recent acquisitions

CHEMTRADE LOGISTICS INCOME FUND $18.66 (Toronto symbol CHE.UN; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (416-496-5856; www.chemtradelogistics.com; Units o/s: 69.1 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion; Dividend yield: 6.4%) is one of the largest removal-service providers for resource firms that create acids and sulphur as byproducts....

SNAP-ON INC. $150 (New York symbol SNA; ConservativeGrowth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 57.6 million; Market cap: $8.6 billion; Dividend yield: 1.9%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Av erage; www.snapon.com) makes tools for auto mechanics and sells them through a fleet of franchised vans that visit garages....

All five of these firms operate businesses with specialized products and services that are hard to replace. That helps protect them from new competitors. They also fuel their growth by developing new products and making acquisitions. However, not all of them are currently buys.


MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INC....

ALIMENTATION COUCHE-TARD $60.65 (Toronto symbol ATD.B: TSINetwork Rating: Average) (1-800-3612612; www.couchetard.com; Shares outstanding: 567.4 million; Market cap: $34.8 billion; Dividend yield: 0.6%) operates 10,869 convenience stores throughout North America and Europe.


In the three months ended April 30, 2017, sales increased 30.1%, to $9.62 billion from $7.40 billion a year earlier (all figures except share price in U.S....

A: StorageVault Canada, $2.59, symbol SVI on the TSX Venture Exchange, (Shares outstanding: 300.0 million; Market cap: $774.0 million; www.storagevaultcanada.com), owns and operates storage locations in B.C. (10), Alberta (6), Saskatchewan (7), Manitoba (6), Ontario (20) and Quebec (7).


Its 56 facilities hold 26,449 units that make up 3.0 million square feet of rentable space.


In 2016, StorageVault’s revenue rose 149.8%, to $27.8 million from $11.1 million in 2015....

STANTEC INC. $34.68 (Toronto symbol STN; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (780-917-7288; www.stantec.com; Shares outstanding: 114.1 million; Market cap: $4.0 billion; Dividend yield: 1.4%) sells a range of consulting, project management, design and technology services.


For the three months ended December 31, 2016, Stantec’s recent acquisitions and a stronger U.S....

STANTEC INC. $34.68 (Toronto symbol STN; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (780-917-7288; www.stantec.com; Shares outstanding: 114.1 million; Market cap: $4.0 billion; Dividend yield: 1.4%) sells a range of consulting, project management, design and technology services.


For the three months ended December 31, 2016, Stantec’s recent acquisitions and a stronger U.S....

BLACKBERRY LTD. $10 (Toronto symbol BB; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 530.5 million; Market cap: $5.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.2; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative; www.blackberry.com) recently quit developing new smartphones as part of its plan to focus on the company’s more-promising communications software operations.


For its fiscal 2017 fourth quarter, ended February 28, 2017, Blackberry’s revenue fell 38.4%, to $286 million from $464 million a year earlier (all amounts except share price and market cap in U.S....

Intel Corp. has now applied its chip-making expertise to faster-growing fields, with earnings jumping more than 15% in the last fiscal year.

ALLIED PROPERTIES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $36.93 (Toronto symbol AP.UN; Units outstanding: 84.7 million; Market cap: $3.1 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 4.1%; www. alliedreit.com) owns 155 office buildings, mainly in major Canadian cities....