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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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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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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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 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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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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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, 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, 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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This company runs the BIG loyalty program for Malaysian-based AirAsia Berhad and its affiliate, the Tune Group, a hotel operator.
Aimia says it will pay $17 million for its stake, plus an additional $7 million if certain milestones are met by the end of 2015.
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In March 2012, BMTC introduced a new banner, EconoMax, which offers lower-priced products. The company rebranded four outlets that had operated as Brault & Martineau liquidation centres.
It opened four more EconoMax stores in 2013, including in Ste-Eustache and Laval in the latest quarter. In the three months ended September 30, 2013, the company’s sales fell 4.2%, to $187.3 million from $195.6 million a year earlier. It earned $0.34 a share in the latest quarter, down 12.8% from $0.39 a share a year ago.
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