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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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PFIZER INC. $33 (New York symbol PFE; Income Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 6.2 billion; Market cap: $204.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.1; Dividend yield: 3.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.pfizer.com) has agreed to merge with Irish drug maker Allergan plc (New York symbol AGN).
Allergan makes a variety of drugs, including treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, depression, dry eye, enlarged prostate, overactive bladder, cystic fibrosis and bacterial infections. It also makes the anti-wrinkle drug Botox.
Under the deal, Allergan shareholders will receive 11.3 Pfizer shares for each share they hold. That will give them a 44% stake in the combined company, which will be the world’s biggest pharmaceutical maker.
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Allergan makes a variety of drugs, including treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, depression, dry eye, enlarged prostate, overactive bladder, cystic fibrosis and bacterial infections. It also makes the anti-wrinkle drug Botox.
Under the deal, Allergan shareholders will receive 11.3 Pfizer shares for each share they hold. That will give them a 44% stake in the combined company, which will be the world’s biggest pharmaceutical maker.
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CAMPBELL SOUP CO. $53 (New York symbol CPB; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 309.8 million; Market cap: $16.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; Dividend yield: 2.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.campbellsoupcompany.com) is the world’s largest maker of canned soups. It also makes Prego canned pasta and sauces, Pepperidge Farm cookies and V8 vegetable juices. Campbell’s sales were flat, at $7.7 billion, in 2011 and 2012 (fiscal years end July 31). In 2013, it cut its reliance on canned foods through two acquisitions: a $1.55-billion deal for Bolthouse Farms, a producer of carrots, dressings and fruit juices; and $249 million for organic food maker Plum.
These additions increased sales to $8.3 billion in 2014. However, unfavourable currency rates cut sales to $8.1 billion in 2015.
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These additions increased sales to $8.3 billion in 2014. However, unfavourable currency rates cut sales to $8.1 billion in 2015.
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CONAGRA FOODS INC. $42 (New York symbol CAG; Income Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 432.9 million; Market cap: $18.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.1; Dividend yield: 2.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.conagrafoods.com) makes packaged foods, including Chef Boyardee canned pasta, Hunt’s tomato sauce, Peter Pan peanut butter, Orville Redenbacher popcorn and Reddi-wip whipped cream.
Consumers supply 70% of ConAgra’s sales. Businesses, including restaurants and other food makers, provide the remaining 30%. ConAgra’s sales jumped 44.2%, from $12.3 billion in 2011 to $17.7 billion in 2014 (fiscal years end May 31). That’s mainly due to its $4.75-billion acquisition of Ralcorp Holdings, the largest privatelabel food maker in the U.S., in January 2013.
However, the purchase didn’t work out as ConAgra hoped, so the company agreed to sell most of the Ralcorp business to TreeHouse Foods (New York symbol THS) for $2.7 billion in November 2015. Excluding Ralcorp, ConAgra’s overall sales fell to $15.8 billion in fiscal 2015.
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Consumers supply 70% of ConAgra’s sales. Businesses, including restaurants and other food makers, provide the remaining 30%. ConAgra’s sales jumped 44.2%, from $12.3 billion in 2011 to $17.7 billion in 2014 (fiscal years end May 31). That’s mainly due to its $4.75-billion acquisition of Ralcorp Holdings, the largest privatelabel food maker in the U.S., in January 2013.
However, the purchase didn’t work out as ConAgra hoped, so the company agreed to sell most of the Ralcorp business to TreeHouse Foods (New York symbol THS) for $2.7 billion in November 2015. Excluding Ralcorp, ConAgra’s overall sales fell to $15.8 billion in fiscal 2015.
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BCE INC. $57 (Toronto symbol BCE; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 849.4 million; Market cap: $48.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.3; Dividend yield: 4.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.bce.ca) continues to benefit from strong demand for its wireless and high-speed Fibe Internet and TV services. In the quarter ended September 30, 2015, BCE’s earnings rose 21.9%, to $790 million from $648 million a year earlier. Per-share profits gained just 12.0%, to $0.93 from $0.83, on more shares outstanding. Revenue rose 2.9%, to $5.3 billion from $5.2 billion. The company added 77,655 new wireless subscribers under long-term contracts, net of cancellations, beating the consensus forecast of 77,400. Most of these customers use smartphones, which generate higher monthly fees than regular cellphones....