Utility stocks like Fortis (see page 31) remain solid choices for investors looking to lower tariff-related risk.


Here are three more utilities that we feel are excellent choices for most portfolios. All of them are expanding their rate-regulated businesses, which will help them profit from increasing demand for electricity to power EVs and AI datacentres....

TRANSCONTINENTAL INC. $18 is a buy for aggressive investors. The company (Toronto symbol TCL.A; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 83.6 million; Market cap: $1.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 5.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.tctranscontinental.com) is Canada’s leading printer of newspapers, advertising flyers, in-store displays, magazines and books....

We’ve long recommended electrical power utility Fortis as a pick for steady growth and reliable income. The stock is even more attractive right now in light of the escalating trade war with the U.S.


While new tariffs on steel and aluminum could increase the costs of Fortis’s projects in both Canada and the U.S., its utilities sell little of their power outside of their local markets....

This week, we spotlight a company that has unlocked value for investors with several successful spinoffs. We think it’s likely to do so again.

Specifically, since 2016, conglomerate Danaher has completed three separate spinoffs.

As we often remind investors, spinoffs are the closest thing you can find to a sure thing....

CAMPBELL’S CO., $41.81, Nasdaq symbol CPB, is still a buy for long-term gains.

Note—The company recently changed its name from Campbell Soup Co. to reflect its broader array of products, including soups, sauces and snack foods. It also transferred its stock listing from the New York Stock Exchange to Nasdaq (the shares continue to trade under the “CPB” symbol).

The stock fell 2% after the company cut its sales forecast for the current fiscal year....

CANADIAN TIRE CORP., $146.20, Toronto symbol CTC.A, is a buy.

The company operates 502 Canadian Tire stores, which sell automotive parts and services, and household and sporting goods; franchisees run most of the locations. The company’s other operations also enrich its outlook....

WARNER MUSIC GROUP CORP., $34.39, is a buy. The company’s shares (symbol WMG on Nasdaq) began trading on June 3, 2020, following its IPO.

Warner Music is one of the world’s leading music entertainment companies. Its record labels include Atlantic Records, Warner Records, and Elektra Records....

HYATT HOTELS CORP., $135.73, symbol H on New York, is a global hospitality company with over 20 brands. The company has more than 1,400 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 79 countries on six continents. Its brands include Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, and Hyatt....

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, $165.38, Toronto symbol RY, is a buy.

With the February 2025 payment, Royal raised your quarterly dividend by 2.9%. Investors will then receive $1.48 a share instead of $1.42. The new annual rate of $5.92 yields 3.6%.

The bank continues to benefit from its March 2024 purchase of the Canadian operations of U.K.-based HSBC Holdings plc (New York symbol HSBC) for $15.5 billion.

HSBC operates 130 branches that mainly cater to businesses in industries that trade and bank internationally....

We think investors will profit most—and with the least risk—by buying shares of well-established companies with strong business prospects and strong positions in healthy industries....