acquisition

ISHARES CHINA LARGE-CAP ETF, $41.26, is a hold for safety-conscious investors. The ETF (New York symbol FXI; buy or sell through brokers) tracks the 50 largest, most-liquid Chinese stocks. It started up October 4, 2004, and investors are charged a high 0.74% MER....

If you’re looking for an ETF with top holdings combined with exceptionally low fees, then Pennsylvania-based Vanguard Group offers you strong options. Vanguard is one of the world’s largest investment management companies. In all, it administers for investors over $5.3 trillion U.S....

This issue of Canadian Wealth Advisor highlights several high-quality stocks and some top international ETFs—all with the power to lift your returns this year.


As always, we also feature safety-conscious gainers ready to add to your long-term returns. Algonquin Power keeps making acquisitions, but it cuts risk for investors by sticking with businesses it knows and backing that up with long-term guaranteed contracts.


Loblaw Cos. continues to prosper in the hyper-competitive Canadian supermarket business....

Algonquin Power has soared 48.0% for our subscribers over the past year—even with the recent market downturn. We think it can go higher. The company aims to add value for investors through big acquisitions. While that adds risk, Algonquin focuses on making purchases that immediately contribute to its cash flow; its renewable energy projects also sell power under long-term government-guaranteed contracts....

A: Blue Ribbon Income Fund, $8.37, symbol RBN.UT on Toronto (Units outstanding: 12.8 million; Market cap: $107.1 million; www.bromptongroup.com), was formerly called the Citadel Diversified Investment Trust.

This fund holds a lot of former oil and gas trusts, pipeline or other utility trusts (most if not all now converted to conventional corporations), real estate investment trusts and stocks....

A: Lowe’s Cos., $111.04, symbol LOW on New York (Shares outstanding: 766.5 million; Market cap: $85.1 billion; www.lowes.com), operates a chain of 1,977 hardware and home improvement superstores in the U.S. and Canada. Product categories include appliances, lumber/plywood, paint, flooring, millwork, building materials, seasonal living, fashion plumbing, tools, hardware, lighting, and more....

A: Iron Mountain Incorporated, $32.17, symbol IRM on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 287.3 million; Market cap: $9.1 billion; www.ironmountain.com), stores, protects, and manages documents and information for more than 225,000 organizations, including 96% of the Fortune 1000....

A: Three main factors continue to drive demand for healthcare products and services: the rapid aging of the population in developed countries; the expansion of medical services in developing countries; and significant new developments in the field of medical technology and innovation.

The iShares Global Healthcare ETF, $66.31, symbol IXJ on New York (Units outstanding: 31.8 million; Market cap: $2.1 billion; www.ishares.com/us), invests globally in healthcare companies.

The fund tracks the S&P Global Healthcare Index....

A: Capital Power Corp., $36.57, symbol CPX on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 105.4 million; Market cap: $3.7 billion; www.capitalpower.com), is one of Canada’s largest independent electrical power producers, with its 25 facilities across North America offering nearly 6,000 megawatts of power....

Successful investors, like successful businesses, need to keep an open mind about the way they do things. Neither one can afford to keep doing something just because “we’ve always done it that way.” That applies to investing basics such as bonds.

Many casual investors, financial journalists and brokers take it for granted that owning some bonds is a good thing....