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.
ARC Resources keeps returning its cash flow to shareholders through a growing dividend and substantial share buybacks.
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VERESEN $8.60 (Toronto symbol VSN; Shares outstanding: 295.8 million; Market cap: $2.6 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Div. yield: 11.6%; www.vereseninc.com) and KKR & Co. LP (symbol KKR on New York) formed a joint venture called Veresen Midstream in late 2014. The partners then bought natural gas gathering and compression assets in northeastern B.C. from Encana and Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp. for $1 billion. As well, Veresen Midstream agreed to undertake a $5-billion expansion for gas producers, including Encana. These developments would be backed by 30-year contracts. That will significantly cut Veresen Midstream’s risk....
The Bank of Canada cut its key interest rate to 0.50% from 0.75% in July 2015. The move came as the Canadian economy slowed along with falling prices for oil and other commodities. Even so, the long-term outlook is for higher interest rates—especially after the U.S. Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate by 0.25% in December 2015 and signaled further increases to come. We continue to advise against investing in bonds right now. That’s because today’s low interest rates make bonds unattractive, and rising rates would push down their future value....
BCE INC. $54.71 (Toronto symbol BCE; Shares outstanding: 849.3 million; Market cap: $46.0 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.8%; www.bce.ca) has reached a deal with video-streaming giant Netflix (symbol NFLX on Nasdaq). Under the agreement, all BCE’s Fibe TV and FibreOP TV subscribers will be able to access their Netflix accounts directly through set-top boxes. Now, instead of buying new equipment or switching TV inputs, Netflix subscribers can just select the Netflix app on their remote controls. Netflix competes with BCE’s CraveTV videostreaming service, but it’s hugely popular, with over four million Canadian subscribers. That gives Fibe an edge over rivals such as Rogers....
CENOVUS ENERGY $17.33 (Toronto symbol CVE; Shares outstanding: 833.2 million; Market cap: $14.5 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 3.7%; www.cenovus.com) plans to spend $1.4 billion to $1.6 billion on upgrades to its oil and gas properties in 2016. That’s down about 19% from $1.8 billion to $1.9 billion in 2015. The company will spend 80% of the funds budgeted for 2016 on maintaining existing wells and refineries. It will use the remaining 20% to expand its oil sands projects. Meantime, Cenovus is doing a good job of cutting costs in response to lower oil prices. For 2016, it expects per-barrel operating costs at its Foster Creek and Christina lake oil sands projects to be 15% lower than 2014....