Good Investments – Hidden-value Laggards

Article Excerpt

When a company’s assets are ignored or hidden, the stock often trades for less than it’s really worth — so you get to buy at bargain prices. Here are two stocks that have lagged the market. Unlocking their hidden assets could lead to big gains. TORSTAR CORP. $17 (Toronto symbol TS.B; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 78.7 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion; SI Rating: Above average) gets 70% of its earnings from newspapers. This includes The Toronto Star, the biggest daily paper in Canada, and a top choice for advertisers. Torstar has expanded its Internet properties in the past few years, which helps cut its exposure to declining newspaper circulation. Torstar’s $0.74 a share dividend (4.4% yield) seems secure. The company could also unlock some of its value by spinning off its Harlequin book publishing subsidiary. Good investments like Harlequin make Torstar a buy. MAPLE LEAF FOODS $13 (Toronto symbol MFI; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 127.0 million; Market cap:…