acquisition

A: Autodesk Inc., $212.48, symbol ADSK on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 213.8 million; Market cap: $46.8 billion; www.autodesk.com), is a maker of three-dimensional (3D) design, engineering and entertainment software.

The company’s software offerings target the architecture, engineering, construction, product design, manufacturing, media and entertainment industries....
A: Crocs Inc., $93.06, symbol CROX on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 61.6 million; Market cap: $5.7 billion; www.crocs.com), makes casual footwear for men, women, and children. It is best known for its molded ‘Crocs’ shoes featuring Croslite, a non-toxic foam material that aims to give its footwear a soft, comfortable feel.

In February 2022, the company completed the $2.5 billion acquisition of Hey Dude, a privately owned casual footwear brand based in Italy....
CANADIAN SOLAR INC., $26.25, symbol CSIQ on Nasdaq, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of solar photovoltaic modules and solar energy and battery storage solutions. Founded in 2001, it went public in 2006, selling shares at $15 each.

On August 17, 2023, the Ontario-based company announced it would deliver 1,200 megawatt hours of energy storage solutions to its Papago Storage project in Arizona....
WAJAX CORP., $29.03, is a buy. Through their shares, investors benefit from the company’s (symbol WJX on Toronto) sales and servicing of cranes, forklifts and other heavy equipment. Wajax also provides related parts and systems such as ball bearings, hoses, diesel engines and transmissions.

The company’s customers are spread across the resources, construction, manufacturing and transportation industries.

Wajax is now acquiring Sault Ste....
BANK OF MONTREAL, $114.19, Toronto symbol BMO, is a buy.

With the August 2023 payment, Bank of Montreal raised your quarterly dividend by 2.8%, to $1.47 a share from $1.43. The new annual rate of $5.88 yields a high 5.1%.

On February 1, 2023, the bank completed its acquisition of Bank of the West from France’s BNP Paribas.

Bank of the West provides a variety of retail and commercial banking services to over 1.8 million customers in 24 U.S....
A: FactSet Research Systems Inc., $433.45, symbol FDS on New York (Shares outstanding: 38.1 million; Market cap: $16.6 billion; www.factset.com), is a leading provider of financial data and portfolio analytics to investment firms worldwide.

In March 2022, FactSet completed the acquisition of CUSIP Global Services for $1.93 billion in cash....
A: Commercial Metals Company, $55.47, symbol CMC on New York (Shares outstanding: 116.8 million; Market cap: $6.7 billion; www.cmc.com), manufactures steel products for industrial and commercial uses in the construction industry and elsewhere.

The company is the largest producer of steel reinforcing bar (rebar) in North and Central America....
CAMTEK LTD., $60.50, symbol CAMT on Nasdaq, is a provider of high-end inspection and metrology systems to the semiconductor (computer chip) market. (Metrology, by its broadest definition, is the science of measurement. In the context of modern manufacturing, metrology refers to quality assurance methods used to calibrate machinery for production and to measure the resulting parts.)

Based in Israel, Camtek has more than 2,000 systems installed worldwide....
BANK OF MONTREAL, $117.10, Toronto symbol BMO, remains a buy.

On February 1, 2023, the bank completed its acquisition of Bank of the West from France’s BNP Paribas.

Bank of the West provides a variety of retail and commercial banking services to over 1.8 million customers in 24 U.S....
BLOOMIN’ BRANDS INC., $26.75, symbol BLMN on Nasdaq, owns and franchises more than 1,475 restaurants in 47 states and 13 countries. Its restaurant brands include Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill. The Tampa Bay, Florida-based company owns about 80% of those restaurants, with the rest franchised.

On August 18, 2023, activist investor Starboard Value filed documents with the U.S....