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:
- Invest mainly in well-established companies;
- Spread your money out across most if not all of the five main economic sectors (Manufacturing & Industry; Resources & Commodities; Consumer; Finance; Utilities);
- Downplay or avoid stocks in the broker/media limelight.
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ACI Worldwide is still a hold.
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In the quarter ended June 30, 2014, Goodyear’s revenue fell 4.9%, to $4.66 billion from $4.89 billion a year earlier. The company sold fewer tires in Latin America, which offset higher tire sales in all other regions, including North America.
Even with the lower revenue, earnings per share rose 8.1%, to $0.80 from $0.74, excluding one-time items. Goodyear’s costs, for rubber and other raw materials, continue to fall. As well, the company now has a favourable new contract with the United Steelworkers.
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Overall revenue gained 2.4%, to $885.9 million from $865.1 million. Revenue from contracts that pay recurring fees rose 7% and accounted for two-thirds of the total.
Excluding unusual items, Broadridge expects to earn $2.42 to $2.52 a share in fiscal 2015. The stock trades at a reasonable 17.0 times the midpoint of that range. The shares yield 2.6%.
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In its fiscal 2014 second quarter, which ended May 30, 2014, Adobe earned $186.3 million, up 1.9% from $182.9 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 2.8%, to $0.37 from $0.36, on fewer shares outstanding. Revenue gained 5.7%, to $1.07 billion from $1.01 billion.
The improved results are mainly because Adobe is signing up more subscribers to its Creative Cloud package of photo editing and desktop publishing programs. The company added 464,000 Creative Cloud customers in the quarter and currently has a total of 2.3 million. It now expects to end fiscal 2014 with 3.3 million users, up from its earlier target of 3.0 million.
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In its fiscal 2015 first quarter, which ended July 4, 2014, Symantec’s earnings rose 0.6%, to $313 million from $311 million a year earlier. Per-share earnings gained 2.3%, to $0.45 from $0.44, on fewer shares outstanding. Revenue rose 1.5%, to $1.74 billion from $1.71 billion.
The gains were mostly due to savings from a new restructuring plan that includes job cuts and simplifying product lines. In addition, Symantec separated its sales force into two groups: one focuses on winning new clients, and the other serves existing customers.
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NISSAN MOTOR (ADR) $19.56 (Nasdaq symbol NSANY; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average) (310-771-3111; www.nissan-global.com; Shares outstanding: 2.3 billion; Market cap: $44.2 billion; No dividends paid) is Japan’s second-largest automaker, after Toyota.
In its fiscal 2015 first quarter, which ended June 30, 2014, the company earned 112.1 billion yen ($1.1 billion U.S., or $0.49 per ADR), up 36.7% from 82.0 billion yen ($804.4 million U.S., or $0.36) a year earlier.
Revenue rose 10.8%, to 2.47 trillion yen ($24.1 billion U.S.) from 2.23 trillion yen ($21.8 billion). That’s because Nissan sold 1.24 million vehicles in the latest quarter, up 6.0% from a year earlier.
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In the three months ended June 30, 2014, the company’s production rose 36.2%, to 10,397 barrels of oil equivalent a day from 7,635 barrels a year earlier.
Cash flow per share jumped to $0.09 from $0.05. The production increase was the main reason for the gain. The company also realized higher prices for its oil and gas in the latest quarter.
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In the three months ended June 30, 2014, Birchcliff’s production rose 29.1%, to 31,178 barrels of oil equivalent per day from 24,141 barrels a year earlier. Cash flow per share jumped 79.3%, to $0.52 from $0.29, on the increased output and higher oil and gas prices.
In 2012, Birchcliff completed Phase III of its gas plant expansion in Pouce Coupe, Alberta. This project doubled the facility’s capacity and is letting the company bring the additional gas it is now producing to market.
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Taurus, which operates in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, performs underground longhole drilling for mining firms. Longhole drilling is used in operating mines to drill holes for various purposes, including blasting, drainage and providing electrical service and ventilation.
The acquisition looks like a great fit for Major, because it lets the company expand into mine-production drilling. That’s important, because it reduces Major’s focus on exploration drillers, which depend on volatile commodity markets for financing.
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