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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3M COMPANY $110 (New York symbol MMM; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 690.2 million; Market cap: $75.9 billion; Priceto- sales ratio: 2.5; Dividend yield: 2.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.3m.com) makes over 55,000 consumer and industrial products.
The company plans to spend 6% of its revenue on research by 2017, up from 5.5% in 2012. That will slow 3M’s earnings growth, but it has a long history of developing successful new products. Right now, 34% of the company’s revenue comes from items it has launched in the past five years. The extra research spending should raise this figure to 40% by 2017.
3M is a buy.
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The company plans to spend 6% of its revenue on research by 2017, up from 5.5% in 2012. That will slow 3M’s earnings growth, but it has a long history of developing successful new products. Right now, 34% of the company’s revenue comes from items it has launched in the past five years. The extra research spending should raise this figure to 40% by 2017.
3M is a buy.
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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: 0.7; Dividend yield: 2.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.honda.com) sold 255,540 cars in China in the first five months of 2013. That’s down 2.4% from the same period a year earlier. Chinese consumers continue to boycott Japanese products because of a dispute between the two countries over several small islands in the East China Sea.
The company hopes to spur sales by launching 12 new models in China by 2015. These cars will have a number of new features, including better pollution control and safety equipment. In addition, Honda will move some of its research activities to China and buy more parts from local suppliers.
Honda is a buy.
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The company hopes to spur sales by launching 12 new models in China by 2015. These cars will have a number of new features, including better pollution control and safety equipment. In addition, Honda will move some of its research activities to China and buy more parts from local suppliers.
Honda is a buy.
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ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND CO. $34 (New York symbol ADM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 658.8 million; Market cap: $22.4 billion; Priceto- sales ratio: 0.2; Dividend yield: 2.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.adm.com) is looking to sell its cocoa business, which sells cocoa powder, cocoa butter and related ingredients to chocolate and confectionery makers. This operation accounts for about 4% of the company’s sales.
The cocoa business’s profits have suffered lately, because high inventories have depressed prices. Selling it would give Archer around $2 billion that it can put toward its upcoming $3.4-billion purchase of the remaining 80.2% of GrainCorp, a leading Australian grain-storage and shipping company.
Archer Daniels Midland is a buy....
The cocoa business’s profits have suffered lately, because high inventories have depressed prices. Selling it would give Archer around $2 billion that it can put toward its upcoming $3.4-billion purchase of the remaining 80.2% of GrainCorp, a leading Australian grain-storage and shipping company.
Archer Daniels Midland is a buy....
ALLIANT ENERGY CORP. $49 (New York symbol LNT; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 119.6 million; Market cap: $5.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.7; Dividend yield: 3.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.alliantenergy.com) sells electricity and natural gas to 1.4 million residential and business customers in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota.
Like Ameren (see left), Alliant benefited from colder- than-normal winter weather. The company earned $79.3 million, or $0.72 a share, in the first quarter of 2013, up 45.5% from $54.5 million, or $0.50 a share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 12.3%, to $859.6 million from $765.7 million.
Recent rate hikes in Iowa will help offset lower rates in Wisconsin. That should push up Alliant’s earnings to $3.30 a share in 2013 from $3.05 in 2012. The stock trades at a reasonable 14.8 times that estimate. The $1.88 dividend yields 3.8%.
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Like Ameren (see left), Alliant benefited from colder- than-normal winter weather. The company earned $79.3 million, or $0.72 a share, in the first quarter of 2013, up 45.5% from $54.5 million, or $0.50 a share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 12.3%, to $859.6 million from $765.7 million.
Recent rate hikes in Iowa will help offset lower rates in Wisconsin. That should push up Alliant’s earnings to $3.30 a share in 2013 from $3.05 in 2012. The stock trades at a reasonable 14.8 times that estimate. The $1.88 dividend yields 3.8%.
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AMEREN CORP. $34 (New York symbol AEE; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 242.6 million; Market cap: $8.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 4.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.ameren.com) sells power and natural gas to 3.3 million customers in Illinois and Missouri.
The company is selling its energy marketing business and five of its non-regulated coal-fired power plants in Illinois to Dynegy Inc. (New York symbol DYN). It aims to complete the sale in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Ameren’s unregulated power plants supply 20% of its revenue. However, power demand has fallen in Illinois, and Ameren is paying more to comply with stricter environmental regulations. That has cut these plants’profits.
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The company is selling its energy marketing business and five of its non-regulated coal-fired power plants in Illinois to Dynegy Inc. (New York symbol DYN). It aims to complete the sale in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Ameren’s unregulated power plants supply 20% of its revenue. However, power demand has fallen in Illinois, and Ameren is paying more to comply with stricter environmental regulations. That has cut these plants’profits.
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NCR CORP. $33 (New York symbol NCR; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 164.4 million; Market cap: $5.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.9; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.ncr.com) is a leading maker of automated teller machines (ATMs), checkout scanners, cash registers and self-serve kiosks.
In February 2013, the company paid $791 million for Israel-based Retalix, whose software helps retailers manage their sales and track inventories. Retailers with a combined 70,000 locations in over 50 countries use Retalix’s products. NCR feels Retalix’s expertise will improve its point-of-sale terminals and self-serve kiosks.
In the three months ended March 31, 2013, Retalix contributed $50 million to NCR’s revenue. That helped push up the total by 13.3% in the latest quarter, to $1.4 billion from $1.2 billion a year earlier. The acquisition should add $255 million to the company’s full-year revenue.
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In February 2013, the company paid $791 million for Israel-based Retalix, whose software helps retailers manage their sales and track inventories. Retailers with a combined 70,000 locations in over 50 countries use Retalix’s products. NCR feels Retalix’s expertise will improve its point-of-sale terminals and self-serve kiosks.
In the three months ended March 31, 2013, Retalix contributed $50 million to NCR’s revenue. That helped push up the total by 13.3% in the latest quarter, to $1.4 billion from $1.2 billion a year earlier. The acquisition should add $255 million to the company’s full-year revenue.
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STANLEY BLACK & DECKER INC. $77 (New York symbol SWK; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 161.9 million; Market cap: $12.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 2.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.stanleyblackanddecker.com) earned $163.1 million in the first quarter of 2013, down 1.3% from $165.2 million a year earlier.
Due to fewer shares outstanding, earnings per share rose 5.1% to $1.03. These figures exclude costs to integrate its $826.4-million purchase of Infastech, a Hong Kong-based fastener maker that serves automotive, electronic, aerospace and construction clients. Infastech should add $0.20 a share to Stanley’s yearly earnings.
Sales rose 2.5%, to $2.5 billion from $2.4 billion. Infastech’s contribution offset weaker sales of tools and other products and the negative impact of exchange rates.
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Due to fewer shares outstanding, earnings per share rose 5.1% to $1.03. These figures exclude costs to integrate its $826.4-million purchase of Infastech, a Hong Kong-based fastener maker that serves automotive, electronic, aerospace and construction clients. Infastech should add $0.20 a share to Stanley’s yearly earnings.
Sales rose 2.5%, to $2.5 billion from $2.4 billion. Infastech’s contribution offset weaker sales of tools and other products and the negative impact of exchange rates.
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TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC. $35 (Nasdaq symbol TXN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 1.1 billion; Market cap: $38.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.2; Dividend yield: 3.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.ti.com) continues to benefit from its focus on analog chips, which convert inputs like touch, sound and pressure into electronic signals. Carmakers and other industrial clients continue to buy more of these chips from the company. However, its sales to makers of computers and video game consoles remain weak.
The company recently said that it expects revenue of $2.99 billion to $3.11 billion in the second quarter of 2013. The midpoint of that range— $3.05 billion— missed the consensus estimate of $3.06 billion. The company also expects earnings of $0.39 to $0.43 a share. The midpoint of $0.41 matched the consensus forecast.
Texas Instruments is a hold....
The company recently said that it expects revenue of $2.99 billion to $3.11 billion in the second quarter of 2013. The midpoint of that range— $3.05 billion— missed the consensus estimate of $3.06 billion. The company also expects earnings of $0.39 to $0.43 a share. The midpoint of $0.41 matched the consensus forecast.
Texas Instruments is a hold....
ENCANA CORP. $17 (New York symbol ECA;Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector;Shares outstanding: 735.5 million; Market cap: $12.5billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.9; Dividend yield: 4.7%;TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.encana.com) is amajor North American natural gas producer that isincreasing its oil output.
In the quarter ended March 31, 2013, Encana’s oilproduction rose 48.5%, to 43,500 barrels a day from29,300 a year earlier. Encana expects to increase its oilproduction to 70,000 to 75,000 barrels a day by theend of 2013. It sold some of its U.S. gas properties in2012, so gas production fell 12.1% in the quarter. Gasstill accounted for 92% of Encana’s output.
Due to lower oil and gas prices, Encana’s earningsfell 25.4%, to $179 million from $240 million a yearearlier. Earnings per share declined 27.3%, to $0.24from $0.33, on slightly fewer shares outstanding.These figures exclude several unusual items, particularlygains related to hedging. Cash flow per share fell43.2%, to $0.79 from $1.39. Revenue declined 41.1%,to $1.1 billion from $1.8 billion.
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In the quarter ended March 31, 2013, Encana’s oilproduction rose 48.5%, to 43,500 barrels a day from29,300 a year earlier. Encana expects to increase its oilproduction to 70,000 to 75,000 barrels a day by theend of 2013. It sold some of its U.S. gas properties in2012, so gas production fell 12.1% in the quarter. Gasstill accounted for 92% of Encana’s output.
Due to lower oil and gas prices, Encana’s earningsfell 25.4%, to $179 million from $240 million a yearearlier. Earnings per share declined 27.3%, to $0.24from $0.33, on slightly fewer shares outstanding.These figures exclude several unusual items, particularlygains related to hedging. Cash flow per share fell43.2%, to $0.79 from $1.39. Revenue declined 41.1%,to $1.1 billion from $1.8 billion.
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CENOVUS ENERGY INC.$28 (New York symbol CVE;Conservative Growth Portfolio,Resources sector; Sharesoutstanding: 755.6 million;Market cap: $21.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 3.3%; TSINetworkRating: Average; www.cenovus.com) gets half itsoutput from the western Canadian oil sands.Conventional oil and gas wells supply the other half.
U.S.-based Phillips 66 (New York symbol PSX)owns 50% of Cenovus’s main Foster Creek and ChristinaLake oil sands projects in Alberta. These assetsproduce heavy bitumen, which Cenovus ships to its50%-owned refineries in Illinois and Texas. Phillips 66owns the other 50% of these operations.
In the first three months of 2013, Cenovus produced271,100 barrels of oil equivalent a day (66% oil and34% gas), up 3.1% from 262,900 barrels a year earlier.However, lower oil prices cut Cenovus’s revenueby 5.4%, to $4.3 billion from $4.6 billion a year earlier(all amounts except share price and market cap inCanadian dollars).
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U.S.-based Phillips 66 (New York symbol PSX)owns 50% of Cenovus’s main Foster Creek and ChristinaLake oil sands projects in Alberta. These assetsproduce heavy bitumen, which Cenovus ships to its50%-owned refineries in Illinois and Texas. Phillips 66owns the other 50% of these operations.
In the first three months of 2013, Cenovus produced271,100 barrels of oil equivalent a day (66% oil and34% gas), up 3.1% from 262,900 barrels a year earlier.However, lower oil prices cut Cenovus’s revenueby 5.4%, to $4.3 billion from $4.6 billion a year earlier(all amounts except share price and market cap inCanadian dollars).
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