read

Scott Clayton

Growth Stocks

How to Find the Best Growth Stocks to Invest in Right Now

4 min read

Scott Clayton

Growth Stocks

Best U.S. Stocks: No CEO, no problem—Symantec rises with successful restructuring plan

Symantec rises with successful restructuring plan

2 min read

Scott Clayton

How To Invest

Best Canadian Stocks: Loblaw in line for higher profits and dividends with Shoppers Drug Mart acquisition

Every Tuesday we bring you “Best Canadian Stocks.” You get our specific recommendation on the stocks we profile, with a full explanation of how we arrived at our opinion....

1 min read

Scott Clayton

Energy Stocks

Best Canadian Stocks: Pengrowth finds its new oil sands project is richer than it expected

Beginning today, we launch Best Canadian Stocks, a feature which will appear every Tuesday as our daily post. We also launch a new approach—you will get our specific advice on whether to buy, hold or sell the stocks we profile, with a full explanation of how we arrived at our opinion. You will read about stocks making moves you should know about covered in one of our three newsletters featuring Canadian stocks—The Successful Investor, Stock Pickers Digest and Canadian Wealth Advisor. On Thursday, look for our first weekly feature on U.S. stocks, complete with our specific buy, hold and sell advice. PENGROWTH ENERGY (Toronto symbol PGF; www.pengrowth.com) produces oil and natural gas in Western Canada and off the Nova Scotia coast. Gas accounts for 55% of its production; the other 45% is oil....

2 min read

Scott Clayton

High-yielding Chemtrade Logistics is one of last remaining income trusts

How To Invest

2 Canadian furniture chains with big challenges ahead

LEON’S FURNITURE LTD. (Toronto symbol LNF; www.leons.ca) has steadily opened new stores, growing from 27 in 2003 to 78 today. But the company more than quadrupled in size overnight with its March 28, 2013, purchase of its main rival, The Brick, for $700 million. The Brick has 228 outlets across Canada. Leon’s and The Brick will continue to operate as separate chains. As a result of the acquisition, Leon’s sales jumped to $426.0 million in the three months ended March 31, 2014, from $162.5 million a year earlier. Earnings fell sharply, to $818,000, or $0.01 a share, from $5.4 million, or $0.08....

3 min read

Scott Clayton

Growth Stocks

2 tech stocks grow in profitable niche markets

COMPUTER MODELLING GROUP (Toronto symbol CMG; www.cmgroup.com) sells software and consulting services that help oil and gas producers use advanced recovery techniques to get more out of their wells. It has customers in over 50 countries and offices in Calgary, Houston, London, Caracas, Bogota, Kuala Lumpur and Dubai. The company is a leader in complex heavy oil and oil sands simulations. In the quarter ended March 31, 2014, Computer Modelling’s revenue rose 3.6%, to $20.0 million from $19.3 million a year earlier. Software licence sales (89% of total revenue) rose slightly, but consulting and professional services (11%) jumped 39.1%, thanks to new projects and a large consulting agreement. Earnings gained 6.7%, to $7.7 million from $7.25 million. Per-share earnings jumped 18.8%, to $0.095 from $0.08, on fewer shares outstanding....

3 min read

Scott Clayton

How To Invest

2 Canadian stocks build on strong position in their niche markets

FIRSTSERVICE CORP. (Toronto symbol FSV; www.firstservice.com) serves the following areas of the real estate market: commercial real estate, residential property management and property improvement. The company has more than 24,000 employees worldwide. In the quarter ended March 31, 2014, FirstService’s revenue rose 15.1%, to $548.4 million from $476.4 million a year earlier (all figures except share prices in U.S. dollars). Excluding one-time items, earnings per share were $0.09, compared to a loss of $0.20. The first quarter is typically a slower time for the company. Revenue rose at all three of FirstService’s divisions: Colliers International (commercial real estate), up 28%; FirstService Residential (residential property management), up 7%; and FirstService Brands (property services), up 11%. FirstService Brands operates Paul Davis Restoration, California Closets and CertaPro Painters....

3 min read

Scott Clayton

Dividend Stocks

2 pipelines bank on big growth projects to keep dividends high

Pembina Pipeline and Veresen both trade at high multiples to their per-share cash flow. But both of these dividend stocks also currently maintain high yields. PEMBINA PIPELINE (Toronto symbol PPL; www.pembina.com) owns pipelines that carry half of Alberta’s conventional oil, 30% of Western Canada’s natural gas liquids (NGLs) and almost all of B.C.’s conventional oil. Pembina bought rival Provident Energy for $3.2 billion in 2012. Provident extracts, transports and stores natural gas liquids (NGLs)....

2 min read

Scott Clayton

Dividend Stocks

Income trust Chemtrade expands operations with huge acquisition

CHEMTRADE LOGISTICS INCOME FUND (Toronto symbol CHE.UN; www.chemtradelogistics.com) is one of North America’s largest providers of removal services for resource firms, such as oil refineries and base-metal processors. These companies’ activities create sulphur, acid and other by-products that Chemtrade converts into useful chemicals, like sulphuric acid. The trust also offers a range of environmental services through its Marsulex subsidiary, such as improving air quality and handling and treating industrial waste. Chemtrade’s revenue rose 30.4% in the three months ended March 31, 2014, to $273.9 million from $210.0 million a year earlier....

2 min read

Scott Clayton

Mining Stocks

These two stocks aim for rapid growth as new mines come into production

IAMGOLD (Toronto symbol IMG; www.iamgold.com) owns 41% of the Sadiola mine and 40% of the Yatela mine, both located in Mali; 90% of its Essakane gold mine in Burkina Faso; 100% of the Doyon mine in Quebec; and 95% of the Rosebel mine in Suriname, South America. In addition, IAMGold has a 1% royalty interest in the Diavik diamond mine in the Northwest Territories. It also owns the Niobec niobium mine in Quebec. When used as an additive, niobium makes steel stronger, more heat-resistant and easier to weld. In the three months ended March 31, 2014, IAMGold’s revenue fell 8.5%, to $279.3 million from $305.3 million a year earlier. Cash flow per share dropped to $0.17 from $0.31. The declines were mostly due to 21.2% lower gold prices and an 8.5% production decrease....

3 min read

Scott Clayton