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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HONDA MOTOR CO. LTD. ADRs $36 (New York symbol HMC; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; ADRs outstanding: 1.8 billion; Market cap: $64.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; Dividend yield: 2.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.honda.com) is Japan’s secondlargest carmaker and the world’s biggest motorcycle manufacturer.

In 2013, the company sold 1.53 million cars and trucks in the U.S., up 7.2% from 1.42 million in 2012. Honda continues to see strong demand for its Civic compact and Accord sedan. As well, it sold over 300,000 of its CR-V sport utility vehicles for the first time in its history.

The company recently launched new motorcycle models in fast-growing markets like India and Indonesia. (Asia accounts for 87% of Honda’s worldwide motorcycle sales.)
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TOYOTA MOTOR CO. ADRs $116 (New York symbol TM; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; ADRs outstanding: 1.6 billion; Market cap: $185.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.8; Dividend yield: 1.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.toyota.com) is the world’s biggest carmaker by sales. It also makes industrial equipment, such as forklifts and prefabricated housing. Like most automakers, the company offers vehicle loans through its financing division.

In 2013, Toyota sold 2.24 million cars and trucks in the U.S., up 7.4% from 2.08 million in 2012. That’s partly due to strong demand for its hybrid cars, which use gasoline and electricity. The company has sold 6.1 million of these vehicles since it started offering them in 1997.

Toyota now sells 24 hybrid car models and one plug-in version in over 80 countries. Over the next two years, it plans to launch 15 new hybrids, which should help it maintain its leading 50% share of this fastgrowing market.
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HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. $30 (New York symbol HPQ; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 1.9 billion; Market cap: $57.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 1.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.hp.com) is starting to benefit from a major restructuring that includes merging its computer and printing divisions and cutting 11% of its workforce.

In its fiscal 2014 first quarter, which ended January 31, 2014, earnings before unusual items rose 8.5%, to $1.7 billion from $1.6 billion a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 9.8%, to $0.90 from $0.82, on fewer shares outstanding.

Revenue in the quarter fell 0.7%, to $28.2 billion from $28.4 billion. Sales of computers rose 4% during the busy Christmas shopping season. However, printer sales fell 2%. Sales of servers and software to businesses also declined.

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MOLSON COORS BREWING CO. $57 (New York symbol TAP; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 184.2 million; Market cap: $10.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.molson coors.com) continues to make progress integrating StarBev LP, which it bought for $3.4 billion in June 2012. StarBev owns nine breweries in central and eastern Europe.

In 2013, Molson Coors’ earnings rose 2.3%, to $727.1 million from $710.5 million in 2012. Due to more shares outstanding, earnings per share gained 1.0%, to $3.95 from $3.91. Sales rose 7.4%, to $4.2 billion from $3.9 billion.

Molson Coors is doing a good job absorbing StarBev, and cutting costs at its existing businesses. In 2013, it lowered its expenses by $113 million.

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PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V. ADRs $35 (New York symbol PHG; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; ADRs outstanding: 913.3 million; Market cap: $32.0 billion; Priceto- sales ratio: 1.0; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.philips.com) gets 41% of its revenue by making health care products, such as X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners.

The company also makes lighting (36% of revenue) and consumer electronics, such as appliances and electric shavers (20%). Licensing revenue and other services supply the remaining 3%.

Philips continues to benefit from a major restructuring plan that includes efficiency improvements and cutting 4% of its workforce. The company has also sold its less profitable video and audio products business, which makes TV sets and CD players.
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CANON INC. ADRs $31 (New York symbol CAJ; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; ADRs outstanding: 1.1 billion; Market cap: $34.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.0; Dividend yield: 4.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.canon.com) gets 52% of its revenue by making office equipment, mainly printers and copiers.

It also makes consumer products, such as cameras and inkjet printers (38% of revenue), and industrial components, including chips and other parts for TV sets, medical gear and mobile devices (10%).

Demand for printers and other business products is slowly improving with the overall economy. The low Japanese yen also makes Canon’s products cheaper in other countries.
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DIAGEO PLC ADRs $125 (New York symbol DEO; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; ADRs outstanding: 627.8 million; Market cap: $78.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.2; Dividend yield: 2.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.diageo.com) is the world’s largest maker of spirits. Its major brands include Guinness stout, Smirnoff vodka and Captain Morgan rum.

In the first six months of its 2014 fiscal year, which ended December 31, 2013, Diageo’s sales fell 0.7%, to 5.9 billion British pounds from 6.0 billion a year earlier (1 pound = $1.86 Canadian).

Gains in Latin America (up 8%), North America (up 5%) and Africa (up 2%) offset weakness in Asia (down 6%) and Western Europe (down 1%).
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YUM! BRANDS INC. $73 (New York symbol YUM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 442.9 million; Market cap: $32.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; Dividend yield: 2.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.yum .com) will soon start selling breakfast foods and coffee through 5,500 of its Taco Bell outlets in the U.S.

The new breakfast menu features the Waffle Taco, a warm waffle wrapped around either bacon or sausage, with scrambled eggs, cheese and maple syrup. The A.M. Crunchwrap sandwich holds sausage, eggs and cheese inside a soft tortilla shell.

These foods are sure to draw a lot of criticism from health advocates. But that may be part of Yum’s plan to attract media attention and spur sales.
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Improved mobile and cloud growth are priorities for new Microsoft CEO
Technology stocks tend to be riskier than our other recommendations in the Manufacturing & Industry sector. That’s mainly because innovations can quickly make today’s products obsolete....
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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