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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Genuine Parts paid $150 million for 30% of Exego in January 2012. It will pay $800 million for the remaining 70% when the deal closes in April 2013.
This is a big purchase for Genuine Parts, which earned $648.0 million, or $4.14 a share, in 2012. However, Exego is profitable, and this purchase will cut the company’s reliance on North America, which accounts for nearly all of its sales.
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Texas Instruments now expects revenue of $2.80 billion to $2.91 billion in the first quarter of 2013. That’s up from its earlier forecast of $2.69 billion to $2.91 billion. It also expects to earn $0.28 to $0.32 a share in the quarter, up from its prior forecast of $0.24 to $0.32.
As well, Texas Instruments has raised its quarterly dividend by 33.3%, to $0.28 a share from $0.21. The new annual rate of $1.12 yields 3.2%. The company also added $5 billion to its share repurchase authorization. It can now buy back up to $8.4 billion of its shares, or 22% of its market cap. There is no time limit for these purchases.
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As a result, the company raised its quarterly dividend by 15.0%, to $0.23 a share from $0.20. The new annual rate of $0.92 yields 1.4%. Amex also announced that it would buy back $4.0 billion worth of its shares in 2013, and $1 billion more in the first quarter of 2014.
American Express is a buy.
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The company is also profiting from strong demand for sweeteners and soybean products. That let it raise its its dividend by 8.6%. The new annual rate of $0.76 a share yields 2.3%.
Archer Daniels Midland is a buy....
In 2012, Newmont sold its gold for an average of $1,662 an ounce, up 6.4% from $1,562 in 2011. But production fell 4.9%, to 5.6 million ounces from 5.9 million. That’s because it had to cut production at its 31.5%-owned Batu Hijau gold/copper project in Indonesia as the mine prepares to open a new phase in 2014.
As a result of the lower production, Newmont’s revenue fell 4.7% to $9.9 billion from $10.4 billion. Rising operating costs and higher royalty payments have also pushed up Newmont’s cost per ounce by 14.6%, to $677 from $591. That cut its 2012 earnings by 14.7%, to $1.85 billion, or $3.73 a share. In 2011, it earned $2.2 billion, or $4.39 a share.
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These upgrades will help the department-store operator handle an increase in purchases from customers using mobile devices. In the past year, mobile sales accounted for 20% of its online orders.
Nordstrom is a buy....
As part of an ongoing restructuring, Jones closed 103 stores in 2012, and plans to close more in 2013. It’s also improving the quality of its products and making acquisitions. For example, in June 2012 it paid $5.5 million for the rights to upscale shoes by designer Brain Atwood.
Even with these new businesses, Jones’s sales rose just 0.3% in 2012, to $3.80 billion from $3.79 billion in 2011. Higher costs for cotton and labour caused its earnings to fall 11.3%, to $93.7 million from $105.6 million. Due to fewer shares outstanding, earnings per share fell just 4.6%, to $1.24 from $1.30.
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Limited is restructuring the La Senza lingerie chain in Canada, including closing a third of its stores (it now has 158 outlets) and shifting its focus to younger shoppers.
In its 2013 fiscal year, which ended February 2, 2013, Limited’s sales rose just 0.9%, to $10.5 billion from $10.4 billion in 2012. That’s mainly because it closed 65 stores, bringing its total down to 2,876. However, same-store sales rose 6%, including 7% gains at both the Victoria’s Secret division, which includes La Senza, and Bath & Body Works.
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Thanks to this new business, Stanley now gets 16% of its revenue from emerging markets like Asia and Latin America. It aims to raise this to 20% by 2015.
Stanley Black & Decker is a buy....
Thanks to the huge success of the iPhone and iPad, as well as the star power of the late Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder and CEO, the company became a media and broker favourite. However, increasing competition from devices powered by Google’s Android software have hurt Apple’s appeal.
The company still has a loyal customer base and will probably use some of its $137.1 billion in cash and investments to increase is dividend and buy back shares. Even so, the stock will continue to have trouble living up to investors’high expectations.
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