Cannabis firms offer rewards—and risks

Article Excerpt

Companies involved in the marijuana business for the most part peaked in late 2018 when Canada legalized the recreational use of cannabis. Many spiked back up in February 2021, spurred by a frenzy centred around Canopy Growth—and expectations for broader U.S. legalization. However, they have since drifted back down. Challenges remain, centred around an unexpected demand by consumers for craft cannabis, an intensely competitive retail environment, and slow sales of edibles. However, top cannabis firms are moving steadily to cut capacity, shift their product mixes to meet consumer preferences and focus on cost cutting to gain profitability. Here are two ETFs that aim to benefit from the growth potential of the cannabis industry, although their risks match the industry’s. (See the supplement on page 119 for more information). HORIZONS MARIJUANA LIFE SCIENCES ETF $7.88 (Toronto symbol HMMJ; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $387.2 million) tracks the North American Marijuana Index. Stock weights are based on the market values of the holdings, but individual weights…