Latest Stock Advice
Nutrien Ltd. offers exposure to potash and nitrogen prices, a stable retail base and strong profitability.
Toromont Industries Ltd. should see continued earnings growth thanks to its leading market share and Canada’s plan to increase spending on infrastructure projects.
Top pick Barrick Mining just raised its dividend a whopping 140% as it generates record earnings and continues its strategic asset reorganization.
Warner Music Group Corp. is well-positioned for higher-margin catalog revenues, added streaming adoption, and new AI monetization opportunities.
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In our January 19 Inner Circle, I said “…several ominous factors are weighing on the market right now, in addition to the U.S. presidential election. These include the outlook for interest rates; the trend in prices for oil and other commodities; the rise in terrorist activity; the Chinese economic slowdown; and the sharp rise in the U.S. dollar and corresponding drop in the Canadian dollar… “The market is likely to remain volatile, thanks to these ominous factors. But high-quality dividend-paying stocks offer higher current returns than most fixed-return investments. These stocks also provide a hedge against inflation. This combination gives investors a strong incentive to hang on to their stocks as long-term investments. It gives them an incentive to buy more stocks when prices drop, as they have recently. “All in all, now is a good time to invest in a Successful Investor-style portfolio. My view is that prices will be higher by the end of the year. By then, we’ll be able re-evaluate the market outlook, in light of who wins the presidential election this November.”...
Parkland Fuel Corp., $21.35, symbol PKI on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 94.1 million; Market cap: $2.0 billion, www.parkland.ca), operates gas stations, convenience stores and a fuel-distribution business, mostly in Western Canada and Ontario. It was called Parkland Income Fund before it converted to a dividend-paying corporation on December 31, 2010. The company owns 312 rural gas stations and convenience stores. Its brands include Fas Gas Plus, Race Trac Gas and Short Stop. Many of Parkland’s stations sell propane in addition to gasoline and diesel fuel. Parkland also operates Esso stations in Western Canada and Ontario under a licensing deal with Imperial Oil (symbol IMO on Toronto). In addition, it has an agreement to use the Chevron brand in B.C....
Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund, $18.51, symbol BPF.UN on Toronto, (Units outstanding: 20.4 million; Market cap: $379.8 million; www.bpincomefund.com) holds certain trademarks and trade names used by Boston Pizza International at its Boston Pizza restaurants in Canada (but not including the U.S. and Mexico). The trademarks are licensed to Boston Pizza International for 99 years, for which Boston Pizza International pays the fund 4% of the franchise revenues of the 372 Boston Pizza restaurants in Canada. The fund first sold units to the public at $10 each and began trading on Toronto in July 2002. The fund’s royalty income grows from rising same-store sales, and from the opening of new Boston Pizza restaurants in Canada. Over the last year, Boston Pizza opened 12 new restaurants in Canada and closed six, raising its total to 372 from 366....
Qualcomm Inc., $52.03, symbol QCOM on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 1.5 billion; Market cap: $78.1 billion; www.qualcomm.com) makes computer chips that are mainly used in cellphones and other mobile devices. The company owns the dominant wireless network standard in the U.S.—CDMA, or code division multiple access. But Qualcomm also makes chips that are widely used outside of North America. That technology is based on the GSM (global system for mobile communications) standard. Qualcomm is a “fabless” company; that is, it doesn’t own any chip fabrication factories. Instead, it designs its chips and relies on other companies to make them. That business model cuts the company’s capital spending needs, but adds to its risk, particularly if the suppliers deliver chips late or with defects....