PARTIAL BUY
Companies with high valuations will compress if the market goes down. Revenue growth is 12%, so hitting on all cylinders. Payments, volume growth are at 11% last quarter. Growing at a fast pace. That's wonderful, but you get so big it's harder to grow at such a fast pace. Has no problem with the stock, you can buy a half position.
DON'T BUY
Doesn't like retail, because where's the advantage coming from? But it would be better than a Nordstrom, for example. What price do you want to pay based on its valuation? What kind of growth are you going to get?
HOLD
Has been around for 100 years. Valuation is 15x earnings for 2021. Stock jumped today. Big free cash flow company. Made an acquisition of Bard, another free cash flow giant, so they're paying down debt quickly. So they'll have cash to make acquisitions or grow dividend. In comparing retail to medical devices, he'd always pick the medical device company.
DON'T BUY
Like Enbridge Jr., where debt's crowding them out and they can't afford the dividend. Dividend cut never good for long-term investors. Highlights the difference from quality companies. Problem with utilities is that rates are higher, so ALA has to live with what they have. Not a quality company, reduction in credit rating. If you want quality, this is not one to own.
DON'T BUY
Down 47% over last 12 months. No growth in Europe, lawsuits, people leaving, constantly reconfiguring the company. Please avoid this one. (Analysts’ price target is $9.80)
COMMENT

Tech, healthcare, or military? Comes down to correlation risk. One tech, one healthcare, one defence, one bank, so you have 30 diversified stocks. For example, if you own Microsoft, don't buy another tech stock. If markets fall, it'll take you years to get back to break even. Correlation risk is the worst thing that people can have.

PARTIAL BUY
In the construction contractor business, all around the world. Own for clients with a US portfolio. Bit expensive right now, so half position only right now. Dividend's growing at 12% clip, so twice the average. Lots of free cash, very little debt. A solid stock.
COMMENT
US banks didn't do well last year. First 3 quarters showed strength in global markets. Negative performance in client engagement. Corporate business OK. If you own 3 banks, sell 1 and diversify.
DON'T BUY
Cyclical, so you have to deal with the ups and downs of manufacturing. Was the favourite child in Canada, but now it's come down. If you've doubled your money, sell half. Remember, it's a bus company. You can hold it, but it's volatile, and he doesn't want to own something like that.
TOP PICK
Life sciences, diagnostics, and consumables for research, with huge demographic potential. Multinational. Looking at 10-15% dividend growth. Has owned it for the better part of a decade and it's never upset him. Yield is 0.6% (Analysts’ price target is $112.53)
TOP PICK
Technical consulting and engineering services. Stock fell, and expectation is that earnings will get back to where it justifies the $100 price. In portfolios for kids and grandkids, just sit back and let it grow for decades. No dividend. (Analysts’ price target is $100.00)
TOP PICK
Call centres taking advantage of AI, so it's more efficient. On a growth path. They have earnings momentum, raised dividend 46% last year, as debt's coming down and free cash is going up. Yield is 1.3%. (Analysts’ price target is $166.92)
COMMENT

Thoughts on Brexit? Britain isn't the big empire it used to be. It needs immigrants because the population isn't growing. The British companies he owns are benefiting from the drop in the pound. During the Greek crisis, his companies had no more than 30-40% of revenues from within Europe, so if things blow up, he won't get hurt too badly.

DON'T BUY
BIP.UN vs. TCL.A? Hard to compare infrastructure to packaging. Doesn't have a problem with infrastructure, but the dividend doesn't grow the way he'd like, and the dividend is actually a combination of capital and interest. He owns BAM.A in TFSAs. Instead of TCL.A, he owns CCL Industries because they have greater free cash flow and dividend growth, a safer and less volatile investment over time. He goes for quality companies rather than chasing yield.
N/A
Market. It should be a lot better than 2018 this year. No Santa Clause rally – we had the Grinch. He doesn't know if the US shutdown will get resolved in January or February. By the end of February we should know what happens with China trade negotiations. In Canada he thinks interest rates are on hold for at least 6 months. He likes Canadian companies that export to the US. If Saudi and Russia are serious about curtailing supply then oil could break out of $60, otherwise it will be range bound.