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.

Read More Close
Stantec - Education building image
Companies take different paths to growth. Over the years, this Canadian company has steadily acquired a series of small firms with specialized expertise and integrated them into a large organization that can undertake a wide range of projects. And this year, it has joined the ranks of Canadian dividend stocks. STANTEC INC. (Toronto symbol STN; www.stantec.com) sells a range of consulting, project delivery, design/build and technology services. The company’s clients operate in a wide variety of markets, including industry, environment, transportation and construction. Stantec has over 11,000 employees at 170 locations throughout North America. It also has four international offices....
MCKESSON CORP. $87 (New York symbol MCK; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 246.1 million; Market cap: $21.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.2; Dividend yield: 0.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.mckesson.com) is the largest wholesale drug distributor in the U.S. and Canada. It also owns 49% of Mexico’s largest drug distributor.

McKesson’s customers include 40,000 pharmacies, as well as doctor’s offices, hospitals and clinics. The company also supplies surgical tools and health and beauty products.

McKesson’s revenue rose 20.6%, from $93.0 billion in 2007 to $112.1 billion in 2011 (fiscal years end March 31). Earnings jumped 45.2%, from $881 million in 2007 to $1.3 billion in 2011. Because of fewer shares outstanding, earnings per share shot up 68.2%, from $2.89 in 2007 to $4.86 in 2011.

...
MOLSON COORS BREWING CO. $43 (New York symbol TAP; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 180.6 million; Market cap: $7.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.2; Dividend yield: 3.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.molsoncoors.com) earned $701.5 million, or $3.76 a share, in 2011. That’s up 5.2% from $666.9 million, or $3.56 a share, in 2010.

Sales rose 8.0%, to $3.5 billion from $3.3 billion; the company increased its selling prices in response to rising ingredient costs. That helped it offset a 0.7% drop in beer volume.

The company continues to realize big savings from MillerCoors, its joint venture in the U.S. with rival brewer SABMiller. Combined with savings from its own restructuring plan, Molson Coors cut its costs by $106.6 million in 2011.

...
GENUINE PARTS CO. $63 (New York symbol GPC; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing sector; Shares outstanding: 155.8 million; Market cap: $9.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.8; Dividend yield: 3.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.genpt.com) is buying Virginia-based Quaker City Motor Parts Co. This privately held company distributes auto parts to 271 NAPA retail stores in several mid-Atlantic states. The company aims to close the deal in May 2012.

Genuine Parts didn’t say how much it is paying, but Quaker City will add $300 million to its annual revenue of $12.5 billion. Owning this distributor will also make it easier for the company to increase its sales on the east coast.

As well, the company has raised its quarterly dividend by 10.0%, to $0.495 a share from $0.45. The new annual rate of $1.98 yields 3.1%.

...
SHERWIN-WILLIAMS CO. $107 (New York symbol SHW; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 103.8 million; Market cap: $11.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 1.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.sherwin.com) is North America’s largest paint producer. It also operates 3,450 paint stores, which account for 55% of its sales.

The company earned $441.9 million in 2011, down 4.5% from $462.5 million in 2010. Earnings per share fell 1.7%, to $4.14 from $4.21, on fewer shares outstanding. If you exclude unusual items, such as costs to settle an income tax dispute, earnings per share would have risen 9.9%, to $4.87 from $4.43. Sales rose 12.7%, to $8.8 billion from $7.8 billion.

The stock has gained over 30% in the past year, and now trades at 18.7 times Sherwin’s projected 2012 earnings of $5.72 a share. That’s a high p/e ratio for a company that is so closely tied to the U.S. housing market. Rising oil prices could also squeeze Sherwin’s profit margins (the company uses oil to make its paint).

...
WAL-MART STORES INC. $61 (New York symbol WMT; Conservative Growth Portfolio: Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 3.4 billion; Market cap: $207.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.walmart.com) is launching a new service that will let its customers upload their DVD and Blu-ray movies to its computer servers. That will let them download their movies from anywhere, and watch them on any device.

Demand for this new service could be strong, particularly as more people use tablet computers and smartphones to watch videos online. It will also help draw more customers to Wal-Mart’s VUDU website, which lets users purchase and download movies.

Wal-Mart is a buy.

...
NEWMONT MINING CORP. $53 (New York symbol NEM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 495.1 million; Market cap: $26.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.newmont.com) stopped construction of its 51.35%-owned Conga gold/copper mine in Peru in November 2011. The move was in response to protests by local farmers who fear the mine will contaminate water supplies.

An independent group is now reviewing the mine’s environmental impact, and should release its report in April 2012. Meanwhile, Newmont has cut 6,000 jobs at Conga. That will lower its losses until it can restart the project.

Newmont is a buy.

...
THE BOEING CO. $75 (New York symbol BA; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 745.7 million; Market cap: $55.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.8; Dividend yield: 2.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.boeing.com) has been forced to slow production of its new 787 Dreamliner passenger jet to fix a minor problem on the fuselages of some planes. Even with this delay, Boeing still feels it will deliver 30 to 40 of these aircraft in 2012.

Demand for Boeing’s other planes is also rising. As a result, its 2011 revenue rose 6.9%, to $68.7 billion from $64.3 billion in 2010. Earnings rose 21.1%, to $4.0 billion from $3.3 billion. Due to more shares outstanding, earnings per share rose 19.5%, to $5.33 from $4.46. Without a favourable tax gain, Boeing would have earned $4.81 a share in 2011.

The company expects to deliver 585 to 600 aircraft in 2012, up from 477 in 2011. However, proposed cuts to U.S. military spending could limit Boeing’s 2012 earnings to $4.52 a share. The stock trades at 16.6 times that figure.

...
UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP. $83 (New York symbol UTX; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 908.9 million; Market cap: $75.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 2.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.utc.com) aims to complete its purchase of Goodrich Corp. (New York symbol GR) later this year. Goodrich makes a wide range of aircraft parts, including landing gear, wheels and brakes. It also maintains and repairs planes. United Technologies is paying a total of $18.4 billion, including $1.9 billion of Goodrich’s debt.

Goodrich looks like a good fit with United Technologies’ other aerospace operations: Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines; Hamilton Sundstrand aircraft controls; and Sikorsky helicopters. Goodrich will add $8 billion to United Technologies’ yearly revenue.

Meanwhile, the company earned $5.0 billion in 2011, up 13.9% from $4.4 billion in 2010. Earnings per share rose 15.8%, to $5.49 from $4.74, on fewer shares outstanding. If you exclude writedowns of investments and other unusual items, earnings per share would have risen 9.9%, to $5.53 from $5.03. Revenue rose 7.1%, to $58.2 billion from $54.3 billion.

...
TERADATA CORP. $68 (New York symbol TDC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 168.3 million; Market cap: $11.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.8; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.teradata.com) saw its revenue rise 22.0% in 2011, to $2.4 billion from $1.9 billion in 2010. Earnings per share rose 24.7%, to $2.32 from $1.86.

The company should continue to profit from strong demand for its analytics services, which help businesses gather and analyze large amounts of data, including customer purchasing patterns. However, at over 27 times earnings, the stock could drop suddenly if Teradata’s earnings fail to live up to expectations.

Teradata is a hold.

...