canadian

Dividend-seeking investors tend to shy away from small-cap stocks as they feel their payments are less secure than large cap firms. However, these two small caps dominate their niche markets, which offsets your risk.


CALIAN GROUP LTD. $55 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol CGY; High-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 11.8 million; Market cap: $649.0 million; Dividend yield: 2.0%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.calian.com) provides business services to the healthcare, defence, security, aerospace, engineering, agriculture and technology industries.


Calian pays a quarterly dividend of $0.28 a share; the annual rate of $1.12 yields 2.0%....

Accounting rules are forcing these two banks to set aside more funds for potential loan defaults in the current high interest rate environment. While that has hurt their earnings and pushed up their dividend payout ratios, savings from recent cost cuts should improve those ratios over the next year or two.


BANK OF MONTREAL $127 is a buy. The bank (Toronto symbol BMO; Income-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 725.5 million; Market cap: $92.1 billion; Dividend yield: 4.8%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.bmo.com) raised your quarterly dividend with the January 2024 payment by 2.7%, to $1.51 a share from $1.47....

POWER CORP. OF CANADA $37 is a buy. The conglomerate (Toronto symbol POW; Conservative-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 652.2 million; Market cap: $24.1 billion; Dividend yield: 6.1%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.powercorporation.com) has several primary investments, including controlling stakes in Canadian financial services firms Great-West Lifeco (insurance) and IGM Financial (mutual funds)....

In May 2018, Choice Properties REIT acquired Canadian REIT (old symbol REF.UN) for $1.85 billion in cash and 182.8 million units. The merger helped diversify its operations with 209 industrial and office properties.


Choice has since sold its office properties to focus on retail stores and warehouses....

NUTRIEN LTD., $72.56, Toronto symbol NTR, is still a buy for the Resources portion of your portfolio.

The company is the world’s largest producer of agricultural fertilizers. It also sells seeds, fertilizers and agricultural products to farmers through some 2,000 stores in Canada, the U.S., Australia and South America.

Nutrien took its current form on January 1, 2018, when Agrium Inc....

Both North West Company and WELL Health are leaders in their respective niche markets. That bodes well for their future prospects and share prices. We see each as a buy.


NORTH WEST COMPANY, $38.66, is a buy. This retailer (Toronto symbol NWC; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (www.northwest.ca; Shares outstanding: 47.6 million; Market cap: $1.8 billion; Dividend yield: 4.0%) sells food, and everyday products and services through 227 stores....

CALIAN GROUP, $55.49, is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol CGY; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (calian.com; Shares o/s: 11.8 million; Market cap: $656.7 million; Dividend yield: 2.0%) has completed a transaction with MDA Ltd (symbol MDA on Toronto) to purchase assets associated with MDA’s nuclear services.


Calian Nuclear has been serving the Canadian and international markets for over 25 years....

You should remain wary of stocks that attract broker/media attention because of high-profile products or services and their business models. Here’s a closer look at one stock with risks that prospective investors should take into consideration:


CANADIAN SOLAR INC., $15.12, (Nasdaq symbol CSIQ; TSI Rating: Extra Risk) (Shares outstanding: 64.6 million; Market cap: $977.3 million; No dividends paid) is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of solar energy and battery storage solutions....

A: Allied Gold Corp., $3.79, symbol AAUC on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 250.7 million; Market cap: $985.4 million; www.alliedgold.com), is a Canadian-based gold producer with three operating mines, a significant gold development project and exploration properties throughout Africa.

The company’s principal properties are the Sadiola gold mine in the Kayes region of West Mali (80% ownership), the Bonikro (90% ownership) and Agbaou (85% ownership) gold mines in Cote d’Ivoire, and the Kurmuk gold development project in Ethiopia (100% ownership).

Allied Gold was founded in 2011 as a private company....

A: Bridgemarq Real Estate Services Inc., $13.62, symbol BRE on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 9.5 million; Market cap: $128.2 million; www.bridgemarq.com), is a leading provider of services to residential real estate brokers and a network of 20,529 real estate agents.

The company operates in Canada under the Royal LePage, Via Capitale, and Johnston & Daniel brands....