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Top Companies Still Run By Founders

Melisa R. H. Posted On March 22, 2019
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Founders have a vision, and those who are successful create an empire. Some of these companies, though established now, still have them as CEO. Many online platforms come to mind, such as Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, or Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. But there are other companies that are still led by their founder.

Canada has its fair share of entrepreneurs turned successful businessman. Another Canadian unicorn is Shopify, who has become a global leader in e-commerce. There’s also the family-run giants such as Couchetard, Dollarama and Saputo who’s founders still weighs heavily in decisions.

Here are the top companies still run by founders:

💻 Technology

Shopify Inc. (SHOP-T)
A Canadian unicorn that’s grown to be the e-commerce leader. They provide a software platform for online commerce and retail POS systems. The have recently reported a sales growth of 45%, and it’s sure to keep growing as e-commerce spreads.

Shopify Inc. (SHOP-T) — Stockchase
Shopify Inc. (SHOP-T) — Stockchase

Opinion about SHOP-T: Has been fantastic. Really good recent quarter. Right-sizing cost structure. Integrating with large-language-model search platforms, and so all searches essentially lead to Shopify. Taking advantage of AI, rather than being overcome by it.

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Evertz Technologies Ltd. (ET-T)
An electronic systems manufacturer based in Canada. Their technology is used for broadcasting and in the film industry. They pay a good dividend and are forecasting a 10% increase in earnings. Management is very good and they are a leader in the sector.

Evertz Technologies Ltd. (ET-T) — Stockchase
Evertz Technologies Ltd. (ET-T) — Stockchase

Opinion about ET-T: It is held very tightly by its two founders who own over half. It is in the telecommunications space involving television streaming over the Internet and has a nice niche in this market.They are big investors in new technology. Pays a 6% yield and every 3 or 4 years a special dividend…

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Facebook (FB-Q)
The company that is synonymous with social media. They’ve had some scandals, but the technology is hear to stay. They also own Instagram and WhatsApp. They are huge in digital marketing and advertising. Instagram is being touted as the next big thing for e-commerce as users are increasing using it to find items.

Meta Platforms, Inc. (META-Q) — Stockchase
Meta Platforms, Inc. (META-Q) — Stockchase

Opinion about META-Q: (A Top Pick Aug 28/24, Up 53%) Didn't trim this either, in his top 5. 12-month price target of $805. You might write some calls, but it's another one that blew the doors off earnings. If you own it, hold on. For new $$, buy in thirds here, around $730, and anything…

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Twitter, Inc (TWTR-N)
The micro-blogging platform that is great for aggregating news and quick communication. Many experts say that the company is here to stay, but they need to update their monetization strategy. If they can figure out the advertising, this could be a good play on social media. Jack Dorsey, the co-founder and CEO of twitter, is also the founder of Square (SQ-N), a mobile payment platform.

Twitter, Inc (TWTR-N) — Stockchase
Twitter, Inc (TWTR-N) — Stockchase

Opinion about TWTR-N: Twitter, Inc. is the best and fastest place to see whats happening and what people are talking about all around the world. From breaking news and entertainment to sports and politics, from big events to everyday interests. If its happening anywhere, its happening first on Twitter. Twitter is where the full story…

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Netflix Inc. (NFLX-Q)
The online, on-demand content streaming service. They’ve moved into production of their own content, which has reaped big benefits. They are facing fierce competition with Amazon, Google and Disney but the company’s cash flow is improving. Their Q4 earnings were very strong, with 27% increase in revenue in the year.

Netflix Inc. (NFLX-Q) — Stockchase
Netflix Inc. (NFLX-Q) — Stockchase

Opinion about NFLX-Q: Up 30% this year, hitting on all cylinders. Trades defensively. The consumer is strong and ads are doing well. 

stockchase.com stockchase.com

GoPro Inc (GPRO-Q)
The company that created the GoPro action cameras. They shuttered their drone department to focus on video editing and their camera department. Their earnings have been having some problems, and a closer review is required of their product market as well.

GoPro Inc (GPRO-Q) — Stockchase
GoPro Inc (GPRO-Q) — Stockchase

Opinion about GPRO-Q: (A Top Pick Jan 25/16. Down 1.98%.) *Short*. Shorted this because we were having momentum to the downside in the market. Also, this had a high valuation.

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Nvidia Corp (NVDA-Q)
One of the biggest names in graphics processing units. They reached their high of $270, and they’re trading at $184.28 as of writing. Experts are expecting a move up soon. The stock price took a hit after missing on earnings. Since they are a chip maker, they coincide with the semiconductor market and tech sector.

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA-Q) — Stockchase
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA-Q) — Stockchase

Opinion about NVDA-Q: If the company continues to execute, it could double its $4.4 trillion valuation. Forget the skeptics.

stockchase.com stockchase.com

Square Inc (SQ-N)
A mobile payment platform and merchant services aggregator. Their organic revenue growth is 53% year over year and they’re a leader in the space. The company is growing, with lots of potential still. The company’s founder and CEO is also the founder and CEO of Twitter.

Block Inc (SQ-N) — Stockchase
Block Inc (SQ-N) — Stockchase

Opinion about SQ-N: 12-month price target of $83.50, nice long runway. If there's a company that can disrupt payment or banking systems, it's this name. Very strong growth prospects. Agreed to buy Afterpay. February earnings missed on top and bottom, though they did increase guidance (probably due to Afterpay).

stockchase.com stockchase.com

Paycom Software Inc (PAYC-N)
An online payroll and HR technology provider. They also provide data analytics. They’ve had a good track record of beating earnings. However, they are trading at 30-40 PE and is not cheap.

Paycom (PAYC-N) — Stockchase
Paycom (PAYC-N) — Stockchase

Opinion about PAYC-N: It's in a good sector--human capital software. Also likes Paycor.

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Microsoft (MSFT-Q)
The company that is a giant in the information technology sector. They’ve transitioned from selling physical items to software as a service. We featured this on our “the Top 17 Enterprise Software Stocks”, stock list. They pay a nice dividend, and their subscription base means good recurring revenue with high margins.

Microsoft Corp (MSFT-Q) — Stockchase
Microsoft Corp (MSFT-Q) — Stockchase

Opinion about MSFT-Q: The company he'd be owning 5 years from now. Partnership with OpenAI is most consequential company of our time. Totally ahead on AI. Absolute beast when it comes to distribution. Wide-reaching tentacles across every Fortune 500 company. Path of least resistance when it comes to adopting AI -- security platform, Office 365,…

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Alphabet Inc (C) (GOOG-Q)
The conglomerate created by Google. A good stock to hold long-term. They’re facing their own scandal in the EU with anti-trust concerns but the fundamentals are great, and they dominate the cloud space.

Alphabet Inc (GOOG-Q) — Stockchase
Alphabet Inc (GOOG-Q) — Stockchase

Opinion about GOOG-Q: Thinks it's going higher, but perhaps don't buy now. Wait for pullback. There's always a reason for a stock to pull back at some point, but he can't predict the magnitude.At this level, risk/reward is not as good as entering at a lower price. Trades ~20-21x forward PE, whereas NVDA is trading…

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🛍 Consumer

Dollarama Inc. (DOL-T)
The Chairman, Larry Rossy, who led the family run Quebec-based dollar store to an internationally recognized brand stepped down from the company in June 2018. However, he still holds majority stakes in the company and remains the executive chairman. The company is still in the family, being headed by Neil Rossy.

Dollarama Inc. (DOL-T) — Stockchase
Dollarama Inc. (DOL-T) — Stockchase

Opinion about DOL-T: Beat revenue, earnings up. Is pullback of 3.5% today a buy? Believes he heard a comment that its forward guidance is uncertain, and that could be the reason it's pulled back. Earnings are one thing, but the street looks for forward guidance because that's what's going to happen next.Longer-term chart is a…

stockchase.com stockchase.com

Saputo Inc. (SAP-T)
Lino Saputo, the founder of the company, remains the executive chairman of the global cheese manufacturer. The company grows primarily from mergers and acquisitions. They are a leader in their space and are the biggest producer in many countries.

Saputo Inc. (SAP-T) — Stockchase
Saputo Inc. (SAP-T) — Stockchase

Opinion about SAP-T: (A Top Pick Feb 05/25, Up 15%) (Note the short timeframe.)  In Canada, it's retail. But south of the border it's more food services and is #3, and the US is dragging down its profitability. If it can return to half of former levels in US, it will be a very cheap…

stockchase.com stockchase.com

Alimentation Couche-Tard (B) (ATD.B-T)
The fabled Canadian convenience store is still run by the founder and chairman Alain Bouchard. They continually add value for investors, and are growing through acquisitions. They are also a major distributor of gas and their integration of acquired service stations have been going well. They were largely spared from the pull-back last December, and are hitting their 52-week high.

Alimentation Couche-Tard (B) (ATD.B-T) — Stockchase
Alimentation Couche-Tard (B) (ATD.B-T) — Stockchase

Opinion about ATD.B-T: It is a growth by acquisition company and is disciplined about not over-paying. It ranks at an attractive level. The cost of fuel is a concern and where do they get their margins. Look elsewhere on an overall basis with consumer related stocks.

stockchase.com stockchase.com

Amazon.com (AMZN-Q)
The most popular e-commerce and cloud computing company. Their cloud business continues to grow and everyone has shopped on them before. One thing to note, Amazon’s PE is quite high.

Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN-Q) — Stockchase
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN-Q) — Stockchase

Opinion about AMZN-Q: She likes it and is adding to her position. It scores 9 out of 10 fundamentally and is re-writing the rules of AI in automation in the retail space. It is looking at optimization - robots can do 40% more in packaging. Amazon's general AI business is growing in the triple digits.…

stockchase.com stockchase.com

Boston Beer (SAM-N)
A leading brewer of beer. They’ve won more than 500 awards, and they have a huge market share on the craft beer sector. They recently jumped following a SmarTrend’s Buy recommendation.

Boston Beer (SAM-N) — Stockchase
Boston Beer (SAM-N) — Stockchase

Opinion about SAM-N: Trevor Rose’s Insights - Trevor’s most-liked answers from 5i Research SAM produces and sells a number of popular beer and seltzer brands including Samuel Adams and Twisted Tea. The stock has taken a hit recently after missing on revenue and EPS forecasts for Q2. Analyst estimates forecast significant EPS expansion over the…

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Under Armour (UA-N)
The apparel company that’s most recognized by their sports line. Their stocks stumbled in 2017 and is now recovering slowly.

Under Armour (UA-N) — Stockchase
Under Armour (UA-N) — Stockchase

Opinion about UA-N: A great spec. They need a couple of good quarters. Nike is coming back with a vengeance.

stockchase.com stockchase.com

Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA-Q)
The leader in electric vehicles and clean energy. They are getting rid of their stores and cars will be purchased online. A lot of people believe in Elon Musk and he’s delivered quite consistently. This could have some volatility, but in the long-term, it is a great name.

Tesla Inc (TSLA-Q) — Stockchase
Tesla Inc (TSLA-Q) — Stockchase

Opinion about TSLA-Q: Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) is a leading player in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, known for its innovative approach to automobility and clean energy solutions. It was founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, with Elon Musk joining subsequent funding rounds and later becoming the chief architect and face of…

stockchase.com stockchase.com

👨‍⚕️ Healthcare

Canopy Growth Corp. (WEED-T)
Bruce Linton leads the first cannabis producing company in North America to go public. They’re also the first cannabis producer that’s listed on the NYSE.The company has market support for capital, that has raised over $6 billion , with Constellation Brands taking a major stake in the company.

Canopy Growth Corp. (WEED-T) — Stockchase
Canopy Growth Corp. (WEED-T) — Stockchase

Opinion about WEED-T: Good for marijuana exposure. Speculative, but quality. 

stockchase.com stockchase.com

📦 Courier Services
FedEx (FDX-N)
An American multinational courier delivery company. They’ve pulled back quite a bit after they reduced their expectations for 2019. It’s been affected by macro events and the tariffs war. It is a quality name, with a buying opportunity.

FedEx (FDX-N) — Stockchase
FedEx (FDX-N) — Stockchase

Opinion about FDX-N: It reported last night. Their B2B has been stuck in neutral, though B2C is okay. FedEx missed numbers, but they have cut costs. The price now is an opportunity, but won't rally until we see how the tariffs shake-out. FDX depends alot on cross-border shipping.

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