price to sales ratio
Media firms continue to face strong competition from websites offering free information. However, demand for Thomson’s hard-to-replace data should remain strong. Torstar’s new online investments (see box) have some promise, but they will take years to pay off.
THOMSON REUTERS CORP....
THOMSON REUTERS CORP....
POTASH CORP. OF SASKATCHEWAN $22 (Toronto symbol POT; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 839.4 million; Market cap: $18.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.9; Dividend yield: 2.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.potashcorp.com) is a leading producer of potash, nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers....
SUNCOR ENERGY INC. $36 (Toronto symbol SU; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 1.7 billion; Market cap: $61.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.3; Dividend yield: 3.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.suncor.com) has agreed to take a 30% stake in the Rosebank offshore oil project....
Oil prices fell from over $90 U.S. a barrel in 2014 to a recent low of $30. Prices have since rebounded to over $40 but it’s possible that they will remain low for some time. That adds risk for these three firms that service oil producers.
Recent cost cutting by all three will help them thrive when crude prices move higher....
Recent cost cutting by all three will help them thrive when crude prices move higher....
In addition to Telus (see page 81), the outlook for BCE is positive: the company continues to attract new wireless and TV customers; and its upcoming acquisition of Manitoba Telecom (see box) will expand its geographic reach and earnings, as well as its wireless business....
EMERA INC. $49 (Toronto symbol EMA; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 198.7 million; Market cap: $9.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; Dividend yield: 4.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.emera .com) owns 100% of Nova Scotia Power, that province’s main electricity supplier....
After several years of explosive growth, Canada’s wireless industry has started to slow. That’s mainly because 85% of all Canadians now own a cellphone.
Even so, the outlook for wireless carriers such as Telus and BCE (see page 83) remains bright for several reasons....
Even so, the outlook for wireless carriers such as Telus and BCE (see page 83) remains bright for several reasons....
Oil prices fell below $30 a barrel in early 2016, but recently have rebounded to over $45. That’s mainly because producers have slowed their output in order to lower their expenses. We expect prices will continue to recover as inventories shrink and demand remains steady.
Chevron is among those companies that have cut their operating costs....
Chevron is among those companies that have cut their operating costs....
These four lenders, including American Express (see box), have passed the Federal Reserve’s annual “stress test.” It measures how financial firms would cope with a jump in unemployment, falling stock prices and other unfavourable developments. That approval gives them more room to raise their dividends and buy back shares....
AMERICAN EXPRESS CO. $64 (New York symbol AXP, Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 951.0 million; Market cap: $60.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; Dividend yield: 2.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.americanexpress .com) is one of the world’s largest issuers of payment cards; the company issues two types of these: charge cards, which have no preset spending limit and must be paid in full each month; and traditional credit cards, which let users carry a balance....