Q: Pat, I want to invest in Swiss stocks and was wondering what your thoughts are on Switzerland, in general, and the iShares MSCI Switzerland ETF, in particular? Thank you.

A: Switzerland has a strong economic system where the country’s revenue exceeds its expenses, so there is no deficit. That improves its self-reliance and the stability of its currency.

The country also has flexible labour markets, high productivity and an emphasis on high-value exports that are… Read More

This new buy is primed for growth

Starbucks’s decision to begin paying a dividend in 2010 only supported our high opinion of the company. However, we continued to resist recommending it to our readers mainly because the stock was trading at an expensive 40 or more times its earnings.
With a current p/e… Read More

Two special situations to keep an eye on

STARBUCKS CORP. $57 (Nasdaq symbol SBUX; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.4 billion; Market cap: $79.8 billion; Dividend yield: 2.1%; Takeover Target Rating: Low; www.starbucks.com) is a leading seller and roaster of specialty coffee.
As of April 1, 2018, Starbucks had 14,812 company-operated stores and 13,397 licensed outlets in… Read More

Norway’s fund reevaluates assets

At $1 trillion U.S. in assets, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund made headlines in November 2017 with the news it would consider selling its oil and gas stocks over time. Those stocks make up around 3.6% of the fund’s total assets.
Environmental groups in the Scandinavian country—itself… Read More

Four dividend ETFs—four strategies

Rising interest rates mean dividend-paying stocks and fixed-income instruments must increasingly compete for investor interest. However, sustainable dividends still offer an attractive and growing income stream for investors (see supplement on page 50).
Here are four ETFs that provide exposure to Canadian, U.S. and international dividend… Read More