We like TD’s timing

Article Excerpt

TORONTO-DOMINION BANK $72 (Toronto symbol TD; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 868.2 million; Market cap: $62.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; Dividend yield: 3.4%; SI Rating: Above Average) is expanding its commodity-related operations. This puts it in a position to profit from the rise in commodity prices that’s likely as the economy recovers. TD recently paid an undisclosed sum for Ross Smith Sousa Advisors Ltd., a Calgary-based firm that advises oil and gas producers on asset purchases and sales. Canada is likely to attract more foreign investment of all kinds in the next few years, due to our (relatively) strong national finances and the strength of the Canadian dollar. That’s especially likely in oil and gas, now that the BP oil spill has spurred demands for a stronger regulatory climate in the U.S. TD is also expanding its precious-metals-trading business. The rise in the price of gold has created new opportunity in this business, simply by virtue of the larger sums involved. In…