West Fraser Timber (WFG-T)

The chart has been steady despite plunges in the timber price. Impressive. But he wouldn't enter this now.

Very volatile and cyclical, which she tends not to invest in. In a downturn, these companies can really lose money. Not a long-term growth company. Recent pop may be anticipation of US rate cuts benefiting home sales. Secular housing shortage in both Canada and US.

His colleague has a saying, "Buy at Halloween, sell at the Super Bowl." Really likes the breakout to new all-time highs. Anyone who's bought in the last couple of months is in the green, very positive. Likes the setup for a seasonal trade into January. Yield is 1.28%.

Homebuilding stocks in the US have been going straight up, but Canadian forestry stocks have been going the other way. This name has done the best and held its share price.

IFP and CFP have really started to bottom on the charts. He hasn't done enough digging to know who has a better earnings profile. But looking at the charts, one of these might be a good bet to catch up to WFG and to the US homebuilders. Lower interest rates will have an impact as well.

TOL is one of the biggest homebuilders in the US, and a leading indicator. When it starts to go, as it has in the last few days, it's usually good for the lumber stocks.

Shows the struggles in forestry and wood products. Now in the part of the cycle of reducing capacity. US market is what will drive the upside, but rebound could be 3 months or 2 years away. You could start looking at it.

Lots of upside. Wonderful balance sheet. Commodities are a good place at this part of the cycle. Earnings revisions are going up. End of 2024/start of 2025 should do well. Stock's gone nowhere for a while, an opportunity. Great management and assets.

Seasonality component akin to home building sector. Not a good time from a seasonality perspective to own stock. Would wait to buy in the spring. Trading at 1x book value which is good. Would wait for further weakness in share price before buying. 

A name to consider over the next 3-5 years. Overall, an interesting place to be looking, though stocks have been hit so much since the pandemic heyday. Governments are pushing new home builds, and that should help prop up the market. The renovation market will be impeded by people's ability to spend.

Depends on the price of timber which soared during Covid, then plunged, but is now reasonable. WFG will benefit if there's a housing boom. Don't trade this, but buy and hold it.

WFG’s operating results heavily depend on lumber prices, of course, but the housing sector seems to be recovering and if interest rates peak the sector could do well. WFG is now trading at only 0.9x times' Price/Book. Lumber prices have gone down substantially from the peak in COVID due to a supply and demand mismatch. The company's balance sheet is strong, with net cash of $460M. The company has been repurchasing shares aggressively, which we like. WFG is quite cheap, considering a possible recovery for lumber going forward. The company remains our favourite in the sector, and is well-managed. Interest rates and the N. American economy overall remain the key influences. We would be comfortable starting a position. 
Unlock Premium - Try 5i Free

Still likes it a lot. It's spent a year in a sideways trading range. 

Materials sector. Lumber has been in a sideways consolidation, so an entry here is timely. Add towards the bottom of the trading range. Housing market will pick up later this year or early next, and the lumber names should push higher. Relative strength starting to turn up. Yield is 1.55%.