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:
- 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.
Make better stock picks when you read this FREE Special Report, Canadian Growth Stocks: WestJet Stock, RioCan Stock and More.
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ALARMFORCE INDUSTRIES $10.75 (Toronto symbol AF; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (1-800- 267-2001; www.alarmforce.com; Shares outstanding: 12.0 million; Market cap: $128.6 million; Dividend yield: 0.9%) sells twoway voice-alarm systems and monitoring services in Canada and increasingly in the U.S.
In the quarter ended October 31, 2013, the company’s sales rose 10.8%, to $12.6 million from $11.4 million a year earlier. It earned $2.6 million, or $0.21 a share, up sharply from $708,539, or $0.06.
AlarmForce’s revenue rose along with its subscriber base. Earnings were sharply higher because it spent a lot less on marketing than a year ago, in the wake of the launch of its VideoRelay system. This service lets subscribers watch their homes through computers and smartphones. AlarmForce now has 6,600 VideoRelay subscribers, with 3,800 in Canada and 2,800 in the U.S.
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In the quarter ended October 31, 2013, the company’s sales rose 10.8%, to $12.6 million from $11.4 million a year earlier. It earned $2.6 million, or $0.21 a share, up sharply from $708,539, or $0.06.
AlarmForce’s revenue rose along with its subscriber base. Earnings were sharply higher because it spent a lot less on marketing than a year ago, in the wake of the launch of its VideoRelay system. This service lets subscribers watch their homes through computers and smartphones. AlarmForce now has 6,600 VideoRelay subscribers, with 3,800 in Canada and 2,800 in the U.S.
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FIRSTSERVICE CORP. $49.52 (Toronto symbol FSV; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (416-960-9500; www.firstservice.com; Shares outstanding: 34.3 million; Market cap: $1.8 billion; Dividend yield: 0.9%) serves the following areas of the real estate market: commercial real estate, residential property management and property improvement. FirstService has more than 24,000 employees worldwide.
In the quarter ended December 31, 2013, the company’s revenue rose 14.5%, to $691.7 million from $604.1 million a year earlier (all figures except share prices in U.S. dollars). Excluding one-time items, earnings per share rose 26.0%, to $0.97 from $0.77.
Revenue rose at all three of FirstService’s divisions: Colliers International (commercial real estate), up 21%; FirstService Residential (residential property management), up 9%; and FirstService Brands (property services), up 8%.
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In the quarter ended December 31, 2013, the company’s revenue rose 14.5%, to $691.7 million from $604.1 million a year earlier (all figures except share prices in U.S. dollars). Excluding one-time items, earnings per share rose 26.0%, to $0.97 from $0.77.
Revenue rose at all three of FirstService’s divisions: Colliers International (commercial real estate), up 21%; FirstService Residential (residential property management), up 9%; and FirstService Brands (property services), up 8%.
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WESTJET $26.11 (Toronto symbol WJA; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (1-877-493- 7853; www.westjet.com; Shares outstanding: 129.4 million; Market cap: $3.3 billion; Dividend yield: 1.8%) reports that its earnings rose 11.3% in the three months ended December 31, 2013, to $67.8 million from $60.9 million a year earlier. Earnings per share gained 13.0%, to $0.52 from $0.46, on fewer shares outstanding.
Revenue increased 7.6%, to $926.4 million from $860.6 million.
Demand for the company’s flights remains high, and it continues to enter into new partnerships with other airlines.
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Revenue increased 7.6%, to $926.4 million from $860.6 million.
Demand for the company’s flights remains high, and it continues to enter into new partnerships with other airlines.
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CIMAREX ENERGY $111.84 (New York symbol XEC; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (303-295-3995; www.cimarex.com; Shares outstanding: 86.8 million; Market cap: $9.7 billion; Dividend yield: 0.5%) plans to spend $1.8 billion on exploration and development in 2014, up 12.5% from $1.6 billion in 2013.
The company expects to spend 78% of that on projects in the Delaware Basin, which is part of the larger Permian Basin area of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico.
Cimarex operated 12 horizontal drilling rigs in the Permian Basin last year; it raised that to 16 at the end of January 2014.
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The company expects to spend 78% of that on projects in the Delaware Basin, which is part of the larger Permian Basin area of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico.
Cimarex operated 12 horizontal drilling rigs in the Permian Basin last year; it raised that to 16 at the end of January 2014.
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STANTEC INC. $66.17 (Toronto symbol STN; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (780-917-7288; www.stantec.com; Shares outstanding: 46.4 million; Market cap: $3.1 billion; Dividend yield: 1.0%) sells a range of consulting, project delivery, design and technology services. Its clients operate in a variety of industries, including transportation, construction and oil and gas.
The company continues to grow through acquisitions. It just agreed to pay an undisclosed sum for California-based Processes Unlimited International, which has 450 employees in seven offices across California, Texas, Georgia and Tennessee.
Processes Unlimited offers engineering, project management and design services to customers in a wide range of markets, including oil and gas, alternative energy, utilities, food and beverage, packaging, mining and building products.
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The company continues to grow through acquisitions. It just agreed to pay an undisclosed sum for California-based Processes Unlimited International, which has 450 employees in seven offices across California, Texas, Georgia and Tennessee.
Processes Unlimited offers engineering, project management and design services to customers in a wide range of markets, including oil and gas, alternative energy, utilities, food and beverage, packaging, mining and building products.
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SHERRITT INTERNATIONAL $3.02 (Toronto symbol S; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (1-800-704- 6698; www.sherritt.com; Shares outstanding: 297.3 million; Market cap: $1.0 billion; Dividend yield: 1.3%) has announced that its new Ambatovy mine on the island nation of Madagascar, off Africa’s east coast, has achieved commercial production.
Commercial production is defined as 70% of capacity on average over a 30-day period. Sherritt will now focus on reaching full capacity, which is 60,000 tonnes of nickel and 5,500 tonnes of cobalt a year.
Ambatovy is a joint venture that includes Sherritt, which owns 40% and operates the facility; Sumitomo Corp. and Korea Resources Corp., with 27.5% each; and SNC-Lavalin (a recommendation of The Successful Investor) with 5%.
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Commercial production is defined as 70% of capacity on average over a 30-day period. Sherritt will now focus on reaching full capacity, which is 60,000 tonnes of nickel and 5,500 tonnes of cobalt a year.
Ambatovy is a joint venture that includes Sherritt, which owns 40% and operates the facility; Sumitomo Corp. and Korea Resources Corp., with 27.5% each; and SNC-Lavalin (a recommendation of The Successful Investor) with 5%.
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CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL $552.18 (New York symbol CMG; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (303-595-4000; www.chipotle.com; Shares outstanding: 31.0 million; Market cap: $17.1 billion; No dividends paid) is a Denver-based Mexican restaurant chain.
In the three months ended December 31, 2013, Chipotle’s sales rose 20.7%, to $844.1 million from $699.2 million a year earlier. Chipotle’s restaurants attracted more customers in the latest quarter, which pushed up samerestaurant sales by 9.3%. Per-share earnings gained 31.1%, to $2.57 from $1.96.
The company operates in the fickle and competitive U.S. restaurant market. The shares are now well above their April 2012 high of $442.40 and trade at over 45 times Chipotle’s forecast 2014 earnings of $12.20 a share. That’s a high ratio that leaves the stock vulnerable if the company runs into any short-term problems.
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In the three months ended December 31, 2013, Chipotle’s sales rose 20.7%, to $844.1 million from $699.2 million a year earlier. Chipotle’s restaurants attracted more customers in the latest quarter, which pushed up samerestaurant sales by 9.3%. Per-share earnings gained 31.1%, to $2.57 from $1.96.
The company operates in the fickle and competitive U.S. restaurant market. The shares are now well above their April 2012 high of $442.40 and trade at over 45 times Chipotle’s forecast 2014 earnings of $12.20 a share. That’s a high ratio that leaves the stock vulnerable if the company runs into any short-term problems.
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CALIAN TECHNOLOGIES $19.60 (Toronto symbol CTY; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (613- 599-8600; www.calian.com; Shares outstanding: 7.4 million; Market cap: $144.7 million; Dividend yield: 5.7%) operates in two areas: the business and technology services division (which supplies 70% of Calian’s revenue) provides engineers, health care workers and other skilled professionals to clients on a contract basis. The systems engineering division (30% of revenue) sells hardware and software for testing, operating and managing satellite and other communication systems.
In the three months ended December 31, 2013, Calian earned $2.8 million, or $0.38 a share. That’s down 18.4% from $3.4 million, or $0.45, a year ago. Revenue fell 10.5%, to $51.8 million from $57.9 million.
The business and technology services division continues to benefit from recurring orders from Canadian federal government departments, including the Department of National Defence. However, these clients placed fewer orders in the latest quarter, cutting the division’s revenue by 6.7%. That hurt Calian’s profit margins, which lowered its earnings.
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In the three months ended December 31, 2013, Calian earned $2.8 million, or $0.38 a share. That’s down 18.4% from $3.4 million, or $0.45, a year ago. Revenue fell 10.5%, to $51.8 million from $57.9 million.
The business and technology services division continues to benefit from recurring orders from Canadian federal government departments, including the Department of National Defence. However, these clients placed fewer orders in the latest quarter, cutting the division’s revenue by 6.7%. That hurt Calian’s profit margins, which lowered its earnings.
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COMPUTER MODELLING GROUP $29.37 (Toronto symbol CMG; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403-531-1300; www.cmgroup.com; Shares outstanding: 39.0 million; Market cap: $1.2 billion; Dividend yield: 2.6%) 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.
In the three months ended December 31, 2013, Computer Modelling’s revenue rose 14.4%, to $19.2 million from $16.8 million a year earlier. Software licence sales increased, as did consulting and professional services revenue. Earnings rose 17.7%, to $7.2 million from $6.1 million. Per-share earnings gained 18.8%, to $0.19 from $0.16, on fewer shares outstanding.
Computer Modelling holds cash of $64.7 million, or $1.66 a share, and has no debt. It spent $3.8 million, or a high 19.8% of its revenue, on research in the latest quarter.
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In the three months ended December 31, 2013, Computer Modelling’s revenue rose 14.4%, to $19.2 million from $16.8 million a year earlier. Software licence sales increased, as did consulting and professional services revenue. Earnings rose 17.7%, to $7.2 million from $6.1 million. Per-share earnings gained 18.8%, to $0.19 from $0.16, on fewer shares outstanding.
Computer Modelling holds cash of $64.7 million, or $1.66 a share, and has no debt. It spent $3.8 million, or a high 19.8% of its revenue, on research in the latest quarter.
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