One of the most important principles of sound investment management is staying on top of what’s happening in the world and how those events affect finances. Conditions change quickly, and keeping up-to-date on developments and trends can be challenging. The team of experts producing IWB have been advising Canadian investors for over 25 years.
Edited and Published by Gordon Pape. Associate Editor: Richard Croft
With Gavin Graham, Ryan Irvine, Glenn Rogers, Shawn Allen, Adam Mayers, Paul Bamford & Michael Corcoran.
Recent Issues
iwb21412 (March 24, 2014)
Quebec and the markets… Miserable winter made this company happy… Glenn Rogers updates American Airlines, Market Vectors Russia ETFs, Market Vectors Rare Earths/Strategic Metals ETFs… Gordon Pape updates Franklin Bissett Canadian Equity Fund, Leith Wheeler Canadian Equity Fund, Mawer Tax-Effective Balanced Fund, Mawer U.S. Equity Fund, PH&N Short Term Bond and Mortgage Fund, PH&N Total Return Bond Fund… A warning for U.S. citizens… Members’ corner
iwb21411 (March 17, 2014)
Russia, Ukraine, and political crises… Gavin Graham’s updates: iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, Home Capital Group, Linamar Corp… Building an RESP… More updates: Equitable Group, Black Creek International Equity Fund, BMG BullionFund, Fidelity Canadian Balanced Fund, Mawer Balanced Fund
iwb21410 (March 10, 2014)
Why I bought Google… Conservative portfolio update… With current valuations, selectivity is the key… Ryan Irvine updates McCoy Corp., Monument Mining, Glentel, Parex Resouces… Gordon Pape’s updates: Gibson Energy, Trinidad Drilling, Shaw Communications… Your Questions: Capital losses… Members’ Corner: Tax software
iwb21409 (March 3, 2014)
February – not so blah! Banks set for another good year… Growth Portfolio soars… Tom Slee updates TD Bank, Scotiabank, National Bank, Kinder Morgan, Caterpillar… More updates: Target Corp., iShares MSCI Frontier 100 ETF, Coastal Contacts… Your Questions: Precise costs please… Members’ Corner: Tax software
Recent Updates
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. (TSX: L, OTC: LBLCF)
Loblaws owns the Shoppers Drug Mart chain and PC Financial, which offers banking services. It also sells clothing under the Joe Fresh name. Loblaws brands include President’s Choice, No Name, Exact, No Frills, Provigo, Valu-Mart, Fortino’s, and Real Canadian. It is 53% owned by George Weston Ltd.
Hold
Telus Corp. (TSX: T, NYSE: TU)
Telus claims to be Canada’s fastest-growing national telecommunications company. The company provides a wide range of communications products and services, including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video, and is Canada’s largest healthcare IT provider.
Hold
Canadian Tire Corp. (TSX: CTC.A, OTC: CDNAF)
In addition to its 503 dealer-operated Canadian Tire stores, CTC also owns and directly operates Mark’s, with 383 stores, and 354 sports stores (SportChek, Sports Expert, Atmosphere, Athlete’s World, and others). As well, it has 279 gasoline bar locations, plus PartSource, Party City, and Pro Hockey Life, which total 169 stores.
Canadian Tire, through its bank subsidiary is also a large MasterCard issuer with 2.3 million active credit card holders with average account balances of $3,224 each. That’s $7.4 billion in credit card receivables.
Hold
Dollarama (TSX: DOL)
Dollarama has 1,570 stores in Canada. Its highly profitable business model includes directly sourcing its products at low cost, generally from Asia and from China in particular. All stores are company-owned and operated and are in leased premises. It also owns 60% of the fast-growing 547-store Dollar City chain with locations in Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Peru. Dollar City recently opened its first store in Mexico.
Hold
WSP Global (TSX: WSP, OTC: WSPOF)
WSP is an international engineering and design firm that provides a wide range of services, from urban planning to environmental remediation. Based in Montreal, the company employs approximately 54,000 people, including engineers, technicians, scientists, architects, planners, surveyors, and environmental specialists, as well as other design, program and construction management professionals. It has more than 500 offices across 40 countries, on five continents.
WSP has seen strong gains over the years. It’s up another 12% this year. And the stock is up 1,187% since the original recommendation in 2012.