Selling snow to Eskimos has always been a whimsical benchmark for successful sales reps here in the Great White North. But, selling water to Californians? Creating demand is certainly not   Read More

Procter & Gamble: The street says ‘hold’. We say ‘buy’. This dividend aristocrat is one of a few dividend kings—stocks that have raised their dividends for more than 50 consecutive   Read More

Oil prices are at multi-month lows. Why? And where are the opportunities for investors? John Stephenson, president and CEO of Toronto-based Stephenson & Company Capital Management Inc. says savvy investors   Read More

Despite hand-wringing over America’s rising debt levels, U.S. markets continue to lead the world and the S&P 500 Composite Index has risen sharply over the past six years. Keith Richards,   Read More

It’s still summer here in the Great White North. So while you’re lounging by the pool or lake or wherever you do your summer lounging with a cool drink near   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

Some lesser-developed countries look attractive. But investing abroad exposes you to considerable risks. So your strategic investment objectives should include finding safer ways to profit. One is to buy the   Read More

Paychex, Inc. is rated a ‘buy’ for long-term gains and attractive, rising dividends. It earned record profits for the second year in a row—and expects to set a new record   Read More

The Investment Reporter regularly monitors 10 top industrial stocks on “The Back Page”, a weekly feature that examines the market outlook with a focus on a particular industry. Here are   Read More

 A recent Globe and Mail story highlighted one of the market’s occasional paradoxes: investors are using exchange-traded funds (or “ETFs”) to short the consumer staples sector, but aren’t shorting the   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

With both stocks and commodities having traded in fairly confined ranges, the S&P 500 is now due for a healthy pullback. That’s the market outlook from Toronto-based Brian Hoffman, CPA,   Read More

The 10 conglomerates followed by The Investment Reporter have out-performed the market recently. But they can suffer from some of the drawbacks outlined below. Often strategic investment planning for ‘De-conglomeration’   Read More

Overall, the stock market outlook remains volatile, while the bond market outlook could be on the verge of a tantrum. Here’s where to find some comfort food for the soul—and   Read More

Conventional wisdom is, well, conventional—and often inappropriate. Sunil Vidyarthi, president of Oakville, Ont.-based Value Sciences Inc., says the wisdom of putting bonds in your RRSP is flawed. In fact stocks   Read More

McDonald’s, a high-dividend-paying multinational corporation, is trying to revive its results—as it always has. When it does, the shares will jump. Meanwhile, it also remains a buy for its high   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

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

GE Capital’s assets are seen as a good fit for TD Bank. But Toronto-Dominion is likely to face competition from other financial sector companies if it submits a bid.
At first   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

It’s late to sell cheaper Canadian stocks, convert to pricey U.S. dollars and buy costlier U.S. stocks. This strategy is apt to backfire. Many of The Investment Reporter’s Key Canadian   Read More

U.S. Key stock PepsiCo earned more in 2014, excluding currency changes and one-time items. It expects to earn more in 2015. This gives this global consumer goods stock the means   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

Here’s a low-cost mutual fund that ranks among the best Canadian index funds and that’s easily within reach of the small investor. You need only a $100 commitment to get   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

New digital initiatives, such as the “buy online, pick up in store” sales channel, are important drivers in attracting long-term, repeat customers.
After speaking with Home Depot Inc.’s (NYSE─HD) management, equity   Read More

Although cheap gas is great for motorists, it could wreak havoc with Canada’s energy sector, as well as the market for junk bonds.
Central banks throughout the West last year found   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

PPG Industries (NYSE─PPG), one of our U.S. Key stocks, earned record profits in 2014. It’s expected to earn more this year and next. The world’s leading coatings and specialty-materials company   Read More

It’s the job of any financial writer to see through fresh eyes, to look for traps and false assumptions in the world of money. Investors who weathered the stormy bear markets of 2000 to 2003 and 2008 to 2009 know only too well what can happen to the unwary.   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

Among U.S.-based mining companies that focus primarily on producing silver, Coeur Mining, Inc. (TSX—CDE; NYSE–CDE) is the largest. It is also a growing gold producer. As with other silver and   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

Sometimes when the outlook for growth at a company stalls, it can present an opportunity to scoop up valuable shares at bargain prices. On the other hand, it may be   Read More

Dividend Re-Investment Plans, or “DRIPs,” can assist you in building your wealth. You can instruct companies with DRIPs to reinvest your dividends into new shares. You can build your wealth   Read More

Alimentation Couche-Tard is earning record profits again. We expect the company to earn record profits this year and next. It remains a buy for further long-term gains and small but   Read More

Wall Street strategists have started to issue their 2015 forecasts. And if a report by Goldman Sachs is any indication of the forecasts to follow, you might want to forget   Read More

Equity analyst Dan Hincks of Vancouver-based investment firm Odlum Brown sees significant upside in the shares of Visa Inc. (V—NYSE). He reiterates his “buy” recommendation and 12-month target price of   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

Analyst Dan Hincks of Vancouver-based investment firm Odlum Brown maintains his “buy” recommendation for real estate development firm The Howard Hughes Corporation (HHC—NYSE). He also reiterates his 12-month target price   Read More

The supply of oil and gas has risen. The demand growth for oil and gas has decreased. Both factors have sent down the price of oil. West Texas Intermediate—North America’s   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

Despite the negativity surrounding the state of manufacturing, especially in Canada, things are beginning to look decidedly better, says John Stephenson, CEO of Toronto-based Stephenson & Company Capital Management Inc.   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

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

Tim Hortons, one of our Key stocks, has agreed to its acquisition by Burger King to form a new company. You’ll receive much more than Tim Hortons’ former market price.   Read More

As the most dynamic, flexible and successful material-wealth-building economy in the world, the U.S. deserves your investment attention. Every Canadian investor should have some exposure to U.S. stocks.

Compared to last   Read More

One of our U.S. Key stocks is Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ—ITRI). While it remains profitable, we’re disappointed with its mediocre performance.

In 2014, Itron is expected to earn $1.65 a share. That’s   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

PPG Industries’ earnings per share keep setting new records. This lets it reinvest and reward its shareholders with attractive dividends and buybacks.

PPG operates three segments in nearly 70 countries worldwide.   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