MAPLE LEAF FOODS INC. $24 is a hold. The company (Toronto symbol MFI; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 123.8 million; Market cap: $3.0 billion; Dividend yield: 4.0%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.mapleleaffoods.com) sells fresh and prepared meats under the Maple Leaf and Schneider labels....

Diversified manufacturing firm 3M completed its plan to spin off its Health Care division as independent firm Solventum on April 1, 2024. Shareholders received one share of Solventum for every four 3M shares they held. 3M still owns 19.9% of Solventum, but plans to sell those shares over the next five years.


We prefer 3M, which has gained 45% as the spinoff lets it focus on improving the performance of its remaining operations.


While Solventum is down 5% from its launch price, it still has long-term appeal....

A: There are a number of dates related to the payment of dividends:

The declaration date is the date on which a company’s board of directors actually sets the amount of the next dividend. Typically, it is a number of weeks in advance of the actual payout date.

The record date is the date on which a person must actually own shares in the company in order to receive the declared dividend.

The ex-dividend date is typically the same as the record date, or one business day before if the record date is not a business day....

Imperial Oil recently traded near its all-time high, before falling back with the market downturn. Even so, for our subscribers, that still translates into a whopping 1,406.6% gain since we first recommended the stock as a buy in April 1995!

Nonetheless, we think Imperial can go even higher....

COREWEAVE INC., $43.75, symbol CRWV on Nasdaq, rents out AI servers.

CoreWeave operates a network of 32 data centres that house the chips and equipment the company rents out to clients, who in turn create and deploy their AI systems.

The company started up in 2016 as a crypto mining firm....

PROCTER & GAMBLE CO., $166.91, New York symbol PG, is a buy.

The company is one of the world’s largest makers of household and personal-care goods. Major brands include Tide (laundry detergent), Pampers (diapers), Gillette (razors), Crest (toothpaste) and Vicks (cold remedies).

Procter will now raise your quarterly dividend by 5.0%....

WALMART INC., $92.80, New York symbol WMT, is still a buy.

The company is the world’s biggest retailer, with 10,771 outlets in 19 countries.

Walmart feels it is in a strong position to handle new U.S. tariffs on imported goods globally....

NORTH WEST COMPANY, $52.38, is a buy. The retailer (symbol NWC on Toronto) sells food, and everyday products and services through 230 stores. Those locations are mainly in northern communities across Canada and Alaska. Through your shares, you also tap the company’s operations in remote regions of Hawaii, the wider South Pacific and the Caribbean.

North West’s food offerings consist of perishable and non-perishable products including groceries, dairy, produce, meat, convenience foods, food service, home meal replacement, health and beauty aids, paper products and cleaning supplies....

SOUTH BOW CORP., $32.31, Toronto symbol SOBO, is a hold.

On October 1, 2024, TC Energy Corp. (Toronto symbol TRP) completed the spinoff of its oil pipeline business as separate company South Bow. Investors received 0.2 of a South Bow share for every TC share they held....

ETFs in brief

Exchange-traded funds are set up to mirror the performance of a stock-market index or sub-index....