TD is still our #1 pick for 2015

Article Excerpt

Toronto-Dominion Bank has a strong presence in the U.S., with more branches there than in Canada. The bank continues to gain from an improving American economy, while the weak Canadian dollar enhances the rising earnings it’s seeing from the U.S. TD’s latest acquisition in that country also adds to its prospects. TD BANK $51.38 (Toronto symbol TD; Shares outstanding: 1.8 billion; Market cap: $94.9 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.0%; www.td.com) is Canada’s largest bank, with $1.1 trillion of assets. It operates 1,305 branches in the U.S.—compared to 1,166 in Canada—and owns 41.01% of TD Ameritrade (New York symbol AMTD), a leading online brokerage. Excluding one-time items, TD’s earnings per share rose 4.4% in its fiscal 2015 third quarter, which ended July 31, 2015, to $1.20 from $1.15. Revenue gained 6.6%, to $8.0 billion from $7.5 billion. The bank’s Canadian and U.S. retail operations are profiting from stronger growth in both loans and deposits. Meanwhile, its focus on…