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ALLIANT ENERGY CORP. $60 (New York symbol LNT; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 113.0 million; Market cap: $6.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.1; Dividend yield: 3.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.alliantenergy.com) sells power and natural gas to 1.4 million clients in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota.

Alliant gets just under half of its power from coalburning plants, so it’s in a better position than Ameren (see left) to comply with new air-quality standards. Even so, it plans to spend $10.0 billion on upgrades over the next eight years. This includes converting coal plants to gas and replacing transmission lines.

Warmer weather has also hurt Alliant’s gas and electricity sales. In the first quarter of 2015, revenue fell 5.8%, to $897.4 million from $952.8 million a year earlier. Earnings declined 10.6%, to $96.6 million, or $0.87 a share, from $108.0 million, or $0.97.

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AMEREN CORP. $40 (New York symbol AEE; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 242.6 million; Market cap: $9.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.6; Dividend yield: 4.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.ameren.com) provides power and natural gas to 3.3 million clients in Illinois and Missouri.

In the three months ended March 31, 2015, warmer-than-usual winter weather prompted Ameren’s customers to use less power and gas for heating. That cut its revenue by 2.4%, to $1.56 billion from $1.59 billion a year earlier.

However, the company recently refinanced some debt at lower rates. That reduced its interest charges, boosting earnings by 11.3%, to $108 million, or $0.45 a share, from $97 million, or $0.40.

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KRAFT HEINZ CO. $78 (Nasdaq symbol KHC; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $93.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: n.a.; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.kraftheinzcompany.com) took its current form on July 2, 2015, through the merger of Kraft Foods Group (old Nasdaq symbol KRFT) and H.J. Heinz.

The new firm is North America’s third-largest food and beverage company and the world’s fifth biggest. It will have $29.1 billion of annual revenue, including eight brands with over $1 billion in yearly sales.

The stock trades at a high 27.5 times the $2.84 a share the new firm should earn in 2015. However, that multiple should improve in the next few years as the company starts to see savings from merging plants and combining distribution networks. The $2.20 dividend yields 2.8%.

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C.R. BARD INC. $195 (New York symbol BCR; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 74.2 million; Market cap: $14.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.2; Dividend yield: 0.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.crbard.com) is benefiting from its growth strategy, which involves selling lessprofitable businesses and buying other medical-device makers. A good example is its 2011 purchase of Lutonix, which has developed a drug-coated balloon for treating clogged leg arteries. In the three months ended June 30, 2015, Bard’s earnings rose 7.9%, to $154.3 million from $143.0 million a year earlier.

Per-share profits gained 10.2%, to $2.27 from $2.06. Sales gained 4.0%, to $859.8 million from $827.1 million. Bard gets two-thirds of its sales from customers outside of the U.S. If you exclude the negative impact of currency-exchange rates, its sales rose 8%.

The stock trades at 21.6 times the $9.02 a share Bard will probably earn in 2015. That’s a reasonable multiple for the company, which spends 7% of its revenue on research.

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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP. $161 (New York symbol IBM, Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 985.0 million; Market cap: $158.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.8; Dividend yield: 3.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ibm.com) has developed a new computer chip with four times more transistors than current models by using a silicon-germanium base instead of pure silicon. This innovation will greatly speed up computers while using much less power.

The company has sold most of its chipmaking operations over the past few years, so if this technology becomes commercially viable, IBM will license it to other manufacturers. Faster chips would also make the company’s analytics software perform better.

IBM is a buy.

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BAXALTA INC. $31 (New York symbol BXLT; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 544.3 million; Market cap: $16.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: n.a.; Dividend yield: 0.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.baxalta.com) makes vaccines and drugs in three main areas: hematology (blood diseases), immunology (immune system) and oncology (cancer).

Before former parent Baxter spun off Baxalta, it bought Germany-based SuppreMol for $225 million. This firm develops drugs for disorders in which the immune system attacks healthy tissue.

Baxter also paid $900 million for the Oncaspar leukemia drug, from Italian pharmaceutical firm Sigma- Tau Finanziaria. Oncaspar has $100 million in annual sales.

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BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC. $39 (New York symbol BAX; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 544.3 million; Market cap: $21.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 1.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.baxter.com) makes a variety of medical devices, such as intravenous pumps and kidney-dialysis equipment. Hospital products supply 60% of its revenue; the remaining 40% comes from renal (kidney disease) equipment.

On July 1, 2015, the company spun off Baxalta, a maker of vaccines and other drugs. Investors received one Baxalta share as a tax-deferred dividend for every Baxter share they held.

Baxter still owns 19.5% of Baxalta; it plans to sell or distribute these shares within five years. As a separate firm, Baxter expects its research costs to fall from 6% of revenue to less than 5.5%.

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GANNETT CO., INC. $13 (New York symbol GCI; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector: Shares outstanding: 114.9 million; Market cap: $1.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: n.a.; Dividend yield: 4.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.gannett.com) publishes daily newspapers in 92 U.S. markets, including its flagship newspaper, USAToday, as well as 19 papers in the U.K. It also has over 200 magazines and other publications.

As a separate firm, Gannett should earn $1.98 a share in 2015, and the stock trades at just 6.6 times that figure. The $0.64 dividend yields 4.9%.

Gannett is still a buy.

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TEGNA INC. $29 (New York symbol TGNA; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector: Shares outstanding: 226.9 million; Market cap: $6.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.1; Dividend yield: 1.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.tegna.com) owns 46 TV stations, as well as websites that attract over 39 million unique visitors a month.

Gannett spun off its newspaper-publishing operations on June 29, 2015.

Investors received two shares of the new Gannett for each share they held. The rest of the company became Tegna. Investors only become liable for capital gains taxes when they sell.

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PAYPAL HOLDINGS INC. $38 (Nasdaq symbol PYPL; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $45.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: n.a.; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.paypal.com) processes online transactions, including purchases made through eBay’s auction websites. In the past few years, it has expanded into stores and mobile payments. eBay investors received one PayPal share for each eBay share they held. They only become liable for capital gains taxes when they sell their new shares. Operating as a separate firm will let PayPal pursue alliances with more retailers, cutting its reliance on eBay. At the same time, it continues to invest in its mobile operations, which will help it profit as more people buy goods and pay bills through smartphones.

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EBAY INC. $29 (Nasdaq symbol EBAY; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $34.8 billion; Priceto- sales ratio: 1.9; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ebay.com) launched its online auction site in September 1995 and now has 157 million users worldwide. Sellers pay fees to list and sell their goods through eBay’s websites.

In addition to used goods, the company continues to sell more merchandise from retailers, which is helping it compete with Amazon.com. Right now, over 60% of eBay’s total transactions are sales of new items at fixed prices.

The company also operates several other popular websites, including StubHub (ticket sales for live events), Shopping. com (comparison shopping) and Rent.com (apartment and house rentals). These services are in addition to its local websites, which sell classified ads in over 1,000 cities.

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AMERICAN EXPRESS CO. $76 (New York symbol AXP, Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 1.0 billion; Market cap: $76.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.4; Yield: 1.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.americanexpress.com) issues the only credit card Costco accepts at its U.S. outlets. However, this deal expires in March 2016, so fewer Costco shoppers are signing up for new cards. As a result, Amex will likely sell these loans.

The proceeds would help the company fund new services. For example, it recently launched Amex Express Checkout. Similar to PayPal (see page 73), this service makes it easier for U.S. cardholders to buy goods online.

Meanwhile, Amex earned $1.47 billion in the second quarter of 2015, down 3.7% from $1.53 billion a year earlier. The 2014 quarter included 100% of Amex’s business-travel division, which it later merged into a 50/50 joint venture. Per-share profits fell 0.7%, to $1.42 from $1.43, on fewer shares outstanding.

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J.P. MORGAN CHASE & CO. $69 (New York symbol JPM; Income Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 3.7 billion; Market cap: $255.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.8; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.jpmorganchase.com) has four main divisions: Consumer and Community Banking, which includes branches and credit cards (45% of 2014 revenue, 44% of earnings); Corporate and Investment Bank, including brokerage and underwriting services (36%, 33%); Asset Management (12%, 10%); and Commercial Banking (7%, 13%). About 75% of Morgan’s revenue comes from the U.S.

The bank’s revenue fell 8.3%, from $102.7 billion in 2010 to $94.2 billion in 2014. That’s mainly because it sold some operations to cut its exposure to riskier businesses, such as owning and trading commodities. Low interest rates have also hurt the revenue it receives from new loans.

Even so, earnings jumped 22.5%, from $17.4 billion in 2010 to $21.3 billion in 2012. Per-share profits gained 31.3%, from $3.96 to $5.20, on fewer shares outstanding. Morgan continues to settle lawsuits related to its role in the 2008 financial crisis. As a result, its 2013 earnings fell to $4.35 a share (or a total of $17.9 billion). Earnings recovered to $5.29 a share (or $21.8 billion) in 2014.

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WELLS FARGO & CO. $58 (New York symbol WFC; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 5.2 billion; Market cap: $301.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.5; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.wellsfargo.com) operates through three divisions: Community Banking provides consumer mortgages, loans, credit cards and other financial services (57% of 2014 revenue, 59% of earnings); Wholesale Banking supplies business loans (27%, 32%); and Wealth, Brokerage and Retirement offers wealth management, brokerage and trust services to individuals and institutions, such as pension plans (16%, 9%). The U.S. supplies 95% of Wells Fargo’s revenue.

Weak loan demand and lower interest rates cut the bank’s revenue by 5.0%, from $85.2 billion in 2010 to $80.9 billion in 2011. Loan volumes improved in 2012, causing revenue to rise to $86.1 billion. Lower fee income cut the bank’s revenue to $83.8 billion in 2013. Revenue rebounded to $84.3 billion in 2014, thanks to gains at the bank’s wealth management business.

Earnings jumped 85.5%, from $2.21 a share (or a total of $12.4 billion) in 2010 to $4.10 a share (or $23.1 billion) in 2014.

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A big online gaming deal may pay off for NYX Gaming, but it still breaks many of our investment rules and remains a high risk investment.

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ALIMENTATION COUCHE-TARD $57.58 (Toronto symbol ATD.B: TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (1-800-361-2612; www.couchetard.com; Shares outstanding: 567.4 million; Market cap: $32.7 billion; Dividend yield: 0.4%) completed its $1.7-billion acquisition of The Pantry in March 2015. The move added 1,500 convenience stores in 13 southern U.S. states, bringing Couche-Tard’s total to 7,848 locations throughout North America.

In Europe, the company operates 2,230 stores across Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden and Denmark), Poland, the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) and Russia.

In the three months ended April 26, 2015, Couche-Tard’s sales fell 18.6%, to $7.29 billion from $8.95 billion a year earlier (all figures except share price in U.S. dollars).

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MCCOY GLOBAL $4.53 (Toronto symbol MCB; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative)(780-453-8451; www.mccoyglobal.com; Shares outstanding: 27.7 million; Market cap: $128.2 million; Dividend yield: 4.4%) sold its heavy-duty truck-trailer unit last year and is now focused on its Energy Products and Services segment, which sells hydraulic gear, including power tongs, for drilling rigs. (Power tongs are large wrench-like tools that tighten and loosen the pipe in the drill hole.)

McCoy has international sales and service centres in Singapore, Dubai and Aberdeen, Scotland.

Profits up despite tough markets

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p>WAJAX CORP. $20.60 (Toronto symbol WJX; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (905-212-3300; www.wajax.ca; Shares outstanding:20.0 million; Market cap: $414.1 million; Dividend yield: 4.9%) sells and services cranes, forklifts and other heavy equipment. It also provides related parts (such as bearings, motors, hoses and fittings) and power systems (including diesel engines and transmissions). The company’s customers are in the natural resource, construction, manufacturing and transportation industries.

In the three months ended March 31, 2015, Wajax’s revenue fell 4.3%, to $317.2 million from $331.4 million a year earlier, as mining, oil and gas and oil sands firms made fewer purchases.

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ALAMOS GOLD $4.36 (Toronto symbol AGI TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (604-681- 2802; www.alamosgold.com; Shares outstanding: 127.4 million; Market cap: $1.5 billion; No dividends paid) is the company formed by the merger of Alamos Gold and Stock Pickers Digest recommendation AuRico Gold.

The combined firm owns the Mulatos mine in Mexico and the Young-Davidson project in northern Ontario, which holds as much as 5.6 million ounces of gold. Young- Davidson started up in 2013 and will reach full production in 2016. But meanwhile, it’s moving from open-pit to underground mining, which will sharply increase its costs.

Alamos Gold holds cash of $358.0 million, which it will use to fund the Young-Davidson mine and boost the combined firm’s gold output from 400,000 ounces this year to 700,000 in 2018.

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RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL $39.97 (New York symbol QSR; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (905-845-6511; www.rbi.com; Shares outstanding: 467.0 million; Market cap: $18.47billion; Dividend yield: 1.0%) took its current form on December 12, 2014, after Burger King Worldwide acquired Tim Hortons.

Burger King successfully launched six new meatless burgers at its outlets in India last year. As a result, it’s now considering expanding its vegetarian menu outside of that country.

Meatless burgers have sold poorly in the U.S. and other developed nations in the past. However, interest in vegetarianism is rising. Offering meatless products also makes it more likely that families with one or more vegetarians will visit Burger King instead of looking elsewhere for vegetarian options.

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