Although growth stock picks can be highly volatile, they can make good long-term investments. They may be well-known stars or quiet gems, but they do share one common attribute—they are growing at a higher-than-average rate within their industry, or within the market as a whole, and could keep growing for years or decades.
And keep in mind that we focus on growth stocks, which have a good long-term history and favourable prospects. We downplay momentum stocks that tend to attract many investors simply because they are moving faster than the market averages, but are liable to fall sharply when their momentum fades.
There’s room for growth stock investing in your portfolio, but make sure you follow our TSI Network three-part Successful Investor strategy for your overall portfolio:
- Invest mainly in well-established companies;
- Spread your money out across most if not all of the five main economic sectors (Manufacturing & Industry; Resources & Commodities; Consumer; Finance; Utilities);
- Downplay or avoid stocks in the broker/media limelight.
Make better stock picks when you read this FREE Special Report, Canadian Growth Stocks: WestJet Stock, RioCan Stock and More.
SHERWIN-WILLIAMS CO. $427 (New York symbol SHW; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 92.2 million; Market cap: $39.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.2; Dividend yield: 1.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.sherwin-williams.com) acquired rival paint maker Valspar Corp....
MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INC. $139 (New York symbol MSI; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares o/s: 163.9 million; Market cap: $22.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.1; Dividend yield: 1.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.motorolasolutions.com) makes communications equipment such as radios for police and fire vehicles.
The company recently acquired privately held VaaS International Holdings, Inc....
These three tech giants continue to adapt to rapid changes in their markets. For example, innovations such as cloud computing (where users access computer software online) have made it easier for software makers Microsoft and Adobe to sell their products as an ongoing subscription service....
QUAKER CHEMICAL CORP. $201 (New York symbol KWR; Income Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares o/s: 13.3 million; Market cap: $2.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.1; Dividend yield: 0.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.quakerchem.com) agreed to acquire rival Houghton International Inc....
A financial technology, or “fintech,” stock typically offers one, or several, financial services that rely on technology to gain efficiencies. While there are many startup firms in this field, we prefer well-established companies, such as the four we analyze below, with the resources to develop their own fintech technologies.
VISA INC....
In 2014, Agilent, a long-time favourite of ours, spun off its electronics-testing business (Keysight) as a separate company. The move made sense, as it let Agilent focus on its main medical lab equipment business.
Keysight has mostly stayed in a narrow range since the split, but a recent acquisition has helped push it up nearly 40% since the beginning of the year....
TEXAS ROADHOUSE $59.73 (Nasdaq symbol TXRH; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (502-426-9984; www.texasroadhouse.com; Shares o/s: 71.7 million; Market cap: $4.3 billion; Divd yield: 2.0%) is a full-service, casual-dining chain with 582 locations spread across 49 U.S....
WEIGHT WATCHERS INTERNATIONAL $20.26 (Nasdaq symbol WTW; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (212-589-2700; www.ww.com; Shares o/s: 67.0 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion; No dividends paid) had 3.9 million active subscribers at the end of 2018. That was down 7.1% from the 4.2 million subscribers Weight Watchers had on September 30, 2018.
The company rebranded itself as WW last fall, and its problems with signing up new subscribers may be related to the name change....
AMAZON.COM $1,690.81 (Nasdaq symbol AMZN; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (206-266-1000; www.amazon.com; Shares outstanding: 491.2 million; Market cap: $821.8 billion; No dividends paid) continues to disrupt a range of industries. The latest move centres on its reported plan to open dozens of grocery stores in several major U.S....
RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL $63.04 (New York symbol QSR; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (905-845-6511; www.rbi.com; Shares outstanding: 478.0 million; Market cap: $30.1 billion; Dividend yield: 3.2%) has opened its first Tim Hortons restaurant in China, in the People’s Square in Shanghai....