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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NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC. $37 (New York symbol NWL; Aggressive Growth and Income Portfolios, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 271.1 million; Market cap: $10.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.8; Dividend yield: 1.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.newellrubbermaid.com) has gained 23% since we made it our Stock of the Year for 2014.

The company makes plastic storage bins, tools, window blinds, pens and many other household goods.

In the past few years, Newell has aggressively cut its costs, including closing plants. That has freed up cash that it can use to acquire businesses with strong long-term prospects.

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SYMANTEC CORP. $25 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 690.2 million; Market cap: $17.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.7; Dividend yield: 2.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.symantec.com) began operating in 1982. It’s now the world’s largest maker of security software.

Symantec is best known for its Norton anti-virus software, which helps protect computers from viruses and online attacks. It mainly sells Norton to consumers, but it also has agreements to pre-install it on new computers.

In addition to virus protection, Symantec has developed a range of other security programs under the Norton name, including software that guards against identity theft.

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ENERFLEX LTD. $15.48 (Toronto symbol EFX; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk)(403-387-6377; www.enerflex.com; Shares outstanding: 78.6 million; Market cap: $1.2 billion; Dividend yield: 2.2%) rents and sells equipment and services for natural gas production, including compression and processing plants, refrigeration gear and power generators.

On June 30, 2014, Enerflex completed its $431- million U.S. acquisition of two businesses owned by privately held Axip Energy Services LP: an international contract compression and processing subsidiary and a division that provides aftermarket services.

In the quarter ended September 30, 2014, Enerflex’s revenue rose 22.6%, to $479.0 million from $390.7 million a year earlier. Earnings per share jumped 37.5%, to $0.33 from $0.24.

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CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL $703.89 (New York symbol CMG; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (303-595-4000; www.chipotle.com; Shares outstanding: 31.0 million; Market cap: $21.8 billion; No dividends paid) halted sales of pork items at one-third of its nearly 1,800 U.S. restaurants in mid-January 2015. That’s because it learned that a key supplier had failed to meet Chipotle’s humane pig-housing standards.

The company uses pork in around 7% of the burritos, tacos, bowls and salads it sells.

Chipotle believes most customers will simply substitute pork with other meats on the menu, but some may go elsewhere.

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SYMANTEC CORP. $25.62 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; TSINetwork Rating: Average)(408-517-8000; www.symantec.com; Shares outstanding: 690.2 million; Market cap: $17.7 billion; Dividend yield: 2.3%) is hiring engineers and licensing certain technology from Narus, a computer-security firm owned by Boeing Co. (symbol BA on New York). Narus has developed algorithms and software that can analyze large amounts of Internet traffic and filter out certain data. Its clients include the U.S. National Security Agency.

Symantec will use Narus’s technology to develop security software for corporations. Demand for these products should be strong, particularly after highprofile cyber attacks on Sony, Home Depot and Target.

Symantec is a buy.

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HECLA MINING COMPANY $3.35 (New York symbol HL; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (208-769- 4100; www.hecla-mining.com; Shares outstanding: 367.4 million; Market cap: $1.2 billion) explores for, mines and processes silver and gold in the U.S. and Mexico.

In the three months ended December 31, 2014, Hecla produced 3.2 million ounces of silver, up 29.1% from 2.5 million a year earlier. Gold output rose 16.1%, to 54,671 ounces from 47,108.

All of Hecla’s mines have potential for higher output, although it’s cutting back on capital spending for now while it waits for higher gold and silver prices.

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CARFINCO FINANCIAL $8.80 (Toronto symbol CFN; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (1-888-486-4356; www.carfinco.com; Shares outstanding: 26.5 million; Market cap: $232.9 million; Dividend yield: 3.4%) is down sharply since mid-January from $11.25 to today’s price. The company provides car loans to consumers who don’t meet the criteria of traditional lenders, like banks.

In November 2014, Carfinco’s shareholders voted to accept a friendly $11.25-a-share takeover bid from Spain’s Banco Santander SA (ADR symbol SAN on New York). The company’s directors and executive officers, who collectively own a 12.9% stake, also agreed to support the sale.

But neither Carfinco nor Santander have announced anything about the $268-million deal, which was expected to close by the end of 2014 or early this year. Santander has been in the news lately with the appointment of a new executive chairman, a share issue to raise 7.5 billion euros ($10.4 billion Canadian) to shore up its capital base and a dividend cut.

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AEROPOSTALE INC. $2.78 (New York symbol ARO; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk)(646-485-5410; www.aeropostale.com; Shares outstanding: 79.1 million; Market cap: $220.0 million; No dividends paid) has risen over 20% since the clothing retailer said in early January 2015 that it expects to report a much smaller than expected loss in its 2014 fourth quarter.

The company now expects a fourthquarter loss of $0.25 to $0.31 share, compared to its earlier forecast of a $0.44-ashare loss. It has been cutting costs and selling more high-profit-margin clothing.

Aeropostale continues to face intense competition from other teen-clothing retailers. To restore its profitability, it plans to better market its products and keep cutting costs and refreshing its clothing lines. It’s also closing underperforming stores.

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FIRSTSERVICE CORP. $63.43 (Toronto symbol FSV; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (416-960-9500; www.firstservice.com; Shares outstanding: 34.5 million; Market cap: $2.3 billion; Dividend yield: 0.7%) 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 September 30, 2014, FirstService’s revenue rose 13.5%, to $684.6 million from $603.0 million a year earlier (all figures except share prices in U.S. dollars). Excluding one-time items, earnings per share were $0.75, up 8.7% from $0.69.

Revenue rose at all three of FirstService’s divisions: Colliers International (commercial real estate), up 16%; FirstService Residential (residential property management), up 10%; and FirstService Brands (property services), up 12%. (FirstService Brands operates Paul Davis Restoration, California Closets and CertaPro Painters.)

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WESTJET AIRLINES $32.05 (Toronto symbol WJA; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk)(1-877-493-7853; www.westjet.com; Shares outstanding: 127.8 million; Market cap: $4.1 billion; Dividend yield: 1.5%) serves 91 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. Its fleet of 109 modern Boeing 737s are 30% more fuel efficient than older jets.

In June 2013, the company launched WestJet Encore, its Canadian regional airline. This business now operates 14 Bombardier Q400 NextGen turboprop planes, which seat 78 passengers.

In the three months ended September 30, 2014, WestJet’s earnings, excluding one-time items, jumped 30.9%, to a third-quarter record of $85.4 million from $65.1 million a year earlier. Earnings per share gained 32.0%, to $0.66 from $0.50, on fewer shares outstanding. This was WestJet’s 38th consecutive quarter of profitability. Revenue rose 9.2%, to $1.0 billion from $924.8 million.

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