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

U.S. equities markets have spawned some highly-specialized, successful investors over the years. One of these is James O’Shaughnessy, whose value approach to investing has been highly successful in the U.S.

The   Read More

“Believe it or not, one asset class I’ve always found that stacks up well is timberland. This is especially true when stock market indexes seem on the verge of tumbling   Read More

“This year’s Annual General Meeting could not have mirrored today’s real-life world and stock markets better. What a template! Talk about proven – and inspirational – value investing.”

So enthused Michael   Read More

Americans take pride in what’s called American exceptionalism. They were the first country to practise democracy in modern times. They were the first with no monarchy or aristocracy. America was   Read More

Apple Inc. – both the business and the stock – has fanatically devoted fans, but Credit Suisse analyst Kulbinder Garcha is not among them.

His maintaining a “neutral” recommendation almost looks   Read More

Quick, now: can you name the new whipping boy in the investment world? If you said bonds, you’d be right. After last year’s “taper tantrum” — i.e., the sell-off in   Read More

A look back at some investment hits and misses

When I worked for a major brokerage firm many years ago, I was always amazed to see how few of the Investment   Read More

Look beyond North America’s borders and benefit from ADR investing

ADRs, or American Depositary Receipts make it easy for you to buy overseas companies and provide you with an extra measure   Read More

Dynamic American Value Fund has lagged its category in recent years. But that may change as the U.S. economic outlook picks up steam, giving a boost to the fund’s cyclically-oriented   Read More

Not too long ago, this advisory sold its remaining stake in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT-NYSE, $77.11) at the $56 US level for a tidy profit. As editor Barry S. Arnold   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

Building an investment portfolio is a particularly difficult task at potential turning points in the market.

At market lows, investors not only have to be aware of additional downside risk, but   Read More

Five spring times ago, the doomsayers were running roughshod. This spring, the principal worries are of how much longer a bull run for the ages can last, how big the   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

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

Some of my research involves sentiment indicators, which measure the level of bullish or bearish behavior by two distinct groups of investors.

One group, sometimes referred to as the “smart   Read More

Where to put new money now

Continue to add new money to existing positions. Emphasize those positions that have suffered relative short-term weakness. 

OUR CURRENT THINKING: Stock markets in North America and   Read More

Just when folks are told to steer clear of certain investments, the trend changes. But that’s typical, is it not?

At the start of this year, the market mavens told investors   Read More

On this page, we outline what we expect the economy and stocks to do over the next 180 days. This assists us in listing 25 stocks that we expect to   Read More