acquisition

RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL $41.68 (New York symbol QSR; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (905-845-6511; www.rbi.com; Shares o/s: 467.0 million; Market cap: $19.5 billion; Dividend yield: 1.4%) is the world’s third-largest fast-food operator, after McDonald’s (No.1) and Yum Brands (No.2), with 4,438 Tim Hortons stores and 15,008 Burger King outlets in 100 countries.

If you exclude restructuring costs and other unusual items, the company earned $142.1 million in the three months ended March 31, 2016 (all amounts except share price and market cap in U.S....

MITEL NETWORKS $9.03 (Toronto symbol MNW; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (613- 592-2122; www.mitel.ca; Shares outstanding: 121.3 million; Market cap: $1.1 billion; No dividends paid) makes technology that integrates landlines and mobile phones. The company also offers call-centre and videoconferencing products....

ATN INTERNATIONAL $81.87 (Nasdaq symbol ATNI; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (340-777-8000; www.atni.com; Shares outstanding: 16.1 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion; Dividend yield: 1.6%) (formerly Atlantic Tele- Network) owns wireless and wireline (traditional telephone and Internet) operations in the U.S....

A: Johnson & Johnson, $123.07, symbol JNJ on New York (Shares outstanding: 2.8 billion; Market cap: $337.9 billion; www.jnj.com), operates through three major businesses:



Pharmaceutical (47% of revenue) makes anti-infective, antipsychotic, contraceptive, dermatological and gastrointestinal drugs;



Medical devices and diagnostics (35%) sells equipment for joint reconstruction and managing circulatory diseases;



Consumer (18%) makes over-the-counter products such as Johnson’s baby care items, Band-Aid bandages, Tylenol and Motrin painkillers, Listerine mouthwash and Neutrogena skin cream.



In June 2016, Johnson & Johnson agreed to acquire beauty-products firm Vogue International for $3.3 billion; it represents the company’s biggest acquisition in four years....

Sun Life Financial increased its quarterly dividend 3.8% following acquisition of Assurant Inc., which will expand the insurer’s employee benefits programs.

Recent acquisitions boosted sales by 25% for Ag Growth International and should help protect its 6.1% dividend yield.

It pays to take a skeptical view of companies that use acquisitions to expand. Unforeseen problems with these new operations can limit expected profit increases. In extreme cases, multiple problems can force the buyer to write off the entire purchase.

Of course, some companies do succeed with growth by acquisition....

It pays to take a skeptical view of companies that use acquisitions to expand. Unforeseen problems with these new operations can limit expected profit increases. In extreme cases, multiple problems can force the buyer to write off the entire purchase.

Of course, some companies do succeed with growth by acquisition....

If you feel the need to invest in “sure thing” hot growth stocks, be sure you’re not gambling away too much of your portfolio.

A: Cominar REIT, $17.04, symbol CUF.UN on Toronto (Units outstanding: 168.2 million; Market cap: $2.9 billion; www.cominar.com), is Quebec’s largest owner of commercial buildings.

In all, the trust holds 542 properties—134 office buildings, 173 shopping malls and 235 industrial and mixed-use buildings....