canadian

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, $136.62, Toronto symbol RY, is a buy.

The bank expects to complete its $13.5-billion purchase of the Canadian operations of U.K.-based HSBC Holdings plc (New York symbol HSBC) next week. To put that amount in context, Royal’s market cap (the total value of all outstanding shares) is $191.1 billion.

HSBC operates 130 branches that mainly cater to businesses in industries that trade and bank internationally....

The iShares MSCI Germany Fund & Australia ETF together provide a gateway to Germany’s industrial strength as well as Australia’s commodity-driven economy

For Canadian investors wondering how to buy international stocks, ADRs, and international ETFs may be a safer option.

Loblaw has come under fire in the past few months from politicians and consumer advocates complaining that it earned “excessive profits” during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the threats of new taxes and rules on how food sellers operate, the stock has gained an impressive 31% in the past year compared to the 13% rise for the S&P/TSX Composite Index....

Bank of Nova Scotia is now cutting its exposure to the Pacific Alliance countries in Latin America—Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Chile—due to economic problems and political instability. That will let it invest more in its North American operations. We feel these moves will lead it to raise its dividend in 2024.


BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA $68 is a buy. Canada’s fourth-largest bank by market cap (Toronto symbol BNS; Income-Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $81.6 billion; Dividend yield: 6.2%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.scotiabank.com) last raised your quarterly dividend by 2.9% with the July 2023 payment, to $1.06 a share from $1.03....

These two grocers have a long history of regular dividend increases. Their investments in new stores and equipment should also give them more room to reward investors. That’s why we assign them our “Highest” Dividend Sustainability Rating.


LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD....

ISHARES S&P/TSX CANADIAN DIVIDEND ARISTOCRATS INDEX ETF $32 (Toronto symbol CDZ; Units outstanding: 28.1 million; Market cap: $899.2 million; Dividend yield: 3.95%; www.blackrock.com/ca) aims to mirror the performance of the S&P/TSX Canadian Dividend Aristocrats Index.


The ETF holds 91 stocks....

A: Hamilton Enhanced Canadian Bank ETF, $21.04, symbol HCAL on Toronto (Units outstanding: 25.3 million; Market cap: $532.3 million; hamiltonetfs.com), aims to track the Solactive Canadian Bank Mean Reversion Index.

This index invests in the biggest six Canadian banks—Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of Montreal, CIBC, Royal Bank, TD and National Bank....

As long-time readers know, we welcomed the arrival of ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) when they came on the market as “the most benign stock market innovation we’ve seen since stock commissions became negotiable.”

However, the financial industry often figures out a way to offer investors attractive terms on a newly minted version of an innovation, just to get their interest....

BCE offers a strong 8.1% yield even as it trims capital spending to improve cash flow