merger

We have singled out three growth Buys for 2024—ones we believe have exceptional prospects for the year ahead. What’s more, each is a market leader, which cuts your risk if the economic outlook softens.


INTACT FINANCIAL, $201.59, is a #1 Power Buy for 2024. The insurer (Toronto symbol IFC; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (www.intactfc.com; Shares outstanding: 175.3 million; Market cap: $35.6 billion; Dividend yield: 2.2%) provides investors exposure to Canada’s largest property and casualty insurer....

Each of these two firms recently decided to merge one of its businesses with another firm instead of pursuing a full spinoff. While these moves improve their outlook, we feel there are better opportunities for your spinoff gains.


LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT CORP....

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, $132.20, Toronto symbol RY, is still a buy.

With the February 2024 payment, Royal will increase your quarterly dividend by 2.2%. Investors will then receive $1.38 a share instead of $1.35. The new annual rate of $5.52 yields 4.2%.

The bank has received final regulatory approval to buy the Canadian operations of U.K.-based HSBC Holdings plc (New York symbol HSBC).

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

CANADIAN PACIFIC KANSAS CITY LTD., $103.81, Toronto symbol CP, is your #1 Conservative Buy for 2024.

This is the sixth year in a row we’ve picked CP as our #1 Conservative stock. In that time, the stock has jumped 106.8%.

We feel the stock will continue to rise over the next few years as the company realizes more of the benefits from its April 2023 acquisition of U.S.-based railway Kansas City Southern.

CP paid $31 billion U.S....

In a search for your top 2024 buys, we’ve once again selected three stocks (one each from the Conservative, Aggressive and Income Portfolios).


We feel all three are poised to deliver big gains for our readers, not only this year but for many years to come....

MINISO GROUP HOLDING (ADR), $19.64, symbol MNSO on New York, is a fast-growing retailer that opened its first store in China in 2013. It had 6,115 stores in its global network on September 30, 2023, including more than 3,802 in China. The company itself operates just 231 of the stores, with the rest managed by franchisees.

Miniso aims to attract shoppers with a variety of design-led lifestyle products....

SYMBOTIC INC., $50.33, symbol SYM on Nasdaq, manufactures AI-powered autonomous robots, which major companies use in their warehouse fulfillment and distribution processes to save time and money. Customers using the Symbotic platform include Walmart, Target, and C&S Grocery Wholesalers.

Symbotic went public in June 2022 through a merger with SVF Investment Corp....

THINKIFIC LABS INC., $3.55, symbol THNC on Toronto, provides a software platform to help entrepreneurs and businesses create and sell online courses and other learning products. That includes tools to design and build websites that showcase and sell their courses.

Thinkific also has an app store for course creators....

STANLEY BLACK & DECKER INC. $90 (www.stanleyblackanddecker.com) is a buy. The company is one of the world’s largest makers of hand and power tools....

The shares of fertilizer producer Nutrien shot up to an all-time high of $147.93 in April 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia, and its ally Belarus, are major producers of potash fertilizer and economic sanctions hindered their exports. That helped lift Nutrien’s average potash selling price by 112.8%, to $630 U.S....