acquisition

While large-cap stocks tend to account for the bulk of most investors’ portfolios, we also recommend adding smaller firms such as Calian and Extendicare. Both are leaders in their respective industries and have long histories of regular dividend payments.


CALIAN GROUP LTD....

Enbridge and AltaGas continue to expand their asset bases with new high-quality, rate-regulated projects. The extra cash flow puts them in a strong position to keep rewarding investors with higher dividends.


ENBRIDGE INC. $57 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol ENB; Income-Growth Payer Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares o/s: 2.2 billion; Market cap: $125.4 billion; Dividend yield: 6.4%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.enbridge.com) operates pipelines that pump oil and natural gas from Western Canada eastward as well as to the U.S....

Shares of property insurer Intact have more than doubled in the past five years and recently hit a new all-time high. That’s mainly due to savvy acquisitions that expanded Intact’s geographic reach.


The company now expects to pay out higher claims in 2024 as a result of severe weather events in Canada....

As inflation eases in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns and supply chain disruptions, the U.S. Federal Reserve recently cut its benchmark interest rate by 0.50%, to between 4.75% and 5.00%. It also looks likely that the Fed will continue to cut the rate in the next few months.


While lower rates will hurt the interest income these two banks receive, the cuts will also make it easier for borrowers to renew mortgages and other loans....

A: Empire Company Ltd., $40.37, symbol EMP.A on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 238.5 million; Market cap: $9.7 billion; www.empireco.ca), is primarily a food retailer and also invests in real estate.

The company operates through two segments: Food retailing, and Investments and other operations.

Empire’s Food retailing segment does business through its wholly owned Sobeys business....

MODINE MANUFACTURING CO., $132.79, symbol MOD on New York, provides thermal management products and solutions to customers in the commercial, industrial, and building heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration (“HVAC&R”) markets. In addition, it provides engineered heat transfer systems and high-quality heat transfer components.

In the quarter ended June 30, 2024, the company’s revenue increased 6.3%, to $661.5 million from $622.4 million a year earlier....

Rockwell Automation should benefit from key trends such as computer chip advances, electric vehicles, and EV battery manufacturing coming to the U.S.

JOHNSON & JOHNSON $164 is a spinoff buy. The company (New York symbol JNJ; Manufacturing sector; Shares outstanding: 2.4 billion; Market cap: $393.6 billion; Dividend yield: 3.0%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.jnj.com) sold shares of its consumer drug business, Kenvue Inc....

The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of most vacation plans. However, the reopening of the economy has spurred strong demand for travel, and both Wyndham, and Travel + Leisure should benefit from that surge. We see each as a buy.


WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS, $81.95, is a #1 Power Buy for 2024. The company (New York symbol WH; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (www.wyndhamhotels.com; Shares outstanding: 79.0 million; Market cap: $6.5 billion; Dividend yield: 1.9%) is the world’s largest hotel franchiser, with 885,000 rooms spread across 9,200 hotels, with 25 brands in 95 countries.


Wyndham’s revenue in the quarter ended June 30, 2024, rose 1.4%, to $367 million from $362 million a year earlier....

Whatever the near-term outlook for gold, we think top-quality gold stocks like Alamos and Lundin—both hitting all-time highs—remain buys. That’s in part because of their prospects for increased production and cash flow—regardless of precious metal prices.


ALAMOS GOLD INC., $27.46, is a buy. Through the shares (Toronto symbol AGI; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (www.alamosgold.com; Shares outstanding: 419.7 million; Market cap: $11.5 billion; Dividend yield: 0.5%) investors tap into the company’s Mulatos mine in Mexico as well as its Young-Davidson and Island mines in northern Ontario.


As well, the gold miner recently completed the acquisition of Argonaut Gold and its Magino mine in northern Ontario for $325 million U.S....