How To Invest
In addition, Pat thinks then beginner investors should cultivate two important qualities: a healthy sense of skepticism and patience.
Investors should approach all investments with a healthy sense of skepticism. This can help keep you out of fraudulent stocks that masquerade as high-quality stocks. It will also keep you out of legally operated, but poorly managed, companies that promise more than they can possibly deliver.
If you are a new investor, you should also realize that losing patience can cause you to sell your best choices right before a big rise. All too often, investors buy a promising stock just as it enters a period of price stagnation. Even the best-performing stocks run into these unpredictable phases from time to time. They move mainly sideways in a wide range for months or years before their next big rise begins. (Stock brokers often refer to these stocks as “dead money.”)
If you lack patience, you run a big risk of selling your best choices in the midst of one of these phases, prior to the next big move upward. If you lose patience and sell, you are particularly likely to do so in the low end of the trading range, when stock prices have weakened and confidence in the stock has waned.
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MARKET VECTORS VIETNAM ETF $18.84 (New York symbol VNM; buy or sell through brokers) holds shares of Vietnamese companies or foreign firms that get a significant amount of their revenue from Vietnam.
The ETF’s top holdings are Masan Group (food, resources and banking conglomerate), 8.7%; Vincom Corp. (real estate), 7.9%; Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam, 7.6%; Saigon Thuong Tin Commercial Bank, 6.8%; Gamuda Bhd (a Malaysia-based construction group), 5.3%; Minor International (a Thailand- based firm with hotels and fast-food restaurants in Vietnam), 5.2%; and PetroVietnam Technical Services (oil field services), 4.8%.
Market Vectors Vietnam ETF’s industry breakdown is as follows: Financials, 37.6%; Energy, 16.1%; Consumer Staples, 13.3%; Industrials, 11.6%; Consumer Discretionary, 10.6%; Materials, 4.3%; and Utilities, 3.3%. Its expense ratio is 0.76%.
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The ETF’s top holdings are Masan Group (food, resources and banking conglomerate), 8.7%; Vincom Corp. (real estate), 7.9%; Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam, 7.6%; Saigon Thuong Tin Commercial Bank, 6.8%; Gamuda Bhd (a Malaysia-based construction group), 5.3%; Minor International (a Thailand- based firm with hotels and fast-food restaurants in Vietnam), 5.2%; and PetroVietnam Technical Services (oil field services), 4.8%.
Market Vectors Vietnam ETF’s industry breakdown is as follows: Financials, 37.6%; Energy, 16.1%; Consumer Staples, 13.3%; Industrials, 11.6%; Consumer Discretionary, 10.6%; Materials, 4.3%; and Utilities, 3.3%. Its expense ratio is 0.76%.
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ISHARES CHINA LARGE-CAP ETF $42.10 (New York symbol FXI; buy or sell through brokers) is an exchange traded fund that aims to track the FTSE China 50 Index, which is made up of the 50 largest, most liquid Chinese stocks. All of the companies in the index trade on the Hong Kong exchange. Some also trade as American depositary receipts (ADRs) on New York.
The fund’s top holdings are Tencent Holdings, 8.4%; China Construction Bank, 7.9%; China Mobile, 7.7%; Industrial & Commercial Bank, 7.2%; Bank of China, 6.1%; China Life, 4.8%; Ping An Insurance, 4.5%; PetroChina, 4.1%; CNOOC Ltd., 3.9%; China Petroleum and Chemical, 3.7%; Agricultural Bank of China, 2.5%; and China Pacific Insurance, 2.5%.
The fund’s holdings give it the following industry breakdown: Financials, 50.3%; Oil and Gas, 13.8%; Telecommunications, 11.1%; Technology, 9.9%; Consumer Goods, 6.3%; Industrials, 4.2%; and Basic Materials, 2.4%. Its expense ratio is 0.74%.
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The fund’s top holdings are Tencent Holdings, 8.4%; China Construction Bank, 7.9%; China Mobile, 7.7%; Industrial & Commercial Bank, 7.2%; Bank of China, 6.1%; China Life, 4.8%; Ping An Insurance, 4.5%; PetroChina, 4.1%; CNOOC Ltd., 3.9%; China Petroleum and Chemical, 3.7%; Agricultural Bank of China, 2.5%; and China Pacific Insurance, 2.5%.
The fund’s holdings give it the following industry breakdown: Financials, 50.3%; Oil and Gas, 13.8%; Telecommunications, 11.1%; Technology, 9.9%; Consumer Goods, 6.3%; Industrials, 4.2%; and Basic Materials, 2.4%. Its expense ratio is 0.74%.
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PENGROWTH ENERGY $3.35 (Toronto symbol PGF; Shares outstanding: 530.1 million; Market cap: $1.8 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 14.3%; www.pengrowth.com) has started injecting steam into its Lindbergh oil sands project in Alberta to loosen the tar-like bitumen and pump it to the surface.
Pengrowth believes that Lindbergh’s low operating costs will let it generate positive cash flow, even at today’s depressed oil prices.
As well, now that construction on Lindbergh has ended, the company’s 2015 capital spending will fall sharply from the $740 million to $770 million it probably spent in 2014.
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Pengrowth believes that Lindbergh’s low operating costs will let it generate positive cash flow, even at today’s depressed oil prices.
As well, now that construction on Lindbergh has ended, the company’s 2015 capital spending will fall sharply from the $740 million to $770 million it probably spent in 2014.
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Every Thursday we bring you one of our best U.S. stock picks. You get our specific recommendation on the stocks we profile, with a full explanation of how we arrived at our opinion. You will read about stocks making moves you should know about, most often from coverage in our newsletter on U.S. investing, Wall Street Stock Forecaster.
In August 2014, Gannett announced it would split into two companies. One will focus on newspapers and their associated websites, and the other will hold its TV stations and stand-alone websites.
The stock is down 11% since the spinoff announcement, mainly because investors are worried about falling advertising revenue.
Still, studies have shown that after the first few months, spinoffs tend to outperform groups of comparable stocks for several years. That’s mainly because companies will only take on the costs of a spinoff when they have reason to believe it will boost the value of both the new and remaining businesses.
GANNETT CO., INC. (New York symbol GCI; www.gannett.com) is the largest newspaper publisher in the U.S., with 82 dailies, including USAToday, its flagship paper.
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In August 2014, Gannett announced it would split into two companies. One will focus on newspapers and their associated websites, and the other will hold its TV stations and stand-alone websites.
The stock is down 11% since the spinoff announcement, mainly because investors are worried about falling advertising revenue.
Still, studies have shown that after the first few months, spinoffs tend to outperform groups of comparable stocks for several years. That’s mainly because companies will only take on the costs of a spinoff when they have reason to believe it will boost the value of both the new and remaining businesses.
GANNETT CO., INC. (New York symbol GCI; www.gannett.com) is the largest newspaper publisher in the U.S., with 82 dailies, including USAToday, its flagship paper.
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BCE INC. $54.40 (Toronto symbol BCE; Shares outstanding: 839.6 million; Market cap: $44.9 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.5%; www.bce.ca) recently agreed to buy Glentel Inc. (Toronto symbol GLN) for $670 million.
Glentel sells mobile phones and subscription plans through 494 Canadian stores, mainly under the Wireless Wave banner. Glentel also has 735 U.S. outlets and 147 in Australia and the Philippines.
However, rival wireless carrier Rogers Communications (Toronto symbol RCI.B) legally challenged the takeover. Rogers claims that its existing deal with Glentel gives it the right to block any change in control.
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Glentel sells mobile phones and subscription plans through 494 Canadian stores, mainly under the Wireless Wave banner. Glentel also has 735 U.S. outlets and 147 in Australia and the Philippines.
However, rival wireless carrier Rogers Communications (Toronto symbol RCI.B) legally challenged the takeover. Rogers claims that its existing deal with Glentel gives it the right to block any change in control.
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POWERSHARES QQQ ETF $101.36 (Nasdaq symbol QQQQ; buy or sell through brokers; www.invescopowershares- .com), formerly called Nasdaq 100 Trust Shares, holds stocks that represent the Nasdaq 100 Index, which consists of the 100 largest shares on the Nasdaq exchange, based on market cap.
The Nasdaq 100 Index contains shares of companies in a number of major industries, including computer hardware and software, telecommunications, retail/wholesale trade and biotechnology. It does not contain financial companies. The fund’s expenses are about 0.20% of its assets.
The index’s highest-weighted stocks are Apple, Microsoft, Amgen, Google, Cisco Systems, Intel, Amazon.com, Gilead Sciences, Comcast Corp. and Facebook.
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The Nasdaq 100 Index contains shares of companies in a number of major industries, including computer hardware and software, telecommunications, retail/wholesale trade and biotechnology. It does not contain financial companies. The fund’s expenses are about 0.20% of its assets.
The index’s highest-weighted stocks are Apple, Microsoft, Amgen, Google, Cisco Systems, Intel, Amazon.com, Gilead Sciences, Comcast Corp. and Facebook.
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SPDR S&P 500 ETF $202.31 (New York symbol SPY; buy or sell through brokers; www.spdrs.com) holds the stocks in the S&P 500 Index, which consists of 500 major U.S. companies that are chosen based on their market cap, liquidity and industry group.
The index’s highest-weighted stocks are Apple, ExxonMobil, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, J.P. Morgan Chase, Chevron, General Electric, Berkshire Hathaway, and Wells Fargo & Co. The fund’s expenses are just 0.10% of its assets.
If you want exposure to the S&P 500 Index, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF is a buy.
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The index’s highest-weighted stocks are Apple, ExxonMobil, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, J.P. Morgan Chase, Chevron, General Electric, Berkshire Hathaway, and Wells Fargo & Co. The fund’s expenses are just 0.10% of its assets.
If you want exposure to the S&P 500 Index, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF is a buy.
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ISHARES CANADIAN SELECT DIVIDEND INDEX ETF $24.27 (Toronto symbol XDV; buy or sell through brokers; ca.ishares.com) holds 30 of the highestyielding Canadian stocks. Its selections are based on dividend growth, yield and payout ratio. The weight of any one stock is limited to 10% of the ETF’s assets. The fund’s MER is 0.55%, and it yields 3.9%.
The fund’s top holdings are CIBC, 7.3%; TD Bank, 6.8%, National Bank, 6.7%; Bank of Montreal, 6.1%; Royal Bank, 5.5%; BCE, 4.8%; Ag Growth International, 4.6%; Bank of Nova Scotia, 4.5%; Bonterra Energy, 4.2%; and Laurentian Bank of Canada, 3.9%.
The ETF holds 55.2% of its assets in financial stocks. The top Canadian finance stocks have sound prospects. However, if you invest in this ETF, be sure to adjust the rest of your portfolio so it won’t be overly concentrated in the financial sector.
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The fund’s top holdings are CIBC, 7.3%; TD Bank, 6.8%, National Bank, 6.7%; Bank of Montreal, 6.1%; Royal Bank, 5.5%; BCE, 4.8%; Ag Growth International, 4.6%; Bank of Nova Scotia, 4.5%; Bonterra Energy, 4.2%; and Laurentian Bank of Canada, 3.9%.
The ETF holds 55.2% of its assets in financial stocks. The top Canadian finance stocks have sound prospects. However, if you invest in this ETF, be sure to adjust the rest of your portfolio so it won’t be overly concentrated in the financial sector.
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IBM $155.05 (New York symbol IBM; Shares outstanding: 989.7 million; Market cap: $197.9 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 2.8%; www.ibm.com) has signed several new cloud computing contracts. These deals will help boost its cloud computing revenue to $7 billion in 2015, or about 7% of its total projected revenue of $99 billion.
Among them is a 10-year, $2.0-billion deal to build and manage a cloud platform for ABN Amro, one of the Netherlands’ leading banks.
The company has also signed a seven-year, $1.25-billion contract to build a cloud-based system for U.K.-based advertising agency WPP plc. Under the deal, IBM will combine WPP’s mainframe computers with new remote servers.
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Among them is a 10-year, $2.0-billion deal to build and manage a cloud platform for ABN Amro, one of the Netherlands’ leading banks.
The company has also signed a seven-year, $1.25-billion contract to build a cloud-based system for U.K.-based advertising agency WPP plc. Under the deal, IBM will combine WPP’s mainframe computers with new remote servers.
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VERESEN $16.23 (Toronto symbol VSN; Shares outstanding: 279.6 million; Market cap: $4.7 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 6.2%; www.vereseninc.com) owns pipelines, power plants and gas-processing facilities across North America.
A major holding is 50% of the Alliance gas line, which runs 3,000 kilometres between Chicago and Fort St. John, B.C. Veresen also owns the Alberta Ethane Gathering System, 42.7% of the Aux Sable NGL plant, and the Hythe/Steeprock natural gas gathering and processing complex in the Cutbank Ridge region of Alberta and B.C.
In the quarter ended September 30, 2014, Veresen’s cash flow per share rose 4.5%, to $0.23 from $0.22.
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A major holding is 50% of the Alliance gas line, which runs 3,000 kilometres between Chicago and Fort St. John, B.C. Veresen also owns the Alberta Ethane Gathering System, 42.7% of the Aux Sable NGL plant, and the Hythe/Steeprock natural gas gathering and processing complex in the Cutbank Ridge region of Alberta and B.C.
In the quarter ended September 30, 2014, Veresen’s cash flow per share rose 4.5%, to $0.23 from $0.22.
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