investment

An investment is an asset or property acquired to generate income or gain appreciation. Appreciation is the increase in the value of an asset over time. It requires the outlay of a resource today, like time, effort, and money, for a greater payoff in the future or for generating a profit.

An investment involves using capital in the present to increase an asset’s value over time.

Investments may include bonds, stocks, real estate, or alternative investments.

Investments can be diversified to reduce risk, though this may reduce the amount of earning potential.

In business contexts, investments are financial; however, consider how some people spend time to make higher incomes in the future (i.e. invest in a college education).

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Pat McKeough responds to many personal questions about specific stocks and other investment topics from the members of his Inner Circle. Every week, his comments and recommendations on the most intriguing questions of the past week go out to all Inner Circle members. And each week, we offer you one of the highlights from these Q&A sessions. While we reserve our buy-hold-sell advice for Inner Circle members, these excerpts provide a great deal of information and analysis on stocks we’ve covered for members of Pat’s Inner Circle. This week, we had a question from an Inner Circle member on one of the prominent Canadian stocks in the agricultural industry. This firm specializes in grain handling and other equipment and does the greater part of its business overseas, in the U.S. and countries of the former Soviet Union. The company is buying up small firms and Pat examines whether these acquisitions and today’s sophisticated farming methods provide steady growth in an industry that is traditionally cyclical and fickle. ...
The pros and cons of buying stocks on margin
From time to time, investors ask us questions to which there is not a simple yes-or-no answer. One of these is whether buying stocks “on margin” is a good idea. That is, should investors borrow money from their brokers to buy securities?

This strategy is reasonable in some circumstances, but it carries more than the usual amount of risk.

The main cost involved with buying on margin is the interest on the money you borrow. Plus, when you sell a security that you’ve bought on margin, you must first pay back the loan from your broker.

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Investor Toolkit:  Make your best stock picks using our ratings system: Part 2
Business Performance Graph with Glasses and a Ballpoint pen
Anthia Cumming
Every Wednesday, we publish our “Investor Toolkit” series on TSI Network. Whether you’re a beginning or experienced investor, these weekly updates are designed to give you specific advice and insights, such as how we pick our top stocks. Each Investor Toolkit update gives you a fundamental piece of investing strategy, and shows you how you can put it into practice right away. Today’s tip: “Here are 5 more ways in which our exclusive ratings system helps investors make stock selections with a much better chance of success.”...
Encana looks to deal with PetroChina to unlock new growth
Encana took its present form on December 1, 2009, after the old EnCana Corp. split itself into two new companies: the new Encana, which focuses on natural gas, and Cenovus Energy (Toronto symbol CVE), which specializes in oil sands.

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BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS $22.97 (New York symbol BR: TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (201-714-3000; www.broadridge.com; Shares outstanding: 122.2 million; Market cap: $2.8 billion; Dividend yield: 3.1%) serves the investment industry in three main areas: investor communications; securities processing; and transaction clearing. The company processes 85% of all proxy votes in the U.S.

Before one-time items, Broadridge’s earnings fell 2.2% in its fiscal first quarter ended September 30, 2012, to $22.3 million from $22.8 million a year earlier. Earnings per share were unchanged at $0.18 on fewer shares outstanding.

Sales rose 4.1%, to $495.8 million from $476.4 million. Broadridge continues to do a good job of attracting new clients and holding on to existing ones.

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3 good habits of successful investors
One of the keys to successful investing is to avoid costly mistakes that can take months or even years to recover from—that is, to win by not losing. And the best way to avoid investment mistakes is to adopt the habits of successful investors. You can begin very profitably by cultivating these three personal mental strengths:...
In next week’s Successful Investor Hotline, we’ll reveal our #1 stock pick for 2013. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to profit. ENCANA CORP., $20.16, Toronto symbol ECA, is selling its 30% stake in a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Kitimat, B.C., to Chevron Corp. (New York symbol CVX). The deal includes Encana’s stake in related pipelines and gas properties in B.C. However, Encana will still ship its gas through Kitimat when the terminal is completed. Chevron is also buying a further 30% of this project from EOG Resources Canada Inc. Following these deals, Chevron will sell 10% to Apache Corp. (New York symbol APA). As a result, Chevron and Apache will each own 50%. (Chevron and Apache are recommendations of Wall Street Stock Forecaster, our newsletter that focuses on U.S. stocks.)...
PLEASE NOTE: One week from today, on January 11, 2013, just after the stock market closes at 4:30 p.m. Toronto time, we will reveal our #1 Canadian Stock of 2013 to subscribers of The Successful Investor. Our #1 pick for 2012, CP Rail, has surged 54% in the past year and is still on the rise. You can be among the first to hear about our #1 Pick for 2013. Because you’re a loyal subscriber, we are happy to offer you a bargain-priced, no-risk introduction to The Successful Investor. It gives you the first month—and the 2013 Stock of the Year—FREE. But you must act now. Click here. CHEVRON CORP., $110.50, New York symbol CVX, has agreed to purchase 50% of a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Kitimat, B.C., in a series of transactions. The deal includes related pipelines and gas properties in the province. The company will purchase the 30% stakes held by ENCANA CORP. $20.40, New York symbol ECA, and EOG Resources Canada Inc. Following these deals, Chevron will sell 10% to APACHE CORP., $83.20, New York symbol APA. As a result, Chevron and Apache will each own 50%....
PLEASE NOTE: One week from today, on January 11, 2013, just after the stock market closes at 4:30 p.m. Toronto time, we will reveal our #1 Canadian Stock of 2013 to subscribers of The Successful Investor. Our #1 pick for 2012, CP Rail, has surged 54% in the past year and is still on the rise. You can be among the first to hear about our #1 Pick for 2013. Because you’re a loyal subscriber, we are happy to offer you a bargain-priced, no-risk introduction to The Successful Investor. It gives you the first month—and the 2013 Stock of the Year—FREE. But you must act now. Click here. LEON’S FURNITURE LTD. $13.55, symbol LNF on Toronto, has received approval from shareholders of The Brick (symbol BRK on Toronto) for its $700-million takeover of that company. The purchase will nearly double Leon’s market cap. The Brick operates 230 stores across Canada, while Leon’s has 76 outlets in every province except B.C. Leon’s and The Brick will continue to operate as separate chains....
Continued U.S. expansion is key to growth for Stella-Jones
Business Performance Graph with Glasses and a Ballpoint pen
Anthia Cumming
Pat McKeough responds to many personal questions about specific stock market advice and other investment topics from the members of his Inner Circle. Every week, his comments and recommendations on the most intriguing questions of the past week go out to all Inner Circle members. And each week, we offer you one of the highlights from these Q&A sessions. While we reserve our buy-hold-sell advice for Inner Circle members, these excerpts provide a great deal of information and analysis on stocks we’ve covered for members of Pat’s Inner Circle. This week, one Inner Circle member asked about a Canadian stock that plays a unique role in the transportation and utilities industries. Stella-Jones has established a niche as a maker of railroad ties and telephone poles, and Pat looks at its ambitious expansion program into the United States and the risks of this growth-by-acquisition strategy. ...