U.S. gains fuel BMO dividend hike

BANK OF MONTREAL $91 (Toronto symbol BMO; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 639.3 million; Market cap: $58.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; Dividend yield: 4.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.bmo.com) earned $1.53 billion in the quarter ended October 31, 2018. That’s up 16.8% from… Read More

Maple Leaf gets cash for new plant

MAPLE LEAF FOODS INC. $28 (Toronto symbol MFI; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 124.4 million; Market cap: $3.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.0; Dividend yield: 1.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.mapleleaffoods.com) sells fresh and prepared meats under the Maple Leaf and Schneider brands.
The company now plans to… Read More

RioCan completes key step

RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $25 (Toronto symbol REI.UN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Units outstanding: 306.8 million; Market cap: $7.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 6.4; Dividend yield: 5.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.riocan.com) owns all or part of 250 shopping centres and other properties across Canada… Read More

Loblaw is now a pure-play retailer

Loblaw recently transferred its majority stake in Choice Properties REIT to its parent company, George Weston. As a result of that reorganization, Loblaw can now focus exclusively on expanding profits for its main retailing operations.
For example, the company recently launched a new enhanced delivery program… Read More

Updating Calian Group Ltd.

CALIAN GROUP LTD. $28 (Toronto symbol CGY; High-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding; 7.8 million; Market cap: $218.4 million; Dividend yield: 4.0%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.calian.com) has two main operations: Business and Technology Services (70% of revenue) provides clients with engineers, health-care… Read More

U.S. push helps spur Fortis dividend

FORTIS INC. $47 (Toronto symbol FTS; Income-Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 426.6 million; Market cap: $20.1 billion; Dividend yield 3.8%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.fortisinc.com) began supplying electricity to St. John’s, Newfoundland, in 1885. The company is now the main power utility in that province as well… Read More

Asset sales improve its outlook

DREAM OFFICE REIT $24 (Toronto symbol D.UN; Cyclical-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio; Manufacturing sector; Units outstanding: 59.8 million; Market cap: $1.4 billion; Dividend yield: 4.2%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Average; www.dream.ca) launched a three-year strategic plan in 2016. That strategy includes selling non-essential properties in order to realize their full… Read More

New businesses enhance their prospects

METRO INC. $48 (Toronto symbol MRU; High-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding 227.4 million; Market cap: $10.9 billion; Dividend yield: 1.5%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.metro.ca) operates 600 grocery stores and 700 drugstores, in Quebec and Ontario.
With the March 2018 payment, Metro raised its quarterly dividend… Read More

Russel can handle U.S. tariffs

RUSSEL METALS INC. $21 (Toronto symbol RUS; Cyclical-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares o/s: 62.1 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion; Dividend yield: 7.2%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.russelmetals.com) is one of North America’s largest metal distributors.
Russel continues to pay quarterly dividends of $0.38 a.. Read More