The shares of oil and gas stocks remain high as energy demand continues to be strong. We continue to recommend that most investors maintain some exposure to the oil and gas industry as part of a balanced portfolio. But, to cut your risk, you should stick with producers that have positive cash flow even in times of low energy prices....

OVINTIV INC., $44.96, is a buy. The energy producer (Toronto symbol OVV; Shares o/s: 243.6 million; Market cap: $11.3 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 3.6%) operates three core properties: Montney (B.C.), Anadarko (Oklahoma) and Permian (Texas).


Ovintiv is now buying 1,050 wells in the Permian basin from private equity firm EnCap Investments L.P....

Unlike many technology companies, IBM is consistently profitable—its high, sustainable dividend also helps support its stock price. Meanwhile, in response to slowing demand for its traditional mainframe computers and consulting services, the company has shifted its focus to the faster-growing field of cloud computing.


IBM, $123.45, is still a buy. The company (New York symbol IBM; Shares outstanding: 908.0 million; Market cap: $113.7 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 5.4%) is one of the world’s largest computer companies, with operations in over 175 countries.


In the past few years, IBM has shifted its focus to its more-profitable cloud computing, consulting and mainframe businesses....

A: Kellogg Company, $70.74, symbol K on New York, (Shares outstanding: 341.8 million; Market cap: $24.2 billion; Consumer sector; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.kelloggs.com), is a major maker of food products in North America and the rest of the world.

The company’s principal products are snacks such as crackers, savory snacks, toaster pastries, cereal bars, granola bars and bites; and convenience foods such as ready-to-eat cereals, frozen waffles, veggie foods and noodles.

These products are manufactured in 21 countries and marketed in more than 180 countries....

This week’s Spotlight analysis of Alimentation Couche-Tard shows that the potentially risky tactic of growth-by-acquisition can pay off nicely when a well-managed company applies that strategy conservatively in a fragmented industry with low-risk takeover opportunities.

We first recommended Alimentation Couche-Tard in December 2008, at $15.50 a share....

LULULEMON ATHLETICA, $379.93, symbol LULU on Nasdaq, is a designer and retailer of yoga-inspired athletic clothing and accessories, including pants, shorts, tops, jackets and footwear. The company caters to women and men. Lululemon also sells fitness hardware and services through its “Lululemon Studio.”

The company sells under the lululemon athletica and ivivva athletica brand names....

BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORP., $52.12, is a buy. The company (symbol BSX on New York) develops and markets medical devices used in minimally invasive procedures. Its products are used for angioplasty (blood vessel repair), blood clot filtration, cardiac rhythm management, catheter-aided ultrasound imaging, and many other surgical procedures....

CHOICE PROPERTIES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, $14.64, is a top pick for 2023.

Choice is Canada’s biggest REIT, with 703 retail, industrial and residential properties totalling 64.2 million square feet of gross leasable area. Its occupancy rate is a high 97.7%....

MCDONALD’S CORP., $295.75, New York symbol MCD, is your #1 Conservative Buy for 2023.

The company is the world’s largest fast-food chain with over 40,000 restaurants in 119 countries. It serves a wide variety of food but is best known for its hamburgers and french fries.

The stock hit a new all-time high of $296.18 this week after reporting stronger-than-expected first quarter results.

Despite raising its selling prices in response to higher costs for food, fuel and labour, customer traffic remains strong.

In the quarter ended March 31, 2023, McDonald’s revenue rose 4.1%, to $5.90 billion from $5.67 billion a year earlier....

TECK RESOURCES LTD., $63.11, Toronto symbol TECK.B, remains a buy for investors seeking long-term gains from the Resources sector of their portfolio.

The company has cancelled its plan to spin off its metallurgical coal (a key ingredient in steelmaking) operations as a separate firm.

That’s due to difficulty securing the required two-thirds approval of the class B shareholders (1 vote per share), particularly as Switzerland-based mining firm Glencore plc (Over-the-counter Pink Sheets symbol GLCNF) has offered to acquire the company for about $23 billion U.S....