merger

Telus suspended dividend increases in 2020 due to uncertainty caused by COVID-19 lockdowns. Now that the economy is reopening, the company has resumed its pattern of raising the dividend twice a year. In fact, it now aims to increase the annual dividend rate between 7% and 10% from 2023 through the end of 2025.


The company also continues to develop its smaller businesses, which serve the healthcare and agricultural industries....

Investing in up-and-coming Canadian tech stocks, which often include hidden assets and researchspending, can lead to big growth—but only if you select wisely

AVIENT CORPORATION, $47.64, symbol AVNT on New York, is a provider of specialized and sustainable material solutions and services worldwide. Its products include thermoplastic compounds, plastic colorants and additives, thermoplastic resin and vinyl resin sold under brands such as CESA, ColorMatrix, and many others....

China currently dominates rare-earth production due in part to higher labour costs and tighter environmental restrictions in the U.S. However, politicians and government officials in the U.S. are now trying to promote production in the U.S. MP Materials should benefit from that effort—and it already delivers 15% of global rare-earth market supply....

Both these spinoffs are off to a slow start as they restructure their operations. We feel their moves will ultimately pay off, but it’s better to hold off new buying right now.


VIATRIS INC. $11 is a hold. The company (New York symbol VTRS; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $13.2 billion; Dividend yield: 4.4%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.viatris.com) makes a variety of branded and generic drugs, include Celebrex (pain relief), Viagra (erectile dysfunction) and Lipitor (cholesterol)....

A: 23andMe Holding Co., $4.64, symbol ME on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 451.3 million; Market cap: $2.1 billion; www.23andme.com), is a provider of consumer genetics testing. It has created the world’s largest crowd-sourced platform for genetic research; more than 80% of its customers have agreed to have their genetic profiles available on the platform.

In February 2021, VG Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company or SPAC backed by British billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, announced that it would merge with privately held 23andMe to complete the qualifying transaction for this type of acquisition.

SPACs are a specialized kind of IPO (Initial Public Offering, or new stock issue)....

YELP INC., $38.23, symbol YELP on New York, lets people rate and review local businesses such as restaurants, retail stores and service providers. They do that by detailing their experiences for other patrons and assigning a business a rating of up to five stars....

PFIZER INC., $50.11, New York symbol PFE, is your #1 Income Buy for 2022.

The company is one of the world’s largest makers of prescription drugs. Its top-selling brands include Lyrica (epilepsy), Celebrex and Enbrel (arthritis), and Prevnar (pneumonia).

Pfizer has increased its dividend rate each year since 2011....

This is the fourth year in a row that we’ve selected CP Rail as your #1 Conservative Buy. We’re particularly excited as the company’s upcoming merger with U.S.-based railway Kansas City Southern could spur the stock higher for many years to come.


While big acquisitions are always risky, adding KCS will greatly extend CP’s reach in the U.S....

LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA, or LABCORP., $254.67, symbol LH on New York, provides comprehensive clinical laboratory services from locations throughout North America. It also offers drug development services such as research and clinical trial management.

Labcorp employs nearly 75,000 people at its base in Burlington, North Carolina, and across the U.S.

On July 28, 2022, the company announced that its board of directors had approved the spin-off of its Clinical Development business....