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It's a Monthly Gems opinion which is available only for Stockchase Premium

Curated by Allan Tong since 2019.
99+ opinions with 4.15 rating.

TOP PICK

This comeback story has ripped around 55% in the past 12 months compared to JP Morgan at 19% and Bank of America at 12%. It trades at a discount to book value and to peers, while its ROE is climbing. Last January, Citi reported 8% revenue growth, +35% EPS and +14% net interest income over the previous year. Growth is expected to continue. The private credit scare has hammered all U.S. banks in the last two months which opened a buying opportunity that endures, despite the recent recovery. Citi pays a robust 2.24% dividend yield. You don't need to wait for pullbacks to enter as the turnaround story continues.

premiumPremium content

It's a Monthly Gems opinion which is available only for Stockchase Premium

Curated by Allan Tong since 2019.
99+ opinions with 4.15 rating.

TOP PICK

When they reported their Q4 last week, same-store sales missed estimates and shares plunged nearly 8%. Are things that bad? Canadian same-store sales increased 1.5% and not the expected 2.8%, and fell 1.6% in traffic though rose 3.1% rise in basket size. Keep in mind that parts of Canada (i.e. Ontario) suffered an unusually cold January which impacted sales. Q4 sales rose 11.7%, including $234 million in sales from 402 Australian stores. EPS climbed 2.1% year-over-year, though gross margins of 45.5% paled next to 46.8% from the previous year.Meanwhile, DOL guides full-year same-stores sales at 3-4% compared to the just-reported 4.2%. A mixed bag, for sure. Further, the chain plans to open 60-70 new Canadian stores in the coming year, a $46.7 million warehouse in Calgary to support Western Canadian growth, open stores in Mexico, Peru, Colombia, El Salvador and Guatemala while converting an Australian chain to its own brand.

premiumPremium content

It's a Monthly Gems opinion which is available only for Stockchase Premium

Curated by Allan Tong since 2019.
99+ opinions with 4.15 rating.

TOP PICK

The street isn't impressed with this tech giant's AI offering, and shares have been punished 23.5% so far this year and lost all its gains in the past 12 months. Are we talking about Alphabet a year ago? No, it's Microsoft today. MSFT is also saddled by the SaaSpoclypse, now slowly fading. Investors are looking past the AI threat to see a company still strong in cloud with Azure's expanding revenues, up 31% in the past year and expected to rise another 40% this year. MSFT is also sitting on a mountain of cash, and continues to buyback shares and sell software subscriptions.

COMMENT
If Iran war ended today, has damage still been done to the NA economy?

Damage has been done to the global economy. If the war ended today, the repercussions aren't going to just disappear. If anything, it'll take a long time to reorient not only the oil and gas industry, but industry in general.

The inflationary pressures that the war has created will continue for some time. There won't be an easy fix. We're going to be in a choppy market for a while.

COMMENT
Defense sector.

US is spending an exorbitant amount on defense amidst the war in Iran. If you look at what's been attractive in the market for the last few years now, it's been defense. All the NATO countries are beginning to spend more and more in that area. That industry will continue to generate greater revenues.

The questions are how profitable are those companies going to be and who's going to finance them?

COMMENT
US debt load.

In the near term, it's hard to tell what the impact will be from all the defense spending. Tax cuts from the "one big, beautiful bill" are starting to come in. If anything, deficit pressures are going to get larger.

If that occurs, then the attractiveness of US treasuries might become a bit less, which will put pressure on interest rates. That will feed right through the economy.

WEAK BUY

Trading at 3x book value, around 21x PE. Not bad, given earnings acceleration that's expected, but not inexpensive either. Overall, seems to be doing very well. Some worry over chips available to meet delivery, now resolved.

OK if you're a long-term investor. Satellite business is growing.

BUY ON WEAKNESS

Ideally suited for expansion of the electrical grid in NA. They make transformers; no matter how the electricity is generated, it has to be transmitted. 

Hard to time an entry price, around current levels not too bad (as long as you're willing to give it a few years). Stock's short-term price swings reflect timing of the buildout and deliveries. Its future deliveries look very good.

COMMENT

A yield play. He hasn't looked closely enough to give an opinion on its valuation. Yield is ~6.1%.

Disclosure:  His firm holds it only in the sense that a few clients came in already owning it, and those clients are happy with the dividends.

BUY

Some competition, but its specialty is highly caustic acids really needed for chip manufacturing. Recent runup due to Iran war, as a lot of sources have been cut off. His long-term outlook is favourable. 

Attractive valuation, fairly good discount to peers.

HOLD

Good long-term hold. Over the short term, vulnerable to ups and downs in gold price. It's become the "gold star" gold company to own. Management shines, good acquisitions.

In general, keep your position in gold under 5%.

HOLD
For a retiree?

Yield is 1.5%, quite low, so it means the dividend is relatively secure. Demand for more power, especially in Alberta, means it has a number of projects on the go and footprint will expand. 

Not a bad quasi-utility to have a stake in, but current price may not be best entry point.

WATCH

A number of analysts whom he respects recommend it for its ability to grow. Doesn't think Iran war settlement will necessarily cause gas price to fall. Great properties. Valuation not fantastic.

He owns SU.

HOLD

One of his picks in the oil sands. Nicely diversified.

COMMENT
Price of oil.

It'll be extremely volatile. A lot will depend on what's happening in Europe -- demand for energy is going up, and sources of energy are in question. His guess is that the pressures will keep oil above $80 (he could be wrong ;).

Overall, companies will continue to be fairly profitable. He's still very bullish on energy, even though there's some prospect of the Iran war ending (which may or may not happen).

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