Three ETFs—two buys and one we don’t like

Here’s a look at three popular ETFs in three different areas—medical-device makers, natural resource producers and S&P 500 companies (but with a twist). We like the first two, but we think the third is likely to underperform its “plain vanilla” counterpart.
Meanwhile, the Supplement on page… Read More

Idexx profits from pet boom

IDEXX LABORATORIES INC. $358 is still a hold. The company (Nasdaq symbol IDXX; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 83.3 million; Market cap: $29.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 8.8; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.idexx.com) makes equipment that veterinarians use to detect diseases in pets… Read More

Agriculture ETFs tap expanding demand

With yearly revenue of over $4 trillion, the global agriculture industry offers enormous opportunities for firms ready to satisfy growing food demand.
Crop and food prices will continue to fluctuate from year to year—as we’ve seen with wheat and fertilizer exports disrupted from major producers Russia,… Read More

Mid-cap ETFs can lift your portfolio gains

Many investors overlook mid-cap stocks, thinking that a combination of large- and small-cap stocks will provide their portfolios with all the diversification they really need. However, as a group, U.S. mid-cap stocks have often performed better than large caps and are generally less risky than… Read More

Idexx’s high p/e adds to your risk

IDEXX LABORATORIES INC. $676 is still a hold. The company (Nasdaq symbol IDXX; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 84.9 million; Market cap: $57.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 18.9; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.idexx.com) makes equipment that veterinarians use to detect… Read More