acquisition

The onset of the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of most vacation plans. However, with the rollout of vaccines and the reopening of the economy, demand for travel rebounded steadily. In fact, while both Wyndham Hotels and Travel + Leisure plunged along with the market in March 2020, both regained all the ground they lost by the end of 2020....

DOCUSIGN INC., $59.25, symbol DOCU on Nasdaq, provides its 1.32 million paying customers and over a billion users with a cloud-based software suite that automates the agreement process. Founded in 2003, it generates most of its revenues from its e-signature solution, the world’s leading e-signature product....

DUN & BRADSTREET HOLDINGS INC. $14 remains a buy. The company (New York symbol DNB; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 433.8 million; Market cap: $6.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.7; Dividend yield: 1.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.dnb.com) continues to benefit from its January 2021 acquisition of Bisnode Business Information Group AB for $805.8 million in cash and shares....

Both these firms continue to thrive since former parent company Raytheon Technologies (see page 18) spun them off as independent firms. Recent acquisitions also position them for more gains as the global economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic and any coming recession.


CARRIER GLOBAL CORP....

ADOBE INC. $358 is buy. The company (Nasdaq symbol ADBE; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 457.8 million; Market cap: $163.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 9.5; No dividends paid since June 2005; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.adobe.com) makes software that lets computer users create, edit and share documents in the popular PDF format....

Canada’s Big Five banks maintained their regular dividend payments during two of the biggest financial shocks in the past 20 years—the 2008-2009 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though the global economy may slow in 2023, we expect these two banks will continue to raise their dividends this year and beyond.


BANK OF MONTREAL $133 is a buy. The bank (Toronto symbol BMO; Income-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 677.1 million; Market cap: $90.1 billion; Dividend yield: 4.3%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.bmo.com) will raise its quarterly dividend for shareholders with the February 2023 payment....

NUVEI CORP., $43.35, symbol NVEI on Toronto, produces software to help businesses worldwide process payments. Founded in 2003, Nuvei’s clients are largely in the online gambling and retail segments and the broader financial services industry.

The company’s technology platform aims to let merchants accept payments in 150 currencies....

BANK OF MONTREAL, $132.29, Toronto symbol BMO, remains a buy.

This week, U.S. banking regulators approved the bank’s acquisition of California-based 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 through 514 branches in 24 states, mainly in the Western and Midwestern regions of the U.S....

CORTEVA INC., $62.36, is a buy. The company (symbol CTVA on New York) is a leading developer of new seeds and crop chemicals, including herbicides and insecticides, for the agriculture industry. Corteva separated from DowDuPont in June 2019.

China recently approved imports of eight genetically modified (GM) food crops....

PROCTER & GAMBLE CO., $142.97, New York symbol PG, is a buy.

The company is one of the world’s largest makers of household and personal-care goods. Major brands include Tide (laundry detergent), Pampers (diapers), Gillette (razors), Crest (toothpaste) and Vicks (cold remedies).

In its fiscal 2023 second quarter, ended December 31, 2022, Procter’s sales fell 0.9%, to $20.77 billion from $20.95 billion a year earlier....