price to sales ratio

The new Affordable Care Act (or Obamacare) has forced pharmaceutical firms like Pfizer to cut the price of prescription drugs they sell through the Medicaid program. The new law will also increase the use of cheaper generic competitors.

However, Obamacare also extends health coverage to 32 million more Americans, which will push up demand for all drugs....

YUM! BRANDS INC. $73 (New York symbol YUM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 442.9 million; Market cap: $32.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; Dividend yield: 2.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.yum .com) will soon start selling breakfast foods and coffee through 5,500 of its Taco Bell outlets in the U.S.

The new breakfast menu features the Waffle Taco, a warm waffle wrapped around either bacon or sausage, with scrambled eggs, cheese and maple syrup....

A great way for investors to gain international exposure is through multinationals that trade on New York as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). To qualify as ADRs, they have to conform to U.S. accounting and listing requirements, which cuts their risk.

These three foreign firms lead their industries and are expanding in fast-growing markets....

MOLSON COORS BREWING CO. $57 (New York symbol TAP; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 184.2 million; Market cap: $10.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.molson coors.com) continues to make progress integrating StarBev LP, which it bought for $3.4 billion in June 2012....

HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. $30 (New York symbol HPQ; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 1.9 billion; Market cap: $57.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 1.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.hp.com) is starting to benefit from a major restructuring that includes merging its computer and printing divisions and cutting 11% of its workforce.

In its fiscal 2014 first quarter, which ended January 31, 2014, earnings before unusual items rose 8.5%, to $1.7 billion from $1.6 billion a year earlier....

These two Japanese automakers reported higher U.S. sales in 2013, thanks to new models and pent-up demand after the 2008-2009 recession. Meanwhile, like Canon (see page 23), the low Japanese yen is increasing the value of their overseas sales.

TOYOTA MOTOR CO....

FORD MOTOR CO. $15 (New York symbol F; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 4.0 billion; Market cap: $60.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 3.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.ford.com) sold 2.5 million vehicles in the U.S....

Canadian investors must pay a 35% U.S. withholding tax on income from master limited partnerships (MLPs) like Buckeye and Cedar Fair. However, you can usually claim a non-refundable Canadian tax credit to offset that withholding tax. As well, MLPs are not suitable for RRSPs or RRIFs.

These concerns aside, we like the outlook for both MLPs, but see them as holds after their recent gains.

BUCKEYE PARTNERS L.P....

AMEREN CORP. $40 (New York symbol AEE; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 242.6 million; Market cap: $9.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.5; Dividend yield: 4.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.ameren.com) has received regulatory approval to build a 644-kilometre, $1.1-billion power line in central Illinois....

GOOGLE INC. $1,220 (Nasdaq symbol GOOG; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 336.1 million; Market cap: $410.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 6.9; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.google.com) continues to launch new services to cut its reliance on Internet search.

For instance, it now offers TV and Internet access through its own fibre optic networks in Kansas City, Missouri, Austin, Texas and Provo, Utah....