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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ALIMENTATION COUCHE-TARD $30.55 (Toronto symbol ATD.B: TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (1-800-361-2612; www.couchetard.com; Shares outstanding: 179.4 million; Market cap: $5.5 billion; Yield: 1.0%) is the largest convenience-store operator in Canada, with 2,000 outlets. It also has over 3,700 U.S. stores. The Canadian stores operate under the Couche-Tard and Mac’s banners, while the U.S. stores mainly use the Circle K brand. The company sells fuel at 72% of its stores.
Couche-Tard’s revenue continues to rise rapidly. Revenue jumped 86.7% between 2006 and 2010, to $19.0 billion from $10.2 billion (all figures except share price and market cap in U.S. dollars). Much of the rise comes from a steady stream of acquisitions. But the company was also able to boost profits with those acquisitions. Earnings per share jumped 106.2% over the same five years, to $2.00 from $0.97. Revenue will likely reach almost $24 billion this year.
Couche-Tard’s earnings per share rose 6.9% in the three months ended October 9, 2011, to $0.62 from $0.58. Sales rose 24.1% to $5.2 billion from $4.1 billion. The gains came from a rise in fuel prices, the stronger Canadian dollar and higher merchandise sales.
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Couche-Tard’s revenue continues to rise rapidly. Revenue jumped 86.7% between 2006 and 2010, to $19.0 billion from $10.2 billion (all figures except share price and market cap in U.S. dollars). Much of the rise comes from a steady stream of acquisitions. But the company was also able to boost profits with those acquisitions. Earnings per share jumped 106.2% over the same five years, to $2.00 from $0.97. Revenue will likely reach almost $24 billion this year.
Couche-Tard’s earnings per share rose 6.9% in the three months ended October 9, 2011, to $0.62 from $0.58. Sales rose 24.1% to $5.2 billion from $4.1 billion. The gains came from a rise in fuel prices, the stronger Canadian dollar and higher merchandise sales.
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Pat McKeough responds to many personal questions on specific stocks and other investing topics from the members of his Inner Circle. Every week, his comments and recommendations on a selection of the most intriguing questions of the past week go out to all Inner Circle members. And every Friday, we offer you one of the highlights from these Q&A sessions. This week, one Inner Circle member asked for an assessment of a company that at times has been one of Canada’s most impressive growth stocks, but has also seen some sharp declines in its shares, as it did in December. Q: Pat: I currently hold a significant portfolio position of Gildan Activewear. At current levels, does Gildan look attractive? Any views? Thanks in advance....
As the post-Christmas shopping season opens, we look at one of the most interesting growth stocks in the retail industry. This stock began by allowing shoppers to buy and sell items from the comfort of their home computers, but it has since aggressively added to the array of online transactions it handles. EBAY INC. (Nasdaq symbol EBAY; www.ebay.com) operates the world’s largest online auction website, with over 99 million users in 39 countries. The company charges users fees to list and sell their goods through its websites....
TUPPERWARE BRANDS CORP. $62 (New York symbol TUP; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 57.4 million; Market cap: $3.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 1.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.tupperwarebrands.com) was our Stock of the Year for 2011.
Like IBM, Tupperware continues to see strong demand for its products, particularly in fast-growing countries like Brazil, Indonesia and Turkey. These markets now supply 63% of the company’s sales.
Also like IBM, Tupperware continues to aggressively repurchase its shares. Buybacks raise earnings per share and other per-share calculations, and give the remaining shareholders a larger stake in the company.
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Like IBM, Tupperware continues to see strong demand for its products, particularly in fast-growing countries like Brazil, Indonesia and Turkey. These markets now supply 63% of the company’s sales.
Also like IBM, Tupperware continues to aggressively repurchase its shares. Buybacks raise earnings per share and other per-share calculations, and give the remaining shareholders a larger stake in the company.
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EBAY INC. $30 (Nasdaq symbol EBAY; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 1.3 billion; Market cap: $39.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.6; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ebay.com) operates the world’s largest online auction website, with over 99 million users in 39 countries. The company charges users fees to list and sell their goods through its websites.
The company also operates several other websites, including StubHub (live event ticket sales), Shopping.com (comparison shopping) and Rent.com (apartment and house rentals).
In all, these websites account for 55% of eBay’s overall revenue. The company gets a further 35% of its revenue by processing online financial transactions, mostly through its PayPal subsidiary.
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The company also operates several other websites, including StubHub (live event ticket sales), Shopping.com (comparison shopping) and Rent.com (apartment and house rentals).
In all, these websites account for 55% of eBay’s overall revenue. The company gets a further 35% of its revenue by processing online financial transactions, mostly through its PayPal subsidiary.
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YUM! BRANDS INC. $58 (New York symbol YUM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 460.5 million; Market cap: $26.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.2; Dividend yield: 2.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.yum.com) continues to expand in China, which now accounts for half of the company’s sales and earnings.
Yum now plans to double its fast-food outlets in China to 9,000 by 2020. The company will focus its expansion on smaller cities, which usually have lower labour and rental costs than larger centres. That should make these new outlets more profitable.
Yum Brands is a buy.
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Yum now plans to double its fast-food outlets in China to 9,000 by 2020. The company will focus its expansion on smaller cities, which usually have lower labour and rental costs than larger centres. That should make these new outlets more profitable.
Yum Brands is a buy.
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PROCTER & GAMBLE CO. $65 (New York symbol PG; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 2.8 billion; Market cap: $182.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.1; Dividend yield: 3.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.pg.com) plans to appeal a $305-million fine by French anti-trust regulators, which accused the company of collaborating with rival firms to set the price of laundry detergent between 1997 and 2004.
The company is appealing because it has already agreed to pay $275 million to settle a similar case with the European Commission. To put these figures in context, Procter earned $3.0 billion, or $1.03 a share, in the three months ended September 30, 2011.
Procter & Gamble is still a buy.
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The company is appealing because it has already agreed to pay $275 million to settle a similar case with the European Commission. To put these figures in context, Procter earned $3.0 billion, or $1.03 a share, in the three months ended September 30, 2011.
Procter & Gamble is still a buy.
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SHERWIN-WILLIAMS CO. $84 (New York symbol SHW; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 103.8 million; Market cap: $8.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.0; Dividend yield: 1.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.sherwinwilliams.com) recently raised its prices to offset the rising cost of oil (Sherwin needs oil to make its paints). That’s partly why its sales rose 14.4% in the quarter ended September 30, 2011, to $2.5 billion from $2.2 billion a year earlier. Recent acquisitions have also fuelled its growth.
However, it will take several months for Sherwin to realize the full benefits of its higher selling prices. Meanwhile, it continues to integrate its recent purchases. As a result, earnings rose a slower pace of 2.6%, to $179.9 million, or $1.71 a share. A year earlier, it earned $175.3 million, or $1.60 a share.
Sherwin recently settled a tax dispute with the IRS. As a result, it will incur a one-time charge of $75.0 million, or $0.72 a share, in the fourth quarter of 2011.
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However, it will take several months for Sherwin to realize the full benefits of its higher selling prices. Meanwhile, it continues to integrate its recent purchases. As a result, earnings rose a slower pace of 2.6%, to $179.9 million, or $1.71 a share. A year earlier, it earned $175.3 million, or $1.60 a share.
Sherwin recently settled a tax dispute with the IRS. As a result, it will incur a one-time charge of $75.0 million, or $0.72 a share, in the fourth quarter of 2011.
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WINDSTREAM CORP. $12 (Nasdaq symbol WIN; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 515.8 million; Market cap: $6.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.5; Dividend yield: 8.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.windstream.com) has completed its purchase of PAETEC Holding Corp., which sells telecommunication services to businesses in 46 states. Windstream paid $891 million in stock and assumed $1.4 billion of PAETEC’s debt. That gives the deal a total value of $2.3 billion.
This is the latest in a series of acquisitions for Windstream. Its recent purchases pushed up its revenue by 6.0% in the third quarter of 2011, to $1.0 billion from $965.8 million a year earlier. However, the costs of integrating these new operations cut its earnings by 16.1%, to $71.5 million, or $0.14 a share, from $85.2 million, or $0.18 a share.
As a result of the PAETEC purchase, Windstream will now get 70% of its revenue from selling highspeed Internet and business services. That cuts its reliance on its slow-growing home phone business. As well, the company can use PAETEC’s losses to lower its tax bill over the next five years. That should let its keep paying quarterly dividends of $0.25 a share, for an 8.3% annualized yield.
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This is the latest in a series of acquisitions for Windstream. Its recent purchases pushed up its revenue by 6.0% in the third quarter of 2011, to $1.0 billion from $965.8 million a year earlier. However, the costs of integrating these new operations cut its earnings by 16.1%, to $71.5 million, or $0.14 a share, from $85.2 million, or $0.18 a share.
As a result of the PAETEC purchase, Windstream will now get 70% of its revenue from selling highspeed Internet and business services. That cuts its reliance on its slow-growing home phone business. As well, the company can use PAETEC’s losses to lower its tax bill over the next five years. That should let its keep paying quarterly dividends of $0.25 a share, for an 8.3% annualized yield.
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CHEVRON CORP. $100 (New York symbol CVX; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 2.0 billion; Market cap: $200.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.8; Dividend yield: 3.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.chevron.com) plans to spend $32.7 billion on capital upgrades in 2012. That’s up 25.8% from the $26.0 billion it will probably spend in 2011.
About 87% of the 2012 spending will go toward oil and gas exploration and upgrades of existing projects and new developments. For example, Chevron’s new liquefied natural gas plants in Australia will increase its daily production by 13% by 2016.
Chevron is a buy.
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About 87% of the 2012 spending will go toward oil and gas exploration and upgrades of existing projects and new developments. For example, Chevron’s new liquefied natural gas plants in Australia will increase its daily production by 13% by 2016.
Chevron is a buy.
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