Recurring seasonal effects can and do occur even in so-called efficient markets that are supposed to reflect all relevant news and information. (For example, the cost of heating your home   Read More

U.S.-based global stock 3M Co. is expected to earn record profits this year and next. This will give it the means to keep rewarding its shareholders. While not cheap, 3M   Read More

Your best long term strategic investment plan is to balance your portfolio across the five main sectors of the economy: finance, utilities, consumer products and services, manufacturing and resources. Each   Read More

Jean Coutu Group’s earnings are rising very slowly. But with lots of cash and excess cash flow, this debt-free consumer goods stock can afford to continue paying rising dividends. It   Read More

The cash-strapped Quebec government’s move to introduce a tendering system to lower generic drug prices dragged down the share price of top retail grocery chains Loblaw Cos. and Jean Coutu   Read More

Analysts follow as many as 20 stocks, most of which are rated ‘buys’.  Of those buys, an analyst has one or two special favourites seen as the best stocks to   Read More

Despite warnings of rich valuations from the U.S. Federal Reserve, investors in biotech stocks continued to snap up anything that moved. Elvis Picardo, vice president, research, and portfolio manager at   Read More

Analysts follow as many as 20 stocks, most of which are rated “buys.” Of those buys, an analyst has one or two special favorites seen as most suitable for new   Read More

Headquartered in Vancouver, CRH Medical sells products and services to doctors who screen and treat gastrointestinal ailments. Until recently, CRH was a medical device company, boasting a single product. But   Read More

In the second quarter of 2015, the value of takeovers in the pharmaceutical and biotech sector topped US$1 trillion. And now Montreal-based drug giant Valeant Pharmaceuticals is offering US$1 billion   Read More

Healthcare stock Johnson & Johnson offers attractive, rising dividends. It’s what’s known as a “dividend aristocrat”. In the U.S., that’s a firm that has hiked its dividend for at least   Read More

Baby boomers may increasingly whine about their creaking bodies.  But a positive side to their groans and moans for healthcare solutions is the growing need for drugs — particularly prescription   Read More

The TSX Venture Exchange is not your father’s stock exchange. Elvis Picardo, vice president of research and portfolio manager at Global Securities Corp. in Vancouver, notes that instead of being   Read More

Based in Oakville, Ont., Canadian healthcare stock Concordia Healthcare Corp. buys and manages legacy pharma products. It also buys and develops orphan drugs. Thanks to a recent acquisition, this healthcare   Read More

John Stephenson, portfolio manager and president of Toronto-based Stephenson & Company Capital Management Inc., says the recent dramatic decline in the greenback is unlikely to be sustained for an extended   Read More

Former Investor’s Digest of Canada editor Carlyle Dunbar argues that deflation is on its way. But when? In the meantime large-cap healthcare and information technology stocks are now starring on   Read More

The new investment includes construction projects for dozens of new and existing stores. This giant in the consumer goods industry is Canada’s largest retailer providing grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty,   Read More

While the United States is entering an extended period of monetary tightening, Europe is beginning its experiment of unbridled and unrestrained monetary stimulus. One thing that investors know from the   Read More

Johnson & Johnson has gone through a spate of recent problems, but its size, earnings record, dividend record, productivity and R & D still make this healthcare solutions giant a   Read More

In mid-2015 Baxter will split into two companies. One will focus on medical products for healthcare solutions; the other on developing and marketing biopharmaceuticals.
On March 9, there was an anniversary   Read More

Often a small mutual fund is able to outperform large funds by getting a couple of big winners early on. This may attract the attention of investors who can quickly   Read More

New Look Eyewear Inc. (TSX─BCI) brought in results for the third quarter of fiscal ’14 that were mainly in line with Toronto-based analyst Doug Cooper’s own forecast. Mr. Cooper is   Read More

Forecasting market performance is notoriously tricky. That would be true even if you were handed information about significant economic factors predestined to play out in the year ahead. Writing in   Read More

This past year, 2014, was a difficult one for Europe. According to estimates provided by The Economist, the euro area is likely to have grown just 0.8 per cent for   Read More

American Depositary Receipts, or ADRs, give you ownership in companies based outside of Canada and the U.S. This can give you several benefits. One is diversification—geo-political and industrial. It’s tempting   Read More

For Toronto-based analysts Doug Cooper and Margaux Berry of Beacon Securities, Revive Therapeutics Ltd. (RVV–TSX/VEN) needs no resuscitation. Not only are they keeping it pegged at “buy,” but they’re sticking   Read More

“In the stock market — or in any widely traded market — there’s an inevitable fact of life: bear markets happen. It’s a topic I’d just as soon avoid. After   Read More

Technology and health care analyst Steven Zicherman of Vancouver-based Odlum Brown reiterates his “buy” recommendation and 12-month target price of $117 for health-care giant Johnson & Johnson (JNJ—NYSE).

The company, which   Read More

Sometimes it’s worth doing your own analysis, says Keith Richards, portfolio manager at Barrie, Ontario-based Value Trend Wealth Management. It may result in a satisfying contrarian payoff.

At Value Trend, says   Read More

Valuations for smaller biotechnology and internet stocks are stretched, the U.S. Federal Reserve warned in its Monetary Policy Report delivered to the U.S. Congress recently.

But writing in The MoneyLetter, John   Read More

Analysts follow as many as 20 stocks, most of which are rated “buys.” Of those buys, an analyst has one or two special favorites seen as most suitable for new   Read More

In view of our previous recommendation to ETF investors that they buy unhedged ETFs when investing in the U.S., we now recommend such an ETF for investors seeking exposure to   Read More

Correction will coincide with six-month seasonal downswing

We’re still tiptoeing through queasy stock markets. So, don’t rest easy just yet.

A correction of some sort is under way — one that neatly   Read More

Worries over emerging markets continue, but North America looks poised for a recovery

The stock market has been in quite a funk these last few weeks.

Expectations of a reduction in stimulus   Read More

When you buy stocks in sectors and sub-sectors of the market, keep your goals in mind. If you’re a conservative, income-seeking investor, focus on utilities, financial stocks and consumer goods   Read More

Speculating in biotech penny stocks can be a bit like spending a few hours at the local casino.

Yes, there are risks and unknowns aplenty. But the payoff if the startup   Read More

The Toronto market is up in peaceful fashion.

Please note the below data is to February 21, and the Toronto market has risen since then,

We are far enough into the New   Read More

– John Stephenson, CFA

After the banner finish to the market last year, the price action on the S&P 500 has so far been somewhat dismal with stocks consolidating and digesting   Read More

Markets have behaved perversely in recent months. Good economic news was sometimes greeted with a selloff as investors feared better times would only encourage the U.S. Federal Reserve to begin   Read More

Canadian Mutual Fund Adviser, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

Most investment strategies stress one of two approaches. One of these is to chase after the action;   Read More

The MoneyLetter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

 
– John Stephenson, CFA For better or for worse, Obamacare is now the law of the land in the   Read More

Money Reporter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

U.S. investors made out like bandits
The final numbers are now in, and it turns out that the S&P/TSX Composite   Read More

The Investment Reporter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

We’ve put Pfizer Inc. back on a buy back in May. That’s because it has made progress and   Read More

Canadian Mutual Fund Adviser, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

Northwest Canadian Equity Fund has performed reasonably well compared to its peers these past 10 years. But   Read More

The Investment Reporter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

CCL Industries is one household goods stock that we regularly examine on The Back Page (of The Investment   Read More

Canadian Mutual Fund Adviser, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846
 

Many small-cap equity funds are highly volatile. But others are able to minimize volatility by emphasizing “quality”   Read More

Canadian Mutual Fund Adviser, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

You may be disappointed if you plunge into the U.S. markets now expecting near-term gains similar to   Read More

“We are now,” says editor Ray Blanco, “in the early stages of a huge change in how we treat cancer.” He believes that “serious progress” is being made in the   Read More

“Stocks that soar 178 per cent in six months don’t come along every day,” notes editor Chloe Lutts Jensen. But soar Invivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (NVIV-OTCBB, $4.22) did, with a   Read More

This advisory is dropping American Express Co. (AXP-NYSE, $75.64) from its “buy” list. Yes, its shares are yelling “charge it!” (they’re up 29 per cent this year) and running ahead   Read More