Growth Stocks

Although growth stock picks can be highly volatile, they can make good long-term investments. They may be well-known stars or quiet gems, but they do share one common attribute—they are growing at a higher-than-average rate within their industry, or within the market as a whole, and could keep growing for years or decades.

And keep in mind that we focus on growth stocks, which have a good long-term history and favourable prospects. We downplay momentum stocks that tend to attract many investors simply because they are moving faster than the market averages, but are liable to fall sharply when their momentum fades.

There’s room for growth stock investing in your portfolio, but make sure you follow our TSI Network three-part Successful Investor strategy for your overall portfolio:

  1. Invest mainly in well-established companies;
  2. Spread your money out across most if not all of the five main economic sectors (Manufacturing & Industry; Resources & Commodities; Consumer; Finance; Utilities);
  3. Downplay or avoid stocks in the broker/media limelight.

Make better stock picks when you read this FREE Special Report, Canadian Growth Stocks: WestJet Stock, RioCan Stock and More.

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GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER $31.26 (Nasdaq symbol GT; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (330- 796-2122; www.goodyear.com; Shares outstanding: 269.8 million; Market cap: $8.4 billion; Dividend yield: 0.8%) is the world’s largest tire maker, with 52 plants in 22 countries.

In the quarter ended March 31, 2015, Goodyear’s sales fell 10.0%, to $4.02 billion from $4.47 billion a year earlier. The rising U.S. dollar lowered the value of the company’s foreign sales.

Excluding one-time items, earnings per share fell 3.6%, to $0.54 from $0.56, but that was much better than the consensus estimate of $0.44. Record North American earnings let Goodyear offset the effects of the higher U.S. dollar.

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INTACT FINANCIAL $89.80 (Toronto symbol IFC; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (416-341-1464; www.intactfc.com; Shares outstanding: 131.5 million; Market cap: $11.8 billion; Dividend yield: 2.4%) is Canada’s largest provider of property and casualty insurance. Its brands include Intact Insurance, Canada BrokerLink and belairdirect.

In the three months ended March 31, 2015, Intact’s revenue rose 5.3%, to $1.57 billion from $1.50 billion a year earlier. The company earned $186 million, or $1.37 a share, up 44.2% from $129 million, or $0.94.

The latest results reflect a $64-million reduction in catastrophic losses, mostly related to weather. That helped Intact report an improved combined ratio, or claims paid out divided by premiums taken in (the lower, the better) of 93.4%, down from 97.1%.

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As hepatitis attacks 150 million people, Gilead has the leading drugs to fight it but also fights criticism that its prices are too high.
Our U.S. Stock of the Year for 2014, Newell Rubbermaid is up 30% and continues to grow on smart restructuring and key acquisitions.
Stock Investing
SYMANTEC CORP. (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; www.symantec.com) sells computer security technology, including antivirus and email filtering software, to businesses and consumers.

In its fiscal 2015 third quarter, which ended January 2, 2015, Symantec earned $367 million, unchanged from a year earlier. However, per-share earnings rose 1.9%, to $0.53 from $0.52, on fewer shares outstanding.

Revenue slipped 3.9%, to $1.64 billion from $1.71 billion. But if you disregard the negative impact of the high U.S. dollar on the company’s overseas sales, revenue was flat.

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EXTENDICARE INC. $9.30 (Toronto symbol EXE; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (905-470-5534; www.extendicare.com; Shares outstanding: 87.8 million; Market cap: $798.3 million; Dividend yield: 5.2%) has called a special shareholder meeting for March 8, 2016. The move is in response to a formal request from its largest investor, Toronto-based investment firm Oxford Park Group. In July 2015, Oxford Park acquired 5% of Extendicare, with the intention of pushing the company to enhance shareholder value. As part of that plan, Oxford Park wants to replace seven of Extendicare’s nine directors with its own nominees. It also believes the company’s move into retirement homes from its main business of chronic- and longterm care facilities has added unnecessary risk. Moreover, Oxford Park wants Extendicare to buy back up to $50 million worth of its shares, cut costs to boost its profit margins and tie more of its directors’ and executives’ pay to the company’s performance....
NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC. $39 (New York symbol NWL; Aggressive Growth and Income Portfolios, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 269.0 million; Market cap: $10.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.9; Dividend yield: 1.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.newellrubbermaid.com) makes plastic storage bins, tools, window blinds, pens and many other household goods.

Newell is up 30.0% since we made it our Stock of the Year for 2014 at $30 in our February 2014 issue. That’s mainly because of its successful multi-year cost-cutting plan, which included closing plants and merging distribution centres.

Savings sent earnings soaring

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J.P. MORGAN CHASE & CO. $63 (New York symbol JPM; Income Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 3.7 billion; Market cap: $233.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.jpmorganchase.com) earned $5.9 billion in the three months ended March 31, 2015, up 12.2% from $5.3 billion a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 13.2%, to $1.45 from $1.28, on fewer shares outstanding. Without unusual items, Morgan earned $1.58 a share in the latest quarter. Revenue rose 4.1%, to $24.8 billion from $23.9 billion.

Most of these gains came from the bank’s securities-trading division, where earnings jumped 19.4% on stronger volumes. It also saw higher fee income from advising firms on mergers.

These increases helped offset slower growth in retail banking. Low interest rates continue to spur loan demand, but Morgan is earning less interest on the money it lends. At the same time, it has to pay more to attract depositors.

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NEWMONT MINING CORP. $23 (New York symbol NEM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 498.9 million; Market cap: $11.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.6; Dividend yield: 0.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.newmont.com) will soon begin work on the first phase of its Long Canyon gold mine in Nevada.

Long Canyon will produce 100,000 to 150,000 ounces a year when it opens in 2017. The midpoint of that range— 125,000 ounces— is equal to 2.6% of the 4.85 million ounces Newmont produced in 2014. The mine should last eight years.

The company will spend $250 million to $300 million on this project. Based on current gold prices, the mine should add $100 million a year to Newmont’s annual operating earnings.

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PEPSICO INC. $97 (New York symbol PEP; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.5 billion; Market cap: $145.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.2; Dividend yield: 3.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www. pepsico.com) has replaced rival Coca-Cola (New York symbol KO) as the official soft drink sponsor of the National Basketball Association.

Coca-Cola still has marketing deals with some NBA teams and players, but this new multi-year agreement will let PepsiCo promote a wider range of products, such as Gatorade sports drinks and Frito-Lay snack foods, on NBA television broadcasts and other league events.

PepsiCo is a hold.

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