Vancouver-headquartered Odlum Brown’s technology stocks analyst, Steven Zicherman, says the view that Microsoft is primarily a consumer-oriented PC/Windows-and-Xbox-dependent company is wrong. More than 70 per cent of Microsoft’s profit now   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

Financial technology, or FinTech, refers to the business activity of technology stocks that provide software to help financial services providers conduct business with their customers. FinTech stock DH Corp. has   Read More

Headquartered in Montreal, Tecsys develops software for supply chain management, as well as for related services, such as warehouse, transportation and distribution management. PI Financial technology analyst Pardeep Sangha continues   Read More

The Investment Reporter has upgraded U.S. tech stock IBM from a hold to a buy. IBM should leave behind its recent rough patch and earn record profits next year. It’s   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

Open Text Corporation has dropped in price due to some uncertainties. This gives you an opportunity to buy these high-quality shares on the cheap. Buy them for long-term price gains   Read More

We’ve often noted the advantage of small mutual funds. Most notably, they have greater flexibility to make significant portfolio changes without affecting the stock market. Then too, a single winning,   Read More

Manufacturing stock General Electric will focus on its technology and advanced manufacturing businesses. It’s disposing of most of its financial companies. It remains a buy for high dividends and long-term   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

Remember all the talk a year or so ago how gold would take off? Well, guess what? It didn’t. In fact, it’s now trading at an even lower price. Keith   Read More

A decline in BCE’s landline legacy home phone business has been more than offset by increases in its wireless, Fibe TV and internet divisions. Odlum Brown equity analyst Cory O’Krainetz   Read More

The European Central Bank, or ECB, ushered in a new era by launching an aggressive bond-buying program in January. The euro zone is one of the global economy’s biggest trouble   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

Oil prices have plummeted since June, 2014. Other commodity prices have declined. This has hurt the share prices of the producers. Oil companies are a lot cheaper than they were. The same is true of many mining companies that we review   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

For Odlum Brown analyst Steven Zicherman, Constellation Software Inc. (CSU–TSX) is definitely a star. Based in Toronto, Constellation Software buys, runs and grows business software. It boasts more than 30,000   Read More

For Deutsche Bank analysts Sherri Scribner, Larry Zhong and Joakim Mahlberg, Toronto-based Celestica Inc. (CLS–TSX; CLS–NYSE) remains a “hold.” They report:

For the third quarter of fiscal 2014, Celestica had sales   Read More

Key market indicators are back in a ‘buy’ mode and it’s time to buy says Keith Richards, a portfolio manager at ValueTrend Wealth Management in Barrie, Ontario.

“It’s no secret that   Read More

You’ll often hear start-ups being touted as nimbler and more innovative than older companies. But there are advantages to a company having been around for a while. Just ask Michael   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

Headquartered in Montreal, Quebecor Inc. (TSX–QBR.B) focuses primarily—but not only—on the Quebec market. Its sprawling communications and media empire includes cell phone, cable and Internet services, as well as a   Read More

CAE’s share price has fallen recently but it did better than it seems in the first quarter of fiscal 2015. It has also sharpened its strategic focus. The company raised   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

Sometimes things just go on and on and on. Take, for example, the loonie’s duel with the greenback.

So observes Keith Richards, Barrie, Ontario-based portfolio manager of Value Trend/Wealth Management, who   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

CAE Inc. is one of 10 technology stocks that we regularly examine on The Back Page. Since we published our January 3 issue, its shares have jumped by 16.2 per   Read More

Davis + Henderson Corporation has changed its name to DH Corporation. This name change is part of a broader strategy to unify the D+H brand and increase brand recognition across   Read More

World markets currently less desirable than developed markets, where some of the best opportunities lie in the oil patch..

March was a volatile month for the markets, with worries over global   Read More

In the United States, a lot of technology stocks are stingy. Many are also ‘large market cap’ tech stocks (market cap, or market capitalization is the number of shares times   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

Specialty funds can be the most rewarding kind available. But they don’t necessarily stay that way for long. Astute, aggressive investors will recognize this and may move among specialty funds   Read More

It’s best to diversify across the five main sectors of the economy: finance, utilities, consumer products and services, manufacturing and resources. Each of these broad sectors is made up of   Read More

By Keith Richards

 If you’ve noticed that certain sectors of the stock market are now yielding ground to others, you’re not imagining things.

There is, as I’ve noted before, a rotation going   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

– Keith Richards

Take advantage of short-lived reprieves to buy U.S. Dollars

The loonie recently cracked $0.93, a key support level against the U.S. dollar, fueling the likelihood of an even bigger decline.

Moreover,   Read More

The U.S. is doing better. So we’ve shifted our focus from U.S. companies that earn most of their sales abroad to those that also do lots of business at home.   Read More

– Marc Johnson, CFA

Here’s a quick and easy way to spot a possible takeover candidate.

First, add the company’s total debt plus other obligations that an acquiror would have to assume.   Read More

Regardless of whether or not the U.S. stock market has another stellar year in 2014, we believe you should always have some exposure to U.S. equities. And if you’re an   Read More

Investor’s Digest of Canada, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846
– Digested from The Primary Trend, Arnold Investment Counsel, Inc., 3960 Hillside Dr., Delafield, WI 53018, (800)-443-6544,   Read More

Investor’s Digest of Canada, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

–  by Keith Richards
 
If you don’t want to buy individual names, consider iShares S&P/TSX Small-Cap Index fund.
  Read More

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

THE MARKET THIS MONTH: January is in the best six-month period for stocks. The strengthening U.S. and global   Read More

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

– Keith Richards

As we begin the New Year, many of us find ourselves reflecting on past decisions we’ve made   Read More

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

The U.S. is doing better. So we’ve shifted our focus from U.S. companies that earn most of their   Read More

Investor’s Digest of Canada, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846
 – Digested from a Nov. 7 report by analysts Pardeep Sangha and Neil Bakshi 
PI Financial
Third quarter numbers   Read More

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

Markets have come roaring back lately, fueled by optimism that the Fed is in no hurry to start scaling   Read More

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

According to Keith Richards (Portfolio Manager at Value Trend), the major U.S. markets have entered into a new mega-year   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