Updating your Conservative stocks: ABB, Canon & Gannett

Article Excerpt

ABB LTD. ADRs $55 (www.abb.com) remains a buy. This Swiss-based company is a leading maker of electrical transformers, transmission systems and circuit breakers for electrical utilities. It also makes robotic equipment. The company’s earnings will probably rise about 5% in 2024 to $2.12 per ADR. The stock, which has gained 45% in the past year, trades at a reasonable 25.9 times that forecast. The $0.99 dividend yields 1.8%. ABB is a buy. CANON INC. ADRs $28 (www.canon.com) is still a hold. The company is a leading maker of printers, copiers and other office equipment, as well as digital cameras and parts for TVs and medical gear. Sales in the first quarter of 2024 fell 10.7%, to $6.55 billion from $7.33 billion a year earlier. That drop is largely due to unfavourable currency rates. Earnings also declined 2.4%, to $0.40 per ADR from $0.41. Canon is a hold. GANNETT CO. INC. $4.48 (www.gannett.com) is a hold. The company publishes daily and weekly newspapers in 220 local markets in 43 states. Those include its flagship…