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CGI Inc. investors continue to benefit from organic growth and accretive acquisitions, with a downside cushion from a contract‑driven, government‑heavy base.
Top pick Walmart Inc.’s earnings are projected to grow by double digits in 2027 while the stock boasts a “quality premium” to reflect its successful tech pivot.
Intact Financial Corp. is a #1 Power Buy for 2026 as it continues to demonstrate excellence in its field as Canada’s largest property and casualty insurer.
Telus Corp. offers an exceptional 9.0% yield as it seeks to pay down debt while pursuing attractive value-unlock ventures including AI datacentres.
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POTASH CORP. OF SASKATCHEWAN $25 (Toronto symbol POT; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 836.6 million; Market cap: $20.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.5; Dividend yield: 5.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.potashcorp.com) continues to see weak demand and prices for its potash and other fertilizers. In response, the company will suspend production at two of its Saskatchewan mines for one month. That will reduce its 2016 output by 400,000 tonnes; in 2015, it sold 8.8 million tonnes. These latest closures are in addition to the company’s recent decision to shut down its potash mine in Picadilly, New Brunswick. Potash Corp. is still a hold.
These two leading food makers continue to benefit from the recent drop in the Canadian dollar, which enhances the value of their overseas sales. However, both trade at high multiples to their projected earnings. That could hurt their share prices if the dollar rebounds. SAPUTO INC. $40 (Toronto symbol SAP; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 392.9 million; Market cap: $15.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.5; Dividend yield: 1.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.saputo.com) is Canada’s largest producer of dairy products, including milk, butter and cheese. It also operates dairies in the U.S., Australia and Argentina. The company’s sales rose 2.8% in its fiscal 2016 third quarter, which ended December 31, 2015, to $2.9 billion from $2.8 billion a year earlier. It gets 65% of its sales from outside Canada, and the lower Canadian dollar added $261 million to the latest quarter’s sales. Lower selling prices for cheese and butter cut sales by $191 million....
SHAWCOR LTD. $28 (Toronto symbol SCL; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 64.5 million; Market cap: $1.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.0; Dividend yield: 2.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.shawcor.com) makes sealants and coatings that keep oil and gas pipelines from rusting. It also makes electrical wire and protective sheaths. In 2015, its revenue fell 4.2%, to $1.8 billion from the $1.9 billion in 2014. That’s because weaker demand for its pipeline coating services offset the benefit of the low Canadian dollar. Favourable exchange rates added $106.5 million to ShawCor’s revenue in 2015. Earnings rose 3.6%, to $98.2 million from $94.9 million, thanks to fewer losses from its joint ventures. Due to more shares outstanding, per-share profits fell 0.7%, to $1.52 from $1.53. ShawCor’s backlog was $452 million at the end of 2015. Currently, it has $900 million worth of bids outstanding on new jobs. It also expects to bid on an additional $500 million worth of contracts. ShawCor’s strong reputation should continue to help it win bids....
TRANSCANADA CORP. $49 (Toronto symbol TRP; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 702.3 million; Market cap: $34.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.1; Dividend yield: 4.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.transcanada.com) has cancelled its contracts to buy electricity from three coal-fired power plants in Alberta. That’s because higher costs to comply with the province’s new carbon taxes and emission controls have hurt the profitability of these deals. As a result, TransCanada will record a non-cash, after-tax charge of $175 million. That’s equal to 10% of its 2015 earnings of $1.8 billion, or $2.48 a share. However, cancelling these deals will improve its cash flow and earnings. TransCanada is a buy.