Pass on this ETF

ISHARES S&P/TSX SMALL CAP ETF $16 (Toronto symbol XCS; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $121.1 million) invests in smaller listed Canadian companies.

The ETF holds 197 stocks, with the top 10 comprising only 13% of its assets. This gives it the appearance of a well-diversified… Read More

Small-cap ETFs aim for growth

Smaller firms can sometimes generate higher returns than their larger counterparts, but they are often riskier, less liquid, and may underperform for long periods. One way to offset some of the risk is to focus on ETFs that hold top-quality small-capitalization companies.

Here we look… Read More

Pat: What is your view on buying the Canadian Vector Equity Fund? I believe it’s tilted towards value stocks and small cap stocks. Its MER is higher than an ETF, but maybe the value and small-company approach over long periods of time will add value. What are your thoughts on going with this mutual fund or a small-cap ETF such as the iShares S&P/TSX SmallCap Index ETF?

A: On a broad level, funds that specialize in small-cap stocks are always more volatile. However, some small caps do offer above-average potential—like those we recommend in Stock Pickers Digest.
Incidentally, we think it’s a mistake to generalize about small cap stocks. Some small caps are… Read More

Profit and share price soar for Norsat International

Profit and share price soar for Norsat International

Earnings for this data communications company shot up in the latest quarter on stronger sales for its high-profit-margin systems.

NORSAT INTERNATIONAL (symbol NII on Toronto; www.norsat.com) designs and makes satellite and ground equipment to transmit data, audio and video signals through commercial and military networks.

Norsat… Read More

Big shift pays off for Texas Instruments

Big shift pays off for Texas Instruments

Investments in manufacturing are now paying off for Texas Instruments as its earnings, share buybacks and dividend rise.

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC. (Nasdaq symbol TXN; www.ti.com) continues to benefit from its 2008 decision to quit making chips for cellular phones and focus instead on analog chips. Those… Read More